White Plains Road Menorah Lighting

   On Saturday for the first time thanks to the generosity of newly elected Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj there was a menorah lighting at the intersection of White Plains Road and Pelham Parkway. Over 200 local residents joined Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, White Plains Road BID Director Joe Thompson, and Rabbi Zuckerman. Jelly dounuts and hot coffee were also provided. Below are photos of the event.

Left - Rabbi Zuckerman Stands to left of the unlit menorah.
Right - The elected official are behind the menorah before the lighting.

 Here you see the White Plains Road Menorah lit for the first night of Chanukah.

Left to right are newly elected Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, one of the many Rabbi's, Congressman Eliot Engel, Rabbi Zuckerman behind Senator Jeff Klein, Joe Thompson of the WPR BID, and former Assemblyman  Steve Kaufman.  

 

 

 

Grafitti returns to West 235th Street Overpass

     Within only a few days after Councilman G. Oliver Koppell himself painted over graffiti that had been placed on the wall of the West 235th Street pedestrian overpass of the Henry Hudson Parkway new graffiti has replaced the old in the same location. As in the previous post of Councilman Koppell painting over graffiti the photos below are of the same location the following Monday morning. You can see the paint on the sidewalk where Councilman Koppell and City Solve painted over graffiti.

Koppell Plants New Trees and Cleans Graffitti

   We caught up with Councilman G. Oliver Koppell Friday as he was on Riverdale Avenue with North Riverdale Merchants Association Co-Presidents Anthony Fella & Gary Wartels and Long time Riverdale Avenue merchant Patricia Cassiere stand in front of three of the trees trees that Councilman Koppell had planted on Riverdale Avenue in the West 259th Street area. The merchants also described several of the ideas they had such as modernization of the area, a study of the area for traffic improvements, possible movement of bus stops to other locations, and a few other ideas that Councilman Koppell had his ace staffer Andrew Sandler copy down for later review by both. 

   A short time later Councilman Koppell was on the West 235th pedestrian overpass of  Henry Hudson Parkway pointing out some new graffiti to Mr. Bruce Pienkny President of City Solve Graffiti Removal. City Solve does graffiti removal work city wide, and Councilman Koppell was able to have the company do graffiti removal throughout his council district. Below are some photos of each event.

Councilman Koppell (2nd left) stands between North Riverdale Avenue Merchants Association Co-Presidents Anthony Fella and Gary Wartels, as Andrew Sandler (of Koppells staff0 and long time merchant Patrica Cassiere are on the right.

Left - Councilman Koppell points to some graffiti on the wall of the pedestrian bridge over the Henry Hudson Parkway at West 235th   Street.

Right - Koppell paints over another piece of graffiti.

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LIU: YET MORE QUESTIONABLE BILLING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT SERVICES

   

Audit Finds Department of Education Paid Consultants for Services That Many Parents Say Never Took Place

     City Comptroller John C. Liu announced today that an audit of the Department of Education (DOE) found possible fraudulent billing by consultants hired to provide services for special needs students. 

 

“There’s just no excuse for this sloppiness,” Comptroller Liu said.  “If the DOE is paying without checking that services were actually rendered, can anyone believe they’re checking on the quality of service?  And how many more students could have been served if money had not been misdirected or misspent?”

 

Comptroller Liu’s audit determined that the DOE did not monitor consultants’ invoices for special education services, paying bills for services reportedly provided in the middle of the night or for services which parents said their child never received.

 

The DOE’s failure to catch these invoices opens the door to fraud and abuse of taxpayer money. Comptroller Liu referred his audit findings to The Special Commissioner of Investigation for the New York City School District.

 

Weak Protections Against Bad Billing

Consultants bill the DOE either electronically through the agency’s Vendor Portal or by submitting paper invoices.  The Vendor Portal is supposed to automatically reject invoices that charge for services at inappropriate or disallowed hours. However, the Vendor Portal didn’t always do this. For example, it did not reject billings submitted for services that were supposedly provided at odd hours (such as 3:00 a.m.) or on Federal holidays (which are not allowed).

