Monday, March 10, 2014

Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting


  The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 7pm
in the DEP Office at 3660 Jerome Ave. Bronx NY 10467.  The agenda for the meeting will be published here when it is available.

  The new Chair of the CFMC this tear is Father Richard Gorman of Community Board 12.

UPDATE:
There may be a change in this date to March 27th.
Check back for further updates.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

NAACP Slams Success Academy’s Outrageous and Insulting Lawsuit


 Hazel M. Dukes, President of the NAACP’s New York State Conference, released the following statement tonight slamming the federal lawsuit filed by Success Academy against Mayor de Blasio’s recent reversal of three co-locations
  
  “This lawsuit is an outrageous and insulting attempt by Wall Street hedge fund managers to hijack the language of civil rights in their shameless political attack on Bill de Blasio. It is an affront to all public school parents in New York City. There is no stronger champion for the civil rights of our kids than Mayor De Blasio. The entire civil rights community stands with him in his effort to strike a fair balance between charter schools and neighborhood schools,” Dukes said.
  
Editors Note:  
  We wonder how former New York City Council Education Committee Chair Eva "General" Moskowitz is having such success with some New York City public school children who are attending the charter schools that she now runs when she could not use this magic when she was chair of the City Council Education Committee for all the children of New York City public schools.
Come on Eva "What's your secret"?

  

Parents and Allies of Mayor de Blasio Debunk Charter Lobbyists’ Misinformation Campaign


 
*They Will Respond to Success Academy's Lawsuit over Co-locations and Defend de Blasio's Policy*

At Harlem Event, PS 149/PS 811 Parents, Rev. Michael Walrond, and Allies of Mayor de Blasio Will Rally for Reversal of Co-locations and Set the Record Straight

On the Heels of a New Video Campaign, Harlem Parents Will Discuss Why the Expansion of Success Academy in Their Schools' Building Would Have Been Harmful

WHO: Parents and Teachers from PS 149 and PS 811; Harlem Congressional Candidate Rev. Michael Walrond; Top Supporters of Mayor de Blasio.

WHAT: PS 149/PS 811 parents and their allies speak out in support of Mayor de Blasio’s decision to reverse the co-location in their school building. This event will come on the heels of a new video ad campaign these parents will launch Monday to debunk the misinformation and distortions that charter school lobbyists have been pedaling to the press.

WHERE: PS 149/PS 811, corner of 117th St and Lenox Ave., Harlem

WHEN: Monday, March 10, 4 p.m.

WHY: PS 149 and PS 811 lost several classrooms and a lot of space when Harlem Success Academy 4 was first co-located in their building in 2008. PS 811, a District 75 school for students with special needs, would have lost five additional rooms, including its only therapy room and a state-mandated room for conflict resolution, if Success Academy had been allowed to expand. Parents will speak about how Mayor de Blasio’s new process for evaluating co-locations strikes the right balance and takes into consideration the impact on existing district public schools.

Women's History Month Celebration


 
Bronx Borough President  
Ruben Diaz Jr.
Invites you to
Women's History Month
Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment
Thursday, March 20, 2014
10:00 am
Breakfast will be from 10:00-11:30 am.
Program to begin at 11:45 am
The New York Botanical Garden
Garden Terrace Room
2900 Southern Boulevard
(Entrance will be at the Mosholu Gate across the Metro-North Station)
Parking is available on a first come first serve basis
2014 Honorees
Hon. Letitia James    Dr. Betty Rosa
      NYC Public Advocate         NYSED, Board of Regents
Hon. Nydia M. Velazquez
Congresswoman

Seating is limited.  Please call 718-590-3522 or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov
  

Friday, March 7, 2014

Upcoming events in the 87th A.D.







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As the winter starts to wind down I want to let you know about a few events that will be coming up in the district this month.

The first is on about making homes energy efficient, and will take place on Wednesday, March 12.  This program will be especially useful for anyone who owns a multifamily building but all are welcome.  The discussion will focus around how to retrofit your building so that you and your residents can save money and live more sustainably, comfortably, and efficiently.  The event will occur at Masjid al Iman, 2008 Westchester Ave. Bronx NY, from 4pm-7pm.

The second event will take place right outside my office on Thursday, March 20.  We will be having free mammography screenings for uninsured and under insured females 40 and over.  This event will take place from 9:30am-3:30pm, but appointments are recommended so please call my office to reserve your spot.
If you would like more information on either of these events, or any other issue, please feel free to call my office at (718)-931-2620.  

You can also stop by Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm or Saturdays from 11am-2pm.  
Our office is located at 1973 Westchester Ave. Bronx NY.
We hope to see you at one of these events.

