Are you entitled to Unclaimed Funds? New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.  want to help you find out! Friday, March 27, 2015 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Bronx County Building, Rotunda 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451 It's fast, easy & free!!!

Councilman Cohen -- Department of Sanitation -- Organics Pilot Program

Upcoming KRVC events

Here is a listing of the many events that KRVC will be having during the rest of the 2015 calendar year. 

Click here for more info about KRVC's 2015 top sponsorship packages.

Spring 2015 Events

Thursday, March 26 * Jazz Concert * Kelly Ryans, 5790 Mosholu Avenue, Riverdale, NY 10471

Sunday, April 19 * Greenway Day * Riverdale Station Park, 254th Street & Hudson River, Bronx, NY 10471

Sunday, May 3 * Block Festival * Johnson Avenue, 235th-236th Streets, Bronx, NY 10463

Thursday, May 28 * Meet the Merchants Movie Red Carpet Premiere Event * Sotheby’s International Realty, 3732 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463

Sunday, June 14 * Riverdale RiverFest * College of Mount Saint Vincent, 263rd & Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471

Summer 2015 Movie Night Series

Saturday, June 20 * Vinmont Park, Mosholu Avenue at 255th Street, Bronx, NY 10471

New! Movie on the Block! Thursday, July 30 * Riverdale Avenue, 236th-238th Street, Bronx, NY 10463

Saturday, September 5 * Seton Park, 232nd & Independence Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463

More summer movie nights will be added—events are planned for Marble Hill, Van Cortlandt Village, Morris Park and other locations.

Fall 2015 Events

Sunday, September 20 * Block Festival * Riverdale Avenue, 258th-259th Streets, Bronx, NY 10471

Sunday, October 18 * Greenway Gala * Hebrew Home, 5901 Palisade Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471

Thursday, November 19 * Indoor Concert * Location TBA

For more information go to http://www.krvcdc.org/ 

WILLIAMS CONDEMNS HIGH NUMBER OF WEEKEND YOUTH SHOOTINGS IN THE CITY

 

Council Member Jumaane D. Williams,Deputy Leader and co-chair of the Council's Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, released the following statement after at least four people under the age of 21 were shot last weekend throughout the five boroughs.  A 9-year-old boy accidentally shot a 14-year-old girl in the back with a .22 caliber rifle he retrieved from his parents' apartment in Dyker Heights on Friday around 6:15 P.M., officials said.   On Saturday around 4:00 P.M., Donel Andrew, 18, was fatally shot in the torso on Flatbush Avenue. Ten minutes earlier and less than a mile away, the police said, a one-year-old baby girl was grazed in the leg by a bullet on Foster Avenue and Rugby Road. The child was also transported to Kings County Hospital Center, where she was treated for none life-threatening injuries. On Sunday just after 2:00 A.M., 21-year-old Jordan Santos was fatally shot inside a car in Queens. STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS "At what point are words not enough to express heartache and frustration about tragic shootings like those that took place over the weekend, including one that claimed the life of a teenage boy and another that injured a young baby girl. My prayers for comfort, peace and healing are with the victims' families after each of these tragic incidents. "As we wait for further details to unfold in these cases, it's not enough to just stand by. We do know, however, that the teenager's life was taken just across the street from a McDonald's on Flatbush Avenue which was the recent scene of graphic, disturbing youth violence widely seen on social media. It is clear that this area of Flatbush Avenue is in desperate need of attention. Simply adding more police cannot be the only answer. As a community, each of us must demand real change so we stop seeing incidents like this from happening where our youth reside. We must also deal with the supply of guns our kids have access to, and their misguided penchant for deadly violence as a response to disputes. "As we get deeper into budget season, our city and state will begin to prioritize initiatives to fund. During this process, it's imperative that our city fund more effective ways to positively engage youth, as well as to fully equip every community so they become the village that can raise a child.  "This year, let's not accept as fact that just because we are approaching warmer months that gun violence has to increase. It doesn't. It's my hope that with a bold stance and joint city/community efforts, we will put an end to tragedies like these by lowering the gun violence rate once and for all."

Grade Fixing Probe at John Dewey High School Brooklyn

  In several reports of grade fixing at John Dewey High School it appears that Chancellor Carmen Farina is either tight lipped about the investigation, or knows nothing about what is going on in the schools she runs. The New York Post Reports about the old 'Credit Recovery System', where students are given classroom credit for doing little more than watching movies or playing computer games. Teachers at the school are calling this a bogus way of improving graduation rates. 

  Figures in the Post article from 2009 when the schools current principal arrived graduation rates were at 56 percent. The Post has the 2013 graduation rate at 74 percent, and also says that according to the city's own figures the DOE shows an increase of 7 points from 72 percent in 2012 to 79 percent in 2013. 

   Other reports are saying that Chancellor Carmen Farina is cooperating with the ongoing investigation, and could this be happening in more than just one school.   

Funeral Arrangements for Carmen Rosa, District Manager, Community Board 12

We regret to report the passing of Carmen Rosa, District Manager, Community Board 12, on

Friday night, March 20th.

