New York's Second Annual Grass Volleyball Pride Festival Returns on June 10

 

After a successful debut, the Second Annual Grass Volleyball Pride Festival, a.k.a “PrideFest,” will return on June 10 to Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, NY.

 

Hosted in June 2022 by VBLI, a Long Island-based recreational volleyball organization for teenagers and adults, the inaugural PrideFest was an all-day charity tournament that welcomed 186 volleyball enthusiasts, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies from all over the Northeastern U.S. The gathering raised $5,000 for PFY, whose mission is to enhance the health and wellness of the LGBTQ community in Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Counties. They will be returning as the event’s co-host and the recipient of the proceeds generated.

 

A variety of formats and skill levels will be offered, including Men’s, Women’s and Reverse CoEd Doubles and Gender Neutral Fours. $60 from each doubles team and $120 from each fours team’s registration fees will be donated to PFY.

 

“The first Pridefest was a labor of love that was embraced by the volleyball community, so it is inevitable this event would reoccur,” said Glenn Yankow, VBLI’s Founder and Managing Director. “We’re looking forward to working with PFY in creating another enjoyable experience that evokes the spirit of Pride Month.”

 

Over 200 people are expected to participate and spectate, raising more than $6,000 in the process. Teams are encouraged to be creative and dress-up in matching Pride-themed attire.

 

“For all of the attacks and discrimination that LGBTQ+ athletes endure on a regular basis, PrideFest stands as a defiant opposition to hateful rhetoric,” said Devon Zappasodi, Director of PFY. “We’re grateful for VBLI and the volleyball community for creating this wholesome atmosphere.”

 

Registration for PrideFest is open now; for more information, visit: www.vbli.com.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS FOR FEDERAL RECEIVERSHIP FOLLOWING RIKERS REPORT

 

"Following the federal monitor’s latest damning, alarming report, and all the failures that have preceded it across years, it is time for Rikers to be placed under federal receivership. 

"I don’t celebrate this step, which I know would bring its own challenges, but it is clear that when it comes to protecting people on both sides of the bars and correcting the crisis conditions on Rikers, after over a year of purported reforms, this administration has earned neither the trust nor the confidence it shows in this area. They did not create the longstanding issues on Rikers, but despite any efforts they have undertaken, patterns of abuse, neglect, secrecy and misinformation have continued. They repeatedly demonstrate an inability to prevent harm and an unwillingness to support measures that would mitigate it, such as banning solitary confinement, fully funding restorative programming, or holding bad actors accountable. The roadblocks to real transparency, a pattern long highlighted and made even more stark in this report by a statedly objective third party, informs my decision that unfortunately, receivership has become the only option. 

"It is critical, if federal receivership moves forward, that the oversight of the city’s jail systems is guided by a transition task force of experts who have long been involved in that oversight work and people with lived experience, and in developing solutions to failing systems, rather than trying to maintain them. It is just as critical that receivership helps accelerate, rather than impede, the moral and legal obligation to finally close Rikers, and ensure its failures do not spread into the new borough-based system. Ultimately, the most lasting way to prevent the harm on Rikers will be to close it down."

Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr., Community Newsletter #4

 

Budget Breakdown

• Raise the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) base income threshold from $80,000 to $100,000 that will increase accessibility to higher education.
• Increased fines and greater enforcement power for the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to target illicit dispensaries and authorizes removal of commercial tenants for unlicensed cannabis retail sales.
• Direct the MTA to establish and implement a fare-free bus pilot program of ten free bus routes -- two per Borough, to understand the impact of free-fare bus routes to inform possible future expansion.
• Fund Universal School Meals in all K-12 schools across New York so that no child go hungry.
• Fund the Emergency Renters Assistance Program (ERAP) that will support individuals and families in public housing.
• Starting next year, the Minimum Wage will increase to $16 per hour in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island -- increasing 50 cents per year until it reaches $17 in 2027.
• Creation of the Homeowners Opportunities Connection Program, an important first step for New Yorkers in targeted populations to be able to own their own home.
• Secured $34.5 billion in total School Aid funding, including $24 billion in Foundation Aid vital to the educational success of our students.
• Fund the New York Youth Jobs Connector Program, connecting unemployed and underemployed individuals between ages 16 to 24 with targeted educational, occupational, and training services.
• Establish the Small Business and Entrepreneurs Grant Program, a two-year pilot program that will award grants between $5,000 to $25,000 to cover the cost of starting a new small business or support the expansion of an existing small business here in New York.
• Expand the ability of the New York Power Authority to develop renewable power and energy and enact a phased-in prohibition on natural gas hookups in newly constructed buildings to address the impact of climate change.
• Empower the NYC Department of Transportation to improve pedestrian safety by requiring the installation of stationary or mobile photography devices to ensure compliance with bus-operation traffic regulations.

