Borough President Diaz Hosts Annual Irish Heritage Celebration

 

On Thursday, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted his annual Irish Heritage celebration at the Rambling House in Woodlawn. This year, Borough President Diaz presented a proclamation to Noel Kilkenny, Consul General of Ireland, and honored Caroline Duggan, teacher at PS 59 and founder of the Keltic Dream Dance Group; Father Richard Gorman, chairman of Community Board #12; and John Samuelsen, president of TWU Local 100.

 

Left - Reverend Brendan Gormely of St. Brendans Church gives the invocation.

Right - Laurence Brodrick and Shanna Mahoney sing the National Anthem. 

Left - Master of Ceremonies Bob Nolan introduces Bronx Borough President Ruben O'Diaz.

Right - BP O'Diaz holds the certificate he presented to Father Richard Gorman Chair of Community Board 12, Bronx DA Robert O'Johnson looks on. 

 

Council Member Ritchie Torres Newsletter

  When I was elected in November, I promised to be a champion for the working families in my district and at City Hall. I am excited to announce my appointment as Deputy Leader of the New York City Council and Chair of the Committee on Public Housing.  In both roles, I will build on my record of advocating for the issues that matter most to Bronx communities.

Come Meet Our Team At Our New Office:

We have moved into a new permanent office located at 573 East Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458.

We handle cases covering a range of issues: 

Employment Housing Public Safety Quality of Life Social Services 

Results by the numbers:

In the past month, my office has been able to resolve over a hundred cases from constituents in the areas of housing, social services, quality of life and public safety. 

- 62% of cases were related to housing (housing applications, rental overcharges, repairs...).

- 17% of cases were related to social services (public assistance, unemployment benefits...).

- 15% of cases were related to quality of life (dog poop, graffiti, potholes, sanitation, snow removal...).

- 6% of cases were related to public safety.

Meeting Tenants Where They Live:

I started my career in public service as a housing organizer and quickly learned that meeting tenants where they lived better enabled me to address their needs.  My office doesn't just wait for you to come to us.  We come to you.  

We have held tenant meetings in buildings on East 176th Street, East 180th Street, Olinville Avenue, and Topping Avenue.  

If you have concerns about the conditions in your apartment or building and would like my office to advocate for you, please contact my District Office at (718) 842-8100.  

Advocating for Critical Medical Services:

The closing of the maternity ward at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) has led to a severe shortage of labor-and-delivery services in the central, northern, and western parts of the Bronx.  Working with a coalition of health care advocates and local residents, I am fighting hard to restore these services.  

If you wish to join me in the fight to restore these services, please attend the following community meeting.  

Date: Tuesday, March 18

Time: 6:30pm

Where: North Central Bronx Hospital, 17th Floor (3424 Kossuth Ave, Bronx, NY)

Ensuring Constituents Know Their Rights:

                                                                    

My office is partnering with the lawyers at Bronx Defenders to host a "Know Your Rights" training.  If you are stopped by the police, what do you do?  What are your rights?  Come and find out.  

Date: Monday, March 17

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: The Bronx Defenders, 360 East 161st Street

For more information, please contact: kemaub@bronxdefenders.org

  

Bringing Relief to Hoffman Fire Victims:

On January 9th a major fire on Hoffman Street destroyed three apartment buildings,  displacing a dozen families from their homes. I immediately sent my staff to the scene and coordinated with the American Red Cross, city agencies and local housing providers to ensure that the needs of the those families were being met.   After the fire, my office partnered with The Islamic Center to hold a clothing drive for the affected families and partnered with the Belmont Arthur LDC to provide housing for the families who had nowhere else to go.  

Working For You at City Hall:

Since taking office in January I:

• Passed legislation extending the right to paid sick leave to half a million people
• Advocated for the expansion of fulltime Pre-Kindergarten to every child in New York City
• Drafted legislation that that would impose penalties on landlords who fail to make repairs
• Advanced legislation that would protect the right of low-wage workers to unionize

In my first hearing as Chair of the Committee on Public Housing I brought government directly to the community in the first City Council hearing to ever take place at a NYCHA development. In a joint hearing with the Committee on Recovery and Resiliency I took NYCHA to task for the repeated failure of temporary boilers heating the public housing towers still recovering from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. 

