Wave Hill Events Jul 4–Jul 11

  There is a kind of glow that settles over the gardens when we are open till sunset on summer Wednesdays—music, yoga, garden walks, picnic supper!—and the holiday Friday just reinforces the slow and easy feel of the summer garden experience. 

THU, JULY 3    STORIES IN THE GARDEN: SHADY SPOTS IN THE TREE TOPS
Each week, Wave Hill educators share some of their favorite nature stories. These stories––classics and more––will come to life through interactive readings, sing-alongs and puppets. Programs are held outdoors in good weather; in inclement weather we will meet in Wave Hill House. There are giants in these hills –– leafy giants with bark and roots.  This week, sit awhile in the spreading shade of one of Wave Hill’s beautiful trees and discover tales of these gentle giants. Our books this week are A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry, We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow and Have You Seen Trees? By Joanne Oppenheim. Ideal for children ages 3 to 6 with their adult companions. Free with admission to the grounds.
ON THE GROUNDS, 2PM

FRI, JULY 4    INDEPENDENCE DAY
Wave Hill is open.

FRI, JULY 4    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights this special holiday Friday. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

SAT, JULY 5    FAMILY ART PROJECT: MARVELOUS MUSHROOMS 
Visiting artist Jan Mun shows us different kinds of mushrooms and explains how they can help the environment. Join in a group project to make an outdoor, mushroom fairy-ring and, as a special treat, get your own mushroom starter kit to watch your mushrooms grow at home. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, JULY 5    NO TAI CHI CHUAN
Tai Chi sessions resume July 12.

SAT, JULY 5    WAVE HILL HISTORY WALK
Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Illustrious Residents event.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, JULY 5    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of three current exhibitions. In the main gallery, Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies series is being shown for the first time in its entirety. Crewdson’s photographs capture the fleeting light of these nocturnal creatures. Experience the natural landscape from the comfort of a domestic interior in Marek and Kristyna Milde’s Sunroom Project, an installation of planters shaped as couches and chairs. In the Sun Porch space, listen to With Hidden Noise, a traveling exhibition featuring evocative sounds, some recognizable from traditional instruments and field recordings, and others masked through electronic processes. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, JULY 6    FAMILY ART PROJECT: MARVELOUS MUSHROOMS 
Visiting artist Jan Mun shows us different kinds of mushrooms and explains how they can help the environment. Join in a group project to make an outdoor, mushroom fairy-ring and, as a special treat, get your own mushroom starter kit to watch your mushrooms grow at home. Free with admission to the grounds.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, JULY 6    NO HATHA YOGA
Hatha Yoga sessions resume July 13.

SUN, JULY 6    NO MEDITATION
Meditation sessions resume July 13.

SUN, JULY 6    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, JULY 7

Closed to the public

TUE, JULY 8    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial assistant for a tour of Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies series is being shown for the first time in its entirety. Crewdson’s photographs capture the fleeting light of these nocturnal creatures. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all day.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

WED, JULY 9    MOMMY AND BABY YOGA

Designed for mothers, fathers or caregivers and babies eight weeks old to crawling, this yoga class brings families together for a gentle exercise session in a beautiful garden setting. Stretch, breathe and bond with your child while meeting other parents Led by certified instructors from Yoga for Bliss. Mats provided. $25/$15 Wave Hill member. Advance registration online at www.wavehill.org receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Tuesday before; after that, refunds will not be made. Drop-ins accommodated as space allows. Participants must present their Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10–11AM

WED, JULY 9    SUNSET WEDNESDAY

Experience summer at its best—an expansive landscape of rolling lawns and gorgeous formal gardens, fresh river breezes, plein-air performances by local musicians, yoga, guided walks and cutting-edge art in Glyndor Gallery. Order dinner from Wave Hill exclusive caterer Great Performances, and you have the makings of a superb summer evening. Gardens open until 8:30PM. Wave Hill House, Perkins Visitor Center, Glyndor Gallery, The Café and The Shop at Wave Hill open until 7:30PM. Check www.wavehill.org/visit for the schedule for Sunset Wednesdays free shuttle service to and from Metro-North and the #1 subway. $2 additional admission starting at 4PM on Sunset Wednesdays; no guest passes or reciprocal admission accepted.