Legislative Update - Recently co-sponsored bills

A6810 - Establishes the office of organized retail theft within the department of law to receive and investigate complaints from any source, or upon its own initiative, of allegations involving the use and role of organized retail theft.

A6459 - Allows victim impact statements in New York to be recorded and requires that the members of the parole board and all presiding commissioners for such hearing review all relevant impact statements prior to the conduct of a parole hearing.

A1202A - Requires all state employees receive training to prevent abusive behavior, bullying, and cyberbullying in the workplace.

A6987 - Enact the New York City Training and Comprehension of Trauma of Children (TACTIC) Act which would establish department of child trauma informed care to assist in parenting workshops, assign trauma informed care specialists to schools and issue an annual report on child trauma informed care in New York City schools.

A6872A - Criminalizes the harassment of a child when the perpetrator intentionally or knowingly harasses, annoys or alarms a child or a child's parent or guardian and establishes a private right of action for harassment of a child.

A154 - This bill would allow prosecutors to seek stronger penalties against employers who steal wages from workers.

A129 - This bill would ensure that deponents have their allegations accurately translated by someone who is qualified to translate them, while also putting defendants on sufficient notice of the fact giving to the factual allegations levied against them. 

A6275A - Would prohibit hospitals, medical providers or ambulance services from providing adverse information about medical debt to consumer reporting agencies. 

A6192A - Removes the labor market attachment requirement to receive Workers' Compensation and removes the suspension of benefits as a consequence for an inability to meet these requirements.

A3946 - Requires the disclosure of insurance information, including the name of the insurance company, the amount of coverage and what is covered under their plan, on a permit application for the construction of pipelines upon freshwater wetlands.

A1920 - This bill would establish a state university-based center for employee ownership that provides education and outreach to business owners regarding employee ownership.

Community Food Distribution

Working together with my team and our partners at Met Council we distributed food outside the 80th Assembly District Community Office this afternoon.

If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity please contact our community office at 718-409-0109.

Summer is Here, Lets Party!

That’s right!  Flowers are blooming, sweaters are being packed away, and temperatures are rising.  What better way to celebrate the start of summer than with a summer kick-off party?

On June 17th, join me and my team for a celebration of our community and family at my community office, 2018 Williamsbridge Road.  We'll have food, games, music and more for the whole family to enjoy.  Please contact my office with questions or to participate, 718-409-0109. Hope to see you all there! 

Office of the New York State Comptroller

 

Making Strides on Broadband Affordability

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that having access to high-speed internet is critically important — and that access is unavailable to many low-income families, often because of cost. In 2021, the Office of the State Comptroller reported that more than 1 million (roughly 14 percent) New York households lacked access to broadband. Two federal programs—the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and the Affordable Connectivity Program—have been established to address these disparities in access and are demonstrating positive results. The share of low-income households with a broadband subscription climbed from 64 percent to 76 percent between 2019 and 2021, a 12 percentage point increase. As of May 15, 2023, more than 1.3 million New York households are receiving affordable broadband subscriptions with federal support.

Read the Report

Governor Hochul Announces Start of $44.7 Million Bridge Rehabilitation Project Along Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx

 

Project Will Enhance Safety, Extend Lifespan, and Reduce Maintenance Costs for Bridge Carrying Expressway Over Rosedale Avenue

Builds on New York State’s Unprecedented Investment to Enhance Infrastructure and Quality of Life for Residents in the South Bronx

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of a $44.7 million project to rehabilitate the bridge carrying the Bruckner Expressway over Rosedale Avenue in the Bronx. The project will restore and modernize the bridge to enhance safety and ease travel along this vital commuter and commercial artery in the New York City Region. Around 104,000 vehicles pass over the Bruckner Expressway bridge daily – approximately 38 million vehicles every year. State-of-the-art construction materials and techniques will be used to help reduce the bridge’s long-term maintenance costs and extend the structure’s lifespan by more than 40 years. The project will build on the State’s unprecedented investments to enhance infrastructure in the South Bronx and improve the quality of life for residents – investments that include the ongoing $1.7 billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project.

