Council Member Marjorie Velázquez - Welcome August + Upcoming Events

 

Dear Neighbor,

As we settle into the last month of the summer, it’s time to reflect on the contributions made by community members and our partners. My commitment is to ensure the community is heard and access to programs and services that align with their needs. This summer has taught me so much, and I am excited to deliver and support you all to my fullest capacity. Each event or initiative taking place in District 13 will have you at the forefront - nothing less.

Over the last few weeks, I continue to hear from community members that they want more events. As previously mentioned, there are several programs in the works relevant to our communities, including clean-ups, e-waste programs, and leisurely activities for all ages. If you haven’t already, please complete our survey, so that you experience programming relevant to you. Be sure to share it with a friend - the more surveys completed, the more programming options we will have!

Earlier this week, we also held our first mobile hours and had a successful turnout. Being out in our community is a large part of my goal to change the dynamic around constituent cases throughout the district. If you would like to see Mobile Office Hours in your area, please let us know and we will add it to our schedule. If you have time-sensitive questions or require immediate assistance, contact my office Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM at (718) 931-1721 or via email at District13@council.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

Council Member Marjorie Velázquez

Mobile Office Hours

Join me and my team for Mobile Office Hours on Monday, August 22nd at Pelham Bay Park train station (at the corner of Westchester Avenue and Amendola Place) from 3 PM to 5 PM to address any questions or concerns you may have. We’re here to help YOU make the most out of your community. See you there!

Neighborhood Safety - Lithium Ion Batteries

In the last week, a lithium-ion battery fire killed two individuals at Jackie Robinson Houses in Harlem and injured two others, including a firefighter. This tragic event was preventable; unfortunately, these fires continue to occur across the City. It is evident that lithium-battery-related fires are very real, and the risks outweigh the advantages. We must work together to develop realistic solutions to reduce the risk of battery fires in our communities.

To address this public safety issue, I am partnering with my colleagues to address public education, the scope of the issue, safety standards for charging and storage, and infrastructure needs. Overall - we want to hear from YOU on what you want to see in your community regarding the electric transportation devices, such as e-bikes and scooters.

From now until September 6th, you can submit a public testimony by clicking here.

For more information on safety, please visit the FDNY website here.

Summer Movie Night

Mark your calendars!

Join me and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for a special viewing of “Spiderman: No Way Home,” at Ambrosini Field, in City Island on Tuesday, August 30th.

Bring the whole family out for an evening filled with popcorn, laughs, and your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!

What’s Happening In District 13?

Sinkhole on Radcliffe Avenue

Over the past few weeks, our partners at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have worked diligently to ensure the sinkhole has been fixed. I am happy to announce that our emergency teams have worked diligently to repair the damaged sections, and construction has been completed. I am continuing to work with our local, state, and federal partners to develop immediate and long-term solutions to address issues such as this.

My team and I are committed to resolving infrastructure issues as quickly as possible and are grateful that our partners resolved this matter promptly. Should residents experience additional issues, please contact the Department of Environmental Protection Monday to Friday, 9am–6pm at 718-595-7000.

Cleaning Our Community

On Sunday, August 7th, I joined community members in Morris Park for a much-needed clean-up. This event was sponsored by Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and the New York Yankees, in partnership with the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the Sanitation Foundation, the official non-profit partner for DSNY. The amount of trash and illegal dumping in both residential and commercial areas must stop. We collected all types of litter, including books, iron materials, furniture, food and beverage waste, and more. In total, we collected over 1,600 pounds of waste!

Community March at Jacobi  Hospital On Sunday, August 7th, I joined community members and the Morris Park Community Association for a rally against the development of 1900 Seminole Avenue. This project did not consult our community when the designation of the location was made, and I am going to continue fighting for what the community deserves. Thank you to all who participated and voiced their concerns and brought recommendations for the use of the space.

Who is Allesandra Biaggi Endorsing to Replace Her, But Does Anybody Care?

 

Dear Community,

It's been a while since the last correspondence, but that is because someone was looking for a house in the 17th Congressional District where they are a candidate. Yes the word was run in Congressional District 3 no matter what, but when the lines were changed there was no shot at all of winning that district. Someone bought a house in New Castle which is in the 17th Congressional District so no one could call her a Carpetbagger. 

Thank you to Mr. Al D'Angelo for helping to make the decision to move out of the 34th State Senate District, because he was absolutely right when he said after a certain person got elected they never came to the East Side of the Bronx. The senate seat was just used to run for higher office. In case you have not heard who Alessandra Biaggi endorsing to replace her it is another candidate who is just like her, and already has run for higher office while being in the State Assembly, so she should be in the state senate for four years before running for congress or some other higher office if she gets elected.

 

Who has Alessandra Biaggi endorsed, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, and it is hoped you vote for her like you would of voted for Alessandra Biaggi since the senator only cared about Riverdale. Maybe that was why no one asked her about the Just Home proposal at Jacobi Hospital which was in her Senate District. They must have known that Alessandra Biaggi didn't care since it wasn't in Riverdale. Then again the people of Riverdale turned when she said she was in favor of the single men's Homeless Shelter. Yes, Nathalia Fernandez will make a fine replacement for Alessandra Biaggi, you may never know that she is gone.

With Gratitude,

Totally Illogical.

New York City Man Sentenced for Possessing Ammunition as a Felon

 

 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Stephon Williams, age 38, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 41 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, and Timothy Walker, Port Director-Alexandria Bay Port of Entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

As part of his previous guilty plea in this case, Williams admitted that on September 24, 2021, a vehicle he was driving was stopped and searched by agents of United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) near Alexandria Bay, New York.  During the search, Williams was found in possession of a Glock-style, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, with no serial number, also known as a “ghost gun.”  At the time the pistol was located by CBP agents, the pistol contained a 30-round high-capacity magazine with 25 rounds of ammunition.  Williams was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous conviction for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony in the State of New York.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Williams is released from prison.

The case was investigated by the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian LaRochelle.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.