Saturday, May 4, 2013
What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York
Governor Andrew Cuomo: The Macho Man
You should know that there are two very well known and important Biblical passages that deal with the way in which we should recognize the merit, good or bad, of our fellow human beings. One is located in the Gospel of Mark and says: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God, what belongs to God.” You will find the other Biblical passage in the Epistle written by the Apostle Paul to the Romans, Chapter 13, verse 7: “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” (King James Version)
Following these biblical ordinances, I have to write this “What You Should Know” to give New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo credit for three very important and courageous acts in the last few weeks.
You should know that since the Honorable Andrew Cuomo came to be the New York State Governor, I have been his number one critic, due to a few things he has done that he imposed on us which I believe are wrong and negative. He started with his budgets being balanced on the backs of the poor and the needy of the State, and then he imposed homosexual marriage on us, now he is promoting abortion on demand with the possibility of giving carte blanche to late term abortions, and he is selling New York to the committee
called the Committee to Save New York.
The same way that I have been prone to criticize the Governor, I cannot be blind to the following three courageous acts that he has done in the last few weeks.
First, Governor Cuomo openly and publicly refused to allow the Bronx Democratic County Organization to conduct a special election to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of Assemblyman Nelson Castro. This was practically a slap in the face to the Bronx Democratic Organization and its leaders.
As you know, it is very common for Governors to call for a special election giving local political organizations the advantage in electing the new person. By not calling for a special election, this means that the vacancy has to be filled during the Democratic Primary, making the Bronx Democratic Organization work harder, spend more money and raising the possibility of losing the seat.
Second, Governor Cuomo took on Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Denny Farrell by personally and publicly coming out in opposition to a piece of legislation that they were promoting. According to the New York Daily News Editorial of Tuesday April 30, 2013, Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Denny Farrell were sponsoring legislation favoring the lending companies that according to the Daily News “would let low income New Yorkers…be victimized by interest rates of up to 200%.” The News used words like “loan-sharking,” “usury,” and “horrendous” in its description of this legislation. It also states that Senator Klein has received $50,000 and Assemblyman Farrell $30,000 from the loan companies that will benefit if such legislation ever becomes law.
You should know that to Governor Cuomo’s credit he came out against this legislation claiming that “it will roll back longstanding and effective consumer protections.”
Lastly, our Governor wrote a letter to Mr. Kevin Burke the Chairman and CEO of Con Edison opposing a recent decision by Con Edison to award bonuses to its executives.
In the letter dated April 23 to Mr. Burke, the Governor wrote: “I write to express concern regarding Con Edison’s (Con Ed) recent decision to award bonuses to its senior executives. These bonuses come at a particularly sensitive time. Six months ago today, Superstorm Sandy hit New York and in its aftermath, we witnessed a complete failure by many of our State’s utilities to provide adequate service to the ratepayers they serve. In impacted areas across our State, many New Yorkers were left without heat or light for weeks.”
The Governor ended his letter to Con Edison saying “In order to ensure that the terms of the approved rate plan and that ratepayers are not wrongly put on the hook for bonuses to Con Ed’s senior executives, I am directing the PSC to conduct a review of the bonuses. This will include reviewing Con Ed documents associated with the approval of the bonuses, the accounting treatments of these costs, and what steps Con Ed has taken to ensure that no costs have passed on to rate payers.” Bravo Mr. Governor! Te la comistes.
You should know that like Don Quixote De La Mancha, our Governor has taken out his sword and on this occasion, with courage and precision, has come out fighting the windmills on behalf of the residents of the New York City, knowing that they could have been the most affected by these draconian, blood sucking windmills. In these three situations, the Governor has proved to be a macho man.
I am Senator Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.
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Wave Hill Events May 16–May 23
The
season arrived late, and it’s been cool, with not nearly enough rain.
Thus the sprinkler running full-force in the Flower Garden in the first
shot I’ve attached, taken yesterday. But none of that has dimmed the
staggering experience of rebirth in every corner of Wave Hill. Like the
birds that find a treetop to sing out from, I wish I could crow to the
world how perfectly magical an oasis Wave Hill provides. From family art
weekend mornings and an adult art workshop Sunday afternoon, to yoga,
tai chi and a workshop on how to grow your own herbs, the diversions are
first-rate and fun.
