5.9 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks East Coast

   An earthquake centered in Virginia was felt all along the east coast from Rhode Island to Atlanta Georgia. The quake measured 5.9 on the Richter Scale was the largest one to hit the east coast (which is not know for its earthquakes) in almost one hundred years. There was slight damage as you got further away from the epicenter, with buildings being evacuated here in New York City. Most damage was done to single family homes in Virginia, and there was minor damage to buildings in Washington D.C. 

   After schocks are expected, and there was no warnings of any possible tsunami. This all comes before this weekends category 3 "Hurricane Irene" expected to make landfall somewhere on the east coast.

Letter to Chancellor Walcott From BP Diaz Re: P.S. 51 Contamination

Dennis Walcott

Chancellor

Department of Education

Tweed Courthouse
52 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007

RE: P.S. 51 TCE Contaminations and Relocation

Dear Chancellor Walcott:

Thank you for sending representatives from the School Construction Authority, Department of Health, and Department of Education to meet with my staff on August 14, 2011, and discuss the Bronx New School – P.S. 51 TCE findings. We appreciate their efforts to make the best of what has been a difficult situation for all involved.  To that end, we are less than three weeks from the start of the new school year and the Department of Education has yet to publish the TCE test reports, sign the lease on the alternate facility, disseminate the new school location to all parents or announce new bus routes and pick-up schedules. In addition, the DOE has not set a date for the school open house, which my office requested at the August 14, 2011, and was publicly promised at the parents meeting on August 18, 2011, nor has the DOE provided a streamlined process for parents who wish to transfer to their zoned school. 

I applaud your leadership in enhancing the protocols for environmental review of city leased properties which identified the TCE.  However, we still have significant work ahead, the source of the TCE contamination at 3200 Jerome Avenue has yet to be identified. Consequently, we have no way of knowing when the contamination started, nor whether there were conditions that may have caused fluctuations in the level of TCE exposure.  Without that information, we cannot properly assess the health risks to students, teachers, administrators and other staff over the last 20 years in which the building had been in operation as a public school facility. 

Moreover, while the DOE has communicated its willingness and desire to help the parents through this transition, it has not articulated any deadlines or dates as to when these deliverables will be received.  I respectfully request the DOE execute on the following promises no later than August 26, 2011:

• Publish on your website the list and schedule of bus routes that have been drawn.

·         Release copies of all environmental testing, reports and data from both P.S. 51 and the new facility at St. Martin of Tours, located at 695 East182nd St, Bronx, NY 10457.

·         Release an inventory of the light fixtures at both the new and old facility verifying they have been tested and are free of PCBs.

·         Schedule a date for the open house at the new school facility.

• Schedule dates for separate meetings with Department of Health and State Department of Health to discuss the health concerns of both parents and staff members.
• Announce a plan for how parents will be notified of the open house and bus routes.  Mailing a letter by itself will not be sufficient, parents should receive follow up communications via email and phone to confirm they received the information and answer any questions.

• Schedule direct enrollment sessions for parent seeking information on transfer opportunities and other logistical and operational questions in regards to the start of the school year.

Lastly, our office is actively working to disseminate information on this issue to parents and impacted residents as it is released. We are fully prepared to assist in helping families through this transition and I ask that you keep my staff fully informed of developments in a timely fashion. Should you have questions or issues of concern, please feel free to contact Ray Sanchez, Director of Policy for my office, at 718-590-2645 or rsanchez@bronxbp.nyc.gov. 

Sincerely,

Ruben Diaz Jr.

Bronx Borough President

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ RE: The Murder of Yaritza Pacheco

 

“It saddens me that, once again, an act of random violence has struck down one of our own. Yaritza Pacheco was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and for that she has needlessly lost her life and a child has lost a mother. Ms. Pacheco’s senseless death illustrates why we cannot and will not tolerate illegal guns on our streets. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Bronx go out to her family in their time of mourning,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

You can read The Daily News Story here.