“New York State continues to make historic investments in infrastructure that will reconnect communities, promote economic activity and competitiveness, and improve quality of life for New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “The Bruckner Expressway bridge over Rosedale Avenue is a vital connection in the South Bronx, and these improvements will improve its safety and resiliency to benefit the surrounding community for decades to come.”

As part of the rehabilitation, multiple bridge spans will be eliminated and stainless steel will be used to reinforce the deck of the bridge, which will reduce the bridge’s life-cycle maintenance costs. The existing 27 span-bridge will be converted to a three-span structure, with the remaining 24 spans filled with light-weight concrete and converted to an on-grade highway section to reduce maintenance requirements. The rehabilitated bridge will also be jointless, so moisture will no longer penetrate through joints and corrode the underside of the bridge. The wall façade of the bridge, which is currently brick, will be replaced with fibrous cement - precast concrete panels on the top and precast concrete “stone slabs” on the bottom – that are more durable and easier to maintain. This will also enhance the overall aesthetic of the neighborhood.

Other upgrades include new lighting as well as a new drainage system for improved resiliency. Steel girders will be painted, and some portions of Bruckner Boulevard and Rosedale Avenue under the Bruckner Expressway will be milled and paved with an asphalt overlay. Standard barriers will be installed to enhance safety for the traveling public in the event of potential impacts. The existing drainage catch basins will be removed from the traffic lanes and new ones will be installed on shoulders, enhancing rideability and ensuring that traffic is not interrupted should the catch basins need to be inspected or maintained. New traffic signal heads will also be installed on the outermost beams of the bridge. Existing light poles on the expressway and lighting under the bridge will be removed and replaced with new LED lighting. The project is slated for completion in Spring 2026.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “No one is investing more in connecting people than Governor Kathy Hochul because she understands the importance of making smart infrastructure investments which grow our economy and help ensure our communities continue to prosper. This rehabilitation project on the Bruckner Expressway will not only help ensure that a vital traffic artery remains open and viable for decades to come, but it will also build on our ongoing commitment to revitalize the South Bronx communities and to improve economic opportunity and quality of life for all its residents.”

Follow New York State DOT on Twitter: @NYSDOT and NYSDOT New York City (@NYSDOT_NYC) | Twitter. Find NYSDOT on Facebook at facebook.com/NYSDOT.

Join Team AOC at Queens Pride!

 

What are your plans for Pride this June? March with Team AOC next weekend in the New Queens Pride Parade in Jackson Heights!

Queens Pride Parade!
Sunday, June 4 at 11AM
89-02 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, Queens

The New Queens Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival is the second oldest and second largest pride parade in New York City. Found in 1993, it is held annually on the first Sunday in June, in the neighborhood of Jackson Heights on 37th Avenue.

March with us next weekend →

We hope to see you there!

AOC Organizing Team

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Email Council Member Salamanca Visit our District Office at:  1070 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10459 (718) 402-6130 salamanca@council.nyc.gov

Bronx Fashion Week At the Mall at Bay Plaza Celebrating Fifty Years of Hip Hop

 

Saturday May 20th was Bronx Fashion Week at the Mall at Bay Plaza. Hazel McIntyre, Flora Montes, and super model Crystal Gomez brought fashions from stores in the Mall at Bay Plaza and outside designers that were worn on the runway by models young and older on the third floor. The Food Court was transformed into a fashion show complete with a DJ, professional runway and dozens of professional looking models. 

Thi fashion show was also a celebration of fifty years of Hip-Hop music. The mall at Bay plaza stores included J.C. Penny, Macy's, Windsor, Forever 21, and Xbelta. Designers from outside the mall were Risktaker and Seven Star Graphics. There were two also two dance performances during the show. 

The three women behind the Bronx Week Fashion Show at the Mall at Bay Plaza, (l - r) Hazel McIntyre, Flores Montes, and Crystal Gomez.

Fashion for all ages were on display from J.C. Penny.

For all sizes from Forever 21.

Men as well as Women from Risktaker.

Shapewear from Xbelta.

Elegance from Macy's.

Graphic tee shirts from Seven Stars Graphics.