Assemblymember John Zaccaro - Announcing Our First Annual Family Fun Day

 

Dear Friends, I'm excited to announce our First Annual Family Fun Day event!   Please join me and your neighbors from the 80th Assembly District  to celebrate our diverse community, make new friends, sample  delicious food, enjoy games for kids of all ages, and visit  with some of the fantastic community organizations we’ll have  on-hand.  I look forward to welcoming you to our community  office and sharing in what promises to be an exciting day for all.  When: Saturday, June 17, 2023 Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm Where: District 80 Community Office 2018 Williamsbridge Rd If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my community  office at (718) 409-0109. Looking forward to seeing everyone then!

VCJC News & Notes 6/2/23

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful! Reminders Shabbos Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar. Here are the times you need:   Shabbos Candles Friday 6/2/23 @ 8:03 pm Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely.  Shabbos Ends Saturday 6/3/23 @ 9;07 pm Kiddush will be given by Merrill Penn in honor of his brother Marvin’s yahrzeit.   Sunday, June 4.  Annual Membership Meeting A hybrid Zoom & In-Person General Membership meeting will be held in the main Sanctuary.  Breakfast will be served about a  half hour before the meeting at 9:30 am with the meeting to start at  10AM.  All VCJC members are urged to make every effort to attend this important meeting.  We cannot transact the business of the meeting without a quorum. The agenda will be the elections of all Officers, as well as Trustees.  If you are a member, you may request the Zoom login information electronically via email to vancortlandtjc@aol.com before the office closes on Friday.      Donate for Shavuos Yizkor!  It is customary to make a charitable donation in conjunction with Yizkor.  If you wish to donate to VCJC as part of your Yizkor observance this past Shavuos, it can be done in person at the office, by check, or online through our website 4. Reminders Tell us about your preferences for the Center Light via email We are considering offering the Center Light by email (as an alternative).  It might be as a pdf, which might not work very well on mobile devices.  It might be as highlights or summaries with links to read more.  It could be a different format than that.  We are soliciting your input about this.  You can respond to this newsletter and tell us: if you prefer postal mail or would like email instead, if you would find pdf acceptable or would prefer a more mobile-friendly format, if you think this is a good idea (to save money and make the Center Light more accessible) or a terrible idea. Shiurim on the website There are now several audio shiurim on the VCJC website. You can access them via the right column on any page or the blog summary page.  Let us know how you like them or if you have any suggestions for how they are presented.  Van Cortlandt Jewish Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave Bronx, NY 10463

Permits Filed For 711 East 214th Street In Williamsbridge, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed to expand a three-story structure into an eight-story residential building at 711 East 214th Street in Williamsbridge, The Bronx. Located between Hollands Avenue and White Plains Road, the lot is near the Gun Hill Road subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Everett B. Mitchell Property LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 74-foot-tall development will yield 44,500 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 61 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 729 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar, a 34-foot-long rear yard, and 31 parking spaces.

Ryan Hung Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the project calls for a vertical expansion. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Bronx Pride Flag Raising at Bronx Borough Hall

 

Before going outside to raise the Pride flag there was a ceremony inside Bronx Borough Hall with five honorees who were presented awards for their work in the pride community.  The Honorees were Tabytha Gonzalez the New York City Commissioner on Human Rights, Sandra Perez Executive Director of NYC Pride, Tony Jermin Storyteller, Creator, Podcaster, and Marketing Guru, Analia Santana Youth Honoree Manhattan College Junior Class of 2024, and Dr. Viraj Patel Montefiore Einstein who also received the John F. Wade Memorial Award Honoring Exceptional Leadership within the LGBTQIA+ Community.

The Master of Ceremonies was Tym Moss who also gave a rousing performance after the award ceremony. Reverend Carmen Hernandez gave the Invocation and Benediction, and the FDNY Color Guard with FDNY member Ester Ford singing the National Anthem. After the ceremony there was food and refreshments for the attendees before going outside to raise the Bronx Pride Flag. 

At the entrance to the Rotunda of the Bronx Borough Building balloons were set up in the colors of the pride flag as Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson holds her pride sign and pillow with some of the attendees. 

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson holds up several pride flags as she speaks about raising the Pride Flag on June first.

Tym Moss was the Master of Ceremonies, and did a spectacular musical number during the event.

Tym Moss received a special award from Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson as Chief of Staff Justin Cortes and Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero are also in the photo.

(L - R) Honorees Analia Santana, Dr. Viraj Patel, Sandra Perez, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Honorees Tabytha Gonzalez, Tony Jermin, and Tym Moss. 

It was then outside to raise the Bronx Pride Flag as Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson turns the crank to raise the Bronx Pride Flag. 

The Bronx Pride Flag is raised to the top of the flagpole next to the Bronx County Building. 

NYC Comptroller Updates DOC Dashboard Deaths in Custody Count to UNKNOWN After DOC Halts Public Disclosure

 

After Department of Correction officials said that they would not continue a policy of reporting deaths to the public, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander updated the Comptroller’s Department of Correction (DOC) Dashboard to say deaths in custody were “unknown.”