 

Mayor Bloomberg Wants a Red Light Camera on Every Corner

  "I think we should have them on every corner if we could" of those red light cameras that catch motorist who go through red lights. The mayor believes that lives could be saved and the city should be able to have many more red light cameras.Currently there are 150 red light cameras in New York City and the proposal is to go to 225. The bill has passed in the State Senate, but is in the black hole in the State Assembly. Mayor Bloomberg would also like to publish the names of the offenders, but the ticket for a red light camera goes to the owner of the vehicle not the driver. 

  This brings into the city coffers over 52 million dollars in revenue, and even more when the penalties are added in for those who do not pay on time. 

P.S. 51 Public Hearing on TCE Contamination

Last Thursday night Chancellor Dennis Walcott faced his first major problem, how to handle the Trichoroethylene (TCE) crisis at P.S. 51 better known as the Bronx New School. P.S. 51 opened in 1992 under then School District 10 Superintendent Irma Zardoya. This was a new experimental school of choice open to all children of the district. A lottery was held to make sure that all ethnic groups were represented equally, and the school did very well academically. There were the usual problems of children getting sick, and everyone thought that was normal until last Thursday night. 
 

Chancellor Walcott informed current P.S. 51 parents that their children would not be attending P.S. 51 in September due to tests that were done in January, February, and in March which revealed high levels of TCE in the school building that can not be remedied by the start of the new school year. He said that the DOE has tried to air out the building, but high levels of TCE remain in the building. The level of TCE in the basement ranged from 310 to 607 micrograms per cubic meter to 1,7 to 5.3 on the first floor, and up to 4.4 on the roof of the building. The New York State Department of Health guidelines is under 5 micrograms per cubic meter. There was a fact sheet handed out that claimed 0.5 to 4.2 MG per CM is typical indoor air levels of TCE, and the handout stated “This fact sheet will be updated as new information becomes available”. 
 

TCE is widely used in products such as: metal degreasers, paint strippers, paint, varnish, glue, spot removers, adhesives, auto cleaning products, rug cleaning fluids, and in combination with other chemicals. The building that housed P.S. 51 once was a garage and factory before becoming a school building. The building next to P.S. 51 is a garage and a gas station, across the street was the old DEP chlorine storage building, MTA subway yards, and the #4 subway line runs above Jerome Avenue next to the school building. 
 

Chancellor Walcott apologized to the parents and then introduced the many people from the DOE, Department of Health, and School Construction Authority present saying that any questions that the parents have will be answered tonight. He continued that as the lease of the building has come up for renewal the DOE did some air tests, and then some more when the first and second came back with levels above acceptability. Walcott added that over the summer the DOE tried to remediate the high levels of TCE by airing out the building with high power fans, but the TCE was continuing to come in through the cracks in the building. He said that since the building could not be used for the opening of the new school year that the DOE had found another site only two miles away known as the St. Martin of Tours Catholic school that had been closed by the Archdiocese. Walcott then said that the silver lining is that this site has a gym that P.S. 51 did not have, and that there would be no other school in the building. Later in the meeting did Walcott give the exact location of the school on East 182^nd Street and Crotona Ave. at the edge of District 10. The chancellor said of the 65 leased buildings inspected by the DOE that only P.S. 51 had a problem, which drew little comfort from those present. 
 

Then the questions from the parents started. One parent complained that his child came home with headaches, and yelled at the chancellor “that the DOE didn't care, and that all the children should be checked out to make sure they do not have any illnesses”. Chancellor Walcott passed this over to Dr. Nathan Graber (a pediatrician with the DOH) who said that the city is working with the state to see if there are any long term effects. Dr. Graber advised to check with the child’s health care provider. More parents asked questions as to why the building was not closed after the first test came back high in January, and the chancellor said that it appeared to be a false reading and the DOE wanted to do more tests to be sure. There was then a call for a database of all students and staff that were in the P.S. 51 building, which got an answer from Dr. Graber and silence by the chancellor.