SAT, MAY 18 FAMILY ART PROJECT—WOVEN WONDERS
Woven Wonders/Maravillas tejidas
Experiment
with colorful fabrics that have been dyed using beets and flowers and
create your own simple weaving. Visiting artist Tomoe Matsuoka—creator
of Wave Hill’s beautiful Family Art Project puppet theater—assembles a
large canopy to which you may add your own weaving. Free, and admission
to the grounds is free until noon.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM
SAT, MAY 18 TAI CHI CHUAN
Quiet
like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle
movements based on images found in nature. In this beginner-level class,
Irving Yee, an active member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School,
will introduce students to the internal martial arts and promote an
awareness of their health benefits. Sessions are held outdoors only and
are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245
by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member
$15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM
SAT, MAY 18 WAVE HILL HISTORY WALK
Discover
the fascinating history of the gardens, buildings and the people who
once called Wave Hill their home, with historian and Wave Hill Garden
Guide Deirdre LaPorte. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until
noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM
SAT, MAY 18 MEET THE ARTIST: LYNN KOBLE
Manhattan-based
artist Lynn Koble’s multimedia, sculptural installation explores the
idea of classification systems as a point of intersection between people
and nature. The installation is a visualization of partly scientific,
partly whimsical classification. A symmetrical, room-sized shelving unit
contains row upon row of custom propagation pots holding a handmade
sprout, each tagged with a strip identifying its place within the
fictitious taxonomy. A printed directory assists the viewer in
navigating this fantasy greenhouse as speakers play a narrative reading
of the plants’ Latin names. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1:30PM
SAT, MAY 18 ESSENTIAL HERBS CONTAINER WORKSHOP
You
don’t need a plot of land to grow your own herbs! Fill a pot with a
selection of culinary herbs for your garden, terrace or rooftop, with
Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer. Care instructions,
helpful info, plants and all other materials provided. $30 Member/$45
Non-member per project. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.
ON THE GROUNDS, 2PM
SUN, MAY 19 FAMILY ART PROJECT—WOVEN WONDERS
Woven Wonders/Maravillas tejidas
Experiment
with colorful fabrics that have been dyed using beets and flowers and
create your own simple weaving. Visiting artist Tomoe Matsuoka—creator
of Wave Hill’s beautiful Family Art Project puppet theater—assembles a
large canopy to which you may add your own weaving.
Free with admission to the grounds.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM
SUN, MAY 19 HATHA YOGA
Find
refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and
increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and
meditation. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and
Therapeutic Yoga by The Yoga for Health Foundation in Bedfordshire,
England, and The Integral Yoga Institute in NYC. All levels welcome.
Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245
by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member
$15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11:15AM
SUN, MAY 19 GARDEN 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
SUN, MAY 19 RIPPLE EFFECT: ON PAINTING WATER
Creative Actions! Studio Sundays
Engage
in a creative dialogue with your surroundings guided by professional
artists working in various media. Join artist Wennie Huang in this
watercolor workshop focusing on techniques that capture the elusive,
translucent and reflective qualities of water. Working off the inverted
landscape mirrored in the Aquatic Garden, experiment with wet-on-wet
washes, glazing and brushwork to suggest the rippling effect of water.
$20 Member/$30 Non-member each session. Registration recommended, online
at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x232 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Drop-ins welcome as space allows.
ON THE GROUNDS, 1–4PM
MON, MAY 20
Closed to the public.
TUE, MAY 21 GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM
TUE, MAY 21 GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s spring exhibition, Drawn to Nature,
which features the work of seven artists who use drawing to convey a
deep connection to the natural world. In the Sunroom Project Space, Lynn
Koble’s multimedia sculptural installation visualizes a partly
scientific, partly whimsical plant classification. Tours take place
Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM
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—5:30PM. Closes 4:30PM, November 1—March 14.
ADMISSION $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free until noon Tuesdays in May. 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 242nd
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.
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Conference on Housing and The Mentally Ill
The Joint Community Advisory Board of Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital
The Behavioral Health Services, North Bronx Healthcare Network
(JMC and NCBH)
NAMI Bronx Families and Advocates, Inc.
Sunshine Hope, Inc.
PRESENT THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCE:
Housing
ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL
Where do they fit in?
