Monday, August 29, 2022

Bronx Community Board 11 Housing Committee Meeting Thursday, September 1, 2022 6:30 p.m.

 

Bronx Community Board 11

Housing Committee Meeting 

Thursday, September 1, 2022 6:30 p.m. 

Webex Meetings Click HERE or join by dialing +1-646-992-2010 

Meeting number/access code: 173 560 9067 Password: 2022 

AGENDA

1. Review of January, February, April and June 2022 Meeting Minutes 

2. Just Home Initiative at Jacobi Medical Center 

3. Gallery Session (Public Input): Speakers receive an initial, two (2) minutes of uninterrupted speaking time 

4. Old Business a. Stillwell Avenue homeless shelter 

5. New Business

Conduct Statement 

Community Board 11 meetings must be held in a professional and hostile-free environment. The following rules of conduct are applicable to members of the public, Community Board 11 and Community Board 11 staff:

• Any action or behavior that disrupts or interferes with Community Board 11 business will not be tolerated during any Community Board 11 meeting and may result in the individual(s) being asked to leave. If the action or behavior continues, this may be considered disturbing the peace, and the appropriate authorities may be summoned. If the meeting is held remotely, the person may be muted or expelled for the remainder. 

• Repeated violations by the same person or group of people may result in further action by the Community Board. 

• All public speakers must address the Full Board or the Committee with their concerns. 

• Electioneering for a position other than an officer of Community Board 11 is prohibited.

To request any special accommodations, please call us at (718) 892-6262 at least 72 hours prior to any Community Board 11 meeting or event.

Governor Hochul Announces $25 Million Awarded to New York State Under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law To Plug Orphan Oil and Gas Wells

 Governor Kathy Hochul New York State Seal

Funds Bolster New York's Ongoing Efforts To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Protect Ground and Surface Waters

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the United States Department of Interior awarded New York State $25 million under its Initial Grant Program. The funds, included in the federal landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bolster New York's ongoing efforts to help reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions from aging and abandoned oil and gas infrastructure, as well as protect ground and surface waters.

"By locating, assessing, and plugging these decades-old oil and gas wells, we are making major contributions towards reducing air pollution that significantly contributes to climate change by preventing them from leaking methane into the environment," Governor Hochul said. "Methane represents almost 10 percent of the state's annual greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing it is a key piece of New York's commitment to confronting the existential threat of climate change head on. I thank the New York Congressional Delegation for including this effort in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and look forward to putting these funds to good use."

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "DEC looks forward to expanding our progress in plugging orphaned oil and gas wells for the benefit of the environment and public safety. I applaud the federal government for coming together on this bipartisan agreement to reduce risks abandoned wells present to surface and groundwater. Unplugged wells also emit methane, a known contributor to climate change. These funds will help us to continue our work to achieve New York's ambitious climate goals."

In 2020, DEC and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced the deployment of state-of-the-art drone technology to map and locate oil and gas wells, some of which were abandoned more than a century ago prior to the existence of New York's regulatory framework. To support this effort, in conjunction with the New York Works Well Plugging Initiative, NYSERDA invested in custom-built drone equipment and instrumentation for DEC drone pilots to detect the presence of abandoned oil and gas wells, primarily located in Central and Western New York, that may present risks to the environment. These regions were drilled for oil and gas starting in the 19th Century before the State's stringent regulatory programs and often in remote locations.

Since 2013, DEC has plugged more than 400 wells and DEC's work on abandoned wells in New York indicates that thousands of additional wells may continue to emit methane gas into the atmosphere. These federal funds, made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, support ongoing efforts in New York to properly plug oil and gas wells.

The federal funding announced today complements New York's many steps to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. Earlier this year, Governor Kathy Hochul announced finalized regulations that require significant reductions in methane and other harmful emissions from any oil and natural gas infrastructure in New York State. The regulations mark a milestone in realizing the State's nation-leading clean energy and climate agenda by reducing methane emissions by more than 14,000 metric tons per year and volatile organic compound emissions by over 2,000 tons per year. In addition, regulations in 2020 establish limits requiring that statewide emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases be reduced 40 percent by 2030, 85 percent by 2050, including emissions associated with imported electricity and fossil fuels.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a critical component of New York's nation-leading climate agenda, the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and jus transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. Outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is also on a path to achieving its mandated zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and eventually reach economy-wide carbon neutrality.