ON THE GROUNDS, TILL 8:30PM

WED, JULY 9   SUNSET HATHA YOGA

Find refuge from city life with a blissful yoga class! Reduce your stress levels and increase energy by working with your body and breath. This sunset session is led by Yoga for Bliss instructor Joanne Salomone. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors, indoors in inclement weather. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 4PM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration online at www.wavehill.org receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Cancellations must be made by 3PM the Tuesday before; after that, refunds will not be made. A limited number of mats are available onsite, please bring your own mat. Drop-ins will be accommodated as space permits. Participants must present their Member’s ID card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6–7:30PM

WED, JULY 9    SUNSET GARDEN WALK

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a mini tour of one of Wave Hill’s magnificent gardens. Tours vary by week―come back on another evening for a glimpse of a different garden area! Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

WED, JULY 9    SUNSET MUSIC: JANN KLOSE & HIS TRIO

A high point of each Sunset Wednesday includes a live performance on the grassy expanse of the Great Lawn, overlooking the majestic Palisades. Tonight’s performers are singer songwriter Jann Klose and his trio. Klose has fashioned a career offering his own tunes and covers of such great artists as Pete Seeger, Tim Buckley, Paul McCartney and Louis Armstrong. His recent CD, “Mosaic,” was so successful it was on first round ballots for the 2014 GRAMMY Awards. The Washington Post commented on his “soaring voice” that “wins over the listener.”  Profiled on WNBC and interviewed on Entertainment Tonight Online, Jann’s Sunset Wednesdays collaborators are upright bass player Sam Weber and drummer Rob Mitzner.  Free with admission to the grounds.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7–8PM

THU, JULY 10    STORIES IN THE GARDEN: PLANT, GROW AND BLOSSOM

Each week, Wave Hill educators share some of their favorite nature stories. These stories––classics and more––will come to life through interactive readings, sing-alongs and puppets. Programs are held outdoors in good weather; in inclement weather we will meet in Wave Hill House. Every seed holds a promise of new growth.  Join us this week for stories, movement and song as you send out roots, stretch out leaves, and hear all about how seeds grow.  Our books this week are Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry, The Empty Pot by Demi, The Curious Garden by Peter Brown and My Garden by Kevin Henkes. Ideal for children ages 3 to 6 with their adult companions. Free with admission to the grounds.
ON THE GROUNDS, 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—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 July. 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 30 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.

Health Department to Apply Aerial Treatment to Minimize the Risk of West Nile Virus

This came in from Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

Message from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene June 17, 2014

Health Department to Apply Non-Chemical Aerial Treatment to Reduce the Number of Mosquitoes and Minimize the Risk of West Nile Virus In an attempt to control mosquitoes, the Health Department will be applying larvicide by helicopter to marsh and other non-residential areas of Staten Island, the Bronx and Queens on Wednesday, June 18, Thursday, June 19, and Friday, June 20, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., weather permitting. In the event of poor weather, application will be delayed until Thursday, June 19, Friday, June 20, and Monday, June 23 during the same hours. Click below for the complete listing of areas and application times. West Nile Virus Spray Schedule

Notify NYC

If you would to be notified by phone, text, or e-mail when spraying may take place in your neighborhood sign up for Notify NYC today. Notify NYC provides subscribers with real-time information about emergencies and events throughout the five boroughs. You may specify the ZIP codes that interest you most. Register free by calling 311, or clicking the link below.

Sign up today

Mistrial Declared in Malcolm Smith Corruption Trial

  A mistrial has been declared by White Plains U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas when several jurors said that they could not extend their service into mid July or even further. That was the time it would have taken Smith's lawyers to interpret and digest the 9,000 conversations in Yiddish and/or English which was recently given to the defense team. 

  A new trial date has been set for Smith on January 5, 2015, which is also the new trial date for accused Queens Republican Leader Vincent Tabone whose case was also declared a mistrial.

  Now Senator Smith will get his wish so he can campaign without having to be on trial. Smith is just indicted awaiting trial.

Croton Filter Project - June 24, 2014 CFMC Meeting

  The Croton Facility Monitoring Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 24 at 7:00pm at the DEP office, 3660 Jerome Avenue, Bronx 10467.

   An agenda will be listed here as soon as one is released.