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
8:30 a.m. - Noon
Jacobi Medical Center
Corporate Conference Center
(Building 4, 2nd Floor)
Registration and
Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Introductory Remarks
Arnold Merriam, MD, Chairman, North Bronx Healthcare Network (NBHN)
Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
John Dibbini, Deputy Executive Director, Behavioral Health Services, NBHN
Keynote Speaker: Toni Lasicki
Executive Director, Association for Community Living, Inc. (ACLAIMH)
Ralph Fasano
Executive Director of Concern for Independent Living
Samuel Lopez
Associate Director for South Bronx Mental Health Center
LaRay Brown
Senior Vice President
Corporate Planning, Community Health & Intergovernmental Relations
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
RSVP by May 9th
call 718-918-3906 or email
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Wednesday, May 1, 2013
2nd Annual Fordham Fever Friday’s Event Series
The Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID) announces the 2nd
Annual Fordham Fever Friday’s event series! Taking place the first Friday of
the month, May through October (May 3, June 7, July 5, Aug. 2, Sept. 6, &
Oct. 4) from 11am – 4pm at Muller Park & Pedestrian Plaza at East Fordham
Road & Creston Avenue.
We invite you to join us on these event dates for a unique day of culturally diverse, fun-filled activities, giving shoppers and families a delightful experience while visiting one of the busiest shopping districts in the Bronx. Shoppers can take a break from bargain hunting and bring children to enjoy Native American Storytelling, face painting, artists displaying their artwork, live musical performances, book give-aways, food tastings and much more!
We invite you to join us on these event dates for a unique day of culturally diverse, fun-filled activities, giving shoppers and families a delightful experience while visiting one of the busiest shopping districts in the Bronx. Shoppers can take a break from bargain hunting and bring children to enjoy Native American Storytelling, face painting, artists displaying their artwork, live musical performances, book give-aways, food tastings and much more!
The event series will feature themed days including Cinco de Mayo (May), Health (June), Independence Day Cookout (July), Back to School (Aug.), Football Season Kick Off (Sept.), and a Continental Food Show in October.
For
more information about this event or any of our other programs, events or
services, please contact the BID office at (718) 562-2104 or visit the BID website
at www.fordhamroadbid.org.
About Us
The
Fordham Road BID is a non-profit
corporation under contract with the City of New York to provide supplementary
services to the community. The BID focuses on sanitation, beautification,
promotion and overall advocacy of the Fordham Road area – striving to make the
district a more attractive and dynamic locale in which to shop, work and visit.
The BID boundaries extend from Third to Jerome Avenues along East Fordham Road
and also includes the commercial areas on select side streets. The
district is comprised of approximately 80 buildings and almost 300 businesses
ranging from nationwide chains to locally owned independent shops.
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Making it easier to vote in New York State...
This comes in from Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda 87th A.D.
I'm pleased to announce that
the New York State Assembly has passed legislation that will render the process of
voting easier. I firmly believe that a cornerstone of any
viable democracy is voter engagement and participation. Under this bill,
early voting would begin on the third Thursday prior to a general
election and go right up until the Thursday before Election Day,
providing voters with a two-week time frame to cast their ballots. In
the case of a primary or special election, early voting would run from
the second Thursday before regular voting until the Thursday prior to
the actual election date, giving voters up to a week of early voting.
Early voting polls would be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each weekday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Local boards of elections would designate at least five early voting sites in each county, or borough, in the case of New York City.
The local board of elections would automatically be designated as a
polling place in each county/borough. Boards of elections would also be
allowed to staff early voting sites with appointed inspectors or their
own employees. Early votes would be secured throughout the early voting
period and the results would not be released prior to the close of polls
on Election Day. In addition, the names of each early voter would be
recorded to ensure that early voters are properly removed from Election
Day poll books.
This early
voting reform would give disabled voters and those who work
non-traditional hours more flexibility to cast their votes well ahead of
Election Day, it would also
create shorter lines at the polls and give local boards of elections
enough time to ensure that no one votes twice in the same election. If made law, New York would join 32 other states and the District of Columbia in permitting an alternative to in-person voting on Election Day.
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IT'S MY PARK DAY IN THE BRONX
Starting with Saturday May 4th and running through the first week of June the Parks Department along with various different local and civic groups will be co-hosting different Bronx park clean ups. Listed below are the posted listings on the Parks Department website.
May 4
It's My Park Day at Poe Park
at Grand Concourse between East Kingsbridge Road and East 192nd Street. (in Poe Park), Bronx
9:00 a.m.–4:00 a.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Poe Visitor Center in Poe Park for "In Pleine Aire with Poe" - arts activities in the park outside of the center. Activities to include knit…Free
It's My Park Day at Starlight Park
at East 177th St. and Devoe Ave (in Starlight Park), Bronx
9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, come on out and "Get InVolvEd" with G.I.V.E with a tree stewardship project, a river bank clean up, mulching and the drum beats, song and dance of…
Free!