Parents of former P.S. 51 students then came forward to say that many of their children now have unusual health problems with no family history of such problems. One mother said that her child who attended P.S. 51 in 1995 thru 1997 who is now 27 years old has cysts on her ovaries. One person mentioned a nine year old student and her teacher at P.S. 51 who recently died of cancer. Parent after parent of current and former students of P.S. 51 spoke of health concerns their children are now having, and wanted to know why these tests were not done when the building was opened. The chancellor said That these tests are done when leases are renewed, and “we do not know about the past, but we are concerned about the current students of P.S. 51, which angered most of the hundreds in the auditorium. 
 

In the audience were State Senator Gustavo Rivera, representatives of Congressman Eliot Engel, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s office, who all watched in amazement, and could not comment on what they had just witnessed. 
 

Parents came with questions and concerns, but got few answers, even less assurances, and after checking with their child's health care provider may want to seek legal advice. 

 

Break Fast with Your Neighbor this Ramadan

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Cordially invites you to join the Bronx’s Muslim Community and Break Fast with Your Neighbor this Ramadan

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Bronx County Courthouse

851 Grand Concourse, Veteran’s Memorial Hall

5:30 Program -Followed by Prayer and Dinner

Seating is limited. To R.S.V.P. Call 718-590-3522 or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov

14th Annual Bronx Business Opportunities Expo - September 23, 2011

 

14th Annual Bronx Business Opportunities Expo to be held at Hostos Community College on Friday, September 23, 2011 (9:30am to 2:00pm). This year’s theme is “Growing Together: The Value of Partnership, Team building and Networking.”

 

SOBRO Business Expo is one of the longest running business expo in the Bronx.  Business expo is organize annually at which businesses are invited to participate and setup a table and answer questions, distribute their literature, network, generate business and serve as a resource for the business community. This year’s event will feature a blend of businesses of all sizes, across industry lines, representing financial services, insurance services, Health Care, Government Procurement Specialist , prime contractors offering sub-contracting opportunities contracting, computer technology, construction, graphic design, business services, and manufacturing, among many others.  The focus of this expo is to share business information and learn how to expand your business and to find out more information of major development projects in our community and business to business networking opportunities.

If you are interested to show case your products and services to the hundreds of potential buyers and partners who attend the event, place an ads, or interested in sponsoring our expo, please see attached information as well as registration.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 718-732-7538 or email Cedevents@sobro.org,  We look forward for your participation.  Thank you.

 

 

IDC Bill to Help Increase Distribution of NY-Grown Products Signed in Law

  Priority legislation by the Independent Democratic Conference that will help further expand the sale of New York State grown products in New York was signed into law today.

 

The measure, (S.614B/ Klein), allows the New York State Urban Development Corp./ Empire State Development Corp. to be able to extend grants and loans that will help create, or upgrade distribution networks between New York farmers and food distributors, processors, and purchasers such as supermarkets and farmer's markets.

“This will help New York farmers get their New York products to more New York families – especially in underserved communities,” Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, (D-Bronx/ Westchester), said. “I thank the Governor, as well as the Assembly sponsor, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, for helping make this very important legislation law.”

The lack of solid transportation networks is one of the main barriers preventing New York produce, which are primarily grown upstate, from having greater distribution in downstate markets. For instance, only half of the produce sold at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market in the Bronx, which is the highest volume wholesale produce market in the U.S., is grown in New York.

“This new law will provide great help in getting New York Grown products to New York families' tables,” said Senator David J. Valesky, (D-Oneida). “Agriculture is a cornerstone of the New York State economy, and leveraging our locally grown produce is a win-win for everyone."

This bill was part of the Independent Democratic Conference's “Preserve, Promote & Grow” plan to improve New York's agriculture economy.

“Agriculture is one of New York’s leading industries,”  Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange) said.  “It is essential that we work to actively promote our local farms and seek ways to ensure that they continue to grow and prosper.  I commend Governor Andrew Cuomo for signing this legislation, which will provide the tools needed to support our farmers, and promote locally grown agriculture products.”

The new law is Chapter 454 of the Laws of 2011.

“By strengthening these transportation networks, we are strengthening New York,” said Senator Diane J. Savino, (D-Staten Island/ Brooklyn). “Every community from Staten Island to the Thousand Islands and beyond will be the benefit from this new law.”