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Sunday, August 4, 2019
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Parkchester Clean-Up
This should tell almost the whole story when word got out that Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was behind a clean up of a part of East Tremont Avenue in her district. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is standing to the left of the street pole behind all the bags of trash and garbage that were picked up. The area of East Tremont Avenue between Unionport and Castle Hill Avenues is also where the new Parkchester Metro North station is planned to go. Over forty volunteers were given trash grabbers and gloves and really cleaned up.
Above and Below - Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez speaks about some of the new ideas that she has brought to Washington D.C., such as the New Green Deal. She stressed how important it is that people think of what can be done to improve the planet.
Above - Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez spoke, but also listened to what her constituents had to say.
Below - Another group photo, this time without all the garbage.
Governor Cuomo Responds to Judge's Recommendation to Fire NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo
"We have to have trust and respect for our criminal justice system. People have to respect it, they have to believe it's fair, they have to believe when someone does something wrong, even if they have a badge, that they will be punished.
"We have a judge who said the officer in the Eric Garner case should be fired. I did - in our society we say we follow the judge's orders and I think that's appropriate.
"You had an incident a couple of weeks ago where police officers had buckets of water thrown on them. That is not respecting the police. You know, police have to respect the community and the community has to respect the police and dousing NYPD officers or any officer for that matter with water is just the ultimate sign of disrespect. It's not just for those officers but for the entire force and the criminal justice system, so the old adage: you want respect, you give respect.
"When a judge says an officer should be fired because they did something wrong I believe the officer should be fired. The community needs to be respected and that's what the Eric Garner case is all about. It's gone on for five years. Five years that family has been suffering. Give them the respect of doing justice.
"At the same time, the police, the police officers should give respect, they should get respect. You don't douse a police officer with a bucket of water. You don't disrespect the police. They're putting their life on the line for all of us every day. Whether you're an NYPD or in the Nassau police or Suffolk police you're putting your life on the line and they should be respected and I think that is way out of the realm of acceptable behavior."
Editor's Note:
This was an answer by Governor Cuomo at a press conference on a different subject matter, when asked about police officer Daniel Pantaleo.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Bronx Park Gets New Adult Fitness Equipment
Councilman Ritchie Torres was the first to try out the new Adult Fitness Equipment that was installed in Bronx Park East at the Arnow Avenue entrance next to the soccer field. Brand new pieces of Adult Fitness Equipment that you would see in a gym were installed at a cost of $292,000.00.
The first $200,000.00 was part of the yearly Participatory Budgeting Councilman Torres does, and the rest was placed in the budget by the city under the current mayor.
The Adult Fitness Equipment are a Double Chest Press, A Sit Up Bench, an Overhead Ladder, and a Cross Trainer.
Above - Councilman Torres explains about how the Adult Fitness Equipment came about during his Participatory Budgeting process.
Below - Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez thanked Councilman Torres for the money for the Adult Fitness Equipment, adding that this will be another Bronx park with this very requested amenity
Above - Councilman Torres tries out another piece of Adult Fitness Equipment.
Below - Bronx Parks Commissioner Rodriguez also wanted to try this out.
Above- The check for $292,000.00 presented to Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez, and Ralph Schweizer of BPECA.
Below- The Official ribbon cutting.
Gerri Lamb Street Naming Celebration
You should know that this Saturday, August 3rd we will be celebrating a street renaming activity in memory of the late Gerri Lamb.
Gerri Lamb was a community leader, advocate, and outspoken leader for senior citizens, NYCHA residents, and the community as a whole.
As the City Councilmember representing the area of Castle Hill, I was able to obtain approval from the City Council to rename the corner of Castle Hill Ave & Randall Ave as “Gerri Lamb Way”.
The street renaming ceremony will begin at 11am and will be a family festival filled with music, food, and games/entertainment for children throughout the day.
All are welcome and encouraged to come as we pay tribute to Ms. Gerri Lamb and celebrate her life. Elected officials, community leaders, friends of Gerri Lamb and anyone else who would like to come together to remember Ms. Lamb.
