Saturday, March 9, 2013

Women's History Month 2013

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Presents 
Notable Women of the United States 

Lucritia Mott  1793-1880 
Elizabeth Cady Stanton   
1815-1902 
Susan B. Anthony 1820-1906 
Originators of the women's movement in the United States.
Elizabeth Blackwell
1821 - 1910 
 First woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S.

 Maggie Lena Walker
1867 - 1934 
First African American woman to be Founder and President, St. Luke's Penny Savings Bank, Richmond V.A.

Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937?)
First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
Mary Anderson
1866-1953
Invented a car-window cleaning device in 1903.
Sally Ride 1951- 2012
First American Woman in Space

Michelle Obama 1964 -
First African-American First Lady of the United States 2009
Women's History Month
Celebrating  
"Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination"
Hosted by 
Hilda Diaz, First Lady of the Bronx
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 
Tosca Cafe
4038 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Sponsored by
 

Seating Limited RSVP Required. 
To confirm your attendance call 718-590-3522 or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov

Van Cortlandt Senior Center Newlsetter


VAN CORTLANDT NEIGHBORHOOD SENIOR CENTER -  3880 SEDGWICK AVENUE  - BRONX, N.Y. 10463 – (718) 549-4700
                                                                                    
MONDAYTUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAYFRIDAY
**
*
MARCH  1
10:00 TONE & STRETCH W/LIDIA
11:00 INDOOR GARDENING W/VICTOR
11:45 CAMP FREEDMAN PRESENTATION
MARCH 4
10:00 PAINTING
10:30 SENIOR FITNESS W/DORIANA
12:15 ART SALON
1:00 NARRATIVE PORTRAIT W/MICHAEL FERRIS JR.
MARCH 5
10:15 MOVEMENT W/CAROLINE
10:30 EMPIRE CITY CASINO
1: 15 MEDITATION & RELAXATION W/CLARA FERRER
MARCH 6
10:00 GENTLE EXERCISE W/LIDIA
1:00 SHORT STORIES
2:00 CURRENTS EVENTS W/DR. HELLER
MARCH 7
10:00 YOGA W/GERTRUD
10:30 KNITTING W/PHYLLIS
-LIONYARN BRAND
11:00 FOLK SING ALONG
1:00 BINGO
MARCH 8
10:00 TONE & STRETCH W/LIDIA
11:00 HOT TOPICS W/LUCY & NEAL
11:00 MOVIES AT CROSS COUNTY TRIP
MARCH 11
10:00 PAINTING
10:30 SENIOR FITNESS W/DORIANA
1:00 NARRATIVE PORTRAIT W/MICHAEL FERRIS JR.
MARCH 12
10:15 MOVEMENT W/CAROLINE
11:00 CONVERSATIONAL YIDDISH W/SARAH
1: 15 MEDITATION & RELAXATION W/CLARA FERRER
MARCH 13
10:00 EXERCISE VIDEO
1:00 VIVA  VERDI W/I. JAQUELINE BALLARIN, SOPRANO & ALLEGRO SINGERS
MARCH 14
10:00 EXERCISE VIDEO
10:30 KNITTING W/PHYLLIS
11:15  DOT – PEDESTRIAN SAFETY WORKSHOP
 1:00 BINGO
MARCH15
10:00 TONE & STRETCH W/LIDIA
9:30 IKEA TRIP
1:00 ART HISTORY W/LUCY
MARCH 18
110:00 PAINTING
10:30 SENIOR FITNESS W/DORIANA
10:30 STEW LEONARDS TRIP
1:00 NARRATIVE PORTRAIT W/MICHAEL FERRIS JR.
MARCH 19
11:00 AM. – 12:30 P.M.
BRONX
MODEL SEDER
1:15 KLEZMER- ENTERTAINMENT BY:   DOUG LEBLANG
MARCH 20
10:00 GENTLE EXERCISE W/LIDIA
1:00 SHORT STORIES
2:00 CURRENTS EVENTS W/DR. HELLER
MARCH 21
10:00 YOGA W/GERTRUD
10:30 KNITTING W/PHYLLIS
11:15 DOT SAFE STREETS FOR SENIOR PROGRAM, “THE FIRST STEP”, PLAY
 1:00 BINGO
MARCH22
10:00 TONE & STRETCH /LIDIA
11:00 HOT TOPICS W/LUCY & NEAL
MARCH 25
10:00 EXERCISE VIDEO
10:00 PAINTING