If there are any issues that you find particularly important, I'd love to hear from you.  It's important for me to know what you want me to be working on in Albany.  My email is sepulvedal@assembly.state.ny.us

Your Assemblyman,
Luis R. Sepulveda

Community News: Street Renaming Park Safety, Street Safety, and Summer Jobs


  This comes in from Comes from Manhattan councilman Mark Levine who is the Chair of the City Council Parks committee.

  Last week was an important first milestone as Council Member Mark Levine led his first hearing as Chair of the City Council Parks Committee. Together, the committee members examined the Department of Parks and Recreation’s plans for tree safety and maintenance during this crucial time following a period of record snowfalls in the region. This is coupled with a large expansion in the number of trees planted across the city, as MillionTreesNYC approaches its goal of one million newly planted trees. In prior years with similar amounts of snowfall, several tragedies occurred where people were either critically injured or fatally struck by falling tree branches. Council Member Levine wanted to address this topic during his first meeting as Chair to shed light on the need to make preparations to avoid future accidents and tragedies.

Earlier this week, Council Member Levine took a trip to Albany with his fellow Council Members and Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito to continue to advocate for universal pre-Kindergarten and middle school afterschool programs and to call for a dedicated funding stream to sustain it.

Our office has also continued to focus on transportation and public safety issues, in alignment with Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero plan. Next week at the City Council Stated meeting, an entire package of Pedestrian/Traffic Safety legislation will be introduced to address many problems impacting street safety. One of the items included within this package is a Resolution co-prime sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine calling upon the State to give the City “home rule” authority to install speed cameras throughout the City that will deter drivers from speeding and help to better enforce penalties when they do. If implemented citywide, these cameras have the potential to save many lives over time.

Nothing highlights the need for safer traffic policies more than the senseless death of a child crossing a city street. On Monday, March 10th at 1pm, Council Member Levine will host a street co-naming ceremony on the southwest corner of 97th street and Amsterdam Avenue. The co-naming will be done in memory of Ariel Russo, the 4-year old girl tragically killed by an unlicensed teen driver of an SUV on June 4, 2013. The corner will officially be co-named “Ariel Russo Way (4 years old)”on the day that Ariel Russo would have turned 5-years old. The co-name was made possible by legislation passed by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito in 2013 who was then the Council Member representing this portion of the district. The Speaker will also participate in the co-naming ceremony along with other local elected officials and all are welcome to attend. 

Apply NOW! The 2014 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is accepting applications
The 2014 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is accepting applications NOW!  Application period is open from Monday, March 3 – Friday, April 25, 2014.  All youth aged 14-24 who permanently reside within the five boroughs of New York City are eligible and encouraged to apply.
To apply for SYEP, you only need to submit a completed application by going to www.nyc.gov/dycd   

Parks Summer Camp Jobs
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) serves as the steward for over 29,000 acres of land, which includes 1,000 playgrounds, 35 recreation centers, 66 pools and 14 miles of beach. Within the many divisions, Public Programs operates Summer Camp at 19 locations.
To apply, please e-mail resume & cover letter to: SummerCampJobs@parks.nyc.gov 
Notice to Parks applicants – include your ERN on all correspondence.
For more information please visit http://www.nycgovparks.org/ 

You can tweet @MarkLevineNYC, call his district office at 212-928-6814 OR email him at District7@council.nyc.gov.

Rob Astorino Kicks off Campaign for Governor in the Bronx

  It was a bone chilling frigid morning yesterday by the Bronx Courthouse on the Grand Concourse, but this was the day and place that Republican candidate for governor Rob Astorino choose as his first stop on his campaign. You may ask why did the the Westchester County Executive come to the Bronx to kick off his Republican campaign for governor when there is not even one Republican elected official here. Astorino answered that question by telling of his Bronx roots and attending Fordham University, He then went into all the things that are wrong with New York State and the Bronx. Words such as "the most economically challenged in the state", and "unacceptable" referring  to an unemployment rate in the Bronx that is almost double that of Westchester County.

  As you will see in the photos below Astorino is surrounded by mostly minority people in what he called "New York's Only Minority Latino Borough". Astorino ended his comments by reading from a prepared speech in Spanish while one of his aides held a microphone of a Spanish speaking television station.He then took questions which were of many different subjects including how he can overcome current Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo's lead in mostly every category.

  I was able to say 20 years ago at Mayor Giuliani's inauguration a man was standing behind me saying that he would be the next governor. His name was George, and he beat Governor Cuomo that year. I said with the exception of you running against a Governor named Cuomo times are different now. There is a Democratic Mayor in New York City, the New York City Republican Party is in shambles from the Malcolm Smith fiasco, and here in the Bronx there has not been even one Republican elected official in many years. I then asked are you really running to try to help the Republican state senators outside of New York City get re-elected or even pick up a seat or two? Astorino looked a little shocked at the question, and  then went into his campaign speech again. 