It's My Park Day at Brook Park
at Brook Park Community Garden, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Friends of Brook Park as they clean, plant in their community garden and help maintain the surrounding trees.
Free!
May18
It's My Park Day at Crotona Malls
at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Community Board #6 Parks Committee and volunteers as they clean and beautify the Crotona Malls from East 175th St and Crotona Pkwy to East 178th St including…
Free!
It's My Park Day at Van Cortlandt Park
at Mosholu Avenue & Broadway (in Van Cortlandt Park), Bronx
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park as they remove invasive plants and plant native plants on the John Muir Trail.
Free!
It's My Park Day at Soundview Park
at Lacombe Avenue & Rosedale Avenue, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join The G.Y.M. Project as they clean up, plant and host a series of activities in Soundview Park.
Free!
It's My Park Day at Ewen Park
at Northern Entrance, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join Community Board 8 and volunteers as they help beautify Ewen Park. The volunteers will spread mulch, pick up debris, rake and plant shrubs.
Free!
It's My Park Day Randall Avenue Community Garden
at Randall Avenue Community Garden, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Randall Ave Community Gardeners as they clean up, paint and plant in their garden.
Free!
It's My Park Day at Mosholu Gully
at Mosholu Parkway and Webster Avenue
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Bedford Mosholu Community Association to help clean up, plant flowers and paint the guard rails in the Mosholu Parkway Gully.
Free!
It's My Park Day at Claremont Park
at Claremont Gazebo (in Claremont Park), Bronx
12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join New Settlement's Bronx Helpers in a park clean-up and beautification project. Activities will include projects that promote park stewardship. Projects will…
Free!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
It's My Park Day at Bronx Park
at Bronx Park East and Thwaites Place (in Bronx Park), Bronx
11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Bronx Park East Community Association as they clean up, paint benches and mulch in the park.
Free!
It's My Park Day at Van Nest Park
at Victor Street and Van Nest Avenue (in Van Nest Park), Bronx
11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.On It's My Park Day, join the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance as they clean up the park, spread mulch, weed and plant soil in the planting boxes.
Free! For more information about It's My Park Day you can visit the New York City Parks Department website at http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/its_my_park_day or just click on the park listed for directions and more about that park.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
May 2nd!! Greater Chamber Meeting!! MUST RSVP!!
Join Us!!
Thursday, May 2nd / 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
GREATER CHAMBER MEETING
Tosca Restaurant / 4038 E. Tremont Avenue
$25 MEMBERS / $30 FUTURE MEMBERS
For more information, call 718-828-3900 or Click Here to register.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Assemblyman Marcos Crespo selected as CHAIR FOR NEW AMERICANS TASK FORCE
At Critical Time in National Immigration Reform Efforts, Assemblyman Crespo to Lead Task Force on New American
Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, the new Chair of the Assembly Task Force on
New Americans, today released the following statement on his new
leadership appointment.
“Today,
I am most grateful to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for the trust he
has placed in me through my appointment to the lead the Assembly Task
Force on New Americans. Through a period that covers my entire adult
life, it has been under the leadership of Speaker Silver that New York
has moved toward policies that both respect the contributions of our
immigrant residents and ease their transition into a new society.
I
am the son of Puerto Rican and Peruvian parents; one an American
citizen by birth the other through immigration and naturalization.
Their hardships and hard work has allowed me with the opportunity to
serve our State and nation as an elected official. The values they
instilled in me are the cornerstone of my work as a public official for
the people of New York State.
It
is with humbleness and eagerness that I accept my post as Chairman of
the Task Force on New Americans. Our nation is in the midst of long
overdue immigration reform. The past decade has witnessed perhaps the
most anti-immigrant epoch in American history: Thousands of families
torn apart, wholesale civil rights violations, and systematic attempts
to stigmatize entire communities.
There
are over 170 nationalities represented in communities all across our
State. Slightly over 40% of the population of New York City are
immigrants. It was the growth of our immigrant communities over the past
decade that prevented New York State from losing more seats in Congress
after the 2010 Census and reapportionment process.
Today,
immigration reform, national health care policy and regional workforce
issues are factors that will shape the lives of our immigrant
residents. I look forward to working on these issues to help ensure
that New York keeps avenues of success and opportunity open for all our
immigrant communities.
I
am a beneficiary of the American people's generosity, and I hope we can
have comprehensive immigration reform that moves away from stigmas and
dangerous rhetoric while allowing this great country to continue to be
enriched by those who were not born here.”
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