MARCH 26
PASSOVER 1ST DAY
MARCH 27
PASSOVER 2ND DAY
MARCH 28
10:00 EXERCISE VIDEO
10;30 KNITTING W/ PHYLLIS
11:15 DOT – WORKABILITY SURVEY
MARCH29
10:00 TONE & STRETCH W/LIDIA



NYC COMPTROLLER LIU, PENSION FUNDS TO VOTE AGAINST HEWLETT-PACKARD DIRECTORS


Board Members Failed to Safeguard Investors from Company’s Costly Missteps

   City Comptroller John C. Liu today announced that the New York City Pension Funds will vote against two Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) directors because of their failure to protect investors from costly, misguided acquisitions. The vote will take place at the company’s annual shareowner meeting on March 20, 2013. 

The directors, John H. Hammergren and G. Kennedy Thompson, are members of the board’s Finance and Investment Committee, which bears primary responsibility for oversight failures that led to HP’s disastrous 2011 acquisition of Autonomy Plc. As the two longest-serving directors, they also bear responsibility for approving HP’s ill-advised acquisitions of EDS and Palm, and for the board’s hasty decision to hire Leo Apotheker, whose short-lived tenure as CEO ended shortly after the Autonomy acquisition that he engineered. 

“The Autonomy debacle is the latest and most expensive in a series of ill-advised acquisitions and boardroom fiascos that have destroyed tens of billions of dollars in shareowner value,” Comptroller Liu said.  “While the board now appears to be taking steps to improve oversight, it will be unable to restore investor confidence without swiftly replacing these two directors.”

HP, which paid $11 billion for Autonomy in 2011, wrote off $8.8 billion of its investment in 2012. HP has attributed $5 billion of the write-off to improper accounting at Autonomy that inflated its pre-acquisition revenues and earnings.  HP took additional impairment charges of $9 billion in 2012 in connection with EDS and nearly $1 billion in 2011 that related to Palm.

In approving the Autonomy acquisition, the board and its Finance and Investment Committee ignored the opposition of the company’s own CFO, who believed it cost too much. The Committee also failed to challenge management’s decision to have those responsible for the acquisition’s due diligence report to the strategy group, rather than to the CFO, as is considered best practice. The board also reportedly assumed more revenue growth as a result of the combination than it normally assumes in acquisitions.

HP’s shares are down 61 percent from their 2010 peak.  The company, whose performance is in the bottom quartile of its peers over the past three and five years, was among the worst performers of the S&P 500 in 2012. 

New York City Comptroller John C. Liu serves as the investment advisor to, custodian, and trustee of the New York City Pension Funds. The New York City Pension Funds are composed of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System, New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, and the Board of Education Retirement System. The New York City Pension Funds hold a combined 5,544,018 total shares in Hewlett-Packard for a combined asset value of $115,592,775.30 as of 3/7/2013.
 
In addition to Comptroller Liu, the New York City Pension Funds’ trustees are:
 
New York City Employees’ Retirement System: Janice Emery, Mayor’s Representative (Chair); New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio; Borough Presidents: Scott Stringer (Manhattan), Helen Marshall (Queens), Marty Markowitz (Brooklyn), James Molinaro (Staten Island), and Ruben Diaz, Jr. (Bronx); Lillian Roberts, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; John Samuelsen, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; Gregory Floyd, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.
 