 

Even in cases where the DOE contacted parents to confirm the services and parents wrote back that their child had been on vacation, out of the City, or simply had not received services from a consultant, the DOE still paid the questionable bills.

Possible Bill Padding

In a sample of five consultants who were identified to have received unusually large payments, Comptroller Liu’s audit found three that appeared to have padded their bills.

 

DOE staff stated that services should reasonably be provided between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. But the three consultants flagged by the audit, who billed DOE for $34,000 in a one-month period for after-school sessions, claimed $15,000 in payments for services rendered after 9 p.m.  One consultant regularly submitted bills for 15 or 16 hours of work per day. The consultants charged from $31.49 to $41.98 per session.

 

The audit scope was Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011.

The DOE’s Auditor General acknowledged that the agency needs greater controls over invoices.  Comptroller Liu’s audit commended the agency for its efforts to enact better controls over billing.

 

Today’s audit is attached and is available for download here: http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2012/12-6-12-MH11-060A.shtm

BACKGROUND:

In addition to today’s audit, two earlier audits by Comptroller Liu’s office also found that the DOE has weak controls over the consultants it hires to provide special needs student services. 

 

In January 2012, an audit found the DOE failed to provide special education services to as many as 72,000 students — more than a quarter of those children who qualified for physical therapy, speech therapy, or other assistance. That audit is available here:

http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2012/1-24-12_FK10-147A.shtm

 

A May 2012 audit found that a DOE consultant, Champion Learning Center, owed the City nearly $1 million due to questionable bills. That audit is available here: 

http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2012/5-16-12_MD11-106A.SHTM

Wave Hill Events December 21–December 28

This week takes us through the holidays, past Chanukah and Christmas and the beginning of Kwanzaa, with new year’s staring us in the face. Resolve to enjoy the last ten days of the year!

FRI, DECEMBER 21    MEDITATION AT WAVE HILL: A HOLIDAY RESPITE

During this busy holiday season, take a moment to release stress, breathe and reconnect with your inner self. Whether sitting on the floor or a chair, learn simple meditation techniques, training your mind to be more focused and aware. Each session includes instruction in simple techniques like watching the breath, mantra repetition, and awareness-training followed by 20 minutes of meditation. Led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and instructor and long-time meditator Lea Tenneriello. $15 Member/$23 Non-member. All levels welcomed. Registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Drop-ins will be accommodated as space permits. This series concludes December 22.

GLYNDOR HOUSE, 10‒11:15AM

SAT, DECEMBER 22    FAMILY ART PROJECT—GLITTERY GIFT BASKETS

Glittery Gift Baskets/Cestas de regalo brillantes

Make a basket from unusual materials for a lovely, seasonal container or work of art.  We’ll show you how to transform and recycle an ordinary carton into something fantastic using sparkles, gems and more. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, DECEMBER 22    MEDITATION AT WAVE HILL: A HOLIDAY RESPITE

During this busy holiday season, take a moment to release stress, breathe and reconnect with your inner self. Whether sitting on the floor or a chair, learn simple meditation techniques, training your mind to be more focused and aware. Each session includes instruction in simple techniques like watching the breath, mantra repetition, and awareness-training followed by 20 minutes of meditation. Led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and instructor and long-time meditator Lea Tenneriello. $15 Member/$23 Non-member. All levels welcomed. Registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Drop-ins will be accommodated as space permits.  Final session in this series.

GLYNDOR HOUSE, 10‒11:15AM

SUN, DECEMBER 23    FAMILY ART PROJECT—GLITTERY GIFT BASKETS

Glittery Gift Baskets/Cestas de regalo brillantes

Make a basket from unusual materials for a lovely, seasonal container or work of art.  We’ll show you how to transform and recycle an ordinary carton into something fantastic using sparkles, gems and more. Free with admission to the grounds.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, DECEMBER 23    GARDEN AND CONSERVATORY 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, DECEMBER 24

Closed to the public.