Location: 625 Castle Hill Ave (Corner of Randall Ave)
Date: Tomorrow Saturday, August 3rd
Time: 10:30 am
Wave Hill events August 15–22: Honey Weekend
Thu, August 15
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM
Thu, August 15
Arone Dyer is director, composer, curator and performer, and aims to present beautiful musical experiences that provide deeper connections between women of different cultures within the musical community through Dronechoir. While the current sonic composition of the piece is a constant, Dronechoircontinually reshapes itself through reimagined movement directions designed specifically for each space, as well as thanks to the generous participation of adventurous vocalists of diverse backgrounds whose voices vary in volume, range and timbre. Movement directions embedded within the piece physically foregrounds specific singers at different points in the piece, and the singers may move closer to members of the audience, bringing depth to the listener’s experience by challenging barriers and introducing a heightened sense of engagement with the performance. Dronechoir combines unfamiliar collaborators with an unrehearsed performance, and everyone is singing together for the first time with people they may never have met before. Throughout the piece, the vocalists learn what their role is within the choir and composition. By committing to this unrehearsed performance the vocalists naturally demonstrate a sense of hope and support, acceptance, love and respect to the audience and each other. Free with admission to the grounds. Special evening admission to the grounds starts at 4PM. $12 general adult admission; $8 student and seniors 65+; $6 children ages six+. Purchase admission online by 4PM day of event and save $2. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under age six. No guest passes or reciprocal admission accepted.
Aquatic Garden, 7PM
Thu, August 15
Traverse Wave Hill’s garden and woodland paths under the light of the “Sturgeon Moon,” the last full moon of summer. Expert naturalist Mike Feller leads this after-hours adventure along woodland edges and pocket meadows where fireflies, moths and other insects rendezvous for some evening revelry. Observe as Feller calls to local screech owls and look for signs of other nocturnal creatures taking advantage of the tranquility of the evening garden. Adults and children 10 and up welcome with an adult. Not recommended for persons with mobility issues; route includes rough terrain and some steep slopes. This event is held light rain or shine. $20; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Twilight in the Garden event.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 8‒9:30PM
Fri, August 16
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM
Sat, August 17
Outfit yourself with wings, antennae and a pollen cup to buzz around in a hive of six-sided cells and forage in the flowers. Join in a bee parade and do a bee dance as you search for flowers to pollinate. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM
Sat, August 17
You’ll be amazed at the complex flavors of different varieties of honey! Sample a few, then purchase your favorite to take home. Free, and admission to the grounds in free until noon. Honey Weekend event.
Perkins Visitor Center, 11AM−3PM
Sat, August 17
Chat with beekeepers like Bronx beekeeper Junior Schouten, try on beekeeping gear, peek inside a hive and learn fascinating facts about honeybees. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM
Sat, August 17
Try your hand at creating an assortment of rolled beeswax candles to take home and enjoy. Materials fee: $15 materials charge per kit makes several candles. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM
Sat, August 17
Drop in and see the sticky process of extracting honey from the comb with our resident bee experts. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, NOON−3PM
Sat, August 17
Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM
Sat, August 17
Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. The exhibition Figuring the Floralfeatures artists who employ flowers to explore representations of identity—constructing narratives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and aging. The exhibition includes paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and an outdoor installation. In the Sunroom, Kate Bae’s immersive installation consists of flowers created from layers of acrylic paint. They drape from the ceiling into a wishing well. The landscape evokes the ecosystem of Mount Hallaon South Korea’s Jeju Island, a holy symbol of the unification of South Korea and North Korea. In the Sun Porch, Riad Miah creates a multi-part installation of double-sided, oil and acrylic, rectangular paintings on Dura-Lar. He traces light throughout the calendar year to portray a sense of time, with each piece representing a single month. Free with admission to the grounds.
