SENATOR RIVERA JOINS MARC ACADEMY AND FAMILY CENTER & SOUTH BRONX JOB CORPS TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND HEALTHY EATING

  With the holiday season fast approaching and Puerto Rican Heritage Month underway, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, MARC Academy and Family Center and South Bronx Job Corps  have joined together to host the third annual special cooking presentation and tasting in the 33rd Senate District on Wednesday, November 13 at 10:30 am. The presentation will celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the Bronx and encourage healthier eating among parents and children.

The cooking presentation, which will be conducted by Chef Denis Williams, will teach attendees how to prepare healthier versions of household classics and favorites, such as sancocho, collard greens, falafel and much more, by making small alterations to the traditional recipes.

WHO:    NYS Senator Gustavo Rivera

               MARC Academy and Family Center

               South Bronx Job Corps.

  

WHAT:     Food demonstration featuring healthier versions of household classics and favorites

WHERE:   MARC Academy & Family Center

                  2105-2111 Jerome Avenue, 

                  Bronx NY 10453

  

WHEN:   Wednesday, November 13 at 10:30 AM

  

MARC Academy and Family Center, Inc. is a non-profit EarlyLearn NY program providing quality early childhood education, Family Day Care Network and school age support programs to children in the Bronx.

Senator Klein Hosts Annual Veterans Breakfast

  It was a warm up to the annual Bronx Veteran's Day Parade that goes through the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx Sunday Morning at Villa Barone where State Senator Jeff Klein hosted a breakfast for over 200 Veteran's of the many past wars the country has been involved in. Veterans from the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, and even from WWII were on hand to celebrate Veterans Day with Senator Klein and the four honorees Joseph Chabriel, James E. Connell III, Eugene Lynch, and Johnnie H. Williams Jr. 

  The New York City Transit Pipes and Drums Crop played for the presentation of the colors. Mr. Pat Divine gave a short speech on Veterans day and introduced Senator Klein who thanked the veterans in attendance for their service to the country. Klein said that young people need to be educated on how veterans of wars have given of themselves so the young people of today can enjoy the freedoms they currently have. Klein added that the unemployment rate of returning veterans is to high so he has introduced legislation to give any business in New York State a $5,000.00 credit for hiring a returning veteran. 

  Klein added that only two days earlier he was at the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Veterans Luncheon where he had the honor of being with several members of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen of World War Two. Klein said that these were Black soldiers who could not fight by their white counterparts due to the segregation of the times, but these men formed their own unit to go on to become famous WW II hero's.

  The four honorees Joseph Chabriel, James E. Connell III, Eugene Lynch, and Johnnie H. Williams Jr. were then given citations from Senator Klein. There was a moment of silence as Albert Nicotina (Bugler) played taps to honor the many fallen soldiers. Lois Salveggi from the Theodore Korony post 253 then sang God Bless America. After a few closing remarks it was out side to line up for the Bronx Veterans Day parade. 

 

Left - The New York City Transit Pipes and Drum Corp play. 

Right - The colors are presented. 

 

Left - A photo of one of the many tables of Veterans enjoying the breakfast.

Right - Mr. Pat Devine introduces Senator Klein.

 

Left - One of the attendees was 95 year old WWII Veteran Mr. Dominic Macchia.

Right - Mr. Luis Salveggi sings "God Bless America".

 

Left - Senator Klein with the four Honorees.

Right - A Photo of other veterans standing with two of the Honorees.

 

Left - Another group of Veterans posing.

Right - After the breakfast it was outside to line up behind this fire engine for the Annual Bronx Veterans Day Parade

Johnson Avenue Festival

  Sunday's Johnson Avenue festival got off to a great start as the street was filled with people enjoying "Rockin' Railroad from Kidville, taking in the art that was lined up in front of closed stores, carnival games, the stilt walker, face painting, and delicious food set up by the many different eateries on Johnson Avenue. Team KRVDC did another fine job in setting this festival up as you will see in the photos below, but they could not control the weather as rain started to fall midway through the event. One by one the tables set up were taken down and art covered up as the rain continued and then came down harder. By three o'clock most of the tables and art was gone, but the performances continued. 

