Upcoming Bronx Chamber of Commerce Events

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce would like to invite you to our upcoming events: 

Monday, April 27th 

Meet and Greet with City Councilman 

Andrew Cohen 

Bronx Community Charter School

3170 Webster Avenue. 

6:00  PM

Tuesday, April 28th 

Enjoy delicious Burgers and a great people at 

Five Guys Burgers and Fries 

Ribbon Cutting

at the Throggs Neck Mall 

815 Hutchinson River Pkwy

5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29th 

Warm up to our Annual Golf Event with a 

great Networking event at Turtle Cove 

located on 1 City Island Road  

Enjoy Food, Golf Lessons, Great People 

from 5:30 p.m. -7:00 pm. 

Thursday, April 30th 

Join us for a great way to end the month with

a Complimentary Networking Event hosted by

 NorthEast Community Bank

 at the  

The Bronx Beer Hall 

Looking forward to seeing you there please 

RSVP with events@bronxchamber.org

 Call 718-828-3900 or go onto our websitewww.bronxchamber.org for more

 information 

SENATOR KLEIN HONORS LOCAL PARENT LEADERS AT ANNUAL EDUCATORS BREAKFAST

  Celebrating the remarkable achievements and positive contributions of parent leaders in the 34th Senate District, State Senator Jeff Klein, joined by more than 200 education officials, local teachers and parents, today hosted his annual Educators Breakfast at F&J Pine Restaurant in the Bronx. More than 50 parent leaders received certificates of appreciation for their dedication to local schools.

Senator Klein said: “Parent engagement plays a critical role in child development, educational attainment and overall academic success. Today, I’m proud to host our third annual Educators Breakfast to honor and celebrate our parent leaders who work tirelessly to bring increased resources and much-needed supports to our local schools.”

The program featured a welcome breakfast, keynote address and awards ceremony. The event was co-sponsored by TD Bank and Healthfirst. Dr. Rosa Gil of Comunilife, a New York City-based not-for-profit which partners with local schools to increase awareness of the Latina teen suicide epidemic, made a special appearance. School principals, education stakeholders, social workers, teachers and parents from across the Bronx attended the breakfast.

Parent leaders from the following district schools received awards:

• Ampark Neighborhood School
• Bronx High School of Science
• Bronx School of Law and Finance
• Bronxdale High School
• Collegiate Institute for Math and Science
• DeWitt Clinton High School
• The Felisa Rincon de Gautier Institute for Law and Public Policy
• Herbert H. Lehman High School
• High School of Language and Innovation
• J.H.S. 131 Albert Einstein
• Jonas Bronck Academy
• Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School
• M.S. 101 Edward R. Byrne
• P.S. 24 Spuyten Duyvil
• P.S. 36 Unionport
• P.S. 48 Joseph R. Drake
• P.S. 107
• P.S. 12 Lewis and Clark School
• P.S. 14 Senator John Calandra
• Pelham Preparatory Academy
• P.S./M.S. 194
• The Bronx Mathematics Preparatory School
• Urban Institute of Mathematics
• West Bronx Academy for the Future
• Schuylerville Preparatory High School
• Soundview Academy for Culture and Scholarship
• Holy Cross School
• Holy Family School
• St. Clare of Assisi School

Senator Klein continued: “Parents are the unsung heroes of Bronx schools. Their constant dedication and commitment to improving the lives of our children, local schools and communities is invaluable. I look forward to our continued work together as we fight to stand up for both our students and our communities.”

COMPTROLLER STRINGER AUDIT REVEALS NEARLY ONE THIRD OF MTA EXPRESS BUSES NOT ON TIME

Brooklyn & Staten Island buses least reliable; nearly 40% of complaints about delays

 - Express buses run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) missed their scheduled departure times more than 30 percent of the time according to an audit released today by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. The audit also found that the MTA did not, until recently, even have the ability to track on-time performance of express buses on a regular, consistent basis and still has not set publically reported on-time performance targets.

“We live in the greatest City in the world and we need a mass transit system that reflects that,” Comptroller Stringer said. “Millions of New Yorkers rely on express buses each year. When one out of every three buses is not on time, it impacts every borough and hits at our City’s economic competitiveness. New York City already has the longest workday in the country – our express buses should be a part of the solution, not the problem.”

The audit examined timeliness, wheelchair functionality, and customer satisfaction of express buses run by two agencies within the MTA: MTA Bus Company and New York City Transit (NYCT). The two agencies carried more than 9 million and 11.5 million commuters on express buses, respectively, in 2013 and each operates a fleet of over 500 express buses. Auditors observed 12 different express bus routes at the first and last stop of each line in the originating borough during the morning and/or afternoon rush hours from October 2013 through December 2013, and measured whether buses left before, on time, or later than scheduled.