Glyndor Gallery, 2PM
Sun, August 18
Outfit yourself with wings, antennae and a pollen cup to buzz around in a hive of six-sided cells and forage in the flowers. Join in a bee parade and do a bee dance as you search for flowers to pollinate. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM
Sun, August 18
You’ll be amazed at the complex flavors of different varieties of honey! Sample a few, then purchase your favorite to take home. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.
Perkins Visitor Center, 11AM−3PM
Sun, August 18
Chat with beekeepers like Bronx beekeeper Junior Schouten, try on beekeeping gear, peek inside a hive and learn fascinating facts about honeybees. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM
Sat, August 17
Try your hand at creating an assortment of rolled beeswax candles to take home and enjoy. Materials fee: $15 materials charge per kit makes several candles. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM
Sat, August 17
Drop in and see the sticky process of extracting honey from the comb with our resident bee experts. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.
Wave Hill House, NOON−3PM
Sun, August 18
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM
Tue, August 20
Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. The exhibition Figuring the Floralfeatures artists who employ flowers to explore representations of identity—constructing narratives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and aging. The exhibition includes paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and an outdoor installation. In the Sunroom, Kate Bae’s immersive installation consists of flowers created from layers of acrylic paint. They drape from the ceiling into a wishing well. The landscape evokes the ecosystem of Mount Hallaon South Korea’s Jeju Island, a holy symbol of the unification of South Korea and North Korea. In the Sun Porch, Riad Miah creates a multi-part installation of double-sided, oil and acrylic, rectangular paintings on Dura-Lar. He traces light throughout the calendar year to portray a sense of time, with each piece representing a single month. Free with admission to the grounds.
Glyndor Gallery, 2PM
Wed, August 21
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM
Thu, August 22
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM
Thu, August 22
Gamelan Dharma Swara have been described by The New York Times as “an ambitious and powerful ensemble who plays gamelan as a living language.” Now entering its thirtieth year, the 25-person ensemble will present an evening of works spanning centuries, exploring the many facets of the Balinese performing arts. Dedicated to the traditions of Balinese performing arts and committed to exploring new music, Gamelan Dharma Swara is carving out a compelling niche in New York City’s vibrant arts scene. Founded in 1989, Dharma Swara is one of the leading Balinese gamelan and dance ensembles in the United States, and has performed at renowned NYC music venues, including Le Poisson Rouge, Symphony Space, Joe’s Pub, Roulette Intermedium and BAM, as well as at such cultural institutions as MoMA and the Asia Society. While remaining firmly dedicated to traditional art, Dharma Swara collaborates across genres and commissions new compositions for semara dana, striving to present work that dissolves the separation between audience and performer, local and foreign. Free with admission to the grounds. Special evening admission to the grounds starts at 4PM. $12 general adult admission; $8 student and seniors 65+; $6 children ages six+. Purchase admission online by 4PM day of event and save $2. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under age six. No guest passes or reciprocal admission accepted.
Aquatic Garden, 7PM
Thu, August 22
Prepare for an out-of-this-world experience with Irene Pease and a team of sidewalk astronomers. Learn what it takes to be an amateur astronomer in New York City, get oriented to the night sky, test out a telescope in the garden, and observe the starry night high above Wave Hill. Rain date: August 29.Adults and children 12 and up welcome. Space is limited. $40; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center.Twilight in the Garden event.
Meet at Wave Hill House, 7:30‒9:30PM
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, March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.
ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday 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/
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 W. 242nd 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.
Assembly Member Marcos A. Crespo & Senator Jamaal Bailey Introduce New Legislation
Assembly Member Marcos A. Crespo & Senator Jamaal Bailey Introduce New Legislation Requiring New Cars to be Equipped with Technology that Warns Drivers of Babies or Toddlers in Backseats
Unfortunately, tragic accidents involving infants and small children being left too long or forgotten in passenger vehicles during hot summer months and cold winters reoccur all too often. Disastrously, many of these accidents end in the heartbreaking loss of life. The recent tragic accident in the Bronx resulted in the loss of one year old twins Luna and Phoenix after being mistakenly forgotten in their car seats for 8 hours. Heat stroke, hyperthermia, dehydration, etc., can cause serious harm or death within a short while of a child being left behind in a locked motor vehicle. In addition, unattended small children have accidentally locked themselves inside cars without a parent or guardian’s knowledge. Studies show that a car can heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit within one hour in sunny weather. Each minute is crucial in preventing an unnecessary loss of life.