DEC Announces Annual Temporary Closure of Three Shellfishing Areas

 

Logo

Three North Shore Areas to Close Sept. 2; Areas Expected to Reopen Sept. 8

 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the temporary closure of three shellfishing areas on the north shore of Long Island during the upcoming Labor Day holiday period. These closures are imposed during busy holidays to protect public health from potentially contaminated shellfish associated with increased boating activity. Boaters are reminded to use pump-out facilities to help protect these waters.

Since 1995, DEC has designated these areas as temporarily uncertified for the harvest of shellfish during the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays. During peak holiday periods, discharges from marine sanitation devices (toilets) may contaminate nearby shellfish beds with pathogenic bacteria or viruses, rendering the shellfish unsafe for human consumption.

DEC will designate the following areas, all on the north shore of Long Island, as closed to the harvest of shellfish beginning at sunrise on Friday, Sept. 2, and continuing through Wednesday, Sept. 7:

  • 445 acres in a section of Oyster Bay Harbor, town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County;
  • 50 acres in the area known as the Sand Hole, town of Huntington, Suffolk County; and
  • 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor, town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County.

Shellfish harvesting is expected to resume in these areas on Thursday, Sept. 8. If poor weather causes fewer boaters to visit these areas, DEC may rescind the closure and reopen the areas earlier to harvesting. A recorded message advising the public about temporary closures of any shellfishing areas in New York State is accessible 24 hours a day by calling (631) 444-0480. The recorded message also advises harvesters when such areas have reopened. Information, including maps showing the affected areas, is available on DEC's website.

Boaters should be aware that Oyster Bay Harbor, the Sand Hole, and Port Jefferson Harbor are designated as no-discharge zones in their entirety. A no-discharge zone is a designated body of water where the discharge of treated or untreated boat sewage is prohibited. Boaters in these areas should utilize the following pump-out facilities:

  • Oyster Bay Harbor (West Harbor, town of Oyster Bay): One pump-out boat is operated by the town of Oyster Bay at no cost to boaters. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Contact the pump-out boat via marine radio VHF channel 9 or by cell phone at (516) 375-9864. In addition, the town provides two pump-out stations on floats near the Oyster Bay Marine Center and Waterfront Park and a land-based pump-out in the town marina at Theodore Roosevelt Park.
  • The Sand Hole (Lloyd Neck, town of Huntington): Although there are no facilities within the Sand Hole, boaters should contact Town of Oyster Bay pump-out boat as noted above. There also is a land-based pump-out facility at Powle's Marine Center in Cold Spring Harbor. In addition, boaters traveling from town of Huntington waters can request the services of the town's pump-out boat (no fee) by calling on marine radio VHF channel 9. There are also a number of land based pump-out facilities at marinas in Northport Harbor and Huntington Harbor; and
  • Port Jefferson Harbor (town of Brookhaven): The town of Brookhaven operates a pump-out boat (no fee) in Port Jefferson Harbor. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Boaters may contact the town's pump-out boat via marine radio VHF channel 73. In addition, the town provides a pump out station on its transient dock, east of the boat launch ramp, west of the charter fishing vessels.

full list of No Discharge Zones in New York State, including other Long Island waters, can be found on DEC's website.

View the Temporary Shellfish Closures maps on DEC's website.

Governor Hochul Announces Hurricane Ida Recovery Action Plan To Assist New Yorkers Impacted by Deadly Storm

 Governor Hochul touring flood damage

Comes One Year After Hurricane Ida Made Landfall in New York

Public Comment Period Now Open for Recovery Grants to Enhance Resiliency

Hearings To Be Held on September 8 and September 13


 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of the proposed Action Plan by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery to recover from Hurricane Ida, which struck one year ago, and to strengthen the resiliency of communities in future storm events. The proposed plan includes $41.2 million in federal funding to support initiatives that will help residents adapt to the effects of climate change while prioritizing historically underserved communities.

