Wednesday, September 16, 2015

SENATOR KLEIN ANNOUNCES $100,000 IN STATE FUNDING FOR EMERALD ISLE IMMIGRATION CENTER’S MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM



  Local Meals on Wheels program doubles capacity; serves more than 10,000 hot meals annually thanks to funding secured by Klein

State Senator Jeff Klein and Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, together with local volunteers and Bronx seniors, today announced $100,000 in state funding for Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s Meals on Wheels in The Bronx.

First established in 2011, the Meals on Wheels program has since doubled in size — now delivering more than 10,000 meals to homebound seniors annually. Senator Klein met with local volunteers and delivered a hot meal to a Woodlawn senior.

Senator Klein said: “In a community where the senior population is nearly two times that of the rest of The Bronx, Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s Meals on Wheels program provides an invaluable service to Woodlawn seniors. This year, I’m proud to have secured $100,000 in state funding for Emerald Isle’s program to help build capacity and expand enrollment. I look forward to partnering with the Emerald Isle Immigration Center to improve the quality of life and increase access to services in the community for many years to come.”

In just four short years, Senator Klein has allocated more than $250,000 to Emerald Isle Immigration Center Meals on Wheels, including initial funding that jump-started the program in 2011. Since then, the local Meals on Wheels program has become a service on which many local seniors depend. Each day, the program delivers 30 to 40 hot meals to community members. The funding secured by Senator Klein in this year’s state budget will go toward capacity building and expanding the program.
Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center said: “We have seen first-hand the benefits that delivering a meal can make to this neighborhood. Quite simply, this program and its reliable connectivity can transform and even save lives. We are truly grateful to Senator Klein for his vision and support of our community by ensuring this funding was continued for another year. To date, we have served more than 10,000 meals and with the help of our amazing staff and volunteers are already planning delivery of the next 10,000.”

Josephine O’Donahue, a Woodlawn senior, said: “Thank you Senator Klein for delivering for Bronx seniors. I have been a member of Meals on Wheels for over a year now and I can say without a doubt that this program has come to play a vital role in many seniors lives. I applaud Senator Klein’s efforts to help improve access to services in Woodlawn and I look forward to the Meals on Wheels program’s continued expansion in the community.”


There Could Be More Hispanics For Trump Than What’s Been Said


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York



  You should know that even though the so-called experts, political pundits and pollsters are having their say, I believe that there are more Hispanics supporting Donald Trump than what “they” say. 

According to a Univision poll, 70% percent of Hispanics reject Donald Trump, and according to this same poll, 30% percent are with Trump.  This by itself is a record for the Republican Trump, who will only need 10% percent more to reach a 40% percent of Hispanics supporting his bid.  As you know, there is a very small percentage of Republicans who have ever obtained 40% percent of the Hispanic  vote in any national election. 

It is important for the pollsters to take into consideration that when we speak about the Hispanic vote, we have to separate it into various groups. Among them are Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, and Dominicans. 

I guarantee you, my dear reader, that each one of those groups have a different opinion of Donald Trump.  Also, in order to have an understanding of some of the idiosyncrasies that exist among Hispanics, we have to divide Hispanics into 3 groups: the Puerto Ricans who are American citizens by birth, the documented immigrants, and the undocumented immigrants. 

When I walk the streets of New York - especially in Bronx County - and speak with Hispanics, much to my surprise the things that I hear from them are very different than what the papers and the pollsters are saying about them and Trump. 

The Puerto Ricans, who claims to be the first Hispanic group who came to this country and received many abuses, were rejected, receiving many “macanazos” (hit with the police baton), open the door for every other Hispanic group, and ate the bones. Now, they feel rejected, displaced and taken for granted, receiving less benefits than they need, while others eat the meat. 

For this reason, many Puerto Ricans are carrying strong emotional burdens deep inside. Many Puerto Ricans go about their lives, unwilling to publicly expressing their feelings and publicly going along with it all. This is due to the fact that unions, newspapers and even elected officials have made them feel like it is a crime to express their true feelings. 

Many Puerto Ricans are like walking political time bombs, ready to explode, and they might think that in Donald Trump they have the person to press the red button. 

The second group is the Cubans. The majority of Cubans who live in the United States have been expatriated by the dictator Fidel Castro, and they are dying to see Cuba free of that dictatorship. After seeing and hearing Donald Trump, little by little they have been aligning themselves with Trump to the point that even in Florida, where their former Governor Jeb Bush and their current U.S. Senator Marco Rubio reside and who are also candidates, Donald Trump is taking all of the Cuban votes in that state. 

The Dominicans, after seeing the Dominican Republican government’s confrontation with immigration laws involving Haiti, they have been placed in a predicament. It seems that the same ones who are criticizing Donald Trump are the same ones who have turned against the Dominican Republic, calling for boycotts and even stigmatizing the government of the Dominican Republic as racist. This is all because the Dominican Republic wants to be respected and wants to have its immigration laws respected. 

These realities just might give Donald Trump a little advantage with the Dominican vote here in the United States. 

In regard to the Mexicans, I believe that this sector of the Hispanic community will be the most difficult, if not impossible for Mr. Donald Trump to convince. This is a result of statements he made on June 16, 2015 when he declared his candidacy and stated: "When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists." 