Teachers’ Retirement System: Janice Emery, Mayor’s Representative; Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; and Sandra March, Melvyn Aaronson (Chair) and Mona Romain, all of the United Federation of Teachers.
 
New York City Police Pension Fund: Janice Emery, Mayor’s Representative; New York City Finance Commissioner David Frankel; New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (Chair); Patrick Lynch, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association; Michael Palladino, Detectives Endowment Association; Edward D. Mullins, Sergeants Benevolent Association; Louis Turco, Lieutenants Benevolent Association; and, Roy T. Richter, Captains Endowment Association.
 
New York City Fire Department Pension Fund: Janice Emery, Mayor’s Representative; New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano (Chair); New York City Finance Commissioner David Frankel; Stephen Cassidy, President, James Slevin, Vice President, Robert Straub, Treasurer, and John Kelly, Brooklyn Representative and Chair, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York; John Dunne, Captains’ Rep.; James Lemonda, Chiefs’ Rep., and James J. McGowan, Lieutenants’ Rep., Uniformed Fire Officers Association; and, Sean O’Connor, Marine Engineers Association.
 
Board of Education Retirement System:  Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott; Mayoral: Joseph Lewis, Jeanette Moy, Ian Shapiro, Tino Hernandez, Judy Bergtraum, Allison Rogovin, and Milton Williams; Patrick Sullivan (Manhattan BP), Kelvin Diamond (Brooklyn BP), Dmytro Fedkowskyj (Queens BP), Robert Powell (Bronx BP) and Diane Peruggia (Staten Island BP); and employee members Joseph D’Amico of the IUOE Local 891 and Milagros Rodriguez of District Council 37, Local 372.


Albert Alvarez Fund Raiser 15th Council District


   The Albert Alvarez for City Council campaign got a big shot in the arm last night as over 200 people (mostly from the 15th council district) came out to support Mr. Alvarez in his bid for current term limited (and his boss) Councilman Joel Rivera's council seat. Albert has been the chief of staff for Councilman Joel Rivera since he was elected was the story told by Community Board 6 District Manager Ivine Galarza, and repeated by Councilman Rivera. Rivera went on to say that he and Albert Alvarez have walked the district, talked to the people, found out the problems, and worked together to solve those problems. 

   When candidate Alvarez started to speak it was a different person you saw. The mild mannered Chief of Staff first spoke in his native language (Spanish), and repeated what he had said in English mentioning that it was his sister who pushed him to learn English also. Candidate Alvarez thanked god and his parents, and then said no matter where you come from "the campaign begins tonight". "I am not going to be pushed around, I am from the neighborhood not a person who just moved into the 15th district, I have lived in the district for over 40 years, I don't need to prove what I am going to do because we need continually in the district, and I have been working to improve our community" he said. Candidate Alvarez thanked those who came out to support him, he thanked Councilman Rivera and CB 6 District Manager Ivine Galarza for their support, and all the others who have and will volunteer on his campaign. 

   A women of Distinction presentation was given by Candidate Alvarez to nine women (pictured below) who all thanked candidate Alvarez for the honor, and pledged their support to his campaign 100 percent or more. You can enlarge a photo by clicking on it.    
 
Left - CB 6 DM Ivine Galarza introduces Councilman Joel Rivera.
Right - Councilman Rivera tells the story of the hard work and dedication of his chief of staff Albert Alvarez.


Left - Candidate Alvarez speaks to the crowd.
Right - Candidate Alvarez with the nine Women of Distinction honored. From left to right - Wilma Alonso, Annette DeJesus, Ivine Galarza, Sara Logan, candidate Alvarez, Nerida Medina, Yolanda Negron, Rosemary Ordonez-Jenkins, Zola Pena, and Fiordaliza Rodriguez.

 
 Left - Many of the crowd present gets together for a group photo. In the front are Councilman Joel Rivera, Albert Alvarez, and Albert's Parents. 
Right - The party began with the "Albert Shuffle", as Albert Alvarez dances with Ivine Galarza and some of the other women present.