  There were two counter protests going on at the same time. One about Astorino's position on abortion, and one about Astorino's position on gun control. 



Here you see Astorino as he begins his speech as to why he should be elected Governor of New York State. Next to Astorino on the right in the photo is hes wife Shelia, while Bronx Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Mike Rendino is on the left in the photo.











You can see the Spanish speaking television Channel 41 microphone in front of Astorino as he ends his speech in Spanish. One of his aides is holding the microphone.
Here you see some of the protesters from one of the two protests that were going on as Astorino was speaking.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. issued the following statement today in reaction to Rob Astorino's press event on the steps of the Bronx County Building:

"Before Rob Astorino came to the Bronx to launch a political campaign, he should have had the decency to apologize for having called our residents illegals who 'can't necessarily keep a house.' Such words are divisive, bordering on outright racism.  Despite what Mr. Astorino may think, the people of the Bronx are smart enough to tell when a politician is insulting them behind their back.  If Mr. Astorino has any sincere desire to represent all New Yorkers as he claimed today, he should drop the act and apologize," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
 
 

All for One and One for All! The Three Musketeers To The Rescue


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

  All for One and One for All! The Three Musketeers To The Rescue

You should know that on March 4, 2014, Albany experienced one of its best moments.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio traveled to Albany to stage what he had hoped to be a show of force to demand Governor Andrew Cuomo’s approval for tax hikes on wealthy New Yorkers to fund Universal Pre-K – believing he could force the Governor into a “jaque mate” – checkmate. That same day, another education battle took place, where CEO and Success Academy Founder and President Eva Moskowitz also traveled to Albany to fight for the right for charter schools to co-exist in public school buildings – something Mayor de Blasio opposes.

You should know that with less than two weeks’ notice, Eva Moskowitz gave her marching orders and mobilized an army of 11,000 parents and students to travel to Albany to counter-attack Mayor de Blasio.  On the other side of the battleground, union members served as Mayor de Blasio’s troops, totaling about one thousand.

The spectacle was unimaginable.

You should know that Mayor de Blasio’s trusted advisors and wartime consigliore seriously underestimated the influence and the power of convocation of “General” Eva Moskowitz.  Her charter school battle caused a huge defeat to Mayor de Blasio, causing him to retreat back to New York City to plan his next strategy.

We all know that this war is not over, and we all know that Mayor de Blasio “will be back.”

My dear reader, it was incredible to witness the scene of 11,000 people dressed with yellow t-shirts (over their winter coats) taking over the streets of Albany, drawing great admiration and deep sympathy from almost everyone who saw them.  11,000 Black and Hispanic parents and children braved Albany’s cold weather in desperation and with determination to protect and fight for justice for the children’s education.  This was all the result of the announcement that Mayor de Blasio wanted to stop their progress in charter schools and basically thrown them into the streets.

It is important for you to know that charter schools are mainly located in minority communities and that these schools are mainly attended by Black and Hispanic children.  Charter schools and school vouchers were instituted to give parents of minority children help so they could give their children a good and decent education.

I remember back to those years when Reverend Floyd Flake from Queens, Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker from Manhattan, and I got together to fight with our minority legislators so they would establish and pass laws to create charter schools in New York State.  I was not even an elected official when we created the Canaan Charter School in Harlem.  Since that time, I have remained a staunch advocate and a defender of charter schools and school vouchers. I believe they are a godsend to our communities.

It is heartbreaking for me to see a Democratic Mayor, along with some Democratic elected officials, trying to stop progress and educational opportunities that charter schools give to Black and Hispanic parents so their children can get a good education.  Instead of stopping this progress, I believe we Democrats should be fighting to open more of them to be sure that every child gets that opportunity.

You and I know that for many years, we complained about how the system and culture only gave opportunities to others, while our children were left behind.  Now that opportunities have been given to our children, this progress should be expanded.  You don’t stop progress – especially when that progress has been given to our Black and Hispanic children!

As you all know, I have been a loud critic of Governor Andrew Cuomo, mainly because I did not agree with the way he treated our communities and I did not see him protecting the people in our communities.

However, after seeing Governor Andrew Cuomo step into the cold on March 4th to stand among the 11,000 parents and children from the City of New York, and to promise us all that he will be sure that none of them are thrown into the streets and none of them will stop getting a good education, I have to say loud and clear: Thank you, Governor Andrew Cuomo.  I also have to take my hat off to Senate Leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, those three leaders came out like the Three Musketeers, with their swords and fists in the air, fighting for the honor and dignity of our minority students. They gave all those parents hope and let them know that the trip to Albany was not in vain.
Out of the Three Musketeers I, have yet to find out which one is Athos, Porthos and Aramis, but time will tell.

This is Senator Rev Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.