Monday, November 26, 2018
Sunday, November 25, 2018
2nd Annual FOLIAGE AND FUN “A Tribute To Our Veterans”
The honorees and Ms. Bharati Kemraj of the Bharati Foundation. L - R (front row) Colleen McCarthy U.S. Marines, Tony Salimbene U.S. Coast Guard, Nicholas Himidian Jr. U.S. Air Force, A stand in for Bruce Rivera U.S. Army, (middle row) Gene DeFrancis U.S. Navy, Ms. Bharati Kemraj, LaTanga’ Blair U.S. Army, (back row) Shawn Kingston Service Award, Sidney T. Clark U.S. Marines, and Raymond Tirado U.S. Army received a posthumous award. The event was held at the Coffee Break Company located at 3217 Philip Avenue in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx.
Above - Sergeant Joe Ronda with his son Joe Ronda Jr. of the Star of The Sea - Sea Cadets lead in the Pledge of allegiance and the star Spangled Banner. Sergeant Ronda is playing the Star Spangled Banner in the photo.
Below - The honorees held lit sparkling candles for the soldiers who never returned from overseas.
Above - Colleen McCarthy U.S. Marine veteran receives her award.
Below - Nicholas Himidian Jr. U.S. Air Force veteran receives his award.
Above - Gene DeFrancis U.S. Navy veteran receives his award.
Below - Sidney T. Clark U.S. Marine veteran receives his award.
Tony Salimbene U.S. Coast Guard receives his award.
Saturday, November 24, 2018
REPRESENTATIVE ADRIANO ESPAILLAT URGES NEW YORK STATE DREAM ACT TO BE RENAMED IN HONOR OF SENATOR JOSE PERALTA
Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement on the sudden passing of New York State Senator José R. Peralta. In a letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, and New York State Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Rep. Espaillat has urged that the New York State DREAM Act be renamed in honor of Senator Peralta’s legacy and in recognition of his steadfast leadership and unyielding desire to see the DREAM Act passed and signed into law.
“It was my privilege as a fellow Dominican-American to serve with Senator José R. Peralta, who was an honorable steward of the public trust and tireless representative for communities in Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Woodside,” said Rep. Espaillat (NY-13). “As a main sponsor of the New York state DREAM Act, Senator Peralta believed wholeheartedly that we each have an obligation to ensure equal opportunities for the advancement of all persons. Renaming the New York State DREAM Act in his honor would be a fitting tribute to his legacy and the work that will continue for generations to come.
“Respectfully, I ask that when the New York State Legislative Session reconvenes on January 9, 2019, that both the Assembly and Senate come together to rename the New York State DREAM Act in honor of Senator Peralta and upon its passage, that Governor Cuomo sign the bill into law recognizing and codifying its most ardent champion, New York Senator José R. Peralta, into the official record.”
Click here to read Rep. Espaillat’s letter to Governor Cuomo and New York State Senate Leadership in its entirety.
News From Councilman Mark Gjonaj
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Small Business Saturday on Arthur Avenue
NYC Small Business Commissioner Greg Bishop joined City Councilman Mark Gjonaj (Chair of the Small Business Committee) on Arthur Avenue to talk with store owners and shoppers on Small Business Saturday. #ShopLocalShopSmart.
Above - Councilman Gjonaj is interviewed at the entrance to the Arthur Avenue Retail Market for the local television channel about Small Business Saturday.
Below - Councilman Gjonaj brings Greg Bishop the Commissioner of the NYC Small Business Administration to one of the few remaining fresh butcher shops in the Bronx, located on Arthur Avenue.
Above - Commissioner Bishop buys a cigar cutter at one of the two cigar stores on Arthur Avenue.
Below - Commissioner Bishop shows off his new Bronx cap he purchased from the store behind him, with Councilman Gjonaj and members of the Arthur Avenue Merchants Association. Commissioner Bishop also learned of some of the problems plaguing the Arthur Avenue shopping area, including the lack of parking for customers who come by car.
Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting
Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, and representatives of the 49th Precinct attended the monthly Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association meeting, which was well attended. Members of the community asked several questions about 'quality of life' concerns that have become more apparent in the community. Councilman Gjonaj and Assemblywoman Fernandez answered most of the questions, and Councilman Gjonaj invited residents to sign up for his meet and greet and his weekly newsletter.