For this reason, the majority of Mexicans have turned against Trump. 

On the other hand, my dear reader, there are so many documented immigrants who came to this nation through legal channels. They sacrificed themselves, paid the price and waited their turn, and after becoming American citizens, they themselves do not support illegal immigration. 

I personally have hear some of them saying: “If I sacrificed myself and waited my turn, then they have to wait their turn, too.” 

You should know, my dear reader, that the sentiments and frustrations from these different groups of Hispanics should be taken into consideration by the political pundits before deciding who is supporting Donald Trump and who is not. 

As my philosophy teacher from Lehman College in the Bronx used to say: “Children of my heart, that blue sky isn’t blue and it’s not a sky.” 

I am Senator Reverend  Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.


Join us for the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Dance Off this Saturday!



Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Presents 
Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month! 
From September 15 to October 15, we recognize and celebrate the many contributions, influences and culture of our Latin and 
Hispanic American community. 
 
Be sure to celebrate it with us this Saturday! 
Hispanic Heritage 
Cultural Dance Off!
September 19, 2015
On Pelham Parkway South 
at Wallace Avenue
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Come and enjoy the food, giveaways, face 
painting, children activities and live entertainment!

Monday, September 14, 2015

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's Immigration Forum on October 21





Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's Immigration Forum 
Join us for an open panel of discussions on Immigration Guidelines 

Wednesday, October 21, 2015
5:30 to 8:30 pm
Bronx House
990 Pelham Parkway South
Bronx, N.Y. 10461
For more information, please contact Lilyanna Pekic at
 or email

Former Assemblyman Bill Scarborough Sentenced to 13 months in prison and 2 Years of Supervised Released



   Former Democratic Assemblyman Bill Scarborough was sentenced to 13 months in prison and two years of supervised released after he pleaded guilty to state and federal corruption charges, as reported by State of Politics today. 

  The 69 year old former Queens County state legislator is also being ordered to pay $53,355.00 in restitution's to the state, while forfeiting the same amount to the federal government. 

   Scarborough pled guilty to misuse of campaign funds, and federal charges that he improperly sought 'Per Diem' payments which caused his removal from the State Assembly. 

   You can read the full State of Politics article, and the comments by the the U.S. Attorney, N.Y. Attorney General, and State Comptroller HERE. 



  

Upcoming Events and Grand Openings From the Bronx Chamber of Commerce



Please Join us for our Upcoming 
Grand Openings, and Access to 
Capital Event Business Workshop





























 
----------------------------------
Save the Dates

Italian Heritage Reception
F&J Pine Tavern 
October 7th 

Networking Event and Workshop 
at The Rambling House
(Hosted by Country Bank)
 October 14th

Business to Business 
Membership Breakfast
Applebee's - Hutchinson Metro 
Atrium 
October 20th

Call 718-828-3900, email
or log on to our 
website at www.bronxchamber.org 
for more information 
 

Saturday, September 12, 2015

SAVE THE DATE - Walk inside the fence at the Jerome Park Reservoir!




SAVE THE DATE(S)! - Walk inside the fence at the Jerome Park Reservoir! Guided tours and free walking/running sessions. Eventbrite reservations and more information coming soon.

Saturday, October 3, 2015 and Sunday, October 4, 2015.






Carmen Rosa Way


  It was a beautiful crisp September morning as over 100 people gathered to pay their respects to former Community Board 12 District Manager Carmen Rosa who recently Passed away. DM Rosa was a staple in CB 12, and helped keep the community going. The elected officials who were on hand included Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Congressman Eliot Engel, and of course Councilman Andy King, whose office put the street renaming of East 229th Street along the Community Board 12 office together. There were also many friends and family members on hand including CB 12 Chairman Father Richard Gorman, who has not been in the best of health as he is recovering from surgery he recently had. The photos below will tell the rest of the story.


Above - You can see the new sign in honor of Carmen Rosa is right on the corner of White Plains Road and East 229th Street, and that is the Community Board 12 office where Ms. Rosa served as District Manager in the background.
Below - Councilman Andy King whose office made this street renaming happen welcomes Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson.



Above - Councilman Andy King welcomes the over 100 people who came for the street renaming of the corner of White Plains Road and East 229th Street. Photos of Ms. Rosa are on both sides of Councilman King. 
Below - The Edie Sisters sing the National Anthem.



Above - Councilman King welcomes Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. to say a few words.
Below - BP Diaz tells a story to the people of how Carmen Rosa was dedicated to her family and her other family the community she worked for at CB 12.





Above - Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie tells about the fine work that Ms. Rosa Did.
Below - In the front row next to Ms. Rosa's immediate family are Congressman Eliot Engel, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Bronx DA Robert Johnson, Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr., and Bronx Borough commissioners as well as Community Board 12 Chairman Father Richard Gorman who are not in the photo.




Above - The Rosa family was given a proclamation by City Councilman Andy King.
Below - It was time for the Rosa family members to unveil 'Carmen Rosa Way'.




Above - As the covering came off 'Carmen Rosa Way' was now an official New York City Street.
Below - The family is given a second street sign, as the elected officials join in for a group photo.