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Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Safe Streets and Treats Halloween Special on Friday, October 30th!
Sunday, October 25, 2015
JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center Upcoming Events
JASA Hosts Piano/Flute Concert for Older Adults Sunday Nov 8th
WHAT: JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host award winning Zhanna Rubenshteyn, pianist, and Yael Acher-Modiano, flutist in concert. They will perform Broadway favorites from Fiddler on The Roof and Porgy and Bess, beloved Jewish melodies, Duke Ellington’s tunes from the swing Era and recognized classical selections by Debussy, Fauré, Vivaldi, and Jewish composer Ernest Bloch. A late kosher lunch of soup and chicken chow mein or tilapia will be served at 2:30 PM. 50 guests are expected to attend this event.
We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event.
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event.
WHO: This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life.
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 8th, 2015
Lunch served at 2:30 pm followed by concert at 4:00 PM.
WHERE : JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463
RSVP: Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com
JASA Hosts Dinner and Music for Older Adults Wed. Nov. 11th
WHAT: JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host dinner and entertainment by Michael Gaskin, pianist/singer. He will perform selections from the Great American songbook, ragtime, Latin and ethnic music, show tunes and waltzes for listening, singing and dancing. A delectable kosher dinner of soup, salmon or turkey breast will be served at 4:30 PM. 40 guests are expected to attend this event.
We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event.
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event.
WHO: This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life.
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 2015
Dinner served at 4:30 pm followed by entertainment at 5:30 PM.
WHERE : JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463
RSVP: Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com
JASA Hosts Dinner and Music for Older Adults Wed. Nov. 18th
WHAT: JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center will host dinner and entertainment by David Oquendo Duo: guitar and vocals. David Oquendo became one of the best guitar accompanists in Cuba. He is a guitarist, singer, composer, musical director and has had many radio, TV and film appearances. Jana Martinez is a singer, actor and producer. A delectable kosher dinner of turkey or veg. liver will be served at 4:30 PM. 40 guests are expected to attend this event.
We would like to invite you to join us for this special cultural event.
Recommended senior voluntary contribution for lunch is $3.00 and $2.00 for the event. Non-seniors are welcome to attend for a fee of $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event.
WHO: This event will be hosted by JASA, a New York-based nonprofit serving 43,000+ older adults each year by providing social work, recreational, health, home care, housing, cultural, and educational services to help sustain them in their homes and communities and offer opportunities for a better quality of life.
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 18th, 2015
Dinner served at 4:30 pm followed by entertainment at 5:30 PM.
WHERE : JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave, 1st Floor Bronx, NY 10463
RSVP: Sharon Wolfe /Esha Pai
718.549-4700/212.561.7469 swolfe@jasa.org /JASA@KingComPR.com
About JASA
Founded in 1968, JASA is one of New York’s largest and most trusted agencies serving older adults in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Long Island. JASA’s mission is to sustain and enrich the lives of the aging in the New York metropolitan area so that they can remain in the community with dignity and autonomy. We provide life sustaining programs for seniors and peace of mind for their families and friend. jasa.org
JPR tour tickets available!
Because of the weather postponement of the Jerome Park Reservoir tour and public access event, several tour tickets are now available for the rescheduled November 14th and 15th dates.
To sign up - they are free - go to this link.
Regardless, we hope to see you and yours at this historic event for our community. The free access is from 12:30pm-2:30pmboth of those days. Remember the DEP has asked that we not bring cameras or bags. Cell phones can be checked. Entrance is at Gatehouse 5 across from Bronx Science.
Designer Drugs, Fighting Big Tobacco & More
Joining Together To Fight The Scourge of Designer Drugs
Building off his recent cutting edge work to stop the sale of designer drugs, the Attorney General convened a roundtable with Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Niagara Falls Police Superintendent Bryan DalPorto and local health professionals to tackle the growing scourge of designer drugs. Lawsuits filed by the Attorney General have removed designer drugs from 22 stores statewide, and additional lawsuits were recently filed against stores in Erie and Rockland counties. The Attorney General will continue to crack down for as long as it takes to get these drugs off of store shelves, and off of websites selling to New Yorkers.
Making Big Tobacco Pay
The Attorney General reached an agreement with Big Tobacco, which will return $550 million long withheld from New Yorkers. The settlement ends a prolonged legal dispute over the funds, which will be distributed to the state, New York City, and counties all across New York. The money comes from the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), which requires the tobacco companies to compensate the 52 states and territories – including New York – for the public-health costs of smoking-related illnesses. The Attorney General will continue to hold Big Tobacco accountable for the burden their addictive, deadly products impose on the taxpayers of this state.