  While it may have rained on KRVDC's Johnson Avenue Festival cutting it short hundreds of people still were able to enjoy the Johnson Avenue Festival. Just check the photos below.

 

Left - The Rockin' Railroad from Kidville opened up the entertainment at the Johnson Avenue Festival.

Right - The Stilt Walker stops to pose with the women of Halstead Properties.

 

Left - Community Board 8 members Michael Heller (hat) and Anthony Fella man the CB 8 table as they show some materials about CB 8. 

Right - Lisa Cooper of Elisa Contemporary Art talks with a customer about her new line of Arbonne products on her table.

Left - Right & Below - ABADA CAPOEIRA Bronx gave a demonstration of Capoeira which is a combination of dance & kick. Children age 5 - 15 are participating in this demonstration.

 

Right - Notice a tent has been set up on the stage as the rain comes down. Cynthia Soriano and her Quartet are performing.

Was the CB 8 Land Use Meeting a Preview of the Upcoming 34th State Senate Primary?

  There were over 150 people in the audience for last Thursday's Community Board 8's Land Use Meeting. Almost all were there for the third item on the agenda that being a presentation by Simone Management of demolition, construction, and development plans of property 3741 & 3735 Riverdale Avenue, and 3644 Oxford Avenue for a proposed 11 story medical facility with parking. Since Mr. Jeff Meordler the son of the Land Use Chair Mr. Charles Meordler was giving the presentation, the chair yielded the floor to the Vice Chair of the Land Use committee Mr. M. Wolpoff.  

   Mr. J. Moerdler went through the proposal for the buildings acquired by Montefiore Hospital at 3741 & 3735 Riverdale Avenue, and 3644 Oxford Avenue for a proposed 11 story medical facility with parking.He said that no approval is needed since this building would be built as of right. That means since the site is next to a current 11 story coop building on Oxford Avenue the new 11 story building would not be out of character for the area. There would be 50 doctors and ancillary services, 20 – 30 specialist would be on site with a 120 car garage.

  The building would be set back 100 feet on Oxford Avenue used as the entrance to the parking area, and the Riverdale Avenue entrance would be for patients. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said that Montefiore Hospital still has his gall bladder, and he thinks the building is good for the community, but is concerned about the height of the building. Councilman Oliver Koppell on the other hand is against the project. Koppell says the project is completely out of scale, and he is against the proposal. He said it is not needed, the population of Riverdale is only 40,000 people. 

  After a few speakers including Mr. S. Ganter President of the Fieldston Garden Apartments Coop, and Mr. Jim Grossman also of the FGA Coop who voiced their opposition to the planned building Mr. M. Blaustein of State Senator Jeff Klein's office said that Senator Klein would be working with Montifiore Hospital and the community on the proposed plan. After a few more speakers Land Use Chairman C. Moerdler tried to regain control by saying "Montifiore has agreed to back to the drawing board and come back next month with a better plan". 

  When asked if that meant will the demolition be halted until then, the answer by Montefiore was no construction would start, but that demolition work is ongoing and would continue. At that point Councilman Oliver Koppell got the loudest sound of clapping that I have ever heard him receive when he said he is an ex offico of the board and that anyone who wants to speak should. The angry criticism of Montefiore continued until the last person who wanted to speak was heard. 

  It is hard to believe that someone like Councilman Koppell who was in favor of the proposed housing project in North Riverdale that included 26 units of unknown possibly criminal emotionally disturbed adults placed in with senior housing that was stopped by Senator Jeff Klein would take such a position, unless he could be thinking of running for Senator Klein's seat. That has been suggested here recently.

 

Speaker Silver's Fate in Their Hands?

  The Democratic county Leaders of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx sat down at a restaurant in Puerto Rico, where they are attending the annual Somos conference, to discuss the issue of the next City Council speaker, not Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver each said in a Daily News political blog story here. While Speaker Silver has been under fire lately for several different items including the Vito Lopez deal the three county leaders all said they back Silver all the way, that is as long as Shelly wants to continue to be speaker.