The audit found that, overall, sampled express buses were not on time more than 30 percent of the time and commuters waited anywhere from 6 to 28 minutes after a scheduled departure time for the next available bus.

• Staten Island’s X1 and X17 buses displayed the worst performance, leaving either too late or too early an average of 35.9 percent of the time. 
• In Brooklyn, the BM1, X27 and X28 bus routes were not on time an average of 33.7 percent of the time. 
• On average, Queens and Bronx express bus routes were not on time 32.1 percent and 20.3 percent of the time, respectively. 

Based on our observations, the vast majority of late departures occurred during the afternoon rush, with Brooklyn routes ranking highest with 36 late departures from Manhattan.  Queens had the highest number of late departures during the morning rush with 24.  Brooklyn also had the highest number of early departures in the morning, with 19 of the 30 buses that we found left too early during our citywide observations. 

“Living in Rosedale, New Dorp, Bay Ridge or Co-Op City shouldn’t mean you get less reliable and efficient mass transit.  There’s a real human cost when long commutes separate people from their jobs and families and it’s one our City can’t afford,” Stringer said.

Significant findings of the audit include:

• Delayed and late buses make up nearly 40 percent of all express bus customer complaints: The MTA received 660 complaints related to express bus service from May-September 2014. Nearly 40 percent of those complaints were about late or delayed buses and 13 percent involved buses bypassing stops. Until April 2014, the MTA used an Excel spreadsheet to track complaints, though the system lacked the ability to categorize complaints by type or priority. Its new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system allows greater functionality and effectiveness in responding to complaints. 
• MTA has failed to establish on-time performance targets for express buses: Until recently, the MTA did not even track on-time performance for express buses on a regular or consistent basis and so has been hindered in its ability to develop realistic time schedules.  While the MTA publicly reports the percentage of bus trips completed and mean distance between failures, auditors found that it does not have on-time performance targets for its express buses. The MTA recently launched Bus Trek, a GPS platform that tracks buses along their scheduled routes, but the Authority hasn’t disclosed how it will use this data to improve performance.
• MTA has failed to develop standard procedures for checking wheelchair lifts: Although MTA personnel are required to inspect wheelchair lifts each week, without current, consistent standards to guide them, auditors found inconsistent inspection practices across bus depots. Without standardized procedures, wheelchair lifts may not function, prohibiting disabled riders from using particular buses and delaying riders. 

The Comptroller’s office recommended that the MTA:  

• Continue to use Bus Trek to modify and improve express bus schedules so that they are more reliable;
• Develop on-time performance and other performance targets for its express buses and publicly report progress toward meeting those targets; 
• Update its procedures for inspecting wheelchair lifts and ensure that information is communicated effectively; and  
• Continue to utilize CRM in tracking express bus complaints so it can more effectively determine trends and patterns that need to be addressed. 

“We need to bring all parties to the table to discuss ways to improve service, including our hard-working drivers who know these neighborhoods and roadways better than anyone. Express bus riders pay a premium for their commutes, but management hasn’t done enough to ensure these buses are worth the cost.  MTA management must take immediate steps to improve performance across the board and be more transparent about how they’ve met their own standards,” Stringer said.   

"Express buses serve the people who need reliable public transit the most: residents of the boroughs, far from the city's core, who have few other options for how to get to work.  Thank you to Scott Stringer for delving into the details to show where express bus service can improve for the 75,000 New Yorkers who rely on it every day,” said John Raskin, Executive Director of the Riders Alliance.

"Express bus riders are paying much higher fares but aren't getting reliable service in return. Comptroller Stringer's audit shows that they just aren't getting their monies worth," said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, a transit riders group.

To read the full audit, please click here.

Wave Hill Events May 1–May 8

  This Friday, Night Lights at Wave Hill officially opens, but I’ve had a chance to see it several times at night. And what a spectacular experience it has been! I hope very much that you plan to visit at least once during its run. On May 1, the Night Lights Lounge is open, too! In the meantime, there is much to absorb during the daylights hours as well, from a new green-roof birdhouse to a history walk through the neighborhood of Wave Hill and guided garden walks Tuesdays and Sundays. Sunroom Project Space artist Kiran Chandra will be on hand to talk about her two sculptural termitaries and visiting artist Roxanne Jackson will show Family Art Project participants how to use clay to sculpt mythological creatures.

And here is a link to a 60-second video about Night Lights and The Lightening!