Holding UPS Accountable For Over-Charging The State
UPS has agreed to pay back $1.2 million to New York State as part of a $4 million multi-state settlement stemming from allegations it recorded inaccurate delivery times on packages sent via UPS next-day delivery services by government customers. These inaccurate estimates resulted in premium-priced packages that appeared to be delivered by their guaranteed commitment times when, in fact, they were not. Because UPS also applied inapplicable or inappropriate “exception codes” to excuse late next-day packages, government customers were allegedly unable to claim or receive refunds for late deliveries. UPS has also instituted remedial training, monitoring, and reporting compliance programs to address any potential delivery failures or policy violations.
Stopping The Flow Of Illegal Guns Into New York
The Attorney General and NYPD Commissioner Bratton announced the take-down of a high-volume gun trafficking ring that allegedly funneled firearms from South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee to New York City, often aboard Greyhound buses. It is alleged Donovan Bryant, with the aid of the co-defendants, brought dozens of guns to New York City from South Carolina and sold them to an undercover officer between June 18 and October 21, 2015. Bryant, a North Carolina resident who uses a wheelchair, allegedly brought guns from South Carolina to the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan. He allegedly then contacted another defendant, an Uber driver, to pick him up and drive him to meet up with the undercover officer in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg and East New York neighborhoods.
Warning Consumers About Cold Weather Scams
Winter is coming, and the Attorney General wants consumers to be on the alert for cold weather scams. Speaking in Binghamton, the Attorney General and Broome County District Attorney Mollen urged consumers to shop aroundfor different estimates from business, insist on written contracts, and avoid paying advance sums, among other tips. While responses to storms and other cold weather events are often overwhelmingly positive, there are always a small handful of shady businesses that exploit these crises to make a quick buck.
Continuing The Fight Against Illegal Drug Rings
The Attorney General announced two guilty pleas as part of “Operation Trojan Horse,” which busted a major Capital Region drug trafficking ring in August. Ringleader Daquan Murray and associate Asjmere Powell both pleaded guilty to their involvement. During the year-long investigation, agents seized more than 1,000 grams of cocaine with an approximate street value of $100,000 and more than 100 bags of heroin and more than an ounce of raw heroin with an approximate street value of $14,000.
Bringing Justice To Those Victimized By Scams
The Attorney General announced the prison sentence of Morgan Tetro for stealing over $200,000 from an 85-year U.S. Air Force veteran and using the money to fund personal expenses, including more than $140,000 of gambling losses at a casino. Tetro received a sentence of 7 1/3 to 23 years in prison, and was also ordered to pay nearly $240,000 in restitution. The defendants befriended Colonel Irene Dennison when she rented a house to David Tetro, Jr, husband of Morgan Tetro. Over the following years, the defendants gained her trust, becoming her primary care providers and convincing her to allow them to control her financial affairs, leading to the theft. Irene Dennison was one of the first women in United States military history to reach the level of full colonel, and was instrumental in negotiating the release of U.S. Senator John McCain from the North Vietnamese Army in 1973. David Tetro will be sentenced next week for his involvement.
Holding Fraudulent Non-Profit Owners Accountable
Along with Comptroller DiNapoli, DOI Commissioner Peters and federal agencies, the Attorney General announced the conviction of a nonprofit executive accused of pocketing taxpayer dollars intended for public services and capital improvements in New York City. Dorothy Ogundu used approximately $300,000 in city, state and federal grants to pay the mortgage and utilities on a commercial property she owned, make improvements to that property to increase its value, purchase and ship vehicles to Nigeria, and make other purchases for her personal benefit and for the benefit of her for-profit business. Today’s conviction sends a clear message: if you use taxpayer funds to line your own pocket, you will face serious consequences.
Protecting The Safety Of New York Drivers
The Attorney General announced an agreement with Don’s Automotive Mall, Inc. to resolve an investigation that revealed that the company was selling salvaged automobile airbags in violation of New York State law. An investigation revealed that Don’s Automotive sold dozens, if not hundreds, of airbags removed from salvaged automobiles to consumers and auto repair shops throughout the United States without first having the equipment properly tested. As part of the agreement, the company will pay more than $12,000 back to the state.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
THIRD ANNUAL PELHAM PARKWAY HALLOWEEN PARADE & PARTY
State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Council Member Jimmy Vacca, the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association, The Allerton International Merchants and the White Plains Road BID, hosted the third annual Pelham Parkway Halloween Parade and Party.