  The News quotes the three Democratic County leaders. Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Frank Seddio as saying, "there's never been a discussion. It's not being considered in any way, shape or form. Silver is doing a "fabulous job with the Assembly."

  

  Bronx County Democratic Chairman Carl Heastie as saying, "Shelly is our speaker and as far as I'm concerned, I want Shelly to be speaker as long as he wants to continue, I've had no discussions with any of the county chairs (about Silver's future)."

   Manhattan County Democratic Chairman Keith Wright as saying, “That’s emphatically untrue, We are having dinner that’s it.” 

  The News ends with Silver spokesman Michael Whyland saying the speaker has not intention of stepping down and plans to seek re-election next year. However also in the story it is reported that one lawmaker said there has been talk about Silver being replaced by Assemblyman Joseph Lentol of Brooklyn with Heastie, considered a future speaker himself, taking over the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

  About the rumor of replacing Silver with Lentol as Speaker of the Assembly and him getting the chair of the Ways & Means Committee the News has Heastie saying, "I've heard nothing about this, I believe that Shelly has the confidence of the entire conference. People want to speculate that there's been discussions. None of that stuff is true."

  

Senator Klein, City Island Civic Association Announce Filing of Lawsuit Against Proposed New City Island Bridge

  Standing at the foot of the historic, 112-year old City Island bridge, Senator Klein, community leaders, and local business owners announced the filing of a civil lawsuit against the Department of Transportation as part of their effort to halt construction on the bridge's controversial new replacement. The new bridge's proposed design includes a 150 foot tower and an aesthetic that many residents believes threatens the unique and historic character that drives thousands of tourists to City Island each year. Despite serious concerns raised by community members, Island residents and business owners were never formally invited to be part of the process.

When the Department of Transportation announced work on a temporary bridge in late September, the City Island Civic Association met with Senator Klein to explore possible legal options. After meeting with the City Island Civic Association, Senator Klein, working with volunteer staff members from the offices of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Assemblyman Mike Benedetto and Council Member Jimmy Vacca, developed a legal strategy to ensure that voices of City Islanders are heard and that the proposed design is subject to a more comprehensive review prior to construction. 

Senator Jeff Klein said, "Putting a cable-stayed bridge over Eastchester Bay is like telling the Starship Enterprise it can land at LaGuardia – it just doesn’t fit. We should not have to sacrifice the majesty of City Island in exchange for a 21st century bridge. As I have said all along, the community should have been consulted throughout this process. With the Department of Transportation moving ahead with a design that does not address some of the community's biggest concerns, I think it's important we file this lawsuit to make sure that the City Island community's voices are heard.

"After reviewing possible courses of action against the proposed design for the new bridge, I have worked with the Civic Association on developing a legal strategy. Working with the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Assemblyman Mike Benedetto and Council Member Jimmy Vacca, I plan to do everything possible to ensure that the City Island community's voices are heard."   

City Island Civic Association Officer, Barbara Dolensek said, “For over 10 years the Civic Association has tried to get the Department of Transportation to honor our concerns about the new bridge, but they continue to force a bridge on us that City Island residents and business owners don't want. Finally, with the help of Senator Klein and other local elected officials, we have found a way to make sure our voices are heard!”  

In the lawsuit, the City Island Civic Association and Barbara Dolensek, challenge the action of the New York City Department of Transportation in moving forward with the replacement of the City Island Bridge and the construction of such replacement bridge by the contractor, Tutor Perini Corporation, without a completed Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (“ULURP) review. The ULURP review is required under Section 197-c of the New York City Charter. The purpose of the ULURP review is to measure the impact of proposed land uses and to take into account community input.

On September 30, 2013, the New York City Department of Transportation issued a Notice to Proceed with construction to Tutor Perini Corporation, without a completed ULURP review. As a result, NYC DOT is in violation of procedures set forth by ULURP.