"As New Yorkers continue to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, we remain fully committed to rebuilding our infrastructure, especially in our most vulnerable communities," Governor Hochul said. "Our Action Plan will prioritize funding for housing, businesses, and other key programs in the most impacted and distressed areas - helping ensure all New Yorkers are lifted up as we recover. As we deal with the effects of climate change, we will continue to do everything we can to help New Yorkers and their communities recover following extreme weather events."

The Governor also announced that the State will be collecting public input on a variety of proposed programs that will remediate Ida-related damage to residential homes, improve resiliency to reduce risk of future flood damage, and to focus on recovery in low- to moderate-income communities. New Yorkers are invited to provide feedback on the plan here by September 28, by attending the in-person public hearing on September 8 at 6:30pm at New Rochelle City Hall, or the virtual hearing on September 13 at 6:30pm (click here for virtual hearing info).

On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida flooded homes and roads, causing $7.5 billion in damages and killing 17 New Yorkers. FEMA identified flood damage to 11,000 homes. Earlier this spring, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an allocation of $3 billion in CDBG-DR funds to help communities equitably recover from disasters, including Hurricane Ida, and build resilience to climate change. GOSR was allocated $41.2 million to support today's proposed programs.

Following the public comment period that is open from now through September 28, GOSR may update the Action Plan based on feedback from the comments and hearings. Any updates will be available here. Informed by GOSR's grassroots, neighborhood-driven process that was used to plan projects following Superstorm Sandy, the agency will then work with local communities, elected officials, and stakeholders to formalize project plans and implement construction.

Governor's Office of Storm Recovery Executive Director Katie Brennan said, "Hurricane Ida was a stark reminder that the next weather emergency is not a matter of if, but when. Our Action Plan will help New Yorkers rebuild and take measures to keep themselves safe in the future."

The proposed Action Plan reflects months of outreach to local officials, community leaders, non-profits, public housing authorities, and other government agencies. GOSR determined that housing recovery represented the largest unmet need in the communities impacted by Ida. The agency then prepared a risk assessment to identify the greatest mitigation needs in the disaster area. Water and flooding were found to pose the most significant risk and therefore reducing flood impacts would have the greatest impact to security and resiliency.

The agency used the Social Vulnerability Index to measure vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. This research showed that the communities that sustained the most damage were those that could least afford to recover and had historically been underprioritized during disaster recovery in the past, such as individuals with limited English proficiency and low-to moderate-income residents.

As a result, GOSR will make grant funding available to a variety of long-term recovery and resiliency programs targeting renters, homeowners, and owners and operators of affordable housing with a focus on low- to moderate-income residents. Programs will be open to counties outside New York City with a presidential disaster declaration for individual assistance, including Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. New York City received its own allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding from HUD.

Proposed grant programs include:

Renters Resilient Housing

This program would encourage renters to relocate from storm-damaged homes while remaining in their existing communities by providing financial support for tenants to secure new safe and stable housing. It would also provide assistance to improve homes' resiliency to mitigate future flood risk.

Housing Recovery and Reimbursement

This program would invest in storm damage repairs to residential homes and/or reimbursement for completed repairs. It would also implement resiliency measures including elevating mechanicals, electrical and plumbing mitigation, flood vents, and backflow valves.

Affordable Housing Resiliency

This program would invest in flood mitigation measures and resiliency improvements in multi-family public and affordable housing complexes, as well as expanding affordable housing where feasible. Projects would include floodproofing buildings, emergency generators, water retention systems, and drainage improvements.

Resilient Investments

This program would invest in local governments to better leverage additional funding opportunities for mitigation and infrastructure resiliency improvements. It would also support the creation of emergency plans and studies to help communities be better equipped to withstand future events.

About the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery

Established in June 2013, GOSR coordinates statewide recovery efforts for Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. GOSR is more recently also coordinating recovery and resiliency efforts for Hurricane Ida.

Through Housing Recovery, Small Business, Community Reconstruction, Infrastructure, National Disaster Resilience, and Rebuild by Design programs, GOSR invests $4.5 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding to better prepare New York for extreme weather events. GOSR is also leveraging Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds to implement resiliency initiatives including its Mount Vernon Healthy Homes pilot program to repair homes impacted by the city's sewer crisis. More information about GOSR and its programs is available at http://stormrecovery.ny.gov/.