In recent weeks, DOC officials failed to notify the public about at least two deaths: Rubu Zhao, 52 and Joshua Valles, 31. Jail officials reportedly also sought to prevent the release of a federal monitor’s report that noted with alarm on Friday, May 26 “serious and disturbing incidents involving harm to incarcerated persons” that were not properly disclosed to the monitor.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander reiterated his call for a federal receiver to step in to manage the city’s jails:

“DOC leadership apparently doesn’t care about the humanity of the people in its custody enough to even report honestly when they die. The appointment of a federal receiver to operate Rikers is a moral and operational necessity to confront the jail system’s utter disregard for transparency and accountability. The lives of people awaiting trial are not disposable and their deaths cannot be swept under the rug,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

The Comptroller’s dashboard monitors pervasive issues in the City’s jails, including staff absenteeism, missed medical appointments, and incidents of violence among detained people and staff. It also tracks the jail population every month and length of stay. The Comptroller’s office publishes data to this dashboard monthly to provide increased transparency and accountability over the City’s jail system. The most recent update was May 15.

Team AOC - What to Know About the debt Ceiling Bill

 

Late last night, the House passed the so-called ‘Fiscal Responsibility Act,’ which includes conservative policies that Kevin McCarthy demanded in exchange for raising the nation’s debt ceiling.

House Republicans hurt the hungry, our climate, and student loan borrowers — all in the name of so-called ‘fiscal responsibility’ — while absolutely refusing to close any tax loopholes for the rich. Republicans also refused to walk back any of Donald Trump’s or President Bush’s tax cuts, which cost nearly $10 trillion and include tax breaks on yachts and private jets.¹

Congress voted to increase the debt ceiling three times under President Trump without ever demanding any budget or policy concessions because we know it is deeply dangerous for lawmakers to threaten to crash our economy. If Congress doesn’t raise the debt ceiling, then we default on our debts — which would crash the stock market and immediately cost millions of jobs.

Kevin McCarthy held the lives and savings of working people hostage. So Alexandria joined 46 other Democrats and voted NO on this debt ceiling deal. Alexandria stands up to hypocritical policies from Republicans that hurt everyday people.

So what did Republicans ultimately get from this debt ceiling bill?

• More work requirements for anti-poverty programs. Research shows that ‘work requirements’ do not increase employment but do increase hunger. Most people on food stamps already are working — those who don’t work largely do not because of mental or physical illness. These requirements just add another layer of paperwork to an already difficult process. The bill specifically increases work requirements for 700,000 participants from 49 to 54 years old.²
• Fewer environmental protections. The bill makes it harder for communities to stop proposed fossil fuel pipelines and other pollution near their homes. The bill also allows the Mountain Valley Pipeline to move forward — a 300-mile pipeline for carrying fracked gas from West Virginia to Virginia.³
• Student loan repayments will begin again. Starting September 1, 45 million Americans with federal student loans will have to restart payments even if the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled on Biden’s student debt forgiveness program. 90% of people eligible for the President’s student debt relief earn under $75,000 annually. Resuming payments without offering them relief would cause enormous hardship.

Alexandria is in Congress to fight back against dangerous, extreme hypocrisy that has become all to common place in Washington. She’s fighting to recreate a system that actually works for the people it’s meant to represent.

In solidarity,

Team AOC

STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA CALLS ON STATE LEGISLATURE TO CRACK DOWN ON VULTURE FUNDS

With only 4 days left in session, Senator Gustavo Rivera released the following statement in support of the Champerty Bill S5623 / A5290:

“As a Puerto Rican born and raised on the island, I know the damaging impact that vulture funds have on our community. New York has the power to close the legal loopholes that allow predatory “investors” to purchase debt for the sole purpose of litigating with the indebted nations and small islands like Puerto Rico to amass millions in wealth while austerity measures force schools and hospitals to close. That's why I’m calling on my colleagues in the state legislature to pass the Champerty Bill, sponsored by Senator Liz Kreuger and Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas before this legislative session ends. It would be a disservice to Puerto Ricans on the island and in the diaspora across New York if we delay legislation that would address the needs of millions of community members living under the predatory practices of vulture funds. 

“The Champerty Bill is a critical first step to immediately combat unsustainable debt. The ‘Not a Game, It’s People’ campaign, led by Latino, immigrant, and community organizations of color, has been leading the fight to stop greedy vulture funds from preying on countries across the world by developing groundbreaking legislation like the Champerty Bill and my sovereign debt model law bill, S5542. New York has a responsibility to extend protections that would end the plundering of Puerto Rico and other countries by passing these bills and demanding full accountability for these predators on behalf of those directly impacted by this crisis.”

AIR QUALITY HEALTH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY METRO, AND WESTERN NEW YORK

 

In Effect for Friday, June 2, 2023

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the Long Island, New York City Metro, and Western New York regions for Friday, June 2, 2023.  

The pollutant of concern is: Ozone 

The advisory will be in effect 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

OZONE 

Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere. 

People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor. 

Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available. 

New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps: 

• use mass transit or carpool instead of driving, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities; 
• conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips; 
• turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas; 
• use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees; 
• close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air; 
• limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters; 
• set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures; 
• purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and 
• reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) has been established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest Air Quality situation.

 Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website. To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up for DEC Delivers: DEC's Premier Email Service.

The Friday, June 2 Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of the following: Long Island, which includes Suffolk and Nassau counties; New York City Metro, which includes New York City, Rockland, and Westchester counties; and Western New York, which includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.