Ben Franklin Dem. Club Votes Not to Endorse Again

  Wednesday August 14th the members of the Ben Franklin Democratic Club voted again not to endorse any Democratic candidate in this years primary.  There was a little scuffle however when one member who is supporting Christine Quinn questioned a letter from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell that was some what negative about the speaker. The Councilman's wife stood up to blast several members without naming them for sending out an e-mail about Councilman Koppell's negative letter to the members of the club about Speaker Quinn. Councilman Koppell then said candidates go after each other all the time. The letter said that he had been in the City Council for almost 8 years now with Christine Quinn as speaker, and that she was doing things mainly for political gain. 

  A little more mayhem was thrown into the mix when Male District Leader Bruce Feld warned that some members might vote not for their candidate seeing that tonight that candidate does not have enough support to win. One member then stated that he was supporting De Blasio, but would vote differently because it looked like De Blasio would not win the club endorsement that night. Another member said that an endorsement should unite, and not divide the club. Assemblyman Dinowitz said that Councilman Koppell had the right to send his letter out, as harsh as it was to candidate Quinn. He also said "The club needs to focus on the candidates that have already been endorsed", mentioning Public Advocate, City Comptroller, Bronx Borough President, and 11th city council. Dinowitz suggested as many other members of the club had said that there be no endorsement tonight. After State Senator Gustavo Rivera thanked the club for helping him win ion 2010, he stated that he was supporting Speaker Quinn. A voice vote was then called for, which by a 10 - 1 margin was in favor of not endorsing for mayor at this time. 

Left - Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz addresses the club as to why he thinks "No Endorsement" should be taken at this time.

Right - Councilman Koppell states his case.

 

Left - Lorraine Coyle Koppell blasts club members for attacking her husband Councilman Koppell in a secret e-mail sent to certain members.

Right - BFDC member and De Blasio supporter David Kornblau speaks of how he will vote seeing that his candidate may not have enough support to win the endorsement.

Left - 11th City Council candidate Andrew Cohen (endorsed by the BFDC) thanks the club for their volunteer work in helping him get on the ballot, and asks for more volunteers for the rest of the campaign.

Right - State Senator Gustavo Rivera mentions that he is supporting Christine Quinn for Mayor.

Morrison Avenue Festival Sat. Aug. 17th

Kellner, Pichardo and $1,000

  86th Assembly candidate Halle Rivera sent us the following.

 

HAILE RIVERA, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR 86TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, CALLS ON OPPONENT VICTOR PICHARDO TO RETURN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION DONATED BY DISGRACED ASSEMBLYMEMBER MICAH KELLNER

Bronx, NY  --- In light of the recent allegations of Assemblymember Micah Kellner's sexual harassment of staffers, it is troubling that one of my opponents Victor Pichardo has not yet returned the $1,000 donation he recently received from Kellner.

The news of this recent scandal has hit close to home for me in two ways. First, I am a father and a husband who strongly believes that every woman deserves to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace. The allegations are serious, disturbing and alarming. This is yet another reason why I continue to denounce this ongoing "cover-up culture", of which I believe Speaker Silver is fully responsible for and should step. If this continues, we will never be able to inspire trust in our elected officials.

It is very irresponsible and alarming that as a candidate running for a seat wrapped in scandal, Pichardo would be careless enough to seek and accept contributions from Kellner.  Shame on him!

I am calling on Pichardo to immediately return the $1,000 donation to Kellner.  We as citizens cannot stand by and allow this to occur behind closed doors without making them known to the most important stakeholders, the people.

Wave Hill Events August 30–September 6

 

This is the week to cling for a moment longer to the respite that summer provides―the warmth of the season, the opportunity to enjoy long, light evenings, the break from relentless homework for you and/or your kids. Fortunately, oases like Wave Hill beckon year-round, particularly as we transition from summer to fall. Visit Labor Day, one of those rare Mondays when we are open, and steep yourself in garden and gallery, indoors and out. It couldn’t be more lush or welcoming.

FRI, AUGUST 30    YOGA TOGETHER    LAST SESSION TILL NEXT SUMMER!

Child and parent or caregiver practice fun yoga poses that build strength, increase flexibility and relax body and mind in this one-hour class taught by Catherine McGibney, an instructor at Yoga for Bliss. Recommended for ages 3–5. 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. Member $15/Non-member $23. Session fee includes one adult and one child, $5 each additional child. Registration opens on-site at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM

SAT, AUGUST 31    FAMILY ART PROJECT—FISHY FUN

Fishy Fun/Peces divertidos

Focus on friends with fins, especially those popular goldfish swimming in the Aquatic Garden. Turn colorful paper bags into fantastic 3-D fish that can swim through the air and flutter home with you.

Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, AUGUST 31   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, AUGUST 31    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s summer exhibition, Bronx Calling: the 2nd AIM Biennial, which features the cutting-edge artwork by NYC-area emerging artists, as well as an installation in the Sunroom Project Space, where Jarrod Beck translates geologic processes into drawing. Mounted sculpturally, these large-scale works create an immersive environment. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM.  Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, SEPTEMBER 1   FAMILY ART PROJECT— FISHY FUN

Focus on friends with fins, especially those popular goldfish swimming in the Aquatic Garden. Turn colorful paper bags into fantastic 3-D fish that can swim through the air and flutter home with you.

Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, SEPTEMBER 1    NO HATHA YOGA

Hatha Yoga sessions resume September 8.

SUN, SEPTEMBER 1    NO MEDITATION

Meditation sessions resume September 8.

SUN, SEPTEMBER 1    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

MON, SEPTEMBER 2    LABOR DAY

Wave Hill is open.

MON, SEPTEMBER 2    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights on this special holiday. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

TUE, SEPTEMBER 3    PASTEL PAINTING ART WORKSHOP
Late Bloomers in Early Autumn
Capture the shifting color and light of fall blooming plants and the autumn landscape using soft pastels, a favorite, portable color medium of plein-air artists. Through demonstrations and individual guidance, artist Wennie Huang encourages participants to translate their observations of the changing landscape using this versatile and expressive medium. Workshops conducted outside, weather permitting. Limited supplies provided. All levels welcome. $125/Wave Hill Member $95. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Series continues September 10 and 17.
MEET AT THE ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM–1PM

TUE, SEPTEMBER 3    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, SEPTEMBER 3    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s summer exhibition, Bronx Calling: the 2nd AIM Biennial, which features the cutting-edge artwork by NYC-area emerging artists, as well as an installation in the Sunroom Project Space, where Jarrod Beck translates geologic processes into drawing. Mounted sculpturally, these large-scale works create an immersive environment. 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 all day Tuesdays in August, and until noon on Tuesdays in September. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs 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.

 

 

U.S. Congressman Engel, Senators Klein, Espaillat, Assemblyman Dinowitz & Members of Protect the Palisades Coaltiion Stand Together for the Palisades

Standing Together for the Palisades: U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel, Senators Klein, Espaillat and Assemblyman Dinowitz Join NY and NJ Environmental Groups in Call for LG Electronics to Lower Planned Height of Building Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ

  Following the recent decision by Bergen County Superior Court to uphold LG Electronics’ plan to construct a 143 foot building headquarters by the Palisades in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, State Senator Jeff Klein, U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Adriano Espaillat and Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz joined representatives from the coalition group, Protect the Palisades, in calling for LG Electronics to lower the height of their planned construction.

  A variance in the zoning law along the Palisades authorized LG Electronics to build above the 35 foot maximum height restriction. If constructed, the LG Electronics headquarters would pierce above the Palisades’ treeline, scarring an iconic landscape and setting a precedent for similar development.

Standing with the Palisades as a backdrop, the elected officials, community leaders and environmental leaders from both sides of the river underlined the importance of preserving the Palisades, urging LG Electronics to reconsider their design.

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. & STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA LAUNCH THIRD YEAR OF BRONX CAN HEALTH INITIATIVE CHECK-IN

   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and State Senator Gustavo Rivera together with Montefiore Medical Center and other community health partners, will launch the third annual Bronx CAN Health Initiative Check-In on August 17th at Crotona Park, which is located in the new part of Senator Rivera's district. The Bronx CAN Health Initiative was launched in response to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's study that showed the Bronx as the unhealthiest county in the state of New York.

  

In addition to tackling the issues of obesity, nutrition, exercise and access to preventative health services, as has been done at previous events, this year's Bronx CAN Health Initiative Check-In will also offer HIV and Hepatitis C testing, as well as information about how to prevent and where to get treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).  These additions are in response to a recent report from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene which found that the 10457 ZIP code in the Bronx, in which Crotona Park lies, has the highest number of people with at least two STDs in the city.

  

This event is free and open to the public. 

WHAT:            Third annual BRONX CAN Health initiative will offer members of the community     free health screenings, fitness classes and fun activities, such as blood pressure                      screeenings, body mass index measurements, cooling demonstration, Zumba                          classes and much more.  

WHO:           Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

                        Senator Gustavo Rivera

                        Montefiore Medical Center

                        Community Partners  

WHEN:       Saturday, August 17, 2013

                        12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

WHERE:       Crotona Park 

                      Intersection of Crotona Avenue & Claremont Parkway 

Raquel Batista , Candidate for Bronx 15th City Council District, Gives Birth Today

 

   Raquel Batista, Democratic candidate for New York City Council’s 15^th district, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Carmen, at 12:23 am August 14.  Both Raquel and Carmen are doing well.  Raquel would like to thank Montefiore hospital for the great care they have given her.