Friday, March 8, 2013

Jimmy Vacca Birthday Party / Richie Torres Fundraiser


   It was Jimmy Vacca's 39th birthday party last night at Villa Barrone, but it was Vacca Housing Coordinator and candidate for the 15th City Council seat Richie Torres who got the presents. Close to 200 people cane in the cold snowy weather to help Councilman Vacca celebrate his birthday (with many different answers as to just how old Jimmy is), but Vacca did say that he spent 26 years as a district manager and now seven in the city council.

   On hand to help celebrate Councilman Vacca's birthday were two good friends of his also in elected office, Assemblymen Mike Benedetto and Mark Gjonaj. Of course Jimmy's mother Elizabeth was in attendance also.. While Benedetto and Gjonaj spoke of their friendship with Councilman Vacca, both also had only words of praise for Vacca staffer Richie Torres. When it came for Councilman Vacca to speak, he thanked everyone in the room for coming out in such horrid weather. While he started talking about how he met staffer Richie Torres who was a student at Lehman High School, Vacca said that the Department of Education was not going to close down Lehman High School as was planned this year.  In 2004 Mr. Torres spent a day as an honorary District Manager, and in 2005 Torres worked on the Vacca's campaign for City Council. Jimmy then introduced Richie Torres after some more words of praise for the young man.

    Torres opened up by saying that the 15th council district was one of the poorest districts in the city, and how he attended Bronx public schools while living in public housing. He went on to say how his single college educated mother lost her good paying job of $13.00 only to find work at the minimum wage which was $5.15 then. Torres went on to talk on how he was given a chance by Councilman Vacca, and how that has paid of in not only tonight's event for him, with the endorsement of not only Councilman Vacca but also assembly members Benedetto and Gjonaj. Torres ripped into all the empty stores on Aurthur Avenue, and said good schools and good jobs are what is needed in the 15th council district being careful not to step on any toes such as the current 15th Councilman Joel Rivera.

Left- Councilman Jimmy Vacca with old friend Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.
Right - Councilman Vacca thanks all who came to his 39th birthday party  as assembly members Mike Benedetto and Mark Gjonaj listen.

Left - Councilman Vacca along with assembly members Benedetto and Gjonaj stand with State Committeeman Joe McManus as they raise 15th council candidate Richie Torres arms in victory.
Right - another shot of the group.


Senator Jeff Klein’s Statement on Decision to Keep Lehman High School Open


   "I am thrilled to hear that Lehman High School has been removed from the Department of Education’s proposed school closure list. Given that they're in the middle of a new turnaround program, Lehman should not have been on that list in the first place. When Lehman was first placed on the closure list, I wrote multiple letters to the Chancellor and delivered testimony, urging the DOE to keep Lehman open. During this process, students, parents, educators and community leaders came together to support Principal LoBianco and her vision for Lehman High School. Under the strong leadership of Principal Rose LoBianco, Lehman has been heading in the right direction. Given the turnaround program's initial success, we believe that Lehman should be given the opportunity to prove that it can be a success. This decision gives us the chance to work together to make Lehman great again for generations to come.”


   Councilman Jimmy Vacca was also very happy to hear that the DOE decided to keep Lehman High School open, and said so at his 39th annual Birthday Party last night. 


 

BP Diaz Observes National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day


  
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will observe Sunday, March 10, as National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day by adding the Bronx Borough President’s Office to the list of locations where NYC Condoms are available.

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day sheds light on the disease's often overlooked impact on women and girls, and empowers them to make a difference by taking action in different ways, such as:

·         Telling women and girls how to prevent HIV/AIDS
·     Getting more women and girls to get tested in an effort to reduce the number of people who become infected with HIV/ AIDS
·         Providing services to those living with the disease

Women and girls are not the only ones who are at risk of getting infected. All age groups, nationalities, and people of varying sexual orientation are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Everyone must take responsibility to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.  In December 2012, the New York Post reported that 68 percent of neighborhoods in the Bronx “were found to have ‘high’ rates of more than one STD.”  