TUE, DECEMBER 25 CHRISTMAS DAY

Closed to the public.

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—4:30PM. Closes 5:30PM, March 15—October 31.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free all day Tuesdays in December. 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 242^nd 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.

 

 

Finally, The Four Amigos Have Been Vindicated

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

You should know that in 2008, the Four Amigos formed and had real power in the New York State Senate. Former Senator Carl Kruger was elected to Chair the Senate Finance Committee. Former Senator Pedro Espada was elected to Chair the Senate Housing Committee and was the first Hispanic minority ever to serve as the New York State Senate Majority Leader.  Former Senator Hiram Monserrate was elected to Chair the Senate Consumer Affairs Committee, and I was elected to Chair the Senate Aging Committee.

You should also know that we got the first Hispanic ever to be appointed to serve as the Secretary of the State Senate.  Also, every Black and Hispanic Senator got a Committee for the very first time in the history of the New York State Senate.  We all got all of the lulus that come along with being Chair of a Senate Committee, and I got to stop gay marriage for 2 years.

For that, we were burnt.

Editorial boards, columnists, reporters and pundits called us all kind of names.  They called us opportunists and extortionists.  They said we were the example of quid pro quo.  They never once gave us credit for what we achieved for the minority community during that time.

Since the Senate Democrats lost the Majority, the only Democratic Senators in the State Senate who have become Chair of any Committee – and get lulus and benefits for their offices – have been the four Members of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC): Senator Jeff Klein, Senator Diane Savino, Senator David Valesky, and Senator David Carlucci.

Aside from these four Senators, Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci, during the past two years there have been no Democrats and I repeat no Democratic Senator – no Blacks, and no Hispanics – in any powerful positions in the New York State Senate.  None are Chairs of any Committees.

When these IDC Senators Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci broke away from our Democratic Conference, their main issues for doing so were because they claimed that they wanted good government and because they opposed the hanky-panky in the Senate.  They even attacked Senator Malcolm Smith because he was being investigated about dealings with the Aqueduct Racino along with Reverend Floyd Flake and U.S. Congressman Greg Meeks.  Senators, Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci insisted that they wanted to be clean and far away from any hanky-panky.

They never said they wanted power to Chair Committees. They never said they wanted lulus.  They never said they wanted better offices or more money for their offices and NO ONE ever attacked or questioned them about any of those realities.

Now, Senator Malcolm Smith sees an opportunity to do a little quid pro quo of his own with the Republicans and instead of being honest enough to just say, “I want the Republicans to support me so I can run for Mayor of New York City on the Republican line,” he just broke away from the Democratic Conference and joined the Independent Democratic Conference claiming that he is doing so for better government and to do better for the people of New York.

During these past few weeks, Senators Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci are on record saying that the IDC wants to pass three pieces of legislation: raising the minimum wage, the Reproductive Health Act – which will make the already staggering numbers of abortion in New York’s Black and Hispanic communities soar even higher – and the Marijuana Bill.  They claim that they maintain their allegiance with the Republican Conference to help them to bring these bills into to law.

The IDC Senators Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci don’t say that those three bills are in fact Democratic issues, and they don’t explain why they need to go to the Republican side for support to pass those bills.  Even assuming that I wouldn’t vote for the pro-abortion or marijuana bill, there would still be more than enough Senate Democrats to pass those bills.

What these IDC Senators Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci don’t say – and what no one is holding them accountable to even admitting – is the power they are getting.
You should know that when the Senate Session resumes, Senator Jeff Klein will get to be the Senate Leader every 2 weeks, trading off with Senator Dean Skelos and the other three will be getting good perks.