“The tragic loss of Luna & Phoenix in The Bronx last week has shaken us all to our core. As a parent and legislator I can’t begin to fathom the pain and suffering of the family. But I can understand that this and similar tragedies could be prevented with existing technology that should be mandated in all new vehicles, alerting drivers of the possible presence of an individual or even a pet remaining in the car” said Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx).
Senator Jamaal Bailey (D-Bronx) added, “The loss of Luna and Phoenix this past week was a sad day for all of us. As a father of two, my heart hurts for the family of these angels, and as a legislator, I must respond with forward thinking legislation that looks to prevent future tragedies as this from happening. Technology does so much in our lives- let’s use it to save innocent lives as well.”
Technology to warn drivers of backseat occupants does exist. Drivers should be immediately contacted when a car’s functioning system detects any presence in the back seat when the motor engine is turned off. The new legislation will require all motor vehicles ten thousand pounds or less, registered after July 1st, 2021 to be equipped with a functioning system that can detect and warn of any presence of an occupant in a rear seat if a seat belt is still latched or a weight of twenty pounds or more is sensed when the car engine is off.
MAYOR DE BLASIO RE: TRIAL DECISION FOR DANIEL PANTALEO
MAYOR DE BLASIO HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Mayor Bill de Blasio: There’s been a lot of pain in this city over the last five years and there’s been a lot of fear. The pain was because we watched an innocent man die and the fear was because people worried that there would be no justice, that the inequities that have plagued us for generations would simply continue unchecked. But today, for the first time in these long five years, the system of justice is working. For the Garner family – and I’ve spent time with them and I’ve heard the pain that they have felt – it’s been a very long five years, with no sense of closure, no sense of justice. Until today, the Garner family has been failed by this entire process. And think about what they have gone through – they watched him die, just as we all did. They felt that pain, and then they were told over and over again by the District Attorney, by the Department of Justice that the government would do its job – and they waited, and they waited, and they waited, and nothing happened. And as all this stretched on, it reinforced a suspicion – and it’s one felt by millions – that justice doesn’t exist for people who look like Eric Garner.
Today, we finally saw a step toward justice and accountability. We saw a process that was actually fair and impartial. And I hope that this will now bring the Garner family a sense of closure and the beginning of some peace. But full justice means that there can never be another tragedy like the one that befell Eric Garner. Full justice is when we never have another death. That is all of our responsibility, and it requires us to change everything.
For the last five years, our mission has been to fundamentally change the nature of policing in New York City. After the death of Eric Garner, everything was reevaluated. The entire police force was retrained – 36,000 officers retrained to deescalate conflict, to understand the implicit bias that we all carry with us, to ensure it would not interfere with their duty. The approach to the community is entirely different today – and we had to weed out the distance and the separation that was the norm of the past, and, through neighborhood policing, actually create a dynamic where our officers and community members got to know each other as human beings, where people felt they were on the same side, working toward a common goal.
And we had to change the approach on the ground. Last year, there were 150,000 fewer arrests than five years earlier because there were too many times when people were being arrested unnecessarily and too many conflicts that came from it. And this NYPD proved that fewer and fewer people could be arrested and the City could become safer. Safety and fairness must walk hand-in-hand. And I hoped that today begins the process of restoring some faith and in helping people believe that there actually is accountability and fairness.
We have a lot more work to do. We’ll be at this a long time, but we all have a sense of common mission – there can never be another tragedy like this. This city, this nation should never be put through this agony. We should never lose another innocent man or woman. We should never have people’s faith undermined. It’s in our power to do something better and to do something different. That is the course we set five years ago and that’s the course we will stay on.