The City Island Civic Association and Barbara Dolensek are seeking a Court order compelling a completed ULURP review prior to any funds being allocated or expended for or beginning construction in connection with the replacement of the City Island Bridge and a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo during the pendency of this action. As the press conference concluded, Senator Klein was notified that the temporary restraining order had been issued.

“The people of City Island have the right to voice their concerns or support for the construction of a new City Island Bridge, and this lawsuit will ensure that this proposed bridge is subject to complete review. I strongly believe that the DOT should begin the ULURP process immediately, so that City Island residents have their chance to speak out on this proposal before a single shovel hits the ground. City Island residents have expressed real concerns with the design and cost of this bridge and it is imperative that the ULURP be completed with transparency and collaboration with the residents and businesses of City Island before the City moves forward with its new design.  I look forward to an amicable resolution to this entire matter,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

City Island Chamber of Commerce President Skip Giacco said, "From the Chamber's point of view, City Island is successful as a destination because it offers an alternative to the high-rise, high-density parts of the city. If built, the bridge, in its current design, will mark the beginning of a change on City Island that many residents and business owners don't support. At the very least, I believe that taking legal action will help ensure that our community's input is taken seriously."

Wave Hill Events November 22–November 29

 

As part of our ongoing celebration of former illustrious residents of newly renovated, historic Wave Hill House, we’ve got a special treat in store. This Saturday Nov. 23 we reintroduce armor to Armor Hall, the magnificent space built by Bashford Dean, a scholar, scientist and first curator of the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of arms and armor. Armor Hall was completed in 1927. Learn about chivalry, and how armor is made, watch fencing demonstrations, make brass rubbings and immerse yourself altogether in the knightly world. Singing kilted juggler John Grimaldi adds to the medieval entertainment.

Come back on Sunday Nov. 24 for a sneak peak at the return of Wave Hill’s beloved annual concert series, which has been on a two-year hiatus while Wave Hill House was being renovated. The concerts take place in Armor Hall, and this Sunday, we reintroduce the piano to the space with a performance by composer and musician Daniel Kelly. There’s more on the attached!

Happy Thanksgiving!

SAT, NOVEMBER 23    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, a member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School, introduces students to the internal martial arts and promotes an awareness of its 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: $23/Wave Hill Member $15. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SAT, NOVEMBER 23    FAMILY ART PROJECT: CORNHUSK DOLLS

Celebrate corn and harvest time! Listen to tales told by Native American Danielle Soames, and hear the story of the first cornhusk doll. Then tie, weave and shape our dried husks into a single, cornhusk doll or corny doll family. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Two sessions meet.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM & 11:30AM

SAT, NOVEMEBR 23    ARMOR RETURNS TO ARMOR HALL FOR A DAY   FREE WITH ADMISISON TO GROUNDS

Join us for this drop-in program for families: Try on chainmail, watch a fencing match and learn about

Bashford Dean and his collection, once displayed in Armor Hall. Recommended for ages eight and older. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 12:30–3:30PM

SAT, NOVEMBER 23    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition, Tandem Pursuits: Armor & Ichthyology, which celebrates the interests of former Wave Hill House resident Bashford Dean. Dean was Curator of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Curator of Fish at the American Museum of Natural History. The intersection of his interest in both fish and armor provides the opportunity to bring together a remarkable group of contemporary art that explores concepts of adaptation, pattern, and protection. The tour also includes Alan Ruiz’s Sunroom Project Space installation, an architectural intervention that complicates the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, NOVEMBER 24    FAMILY ART PROJECT: CORNHUSK DOLLS

Celebrate corn and harvest time! Listen to tales told by Native American Danielle Soames, and hear the story of the first cornhusk doll. Then tie, weave and shape our dried husks into a single, cornhusk doll or corny doll family. Free with admission to the grounds. Two sessions meet.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM & 11:30AM.

