Council Member Marjorie Velázquez - What's Happening in District 13

 

Dear Neighbor,

Our Family Summer Series has been a wonderful addition to our community, and tonight, we will gather for a special viewing of Top Gun: Maverick in Throggs Neck. For those joining us this evening, don’t forget to bring a chair or blanket and your favorite people!   

I’m also happy to share that our ‘Education & Youth’ section has been updated with information on educational programming provided by PBS/THIRTEEN, the Summer Shakespeare program, M.S. 101's special presentation of “Seussical Jr," and more. This is a great opportunity to support our local students in the arts.

In this week’s email, you will find information regarding community resources and events, including the NYC Department of Transportation’s upcoming workshops for “Reimagining the Cross Bronx,” the MTA Mobile Sales Van, and more. For those interested in learning about upcoming events, please scroll to ‘What’s Happening in District 13’ and ‘Save The Date.’ 

In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at  (718) 931-1721 or email us at District13@council.nyc.gov.

Wishing you all a beautiful and joyous weekend.

Sincerely,

Council Member Marjorie Velázquez

Family Day at Ferry Point Park

Making memories is the best part of our Family Summer Series, and on Sunday, May 28, families will come together for an afternoon of life, fun, and laughter at this year’s Family Day at Ferry Point Park! This year’s activities include games, bounce houses, face painting, an obstacle course, and more! We are also happy to announce that Assurance Wireless will be on-site, providing free smartphones and cellular service to qualifying individuals as a part of the Federal Lifeline Assistance program. Please note that enrollment is available to qualifying individuals. If you would like to apply for the Federal Lifeline Assistance program, please bring proof of: income, recent program participation, household participation in public assistance programs (i.e. Medicaid, SNAP, SSI). Please note that accounts are limited to one per household.   Location: 503 Balcom Avenue (enter at the corner of Dewey Avenue) Bringing the MTA to You! Next Friday, May 26, the MTA Mobile Sales Van will be at 3033 Middletown Road from 1 PM to 3 PM. This is a great opportunity to ask questions regarding your MetroCard, apply for a reduced fare rate, and so much more. Don’t forget to swing by - the van won’t be back until the end of June! Parks Foundation - Summer Activity Calendar City Parks Foundation has announced that online registration is now available for this summer’s sports programs! We are excited for this incredible program to be back in the district this year, and encourage anyone who is interested in Senior Fitness (Tennis and Yoga) or Youth Track and Field, to register. This year’s program will take place at Pelham Bay Park (Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue). For more information or to register, follow the links below. How to Register Youth Summer Track Program Senior Fitness - Yoga Senior Fitness - Tennis Construction & Repair Advisories Pelham Parkway Lane Closure The NYC Department of Design and Construction has announced lane closures on Pelham Parkway Eastbound Main Road between White Plains Road and Stillwell Avenue. This closure  will continue through Friday, May 26 and take place between 9 PM and 5 AM. This lane closure is necessary to facilitate the catch basin repair and roadway reconstruction. Please be advised this is a moving operation and there will only be restrictions to those specific areas where the work is occurring. Community Meeting: Improving Bufano Park This Tuesday, May 23 at 6 PM, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will host a community meeting centered around the future of the Bufano Park Basketball Courts and Multipurpose Play Area. This is a great opportunity to share your ideas and provide feedback that will help shape our community. If you would like to participate, please register below; registered participants will receive the Zoom link by 5 PM on May 23. Register Cannabis Law and Tax Law Updates As a part of New York State’s FY 2024 budget, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to increase the civil and tax penalties for unlicensed and illicit sales of cannabis throughout New York State. This is the first step to addressing the proliferation of smoke shops in New York City. The legislation (Article VII ELFA, Part UU, 2023) enables the Office of Cannabis Management and the Department of Taxation and Finance to curb the sale and/or gifting of cannabis from the many unlicensed storefronts, trucks, and stands. But what else does it mean, and what should you expect?  The OCM Enforcement Bill empowers OCM to: Seize cannabis found in unlicensed businesses Assess civil penalties (Tax and OCM fines/penalties) against unlicensed businesses to eliminate the economic incentive of operating an unlicensed cannabis business Seek court-ordered injunctions, closing orders, and the removal of commercial tenants to ensure unlicensed businesses cannot continue to operate in violation of state law, and to incentivize landlords to make sure tenants are in compliance with the state law Direct OCM to continue its work informing the pubic of risks of patronizing unlicensed businesses and to encourage cannabis consumers to patronize the state’s growing legal market Establish selling cannabis and cannabis products without a license as a Class A misdemeanor Empower the Department of Taxation and Finance to conduct regulatory inspections of businesses selling cannabis and issue fines if warranted Establish a new tax fraud crime for when a cannabis business willfully fails to collect or remit required cannabis taxes, or knowingly posses for sale cannabis on which tax is required to be paid but has not paid Please contact our office to report any unlicensed tobacco and/or cannabis sales in the district. SAVE THE DATE