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF ‘A SAFE WAY FORWARD,’ WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL AS THE PERSON CAUSING HARM

 

A New Evaluation Suggests Positive Outcomes for Both Survivors & Persons Causing Harm, Who Each Simultaneously Receive Services Through This Program

 

Safe Horizon, Children’s Aid & MercyFirst Have Been Awarded Contracts to Provide this Service in Staten Island, the Bronx and – For the First Time – in Brooklyn


The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) today announced the expansion of “A Safe Way Forward,” a prevention services program that provides support to survivors of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, the persons causing harm and their children. A new evaluation documents positive outcomes among the program’s participants. For example, survivors described increased self-esteem and increased confidence in their ability to execute a safety plan and make decisions that would keep their family safe. More than half of the persons causing harm said that the people around them had noticed a positive change in their behavior since they began participating in the program.

 

Previously, “A Safe Way Forward” was a demonstration project offered to families in the Bronx and Staten Island. Given the positive outcomes, ACS is now contracting with three providers. As part of today’s announcement, ACS will expand the program to also serve families in Brooklyn.  The following providers have been awarded new contracts to provide these services: Safe Horizon (Staten Island), Children’s Aid Society (the Bronx) and MercyFirst (Brooklyn). 

 

“In our mission to protect children and support families, ACS and our partners are working to address the root causes of family violence while we help survivors and children stay safe.  That’s why ‘A Safe Way Forward’ provides services to survivors of intimate partner violence and the children in the household, including information about how to make an effective safety plan, as well as interventions for the persons causing harm so that they can work towards changing their behavior and end the cycle of violence,” said Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “I’m pleased by the results of our recent evaluation, which suggests that “A Safe Way Forward” is having a positive impact on families affected by intimate partner violence, and I look forward to expanding the program to three boroughs: Staten Island, the Bronx and now, Brooklyn.”


“Today’s announcement of the expansion of A Safe Way Forward demonstrates the administration’s ongoing commitment to supporting the whole person and whole family,”  said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom . “Thank you to ACS, to all our provider partners, and to every person served by these programs for reaching out for support.  We look forward to having these services be more available across NYC.”

 "We applaud the expansion of NYC Administration for Children’s Services 'A Safe Way Forward’ program," said Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner Cecile Noel. "This innovative program provides survivors, their children, and persons causing harm with service options and social supports to create positive outcomes for the entire family. We look forward to our continued collaboration with ACS to support survivors in their communities while also identifying, preventing, and changing the harmful behavior that can perpetuate domestic violence.”

 

“We know that domestic violence and child abuse frequently co-occur.  Safe Way Forward offers an innovative and holistic response to families in which domestic violence presents serious risks to children.  In this model, we provide trauma-focused care to the whole family, including the person who has caused harm, while maintaining an unwavering focus on safety for both adult survivors and children.  ‘A Safe Way Forward’ responds to longstanding gaps in care for families affected by domestic violence, and we welcome this expansion,” said Liz Roberts, Safe Horizon CEO. “We are proud to be a partner and service provider for this important program.”  

 

“We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to further develop the Safe Way Forward programming and continue to provide services specifically designed for families affected by intimate partner violence. We’ve learned how important it is to provide comprehensive case planning and therapeutic IPV intervention services to the whole family – the children, survivor parent, and the person causing harm parent. The unique and specialized approach to engage each family member has shown to support our efforts to increase safety to children and their parents and the stability in the home, to heal from the trauma of abuse, and to repair and strengthen the parent – child relationship. Our partnership with ACS has been invaluable and incredibly supportive throughout the process of program development and implementation. We look forward to continue our collaboration to further strengthen the SWF programming to families residing in the Bronx,” said Nazy Kaffashan, Director of Intimate Partner Violence Prevention and Intervention Services, at Children’s Aid.

 

“MercyFirst is honored to partner with ACS to help expand this critical and innovative program in New York City,” said RenĂ©e Skolaski, President & CEO of MercyFirst.  “As a child welfare agency that has been working to strengthen Brooklyn families for over 128 years, we are committed to serving families experiencing intimate partner violence so that we can help break the cycle of abuse and trauma, support and rebuild strong and healthy families, and create positive outcomes for the children impacted.”