I have to say that I believe what these Senators Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and David Carlucci are doing is a lot worse than what the Four Amigos ever did!  And please don’t think I am overlooking the fact that Carl Kruger, Pedro Espada, and Hiram Monserrate were indicted – but NOT because of what they did in as Amigos in the Senate.  For that, of course there is a difference, but the quid pro quo and the wheeling and dealing that is happening now in the State Senate is so much worse than all of that.

You should also know that in 2008, I was honest enough to say to my colleagues that I would not support anyone who would bring gay marriage to the Senate Floor.  Since the beginning that is what I said and I made it clear that that was what I wanted.

And so I must put this question out there to all of the editorial boards and all of the media and pundits who went after the Four Amigos: What are you saying now? What are you saying to and about the Independent Democratic Senators Senator Jeff Klein, Senator Diane Savino, Senator David Valesky, and Senator David Carlucci – and about Senator Malcolm Smith? What about Simcha Felder? What happened to concerns of cleanliness and not being associated with certain Democrats?  What are you saying about power sharing? What about quid pro quo? Are they extortionists? Are they selfish? That is for you guys to find out.

If this is not a text book example of quid pro quo and if this is not a personal power struggle with such personal power and benefits equal to what the Four Amigos were accused of – or worse – then you tell me what it is.

In closing, I really have to thank Senator Jeff Klein, Senator Diane Savino, Senator David Valesky, and Senator David Carlucci because by doing and creating this power sharing movement they are vindicating the names of the Four Amigos.

So now you know the rest of the story: finally, the Four Amigos have been vindicated.

This is State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

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Bronx "Good Scout" Award Reception

   

  

 

 

     Deadline for Journal Ads is December 7, 2012

         (Click on the the above to enlarge it.)

NYS to Hire 5000 New Yorkers for Sandy Cleanup

    New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that the state has secured a $27 million federal grant that will help put more than 5,000 unemployed New Yorkers to work helping clean-up communities still recovering from Hurricane Sandy.

The funding - provided by a National Emergency Grant - will be provided to communities hit hard by the storm so they can quickly hire young people and the unemployed to help with clean-up efforts in affected counties, including the Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. The State Department of Labor, which is administering the funds, will work with communities to identify cleanup areas and deploy workers to job sites.

In addition, Governor Cuomo today announced that the state has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to launch a local hire program to replace FEMA employees, often from out of state, with New Yorkers. The goal is to hire upwards of 700 New Yorkers.

APPLYING FOR A JOB

The Department of Labor will assist local communities to identify and hire workers. Individuals who are interested in applying for a job under this grant are encouraged to contact the Department of Labor at 1-888-4-NYSDOL (1-888-469-7365) or by visiting www.labor.ny.gov/sandyjobs. Individuals can also visit their local Disaster Recovery Center or One-Stop Career Center.

All individuals must be unemployed to be eligible. Once hired, workers will earn approximately $15 per hour to work on short and long-term projects. The work will include cleaning and repairing damaged public structures and property in each of the nine counties declared disaster areas.

In addition to offering benefits and on-the-job experience, each worker will be given assistance in finding their next job. Eligible youth will also be certified in the Governor's New York Youth Works program.

FEMA JOBS

Individuals interested in applying for a job with FEMA should visit Governor Cuomo's Jobs Express website at http://www.labor.ny.gov/jobs/regional.shtm

The full-time, temporary positions range from Community Relations Specialists providing outreach to the disaster-stricken communities, to administrative assistants.

IDENTIFYING SITES

Governor Cuomo has directed the Department of Labor to immediately contact local public officials in affected localities to identify areas in need and dispatch cleanup and rebuilding crews. Local public officials may also submit information on projects and project sites to the Department of Labor by emailing: sandyprojects@labor.ny.gov.

The State Department of Labor with its reemployment services and one-stop career centers throughout the impacted areas will work aggressively to connect unemployed New Yorkers to additional jobs. Following Hurricane Sandy, storm related unemployment insurance claims have risen to nearly 50,000.