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                

                                                                                                Ritchie Torres

                                                                                                

Council Member, District 15

NYC Council Member Ritchie Torres

District Office: 573 East Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458  |  Tel: 718-842-8100

Legislative Office: 250 Broadway, Suite 1759, New York, NY 10007  |  Tel: 212-788-6966

Wave Hill Events March 28–April 4

  With the gardens just beginning to hint at the new season, let’s anticipate Mother Nature’s stunning spring palette. Join a guided walk through the gardens, spend some time with the artists finishing up in the Winter Workspace, invite the little ones in your life to create a garden design of your own at the Family Art Project—choose the opportunity that best evokes for you the anticipation we are all feeling. Add in a session of yoga or tai chi, or a scrumptious meal in the Café, to complete the visit.

SAT, MARCH 29    FAMILY ART PROJECT: GARDEN DESIGNS
Visit the various garden areas of Wave Hill and consider which one might be your ideal garden to take home. Then, use textured paper and flower images to create a garden design to your own specifications. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, MARCH 29    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. March sessions are held indoors. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Register online and, day of, onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. (Reservations may not be made by telephone.) Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made.  Drops-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present a Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SUN, MARCH 30    FAMILY ART PROJECT: GARDEN DESIGNS
Visit the various garden areas of Wave Hill and consider which one might be your ideal garden to take home. Then, use textured paper and flower images to create a garden design to your own specifications. Free with  admission to the grounds.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MARCH 30    HATHA YOGA

Reduce stress, increase your energy and bring strength and flexibility to mind, body and spirit with a yoga practice. Classes are led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other certified instructors. Ms. Dewji is 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 indoors until May. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Register online and, day of, onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. (Reservations may not be made by telephone.) Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made.  Drops-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present a Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

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

SUN, MARCH 30    MEDITATION

This spring, 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. Classes are led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other certified instructors. All levels welcome. Sessions are held indoors. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Register online and, day of, onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. (Reservations may not be made by telephone.) Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Friday before; after that, refunds will not be made. Drops-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present a Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11:30AM‒12:45PM

SUN, MARCH 30    WINTER WORKSPACE SESSION 2: OPEN STUDIOS

For the fifth winter, Glyndor Gallery is transformed into studio spaces for artists to develop new work and offer opportunities for public interaction in the context of the garden. Individual artists share their studio practice with the public on this open studio day. Artists include Whitney Artell, Cristina Ataide, Shanti Grumbine, Brandon Neubauer and Van Lier Artist Fellows Tammy Nguyen and Alexandra Phillips. Registration not required for this drop-in event. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1‒3PM

SUN, MARCH 30    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, MARCH 31

Closed to the public.

TUE, APRIL 1    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all day.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

WED. APRIL 2    ART WORKSHOP: NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY—THE PHOTOJOURNAL  FULL

Explore the theme of photography as a personal record with photographer and writer Benjamin Swett. Review the work of professional writers and photographers who combine pictures and words as you create your own small book or photojournal. Sessions combine outdoor photography with gentle critiques of students’ work. All levels welcome. $260/$200 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. Series continues April 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM–1PM

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 March and April. 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.

 

An Update from City Hall on Charter Schools

 

With all of the recent discussion on charter schools in our city, I want to share with you an update from Mayor de Blasio's office on exactly what is going on.

 

The conversation around charters is a good one to have. While the vast majority of New York’s students are served by traditional public schools, we are committed making sure EVERY child in New York City can secure a quality education that prepares students for career and college. 

 

If we’re going to educate our children for the 21st century, we must not divide parents and children in this discussion. It’s time for all leaders and stakeholders to unite around common goals and a strong public policy that lifts up every student.

 

Latest on Charters & Co-Location:

• New York City made decisions based on sound public policy and what’s best for our schools and students.

• The mayor and his team inherited 45 colocations proposals for this coming September that were rushed through in the final days of the past administration.  Because of the hasty manner of these original approvals, the mayor and his team needed to act quickly to determine if these were all good ideas.

