Chancellor Carmen Farina Comes to District 10 - Or Did She?

  The notices that went out said that the District 10 Community Education Council presents a Town Hall meeting with Chancellor Carmen Farina. The town hall meeting with Chancellor Farina was scheduled for Wednesday April 1st from 6:30 - 7:30 PM at PS 86 located at Reservoir Avenue and West 195th Street. In bold letters were 'ALL DISTRICT 10 PARENTS ARE URGED TO ATTEND'.  The photo above was taken at 6:30 PM when the meeting was to begin. About 100 staff from district 10 schools, the chancellors office, children, their parents, and security officers were in attendance. I was told that every parent in the district was given a notice, and some even received calls to attend.  

  At 7PM you can see only 4 of the 9 CEC members and no chancellor on the dias. It was then announced that the chancellor would be a little late. At 7:15 PM attendees were told the chancellor was stuck in traffic on the West Side Highway and that people could leave if they wanted. As several did just so, I followed suit by leaving and not wanting to wait any longer because I had another event to go to which I did not want to miss. 

  I was however able to read a handout on the table giving the results of the past years test scores. As a former Parent leader in District 10 years ago I was shocked to see that the scores were lower than 10 years ago when District 10 was a District in Need of Improvement. English scores were at 16.8 percent down almost 8 points, while math scores were 21.9 percent down over 10 points. When I asked the current District 10 Superintendent (who was on hand) Melodie Mashel why the scores have gone down so, her answer was 'the test is harder now'. The current standards were suppose to be instituted 10 years ago, because I was a member of the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council when the presentation was given. The city received a waiver for the past 10 years, but now it seems that those 10 year old standards can not even be met today.

Composting is Coming to Another Bronx Area

  Last Tuesday Councilman Andrew Cohen held a forum with the Department of Sanitation about the introduction of an organics recycle pilot program in Community Board 8. The Riverdale and Fieldston areas down to West 238th Street on the east side of the Henry Hudson Parkway, and all the way down to the bridge on the west side of the parkway. This however is for 2700 homeowners and small 1 - 9 unit buildings only. Above is the container that will be given out by the DSNY to hold food scraps and other organic waste so they do not have to go to landfills and can be recycled. 

  Here you can see the actual size of the container which is next to the DSNY organic waste program presenter. Questions raised were how to line the container as not to attract vermin, and the lid snaps closed was the answer. People were also told they could use empty pizza boxes or other food soaked paper for the bottom, but the container will have to be cleaned often. The aim of the DSNY is to cut down on the amount of garbage that is being sent to landfills. If this program is successful citywide up to 15 percent of the current garbage sent to landfills will be recycled.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's Health & Wellness Fair on April 10th!

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj 's Health & Wellness Fair Friday, April 10, 2015 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm Bronx House 990 Pelham Parkway South Nutrition and Fitness Information Health Care Facilities and Providers Fitness Demos and Giveaways! For more information or to participate please call Office of Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj at (718) 409-0109

Passover & Easter Greetings From Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj

Passover and Easter Greetings from Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj I would like to wish all of my friends, families, and  neighbors   a   happy  and blessed holiday weekend.  With Easter and  Passover falling  together  on the  same   weekend, it brings  great opportunity for us  to   gather    together   and   reflect   on   the   many  blessings   God  has   given  us,  while  enjoying the  time  well  spent  with   family  and  loved  ones.              May you all have a  joyous and blessed  Passover and Easter.

Happy Holidays From The Bronx chamber of Commerce

 

We want to wish you and your family a 

Happy Easter and Passover 

Thank you for your support of 

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce !

 Call 718-828-3900 or go onto our website www.bronxchamber.org 

for more information on our events.

STATEMENT FROM BP DIAZ RE: Metro North Funding in New State Budget

  “I am thrilled that Governor Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature have continued to show their commitment to The Bronx by providing $250 million in funding in the new budget for the East Bronx Metro North expansion plan.

“Governor Cuomo has long understood that new Metro North options in Co-op City, Parkchester, Morris Park and Hunts Point will not only make our region’s transportation system stronger, it will also open up new economic opportunities for almost 95,000 residents living near the proposed stations. This new budget shows that the State Legislature agrees.

“The East Bronx Metro North Expansion is a transformative plan, and I commend Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature for moving this plan forward as part of the newly passed budget,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Editors Note: Our congratulations go out to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. in making sure that this vital new Bronx rail corridor link made it through the state budget negotiations, most likely with the help of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. 