The funeral arrangements disclosed this afternoon are as follows:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

McKeon Funeral Home

3129 Perry Avenue (204th Street)

Bronx, New York 10467

Viewing: 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Service: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at The Woolworth Chapel, Woodlawn Cemetery, East 233rd Street, Bronx, New York

Interment: Following the service at Woodlawn Cemetery

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR JEFF KLEIN ON

THE PASSING OF CARMEN ROSA:

"I extend my deepest sympathies and prayers to the family of Carmen Rosa and the entire Bronx community at this difficult time. Carmen was a leading voice for change in the Bronx, ensuring the borough received the resources and attention it deserved. I was proud to work with her on advocating for increased police for the 47th precinct and addressing transportation needs for our seniors in Woodlawn. While Carmen often avoided the limelight, her voice was strong. Her advocacy, leadership and dedication will be sorely missed.”

MAYORS DE BLASIO AND GIULIANI TO ALBANY: MAYORAL CONTROL VITAL TO EDUCATION REFORM

  In a joint letter, Mayors Bill de Blasio and Rudolph Giuliani today urged Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to renew Mayoral Control without alteration and without delay. Citing the achievement of Mayoral Control as central to reform of the school system, together they warned a failure to renew Mayor Control and proposals to limit it would ‘take us backward to a time of blurred lines of accountability.’

  March 23, 2015

Dear Governor Cuomo and State Legislators:

One of the most effective ways to ensure the success of our public schools is with direct accountability -- and mayoral control of the New York City public school system provides exactly that.

This is a proven reform with broad support among parents, educators and officials from all ends of the spectrum. Mayoral control provides parents and taxpayers alike with a clear answer on who to hold responsible for the academic performance for our children.  It enables the elected mayor to enact innovative new policies and make vital changes, while also empowering local communities through Community and Citywide Education Councils and the Panel for Educational Policy.

Proposals that would limit mayoral control will only take us backward to a time of blurred lines of accountability. Graduation rates, college readiness rates, and test scores are showing signs of improvement, and the success of our children demands that we move forward.

It is no secret that the two of us disagree on a great many things – but we both know that mayoral control of the public school system ensures direct accountability and is absolutely essential for the future progress and development of New York City schools.  This is why Mayor Giuliani made securing mayoral control a top priority of his education agenda, and pushed hard for its implementation during his tenure.  And it is why Mayor de Blasio is fighting hard to extend and secure mayoral control. 

We urge the State of New York to act this legislative session to protect mayoral control of New York City public schools.

Sincerely,

Mayor Bill de Blasio

Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Editors Note:

It is very interesting to see that former Mayor Giuliani (who did not have mayoral control) is siding with current Mayor deBlasio. It is even more interesting that former Mayor Bloomberg (who had almost 12 years of mayoral control) is nowhere to be found in the letter. It was Public Advocate Bill deBlasio who wanted a better system for public school children. It is also Mayor Bill deBlasio who has chosen as his chancellor a person who was a Deputy Chancellor under Mayor Bloomberg. 

Senior Center Workers Seek Unionization, Improved Working Conditions

The New York state economy continues to lag in spite of the "robust economy boasts" by Governor Cuomo, and senior center workers numbering almost 2,400 have no union representation, but are seeking union help to improve their pay, and poor working conditions..

The average senior center kitchen aide makes less than 12,000 to $15,000.00 annually working 30 to 40 hours a week.  Most of them work extra hours without pay, and weekend pay is not forthcoming.  The City's Department for the Aging has not given raises to senior center workers in almost 11 years, yet raises have been generous inside DFTA's hermetically sealed executive offices.

Sponsor agencies have looked the other way, worried of backlash directed at them if they speak to the wage injustices suffered by senior center employees.   Even senior center directors earn a paltry $35,000- $45,000 after almost 20 to 25 years of service to non profit sponsor agencies.

On top of poor pay, senior center employees often  engage in chores not related to their written tasks  such as handling the USDA  Surplus food program at no extra pay, preparing containers for seniors to take home meals, a no-no since DFTA does not allow meals to be taken out of  the senior centers, and college students trained by senior center staff, with no pay differential for providing the training that can be as much as 16 hours a week in a work load of 35 hours weekly.

Senior center directors and their assistants go ignored when DFTA approves meals for dinner using the 3PM to 6PM slot, claiming that directors are "part of management" meaning, they get no over time - but wind up working 10 hours per week with no extra pay, and DFTA knowingly violates fair labor standards by engaging in fiscal chicanery.  Many spend their own personal funds to buy office supplies without getting reimbursed as most sponsor agencies claim they are broke, have no cash on hand, and suffer the indignities visited upon them by DFT executive management.   

Most senior centers are falling apart, due to years of neglect by the City of New York, and senior centers located within the New York City Housing Authority are literally crumbling, in dire need of reconstruction, a critical need the City acknowledges but ignores daily.

Will New York City finally give wage fairness to senior center workers?  It remains to be seen, although the Unions  could help make things happen faster, if they sign up the 2,400 workers at the  City's 400 senior  centers soon.