“If you mean to be sexually active, you must do so responsibly. My office will continue to offer NYC Condoms for distribution, and I hope that this access will help curb the spread of STD’s in our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

NYC Condoms will now be available in the Borough President’s constituent services unit, 851 Grand Concourse, Room 209, Bronx, NY 10451.

The following link is a listing of NYC’s Health Department FREE Clinic in the Bronx:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/resources/clinics.shtml

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Wave Hill Events March 22–March 29


 
Just a reminder that our hours changed March 15, when we start staying open until 5:30pm, taking advantage of the increasingly long, lovely days of spring.

SAT, MARCH 23   FAMILY ART PROJECT—UP POPS SPRING!
Up Pops Spring!/Primavera en accion
Look around and see the very early signs of spring. Guest artist Moses Ros invites us to use the everyday cardboard container as a springboard for handmade stamps in fantastic, nature-inspired, pop-up collages and mobiles that celebrate the budding season. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MARCH 24     FAMILY ART PROJECT—UP POPS SPRING!
Up Pops Spring!/Primavera en accion
Look around and see the very early signs of spring. Guest artist Moses Ros invites us to use the everyday cardboard container as a springboard for handmade stamps in fantastic, nature-inspired, pop-up collages and mobiles that celebrate the budding season. Free with admission to the grounds.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MARCH 24    WINTER WORKSPACE OPEN STUDIOS—SESSION 2
For the fourth winter, Glyndor Gallery is transformed into studio spaces for artists to develop new work and offer opportunities for public interaction in the context of the garden. Individual artists share their studio practice with the public on this open studios day. Artists include Firelei Baez, Onyedika Chuke, Francisco Donoso, Tessa Grundon, Lina Puerta and Naomi Reis. Registration not required for this drop-in event. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1:30‒3PM

SUN, MARCH 24    TERRARIUM WORKSHOP
Don’t have a garden or greenhouse? Create your own tabletop landscape perfect for home or office, with Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer. Tiny ferns, creeping fig and other tropical plants thrive in the humid conditions of an enclosed glass jar as if in their own miniature greenhouse. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. $35 Member/$50 Non-member per project. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 2PM

SUN, MARCH 24    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, MARCH 25
Closed to the public.

TUE, MARCH 26 THROUGH FRI, MARCH 29    SPRING BREAK VACATION WEEK
Take a break from the spring school break and join us for a family walk, or for one, two or three afternoons of hands-on, down-and-dirty, delightfully fun paper-making with renowned papermaker Randy Brozen. 

TUE, MARCH 26      FAMILY WALK: EARLY SIGNS OF SPRING 
Track down hints of spring in the garden. Search for early-blooming flowers, creepy crawly critters and other garden goodies with Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer. Ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all day.
MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

WED, MARCH 27    SPRING BREAK:  PAPERMAKING 101
Learn how to make your own sheets of beautifully textured paper and experiment with using different kinds of pulp, with renowned papermaker Randy Brozen. Geared for children between the ages 5 to 10 and a parent or caregiver. $15/Member/$23 Non-member per session includes one child and one adult.  Additional child or adult $10. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Space is limited.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 1:30–3PM

THU, MARCH 28    SPRING BREAK:  NEW PAPER FROM OLD
Use a variety of recycled papers including tissue paper, wrapping paper and construction paper, plus assorted bits of chopped leaves and other found materials, to create new papers with different colors, textures and patterns, with renowned papermaker Randy Brozen. Geared for children between the ages 5 to 10 and a parent or caregiver. $15/Member/$23 Non-member per session includes one child and one adult.  Additional child or adult $10. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Space is limited.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 1:30–3PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—5:30PM. Closes 4:30PM, November 1—March 14.  
ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free all day Tuesdays in March. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Program s are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 3o minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.