• The mayor and his team were determined to do right by all students, and we set up objective criteria to make sure children weren’t harmed because of these decisions.

• The objective criteria were simple:
  • No elementary schools opening on high school campuses.
  • No colocations that create very small schools (under 250) that cannot provide range of support needed to serve our students effectively.
  • No colocations that require heavy construction.
  • We will not reduce District 75 seats – special education.  Will not disadvantage those kids in need.

• In all, the mayor’s team approved 36 of the 45 total colocation proposals because working with school communities, those plans could be implemented responsibly.

• Nine proposals were declined because they did not meet these smart, common sense standards.

• Contrary to some of the news reports, 14 of 17 charter proposals were approved, and 5 out of 8 proposals were approved from the Success Academy network.

• Two colocations were declined because they would have put an elementary school into a high school campus. This is a bad education policy that doesn’t work for either population of kids because it doesn’t enable shared resources such as AP classes or a library.  No students were impacted by these two decisions because these schools have not had their lotteries yet.

• A third colocation that was declined at PS149 would have reduced enrollment for special education students already going to school at there — kids with serious disabilities that our system has too often let down.

We are here to serve ALL of our kids.

 

And just like we won’t approve a colocation that will hurt special needs students at a traditional public school, we won’t turn our backs on the children who were planning to attend this charter school prior to this decision. We are working to find space for the kids at Success Academy 4 because we know that every child, every student is our charge.

 

And we are working cooperatively with a number of charters right now on a range of shared priorities.

 

This administration is committed to working with all parents, educators and stakeholders to ensure that every single one of New York’s 1.1 million students receives a great education.

 

I hope that this email helps to answer some of the questions you may have on charter schools.  If not, please do not hesitate to call my office at 718-931-2620 and we will do our best to make sure that any other question you have is answered.

 

Your Assemblyman,

 

Luis R. Sepulveda

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR ADRIANO ESPAILLAT ON EAST HARLEM BUILDING COLLAPSE

 

“My heart goes out to the East Harlem families victimized by this tragedy, who have lost loved ones and are suddenly without a home.

Our community must give the displaced tenants and surrounding neighbors the necessary resources to recover from these horrific events, and my office will be working to ensure their needs are met.

I am troubled by the apparent record of neglect in the building where the fire began, including multiple active fire safety violations, and evidence of structural integrity problems dating back several years. These issues suggest that there was the potential for even greater loss. My office will be closely scrutinizing the information available to determine what failings allowed this to occur and what can be done to prevent this from happening again."

Editor's Note: 

At a press conference in the afternoon it was announced that the cause of the explosion that occurred at 9:30 AM was a gas leak that was reported to Con Edison at 9:12 AM. Con Edison arrived on the scene after the explosion. 

 

Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting

  The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 7pm

in the DEP Office at 3660 Jerome Ave. Bronx NY 10467.  The agenda for the meeting will be published here when it is available.

  The new Chair of the CFMC this tear is Father Richard Gorman of Community Board 12.

UPDATE:
There may be a change in this date to March 27th.
Check back for further updates.

NAACP Slams Success Academy’s Outrageous and Insulting Lawsuit

 Hazel M. Dukes, President of the NAACP’s New York State Conference, released the following statement tonight slamming the federal lawsuit filed by Success Academy against Mayor de Blasio’s recent reversal of three co-locations: 

  

  “This lawsuit is an outrageous and insulting attempt by Wall Street hedge fund managers to hijack the language of civil rights in their shameless political attack on Bill de Blasio. It is an affront to all public school parents in New York City. There is no stronger champion for the civil rights of our kids than Mayor De Blasio. The entire civil rights community stands with him in his effort to strike a fair balance between charter schools and neighborhood schools,” Dukes said.

  

Editors Note:  

  We wonder how former New York City Council Education Committee Chair Eva "General" Moskowitz is having such success with some New York City public school children who are attending the charter schools that she now runs when she could not use this magic when she was chair of the City Council Education Committee for all the children of New York City public schools.

Come on Eva "What's your secret"?