 

ACS provides prevention services to help support families in building skills to manage crises, maintain safety and stability within the home, and strengthen their ability to thrive within their community. With the help of a network of over 45 community-based providers, administering over 135 programs, more than 15,000 families each year receive supports like family therapy, mental health counseling, substance misuse treatment, and domestic/intimate partner violence interventions, as well as help accessing concrete supports, including food, diapers, cribs, benefits and housing supports. ACS’s nationally recognized continuum of prevention services have safely reduced the utilization of foster care. There were nearly 50,000 New York City children in foster care 25 years ago, and 17,000 just a decade ago. Today, there are fewer than 7,200 New York City children in foster care – a historic low.

 

In 2019, ACS launched “A Safe Way Forward,” a prevention services program offered to families in the Bronx and Staten Island impacted by intimate partner violence, specifically families receiving court-ordered supervision. The program was informed by 12 months of exhaustive research including interviews with over 100 national experts and close collaboration with the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. The innovative program uniquely works with the entire family system, offering separate and simultaneous trauma-informed case planning and research-informed therapeutic services to the survivor, child(ren), and person causing harm. ACS says that, when safe to do so, involving the person causing harm in these services can provide the individual with the opportunity to learn more about their triggers and how their behavior is impacting the family. For instance, exposure to intimate partner violence has a profound negative impact on children’s social and emotional development. The goal of the program is to promote behavior change to protect the safety of the survivor and children, and to interrupt the intergenerational impact intimate partner violence can have on families.

 

A new evaluation of the program, conducted by Westat, highlights positive outcomes for its participants. According to the evaluation, participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with the program. In fact, more than half of survivors and persons causing harm felt they had made progress in improving their emotional self-regulation and communication skills, keys to moving forward with healthy and safe relationships. When asked how the program was helping them to make progress toward their goals, both survivors and persons causing harm said that, in addition to concrete assistance and clinical work, staff helped them by listening, being understanding, offering suggestions and advice, and just being there.

 

Highlights from the evaluation can be found below. To read the full evaluation click here.

 

Outcomes among survivors served by the program:

  • Nearly all survivors expressed confidence in their ability to make good safety decisions, and several spoke of learning to recognize the signs of emotional and physical abuse during their services.
  • Survivors described increased self-esteem and self-confidence, a greater understanding of the dynamics of intimate partner violence, and furthering their own life goals and family goals.
  • One survivor said, “I’ve learned how to manage being a single mother with two boys that were very attached to their dad and it’s hard for them to just wake up one day and he’s not over there because of certain situations. I think I’ve been doing good. I’ve been trying my best.”
  • Another survivor said, “Everything that I went through, I learned from it. And with their [A Safe Way Forward’s] help, I am 10 times stronger.”
  • Approximately a third of the survivors interviewed said they were working on improving their relationship with their partners and were making progress due to both partners learning better communication and emotional self-regulation through “A Safe Way Forward.”
  • Referring to the program, one survivor said: “I have always said that I don’t know what would have become of me if they hadn’t helped me. So, I would recommend them and I would say that what helped us the most was that they provided us with counseling, which was what helped us the most to get ahead. So, I think their objective is that the families do not feel alone, that despite what they went through there are more people who can look out for them.”

 

Outcomes among persons causing harm served by the program:

  • Persons causing harm said they learned strategies for keeping their families safe by controlling their own negative emotions and attitudes that lead to violence and abusive behavior. Most persons causing harm said they had used these techniques in their daily lives, and found them useful in controlling their emotions and improving the quality of their parenting.
  • More than half of persons causing harm said that the people around them had noticed a positive change in their behavior since they started services.
  • Persons causing harm reported an increased ability to recognize emotional triggers and ask for help when they needed it.
  • One person causing harm said, “They helped me learn my triggers…so it’s kind of easy. It seems hard in the beginning, but when you believe in it, it’s not hard at all. And it’s mostly who you surround yourself with.”
  • Another person causing harm said, “Yes there are times that we’ve had words and when I see that the situation is becoming too much, I just say ‘okay’ and I turn around and go to the sink, wash my hands, take a breath and then go back.”
  • Referring to the program, one person causing harm said: “I would recommend it to anybody that needs it. It has helped me a lot. Like I said, in the communication skills towards my kids and my family, friends, and understanding more about other people’s emotions.”
  • Another person causing harm said, “[Two Safe Way Forward staff have] been like a brother and sister to me, because…we’ve had so many emotional conversations that I feel like these people…I can actually call them part of my family because they’ve been there, and they haven’t…thrown me to the side. They never said to me that, “You’re the fault of this or this is the reason why things are going wrong.” They never made me feel like I was small. They always made me feel like there was something better that you can do and you can improve instead of just saying, “Well, you know what? You just failed…” or something like that.”

161st Street Business Improvement District - See You At Our Lunchtime Concert Series Featuring Morrisania Band Project

 

Our lunchtime concert series continues tomorrow with Morrisania Band Project at Joyce Kilmer Park (955 Walton Avenue). Join us at Noon!


Sunday, August 28, 2022

Dominick Schiano Way

 

Dominick Schiano Way

By Robert Press

It was a very warm Saturday afternoon as family, friends, and many other people who knew Mr. Dominick Schiano came to honor him with the street co-naming of Bronx Park East and Reiss Place in his name. 


Dominick Schiano passed away from COVID on December 28, 2020 at the age of seventy-two. After working on Wall Street most of his life, Dominick became a member of Bronx Community Board 11 in 2011 resigning in November 2020. During his tenure on CB 11 he was the Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, and Second Vice-Chair of the board. Dominick was also a board member of the 2044 Bronx Park East Owners Corporation. 


Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez sponsored the street co-naming in the city council, with many community leaders from all parts of the community board placing their requests for the street co-naming. In addition to the councilwoman, two former chairs of CB 11 spoke Mr. Al D'Angelo and Mr. Anthony Vitale, praising Mr. Schiano's work on the community board and in his neighborhood. One mentioned that Dominick was always trying to get trees planted on Bronx Park East, and an empty tree pit lies below the new street sign Dominick Schiano Way. 


Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez points to the new street sign Dominick Schiano Way during her speech that is to be uncovered. 


Above - Former Community Board 11 Chairman Anthony Vitale spoke of the dedication of his good friend Dominick Schiano.
Below - Former Community Board 11 Chair Al D'Angelo also spoke of the dedication of his good friend Dominick Schiano.




Former Community Board 11 Land Use Committee Chair Joseph McManus also spoke about his good friend Dominick Schiano.


Former Bronx Parks Commissioner now NYC Deputy Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez spoke of her constant communication with Dominick Schiano about the lack of trees on Bronx Park East and other streets. 


There were several other speakers with Dominick's daughter Lisa speaking for the family. She mentioned the forty-six years Dominick spent in the Bronx Park East neighborhood, him being a role model for her and everyone else, he always gave it one-hundred percent when he did something, he was honest in his feelings, and that it easy to remember him, but hard to forget that he is not here anymore.


As the family was getting ready to uncover Dominick Schiano Way several balloons were let go to fly up to the heavens. 


The new Dominick Schiano Way street sign is uncovered.


The family is given a second street sign as a momento.

NIDC Bookbag and Supplies Giveaway


Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corp., District Leader Remy Salas, and Stanick Law handed out two-hundred bookbags with needed school supplies inside at PS 96 in the Bronx Park East section of the Bronx on Saturday. 


There were about another fifty parents on line when the supply of bookbags ran out and District Leader Salas took down names and emails to let the parents know when he was going to have more. He said he will be doing another bookbag giveaway at PS/MS 98 before school starts. 


(L - R) Lean Stanick, Remy Salas, and the NIDC crew, with some of the 200 bookbags on the table in front of them. 


An NIDC staffer shows some of the school supplies packed inside the bookbags.


Parents signed in with the number of children they had with them.


The children then picked out the color bookbag they wanted.


These children show off the bookbags they chose.


It was a long line of parents and children. more than there were bookbags to give out. 


The bookbags that didn't fit on the table were soon put out, as all two-hundred were gone in thirty minutes.