Raquel continued to campaign hard throughout her pregnancy, leading canvasses and working phone banks.  She attended events and rallies and was successful in defending the challenges against her designating petition, (as was reportred on) which would have kept her off the ballot.  All well into the advanced stages and due date of her pregnancy.

The Batista campaign said that 15th candidate Raquel Batista wants to thank all those who helped her, but she  is planning to take some time off to recover and spend time with her new born daughter Carmen. Raquel Batista said that she will be back out on the campaign trail soon.   

LIU: LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN NEW YORK CITY

  Comptroller Seeks End to Wholesale Arrests of Minority Youth;
Generate More Than $400 Million Annually for Higher Education

City Comptroller John C. Liu today proposed regulating and taxing the sale of marijuana for personal use by adults in New York City. In a report released today, the Comptroller’s office argued that the change would curb the significant social damage caused by prohibiting the substance and generate more than $400 million annually for higher education.

“New York City’s misguided war on marijuana has failed, and its enforcement has damaged far too many lives, especially in minority communities,” said Comptroller Liu. “It’s time for us to implement a responsible alternative. Regulating marijuana would keep thousands of New Yorkers out of the criminal justice system, offer relief to those suffering from a wide range of painful medical conditions, and make our streets safer by sapping the dangerous underground market that targets our children. As if that weren't enough, it would also boost our bottom line.”

Liu proposed that the City use the revenues generated by the regulation of marijuana to reduce CUNY tuition by as much as 50 percent for New York City residents. “In this way, we’ll invest in young people’s futures, instead of ruining them,” he said. “By regulating marijuana like alcohol, New York City can minimize teens’ access to marijuana, while at the same time reducing their exposure to more dangerous drugs and taking sales out of the hands of criminals.”

Under Liu’s proposal, adults age 21 and over could possess up to one ounce of marijuana, which would be grown, processed, and sold by government-licensed businesses for recreational or medicinal purposes. A strict driving under the influence enforcement policy would be implemented concurrently, and marijuana use in public would be prohibited.

To study issues related to regulation, Liu called for the creation of an interagency task force comprised of the NYPD, Administration for Children’s Services, Department of Education, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, District Attorneys, and Department of Consumer Affairs. The task force would work with the New York State Senate and Assembly in order to pass the appropriate legislation authorizing the full implementation of the plan.

New York City’s current market for marijuana is estimated to be around $1.65 billion annually. Basing its calculations on average consumption rates and the approximate number of users among New York City residents and commuters, the Comptroller’s office estimated that taxing the sale of marijuana would generate approximately $400 million annually, of which roughly $69 million would go to the State and MTA in the form of higher sales taxes. The office calculated that the City could save another $31 million by reallocating time and resources expended by law enforcement and the judicial system on marijuana-related arrests. It did not analyze other economic benefits, such as the reduction in associated incarceration, costs of those arrested, and potential tourist-generated tax revenue. For a detailed explanation of the estimation and methodology, please view Regulating and Taxing Marijuana: The Fiscal Impact on NYC.

But the social arguments for legalizing marijuana are even more compelling, the study found. Because of stop and frisk, minority communities disproportionately bear the consequences of marijuana arrests in New York City — especially the long-term damage to opportunities for employment, post-secondary education, and housing. Combined, blacks and Hispanics make up 45 percent of marijuana users in New York City, but account for 86 percent of possession arrests.  By contrast, whites and Asians constitute 55 percent of users but only 14 percent of arrests. In 2012, 1 out of 627 white New Yorkers was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession, compared to 1 out of 175 Hispanics and 1 out of 94 African-Americans.

More than half (56 percent) of marijuana possession arrests in New York City are of those age 25 and under — a group for whom the negative effects of an arrest or criminal record is especially acute. Convictions can affect people’s eligibility for federal student loans and NYCHA housing, and a history of arrest can bar them from many jobs.

Low-level marijuana arrests have skyrocketed during Mayor Bloomberg’s Administration and are directly related to the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk strategy. Since Mayor Bloomberg took office in 2002, there have been almost 460,000 misdemeanor marijuana arrests. The number of these arrests is on track to reach 37,000 in 2013 alone.

Liu’s proposal comes on the heels of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that the Administration was overhauling federal sentencing guidelines to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders. Liu hailed the Holder move as “a solid step forward” but said the plan did not represent enough real progress for New Yorkers because it did not address the need to decriminalize marijuana or the growing conflict between state and federal laws in this area.