SUN, NOVEMBER 24    HATHA YOGA

Find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, your breath and your mind/body/spirit. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga from The Yoga for Health Foundation, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute, 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: $23/Wave Hill Member $15. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11:15AM

SUN, NOVEMBER 24   MEDITATION

This fall, take a moment to release stress and reconnect with your inner self while practicing meditation. Each session includes instruction in simple techniques followed by 20 to 30 minutes of meditation. Led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other qualified instructors. All levels welcome. Session fee: $23/Wave Hill Member $15. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11:30AM‒12:45PM

SUN, NOVEMBER 24    PERFORMANCE: DANIEL KELLY WELCOMES BACK THE PIANO   FREE WITH ADMISSION TO GROUNDS

As part of pianist and composer Daniel Kelly’s “residency” at Wave Hill, he performs an informal concert to “welcome back the piano.” During his Wave Hill residency, he focuses on where, when and how people find nature and open space in the Bronx. Over the summer, Daniel engaged people of all ages from different parts of the Bronx, speaking about how they experience nature. Using the ‘rakonto’ narrative model, Kelly is collecting stories to weave into a new concert-length suite. On April 27, his NYC-based ensemble will perform the completed work as part of Wave Hill’s concert series. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2PM

SUN, NOVEMBER 24    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all weekend thanks to the generous support of Target.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, NOVEMBER 25

Closed to the public.

TUE, NOVEMBER 26    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, NOVEMBER 26    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition, Tandem Pursuits: Armor & Ichthyology, which celebrates the interests of former Wave Hill House resident Bashford Dean. Dean was Curator of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Curator of Fish at the American Museum of Natural History. The intersection of his interest in both fish and armor provides the opportunity to bring together a remarkable group of contemporary art that explores concepts of adaptation, pattern, and protection. The tour also includes Alan Ruiz’s Sunroom Project Space installation, an architectural intervention that complicates the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

THU, NOVEMBER 28    THANKSGIVING 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 on Tuesdays in November. 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.

NCBH Opens State-of-the-Art Psychiatric Emergency Room

Expanded $2.4 Million Facility Will Serve Even More Bronx Residents

  After three years of planning and months of construction, healthcare professionals, elected officials and community leaders joined together on November 6, at State-of-the-Art Psychiatric Emergency Room (NCBH) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the hospital’s renovated and greatly expanded Psychiatric Emergency Room. The ceremony celebrated the $2.4 million investment made by the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) to provide quality mental health resources for Bronx residents.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that nearly five percent of all New York State residents suffer from a serious mental illness. Each year, over 500,000 receive care statewide. The most serious cases are life-threatening conditions requiring emergency psychiatric intervention typically provided by a psychiatric emergency room like the one at NCBH.  Last year alone, NCBH’s original Psychiatric Emergency Room evaluated nearly 3,400 patients.  The original facility will continue to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing treatment to all those in need including children, adult and geriatric patients.  

The new emergency room nearly triples the clinical space used for psychiatric services, from 1430 square feet to 3600 square feet. Clinical providers estimate this could lead to a 10 percent + increase in patient volume, as additional examination and intake rooms allow patients to be promptly seen by psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other medical professionals.  Once patients are assessed and stabilized, they are either admitted for inpatient services or provided with outpatient resources. 

“Our new Psychiatric Emergency Room provides the excellent care NCBH is known for, now in a brand-new, state-of-the-art setting,” said Executive Director Bill Walsh. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide these needed services to all Bronx residents.”

Added Chief Operating Officer Sheldon P. McLeod, “The new Psychiatric Emergency Room is a substantial commitment to the Bronx communities we serve, including the Norwood neighborhood where we are located. This construction and renovation provides strong confirmation that we will be providing needed mental health care in the Northwest Bronx for years to come.”

About NCBH

North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) is part of HHC’s North Bronx Healthcare Network.  A 215-bed community hospital, NCBH specializes in behavioral, geriatric primary care and ambulatory care services for women and children. Its renowned outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. As member facilities of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Jacobi and NCBH are committed to providing safe, high- quality medical care for any and all in need.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.