Above - Councilman Gjonaj answers a question from a member of the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association. PPNA President Edith Blitzer holds up some small stickers for residents to place on illegally parked cars to give the owners a warning.
Below - Sonny Vataj owner of Exit Reality thanks Councilman Gjonaj for his service to the community. Mr. Vataj also brought some turkeys to give out to the community.
Later on after the meeting
Above- After the meeting I turned the corner onto Lydig Avenue and after going two blocks I found this. It looks worse than it was.
Below - Firemen can be seen going up crawl spaces from the P & T Laundromat located at 786 Lydig Avenue. Firemen had to go to the roof to make sure the fire was completely out before leaving.
Weekend Traffic Advisory for November 24 - 26 and November 28, 2018
HOLIDAY SEASON GRIDLOCK ALERT UNTIL JANUARY 2, 2019
Saturday, November 24, 2018
STONE STREET PEDESTRIAN MALL (DAILY) (March 16, to November 30, 2018)
Manhattan: 10am - 11pm
Locations:
- Stone Street between Hanover Square and Broad Street
- Mill Lane between Stone Street and South William Street (Pedestrian Streets)
Closure: Same as locations
Sunday, November 25, 2018
NO SCHEDULED EVENTS
Monday, November 26, 2018
WINTER’S EVE AT LINCOLN SQUARE
Manhattan: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Locations:
- Columbus Avenue between 67th Street and 62nd Street
- Broadway between 68th Street and 60th Street
- Columbus Circle between 60th Street and 58th Street
- 61st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
- 62nd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue
- 63rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
- 64th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
- 65th Street between Central Park West and Amsterdam Avenue
Closure: At the discretion of NYPD
Wednesday November 28, 2018
ROCKEFELLER TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
Manhattan: At the discretion of NYPD
Locations:
- 46th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 47th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 48th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 49th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 50th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 51st Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- 52nd Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- Rockefeller Plaza between 48th Street and 51st Street
- 6th Avenue between 46th Street and 52nd Street
- 5th Avenue between 46th Street and 52nd Street
Closure: @ NYPD’s discretion
NYPD and New York City Police Foundation Unveil Redesigned Substation at Crossroads of the World
High Tech Enhancements Arrive at Times Square Outpost Ahead of Holiday Season
The NYPD and New York City Police Foundation, together with other dignitaries, marked the beginning of the busy holiday season with the unveiling of the newly renovated NYPD Times Square Substation. A centerpiece in the heart of New York City, the Times Square NYPD Substation is a state-of-the-art building advancing the Department's security efforts for the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who pass through the area every day. It will also be a dynamic mechanism from which the Department can share information and engage with the public in a significant way.
The New York City Police Foundation provided funding support for the project, including a generous gift of $1 million from Vornado Realty Trust, made possible by Daryl Roth, Broadway Producer, and Steve Roth, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Vornado Realty Trust. Thomson Reuters and the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation also made major gifts to the New York City Police Foundation in support of the project.
"The NYPD's vastly-improved Times Square Substation enhances our ability to connect with New Yorkers and the millions of visitors to our great city each year," said Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill. "To push violence and disorder down past already record-lows, it is imperative that our cops keep building trust and strengthening relationships with all the people we serve. The New York City Police Foundation is bolstering that mission by funding this important project and supporting our Neighborhood Policing philosophy. I thank the Foundation for its unwavering support of the men and women of the NYPD, and for helping our cops safely protect everyone in an effective, efficient, and professional manner."
"Millions of families and tourists come to Times Square every year to see and experience the bustling metropolis of New York City — the Crossroads of the World," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "This new substation will help keep every visitor safe, and ensure that Times Square remains a popular destination site for years to come."
"This tremendous project is another great example of the strong public-private partnership that exists between the New York City Police Foundation and the NYPD," said Andrew Tisch, Chairman of the Board, New York City Police Foundation. "Together, we were able to complete the renovation and redesign of one of the NYPD's most visible outposts, efficiently and at a reduced cost, all while allowing the NYPD to continue to focus on their important work of keeping everyone who visits and calls New York home safe."
Located on 43rd Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue — at the "Crossroads of the World" — the newly renovated facility serves as the functional base of operations for the NYPD in Times Square. The 1,200 square foot, glass and steel building reflects the new dynamic of Times Square and enhances the business environment, while providing increased surveillance and security. Using modern technologies to further engage with the public, the facility features interactive technologies that will make the police department's presence in Times Square more visible and accessible.