The parade kicked off at the southeast corner of White Plains Road & Pelham Parkway South and traveled down White Plains Road to Brady Avenue. The party took place at P.S. 105 where children enjoyed face painting, games, carriage rides, music and more. All children took home a special treat bag filled with candy and coloring books courtesy of Senator Klein. See photos below.
Above - Before the Halloween Parade began on White Plains there were snacks given out to all by the White Plains Road Bid Executive Director Joe Thompson (left), who was assisted by two friends.
Below - Once Senator Klein and Assemblyman Gjonaj arrived the Halloween Parade down White Plains Road began.
Above and Below - The parade continues down White Plains Road.
Above - The parade passes CVS Drug Store.
Below - The parade passes the pumpkin patch set up by the supermarket.
Above - The parade arrives at P.S. 105, and you can see that the crowd of marchers goes for over two blocks.
Below - There were plenty of snacks and juice ready for the marchers in the lunchroom.
Above - Goody bags are lined up for the young marchers to have.
Below - Bouncy castles were set up for the enjoyment of the children.
Above and Below - The hit of the Halloween party was the hayride.
BRONX.PARKS.SPEAKUP FUNDRAISER IS THIS WEDNESDAY
Please Join Us for Speak Up Fundraiser at The Bronx Beer Hall!!
For over 20 years the Bronx Parks Speak Up has brought together 350+ people who care about Bronx Parks & Green Spaces.
The planning takes several months and the event, which is free, costs thousands of dollars to put together.
We'd love it if you could come to our first ever fundraiser on Wednesday, October 28 at 6:00 PM at the Bronx Beer Hall.
100 PERCENT SATURDAY OCTOBER 24TH
100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
Build it Anyhow - CPC
The move for more affordable housing moves on in the Northwest Bronx. On Wednesday October 28th Bronx Community Boards Seven and Eight will be holding public meetings on the City Planning Commission plan known as Land Use Review Application N160049ZRY. Explanation - The Department of City Planning is proposing a set of targeted changes to zoning regulations to support the creation of new affordable housing under the Mayor’s ten-year, five-borough Housing New York plan.
The Community Board seven meeting begins at 6:30 PM at the Sister Annunciata Bethel Senior Center located at 243 East 204th Street (between Valentine Avenue and Mosholu Parkway). Also on the agenda is the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing text amendment which will come first. If you plan to attend the Community Board seven meeting prepare for a long stay as this meeting should last for several hours.
The Community Board eight meeting begins at 7:30 PM at the Riverdale Jewish Center located at 3700 Independence Avenue at the corner of West 237th Street. Community Board eight has already held a meeting on the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing text amendment in which there were several questions that appeared to remain unanswered. I am sure the same will happen at the Community Board seven meeting.
The mayor was so proud that he had met his first year goal of achieving over twenty thousand units of affordable housing. With the recent Stuyvesant City agreement to save five-thousand more units of affordable housing this year, why then is the mayor pushing to have text amendments to the land use process for even more units when the goal is being met? Several community boards citywide have voiced their opposition to the proposed zoning text amendments, and there seems to be no good reason why Bronx Community Boards seven and eight will not be added to the list if not many more citywide.
Check the posting on this blog that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has said that just under 100,000 more Bronxites are employed then when he took office in 2009. When BP Diaz took over in 2009 as the Borough's ranking elected official unemployment in the Bronx was in double digits. The Department of Labor has released the September 2015 unemployment rate for the Bronx to be at 6.6 percent down from 8.7 percent a year ago.
Speaking of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - the Tour De Bronx will take off on Sunday from the Bronx Courthouse on East 161st Street at 10 AM, and riders are encouraged to get there by 9 AM to sign in. There is a 25 mile ride and a 40 mile ride that riders can take, and both rides end at the Bronx Botanical Garden with the festival beginning at 2 PM.