FRI, MAY 1    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 David Virelles. Same-day tickets for Night Lights at Wave Hill: $25/$20 Wave Hill Member/$12 children. (Purchase tickets in advance and save $2.) Also open tonight is theNight Lights Lounge in Wave Hill House. Lounge + Night Lights ticket $60/$55 Wave Hill Member. 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

SAT, MAY 2    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, weather permitting.  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 Fridaybefore; 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, MAY 2    FAMILY ART PROJECT: EPHEMERAL CREATURES IN CLAY

Join visiting artist Roxanne Jackson as she shows you how to use wash-away, air-dry clay to sculpt mythological creatures. Give them character with a touch of color or some natural material; then, weather permitting, add your creation to a woodsy installation that, with a little rain, will soon disappear back into nature. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, MAY 2    NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY WALK

From the beginning of the early twentieth century George W. Perkins, owner of the Wave Hill estate, was an active member of the Riverdale neighborhood. When Wave Hill opened as a non-profit in 1965, it continued this tradition of community involvement. Join historian and Wave Hill Garden Guide Deirdre Laporte on a walk through the neighborhood to visit significant homes and landscapes and learn about their historical connections to Wave Hill. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Free with admission to the grounds. A Wave at 50 anniversary event.

MEET AT THE FRONT GATE, 1PM

SAT, MAY 2    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for an exhibition tour designed to draw visitors into a lively discussion about the relationship between art and nature. In the main gallery,Chris Doyle: Landscape Fictions brings to life the Hudson River. An artist whose sense of craft verges on the obsessive, Doyle presents three animations from a decades-long practice animating the natural world that exists on the urban fringes. This exhibition accompanies The Lightening, a site-specific project installed in the Aquatic Garden that combines mirrored surfaces with backlit animations into an artwork that changes as the day turns into night. At the same time, in the Sunroom Project Space, Kiran Chandra explores the “swarm” as a social form through a sculptural and sonic interpretation of Eugene Marais’ The Soul of the White Ant. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.  

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, MAY 3    MEMBERS TRIP: BIRDING AT THE ROCKEFELLER STATE PARK PRESERVE

Boasting 180 recorded species of birds, the Rockefeller State Park Preserve has been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. Join naturalist Gabriel Willow for a morning of bird watching through the trails of this scenic park. $40 Wave Hill Member, includes transportation. Reservations required, online at www.wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center, starting February 11. For more information, please call 718.549.3200 x251. Space is limited.

MEET AT THE FRONT GATE, 9:30AM–1PM

SUN, MAY 3    FAMILY ART PROJECT: EPHEMERAL CREATURES IN CLAY

Join visiting artist Roxanne Jackson as she shows you how to use wash-away, air-dry clay to sculpt mythological creatures. Give them character with a touch of color or some natural material; then, weather permitting, add your creation to a woodsy installation that, with a little rain, will soon disappear back into nature. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MAY 3    GREEN-ROOF BIRDHOUSE WOODWORKING WORKSHOP

Sharpen both your woodworking and gardening skills as you construct and plant a birdhouse with a rooftop of live succulent plants. Master carpenter and Director of Facilities Frank Perrone and Assistant Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer provide instruction and inspiration in this hands-on workshop. No previous carpentry experience required. Ages 12 and older welcome with an adult. Space is limited! $65/$50 Wave Hill Member per project. Reservations required, online at www.wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center, starting February 11.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

SUN, MAY 3    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 are held outdoors, weather permitting. 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, MAY 3    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, MAY 3    MEET THE ARTIST: KIRAN CHANDRA

Kiran Chandra’s installation in the Sunroom, open through May 31, incorporates sculpture, drawing and an audio component to explore the nature of non-human intelligence and empathy. Inspired by the book The Soul of the White Ant (1925) by Eugène Marais, the South African poet and naturalist, the focal point of Chandra’s project will be two sculptural termitaries, pods made of plaster and covered in soil from which the story of the termite colony emerges. These components will be accompanied by observational drawings of swarms of fauna and flora. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1:30PM

SUN, MAY 3    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

SUN, MAY 3    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 David Virelles. 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

MON, MAY 4

Closed to the public

TUE, MAY 5    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, MAY 5    GALLERY TOUR

Join a curatorial fellow for an exhibition tour designed to draw visitors into a lively discussion about the relationship between art and nature. In the main gallery,Chris Doyle: Landscape Fictions brings to life the Hudson River. An artist whose sense of craft verges on the obsessive, Doyle presents three animations from a decades-long practice animating the natural world that exists on the urban fringes. This exhibition accompanies The Lightening, a site-specific project installed in the Aquatic Garden that combines mirrored surfaces with backlit animations into an artwork that changes as the day turns into night. At the same time, in the Sunroom Project Space, Kiran Chandra explores the “swarm” as a social form through a sculptural and sonic interpretation of Eugene Marais’ The Soul of the White Ant. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

THU, MAY 7    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 Gregg Kallor. 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

FRI, MAY 8    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 Gregg Kallor. Same-day tickets for Night Lights at Wave Hill: $25/$20 Wave Hill Member/$12 children. (Purchase tickets in advance and save $2.) Also open tonight is theNight Lights Lounge in Wave Hill House. Lounge + Night Lights ticket $60/$55 Wave Hill Member. 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.