Council Members and advocates urge administration to increase number of NYCHA apartments allocated to homeless families

  Today, members of the New York City Council sent a letter to the de Blasio administration to increase the number of public housing apartments allocated to homeless families to at least 2,500 units each year.

The letter comes after NYCHA proposed an allocation of only 750 public housing apartments each year to homeless families.  This is far less than the City allocated under previous mayors, and despite the fact that the number of homeless families and children is far higher now than under previous administrations. Close to 53,000 New Yorkers are in the shelter system, including 23,000 children, numbers that are up for previous years.

Council Member Stephen Levin, Chair of the General Welfare Committee, said, “The seriousness of the homelessness crisis needs to be matched with a serious commitment to providing housing for vulnerable families. Homelessness is at an all-time high in New York City, yet NYCHA has proposed allocating far fewer units for homeless families than were set aside in previous administrations.  It is crucial that the number of NYCHA apartments allocated to homeless families is increased this year and in the coming years.”

“The City can and should do more to leverage its expansive stock of public housing as a long-term solution to homelessness,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres, Chair of the Committee on Public Housing. “Expanding the homeless priority for vacant NYCHA apartments will better ensure that our most vulnerable families have access to the safety and stability of a decent home. “

“Mayor de Blasio’s administration inherited a City which is facing an affordable housing crisis that has pushed a record number of families into a homeless shelter system that is increasingly bursting at the seams,” Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson said. “New York’s burgeoning number of homeless families need, want and deserve access to affordable housing and it’s critical for NYCHA to commit more of its existing housing resources to this critical need.”   

“Housing in New York City is a challenge for several populations, more specifically families, young adults aging out of foster care and veterans,” said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo. “We must allocate more resources to aid these individuals in their transition from temporary to permanent housing.”

“We cannot allow the amount of NYCHA apartments allocated to homeless families to decrease while homelessness continues to increase,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm. “We call on the de Blasio administration to dedicate 2,500 NYCHA units each year for homeless families. Families need a stable home outside of the sometimes volatile shelter system where they can build their lives.”

“Finding permanent housing for homeless New Yorkers is already a scarcity, and if NYCHA only allocates 750 public housing apartments per year to homeless families, then the number of families sleeping each our city’s shelters will significantly rise. I am proud to stand with my colleagues, Council Member Stephen Levin and Ritchie Torres, to urge the administration to increase the number of public housing apartments allocated to homeless families. With a collaborative effort between the Mayor, City Council Members, and NYCHA, we will soon be able to ensure that the neediest families in New York have a permanent roof over their head,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams.

Dear Mayor de Blasio,

While we are encouraged by your administration’s significant and early efforts to address New York’s historic homelessness crisis, we write to express our concerns that the City’s plan does not allocate nearly the sufficient number of public housing apartments to help homeless families and children obtain permanent housing.

As you know, previous New York City mayors successfully used federal housing programs to address the problem of family homelessness. Mayors Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani – and even Bloomberg in his first term – made priority referrals of tens of thousands of homeless families to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) public housing apartments, along with federal Section 8 housing vouchers.

This successful approach was the cornerstone of New York City’s efforts to ensure needy homeless children and families could secure stable, permanent housing and saved taxpayers millions of dollars each year that would otherwise have been spent on the costly shelter system.

Unfortunately, nearly a decade ago Mayor Bloomberg eliminated priority referrals of homeless families to NYCHA public housing and housing vouchers – effectively denying the neediest NYC access to federal housing aid – and your administration inherited the resulting unprecedented crisis.

This much is clear: A problem this big requires big solutions.  Reducing the record number of homeless families with children in New York City will require a significant commitment of permanent housing resources, and in particular public housing apartments.

For that reason we are extremely disappointed by NYCHA’s current proposal to allocate only 750 public housing apartments each year to homeless families.  This is far less than the City allocated under previous mayors, despite the fact that the number of homeless families and children is far higher now than under previous administrations. The current proposal represents less than 15% of NYCHA vacancies.  And it comes at a time when the housing authority, continuing a Giuliani-era policy, actually prioritizes thousands of public housing apartments for households with no demonstrated housing needs – including hundreds of families whose annual incomes exceed $40,000.