The race for Bronx District Attorney is all but over, however it will be official on election day in November, Current Justice Darcel Clark the Democratic candidate will be the winner and new Bronx District Attorney. Ms. Clark will replace Robert 'Why would I want to become a Judge' Johnson who should be elected a Bronx Supreme Court Justice. Some questions to be answered on election day include on which line will Ms. Clark's opponent receive more votes the Republican or the Conservative line since he is running on both lines against the new Bronx DA Darcel Clark. Another question is will Judge Johnson have no opposition as he has when he ran for Bronx DA where he had the Democratic, Republican, and Conservative lines? The last question to be answered on election day will be if those who were so angry at the way the events unfolded at the Bronx Democratic County Judicial Convention remember what went on? One has to agree with Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo who said "You may not like the results, but the election law process was followed, and change it if you do not like it".
The New York Post however reports that likely new Bronx DA Darcel Clark as Justice Darcel Clark presided over six of the thirty-one times Kalief Browder came to trial. Kalief Browder committed suicide while he was held in the Rikers Island jail for three years without ever having a trial, claiming that he was innocent and being held for a crime he never committed. Charges against Browder were dropped after his death due to what was reported as inmate abuse over the three years he was awaiting trial. Had there been a primary battle for Bronx DA this information could have been used to help by any challenger.
The New York Post however reports that likely new Bronx DA Darcel Clark as Justice Darcel Clark presided over six of the thirty-one times Kalief Browder came to trial. Kalief Browder committed suicide while he was held in the Rikers Island jail for three years without ever having a trial, claiming that he was innocent and being held for a crime he never committed. Charges against Browder were dropped after his death due to what was reported as inmate abuse over the three years he was awaiting trial. Had there been a primary battle for Bronx DA this information could have been used to help by any challenger.
Speaking of elections, now that current Vice-President Joe Biden has removed himself from the Democratic presidential process as a candidate, it looks like Hilary Clinton should be the Democratic candidate for president next year. The next question will be who will she be facing on the Republican side, and who will she choose as her running mate for Vice-President?
Finally on the subject of elections, there will be a new congressman in the 15th Congressional district now that Charlie Rangel is stepping down. Rangel has endorsed current Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright, and Wright has picked up the endorsement of the United Firefighters Union most recently. Others ion the race are Adam 'I am going to reclaim my father's seat' Clayton Powell, State Senator Bill Perkins, and now Clyde Williams a candidate who received ten percent of the vote in the last election has announced that he will be running again this year for Congressman Rangel's seat. As of now State Senator Adriano Espaillat who ran twice before against Rangel has not announced if he intends to run.
If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column, or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
Finally on the subject of elections, there will be a new congressman in the 15th Congressional district now that Charlie Rangel is stepping down. Rangel has endorsed current Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright, and Wright has picked up the endorsement of the United Firefighters Union most recently. Others ion the race are Adam 'I am going to reclaim my father's seat' Clayton Powell, State Senator Bill Perkins, and now Clyde Williams a candidate who received ten percent of the vote in the last election has announced that he will be running again this year for Congressman Rangel's seat. As of now State Senator Adriano Espaillat who ran twice before against Rangel has not announced if he intends to run.
If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column, or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
Friday, October 23, 2015
BRONX UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 6.6%
Nearly 100K More Bronxites Working Today Than In May 2009
Bronx job statistics continued to improve this month, according to the latest numbers from the New York State Department of Labor.
The unemployment rate in The Bronx fell to 6.6 percent in September 2015, down from 7.3 percent in August 2015 and 8.7 percent in September 2014. Those same statistics show that the total number of Bronxites who are employed is 565.7 thousand, up from 468.8 thousand in May 2009 when Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. first took office, meaning that nearly 100,000 more borough residents have jobs today than did roughly six years ago.
“Our borough is in the midst of a tremendous revival, and these numbers bear that out,” said Borough President Diaz. “More Bronxites are employed today than at any point since they began keeping such statistics. We are bringing new businesses to our borough, helping our existing businesses expand, and fostering the right climate for growth and development. Those efforts are having a positive effect on our borough and its population, as is clear from these job numbers.”
“Bronx residents are a talented and committed work force that just needed the opportunity to work. The Bronx businesses that have expanded recently and those that have moved into the borough in the past few years are contributing mightily to this collective effort. I am gratified by this news,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation.
The Department of Labor’s complete release can be found at http://on.ny.gov/1LIRRbS.
Since Borough President Diaz took office in 2009, The Bronx has seen more than $7 billion in total development, which has led to the creation of over 15,000 new jobs. In addition, a new partnership announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in August between the New York State Department of Labor and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, as part of the “NY Works,” program is placing Bronx residents in these jobs, helping to ensure that new development here benefits everyone, especially Bronxites.