Wave Hill Events Apr 17–Apr 24

With Nights Lights—the culmination of Wave Hill’s 50^th anniversary celebrations—about to begin, and spring so surely in the air, my pulse is jumping! Fortunately, there is plenty to distract and enthrall this week, from serene sessions of wellness and a walk through Wave Hill’s history, to the finale of our concert season with a dynamic performance by the quintet WindSync. And then, of course, Fridayevening is our first evening of Night Lights. Hooray!

SAT, APRIL 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, 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 in April are held indoors. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration online receives a $2 discount. 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. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Membership card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SAT, APRIL 18    FAMILY ART PROJECT: CONNECT THE AQUATIC DOTS

Make your own image of Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden—the site of this spring’s 50th-anniversary art installation. Then let visiting artist Melissa Brown take you through some simple steps to help connect the dots from your image to create a group animation project, on view through the month of May. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. A Wave Hill at 50 anniversary project.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, APRIL 18    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 those who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SUN, APRIL 19    FAMILY ART PROJECT: CONNECT THE AQUATIC DOTS

Make your own image of Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden—the site of this spring’s 50th-anniversary art installation. Then let visiting artist Melissa Brown take you through some simple steps to help connect the dots from your image to create a group animation project, on view through the month of May. Free with admission to the grounds. A Wave Hill at 50 anniversary project.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, APRIL 19    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 directorNeem 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 in April are held indoors. Session fee: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration online receives a $2 discount. 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. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Membership card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

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

SUN, APRIL 19    MEDITATION

Let nature inspire you to find your center and reconnect with your true self using guided mindfulness and other meditation practices. Each session, led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other qualified instructors, includes instruction in simple techniques, followed by guided meditations. Sessions are held indoors. All levels welcome. Session fee, which includes admission to the grounds: $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration online receives a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. Participants must present their Membership card or a printed program registration form at the front gate.

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

SUN, APRIL 19    WINDSYNC

Windsync is recognized internationally for dramatic and adventurous programming in venues ranging from concert halls to museums, universities and schools. The young, energetic group plays exclusively from memory, including elements of staging and choreography, and focuses on building connections with audiences through dynamic concert programming and charismatic stage presence. Absolutely irrepressible, WindSync offers a program that captures the quintet’s musicality and theatrical stage presence. A mesmerizing rendition of Ravel’s Bolero for winds and snare drum is followed by Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and The Hoedown. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. $28 general admission, $15 child (ages 8 to 18). $22 Wave Hill Member, $12 Wave Hill Member child. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2PM

SUN, APRIL 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

MON, APRIL 20

Closed to the public

TUE, APRIL 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

FRI, APRIL 24    NIGHT LIGHTS AT WAVE HILL

Wave Hill’s 50th anniversary festivities reach a crescendo this spring with Night Lights at Wave Hill, a month-long celebration, when, for the first time in Wave Hill’s history, visitors will be invited to attend in the evening to enjoy the garden landscape at a time of day and during a season when it is normally closed to the public. Take in The Lightening: a Project for Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden, an immersive installation by acclaimed artist by Chris Doyle, with music by composer Jeremy Turner, recorded by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Stop by Glyndor Gallery to see Chris Doyle: Landscape Fictions. Visit The Shop, The Café and the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, and enjoy informal piano performances in Wave Hill House. This evening’s pianist is Randy Ingram. Same-day tickets for Night Lights at Wave Hill: $25/$20 Wave Hill Member/$12 children. (Purchase tickets in advance and save $2.) All sales are final; no refunds or exchanges. Rain or shine. Tickets available now at wavehill.org and onsite. A Wave Hill at 50 anniversary event.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30–9:30PM

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. FreeSaturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. 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.

Mayor Bill deBlasio Announces - He will Seek Reelection as Mayor in 2017

  DeBlasio declares he will seek reelection for second term in 2017 is the headline of a Daily News article that can be found in the link at the beginning of this paragraph. The News jokes that this time the mayor is early, and states that Mayor deBlasio has made it clear that he will be running for reelection in 2017.  

  While talking up national politics and announcing his reelection bid in 2017, Mayor Bill deBlasio added that's the only thing he is running for. 

   Some of the comments to the Daily News article are hilarious, and you may want a good laugh by reading them. One such commenter said that they would vote for a Republican Central Park Zoo Seal before voting again for Bill deBlasio. Another commenter calls the mayor - Mayor deBozo. The link is at the beginning of this posting.