We believe the City of New York can and must do more to help the neediest families and children with our federal housing resources.  We urge you and your administration to increase the number of public housing apartments allocated to homeless families to at least 2,500 units each year.  In addition, in light of the fact that approximately 30% of homeless families are working, we urge you to prioritize this population in NYCHA’s working family priority list. Only with such a commitment can we begin to stem the rise of family homelessness, and finally begin to reduce the number of families sleeping each night in our shelter system.

In addition, we understand the financial constraints faced by NYCHA.  We are committed to working with NYCHA and the City to ensure the cost of needed support services for families leaving the shelter system and entering NYCHA are not borne by NYCHA alone.

We look forward to working with you and your administration towards our shared goal of ending homelessness in New York City.

Sincerely,

Stephen Levin, Ritchie Torres, Corey Johnson, Helen Rosenthal, Mark Levine, Ydanis Rodriguez, Vanessa Gibson, Annabel Palma, Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Donovan Richards, Antonio Reynoso, Laurie Cumbo, Carlos Menchaca, Brad Lander, Inez Barron, and Jumaane D. Williams

Two Bills Sponsored by Senator Ruben Diaz Pass in the Senate

  Two significant pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 383 and Senate Bill 20, sponsored by New York State Senator Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) have passed today in the Senate.

S383 prohibits the use of lottery funds for any purpose other than education and prohibits co-mingling with funds for other purposes.  This bill passed 56 Ayes, 0 Nays.

S20 establishes the crime of patronizing a prostitute in a school zone and including daycare facilities within the definition of a school zone.  This bill passed 54 Ayes, 2 Nays.

Senator Diaz stated: "I am grateful to the Senate leadership for bringing these bills to the Senate Floor for a vote during this Session.  I am also proud of my colleagues in the Assembly, Luis Sepulveda and Marcos Crespo, for co-sponsoring these pieces of legislation. We look forward to these bills passing in the Assembly and being signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.  It is essential for us to do whatever we can to protect our children's public education funds - and more importantly, to protect their safety in school zones."

Editors Note -  The two nays on Senator Diaz's second bill S20 came from Senator Montgomery 25th district Brooklyn, and Senator Perkins 30th district Manhattan. 

Learn More About Vision Zero on Thursday June 19th at the Parkchester Library

Over the last few months, Mayor de Blasio has begun to roll out a number of new traffic features to improve road safety entitled "Vision Zero."  To help introduce these new features I will be holding a town hall meeting this Thursday June 19th, at the Parkchester Library at 7:00pm.  I invite you to come and learn about the exciting new ideas being presented to keep us all safer on the road.  Representatives from city wide agencies like the Department of Transportation will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have.

I hope to see many of you there!
Your Assemblyman,
Luis R. Sepulveda

June 24th Ribbon-cutting Ceremony to Celebrate Grand Opening of R.A.I.N. Gun Hill Neighborhood Senior Center

  On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 11 AM, Regional Aid for Interim Needs, Inc. (R.A.I.N.) is pleased to announce that it will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Grand Opening of the R.A.I.N. Gun Hill Neighborhood Senior Center.  The ceremony will take place at the brand new  facility located at 3377 White Plains Road, The Bronx, New York 10467.

 

“We are happy to introduce our accomplishment to the seniors, community and those who helped bring this program to fruition,” said Anderson Torres, CEO of R.A.I.N. Inc.  The ribbon-cutting ceremony for R.A.I.N. marks the launch of another quality driven program for a community in need of these services. 

Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Assemblyman Carl Heastie, Council Member Andy King and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. are scheduled to be on hand to offer a few remarks regarding R.A.I.N. Gun Hill Neighborhood Senior Center and to assist in the ribbon-cutting.

R.A.I.N. was founded in 1964 by Beatrice Castiglia-Catullo as a voluntary effort to provide in-home care for older persons leaving the hospital with no one at home to care for them.  Having herself experienced the hardship of caring for an elderly homebound relative with no outside assistance, Mrs. Catullo sought to address this need and fulfill the desires of seniors to continue to be productive and independent citizens of the community. 

Currently, R.A.I.N. is the largest provider of social services for seniors in The Bronx with 17 service sites throughout the Bronx and one in upper Manhattan offering a comprehensive continuum of services to help seniors live safely and independently in their homes.

For more information regarding the event or R.A.I.N.’s programs, please call R.A.I.N.’s Administration Office at (718) 892-5520.