Wednesday, June 6, 2012

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ CALLS FOR HALT TO AFTERSCHOOL CUTS


 
  Today, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. released a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlining the potential damage the mayor’s proposed cuts to the Out of School Time (OST) afterschool program would have on the Bronx. In the letter, Borough President Diaz urges Mayor Bloomberg to commit to fully funding these critical programs.

“The families of New York City must continue to have access to quality services and afterschool programming.  We must work to make sure that all of our Bronx students are prepared for success in and out of school and that we provide safe alternatives to during after school hours,” wrote Borough President Diaz in his letter.

The Out-of-School Time (OST) Program provides a mix of academic, recreational and cultural activities for young people (grades K-12) after school, during holidays and in the summer. Programs are free of charge and are located in every neighborhood across the City.

The Bloomberg administration’s proposed cuts would lead to a 43 percent reduction in OST service in the Bronx. In addition, the administration has already announced that the Beacon Program at I.S. 192 in Throggs Neck—which served more than 1,300 Bronx students this past year alone—is also scheduled to close.

“Our working families rely on these programs to provide their children with a safe place to both catch up on school work and socialize after classes. In a down economy—when families need all the help they can to make ends meet—these programs are even more important. Mayor Bloomberg must restore these destructive cuts,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

A copy of the letter can be found at: http://bit.ly/Ln2Ckz.

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

DOT TAKES SLOW LANE ON BRIDGE REPAIRS


Audit Finds Repairs Not Completed in Required Timeframes
   
   Comptroller John C. Liu said today that an audit of the New York City Department of Transportation’s response to defects in City bridges found the agency was slow to repair serious structural defects.“The City’s bridges are a vital part of our transportation infrastructure and the public deserves bridges that are being maintained in the best possible manner,” Comptroller Liu said.  “The DOT needs to do more to streamline its response to ensure the integrity and safety of our bridges.”

The agency classifies bridge defects into three categories:

•       A “Red Flag” describes a failure or potential failure of a primary structural component. Red flags are to be remediated within six weeks after notification, although action may be deferred if a professional engineer certifies that the bridge is safe.

•       A “Yellow Flag” describes a potentially hazardous structural conditional that, if not corrected, could present a danger before the next two-year inspection. Yellow flags do not have a specific timeframe for remediation.

•       A “Safety Flag” describes a condition that presents a danger to cars or people. Safety flags do not have a specific timeframe for remediation.

•       Prompt Interim Action is a designation that can be applied to a Red Flag or a Safety Flag that requires attention within 24 hours.

In 2009-2010, 229 bridge defects or flags were identified that were the responsibility of DOT.  Of these, 112 were designated for Prompt Interim Actions and a 24-hour response. The agency handled all but one of these appropriately.

However, there were 122 Red Flag defects, the majority of which were delayed past their timeframe for remediation.  Of these 122 serious structural defects, 71 (58%) were not fixed on time.[1] In none of these cases was there any indication that the flag conditions were being monitored to ensure that the conditions did not worsen.

Among these 122 Red Flags were five that had initially been designated less serious or Yellow but that without repairs had worsened over time. Four of these flags were at the Brooklyn Bridge and were originally flagged yellow by the State Transportation Department in May 2008.  They remained open and unrepaired as of February 2012.  The fifth red flag that had deteriorated from yellow was located at the Manhattan Bridge and was originally flagged yellow in November 2008. It was closed on February 8, 2012, according to DOT.

The four unrepaired Red Flags on the Brooklyn Bridge were among 13 that had yet to be remediated as of February 2012.  Of these 13, the DOT stated that 10 (nine on the Brooklyn Bridge, one on the Manhattan
Bridge) were assigned to capital contracts and will be repaired based on contract schedules.  These 10 flags were reported between May and November 2010 and are roughly two years old.  Another two outstanding
Red Flags on the Belt Parkway in Bay Ridge were routed to the agency’s in-house Bridge Repair department and one unrepaired flag on a Henry Hudson Parkway ramp was assigned for repairs to outside contractors.

Recommendations
The audit made 17 recommendations to improve the DOT’s response to bridge defects. The agency agreed with eight recommendations, disagreed with six recommendations, and contended that three recommendations were already implemented.

Comptroller Liu credited Deputy Comptroller for Audits Tina Kim and the Audit Bureau for their hard work on the report, which can be found here: http://comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2012/6-5-12_7E11-128A.shtm
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Congressman Engel and Assemblyman Dinowitz March in " Celebrate Isreal Parade"


 On Sunday June 3rd, Congressman Eliot Engel and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz marched down Fifth Avenue with Students from the Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz in the "Celebrate Israel Parade".
Congressman Engel, Assemblyman Dinowitz, and students from the Kinneret Day School marching in the Celebrate Israel Parade. 
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Monday, June 4, 2012

Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade


  Sunday June 3rd was the 25th Annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade up the Grand Concourse from West 192nd Street to Van Cortlandt Avenue where the reviewing stand was set up. Even a small down pour midway through the parade that had many running for cover could not dampen the spirits of the thousands of people watching and marching in the parade with dozens of cars, floats, bicycles, a vintage fire engine, and more. The sun quickly came back out as did the people watching the parade.Below are some photos that i was able to get of the parade and marchers. you can click on a photo to enlarge it.

Left - 80th Assembly candidate Mr. Mark Gjonaj speaks to parade goers gathered at West 192nd Street.
Right - Assemblyman Jose Rivera with his camera filming his daughters opponent Mark Gjonaj.

Left - The beginning of the 25th Annual Peurto Rican Day Parade.  
Right - a vintage fire engine in the parade.

Left - Congressman Charlie Rangel
Right - State Senator Adriano Espiallat.
Both are candidates in the new 13th Congressional District, that the parade went right through.
Congressman Jose Serrano with 78th A.D. State Committeeman Ricky Martinez (waving to the crowd), 80th A.D. Male District Leader Kenny Agosto (on crutches right), and some other local democratic leaders.   



Left - The Jose Rivera banner minus Assemblyman Rivera.
Right - first part of 80th Assembly candidate Mark Gjonaj entry in the parade.

Left - is the second part of 80th Assembly candidate Mark Gjonaj's
parade entry, beautiful colorfully dressed belly dancers.
Right - some of the marchers.

Left - a karate demonstration by some local youths.
Right - The Police Department ends the parade as they started it.

Both photos are just some of the action that took place on the reviewing stand as the parade went by.
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LIU STATEMENT ON WAL-MART BOARD VOTE


  City Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following in response to questions about the board of directors election at Wal-Mart:

“Outside shareholders delivered a stinging rebuke to Wal-Mart’s top leadership by casting more than 30% of our votes against the company’s chairman, CEO and former CEO.  The results are a vote of no confidence that sends a message to Wal-Mart’s entire board, which has ignored our concerns and failed to safeguard the company’s standards of ethical and legal compliance.  It’s up to the board now to restore investor confidence.  Directors need to increase their independence and initiate a truly independent investigation into reports that Wal-Mart executives covered-up widespread bribery in Mexico and hold accountable any executives involved.” 


Background:
Comptroller Liu and the NYC Pension Funds encouraged fellow shareowners to vote against five Wal-Mart directors.  Because the Walton family, directors, and officers control 50.12% of Wal-Mart outstanding shares it was understood that a majority vote against re-election of board members was mathematically impossible. 

In order to present an accurate assessment of the board election votes cast non-insiders, we have deducted the 1.7 billion shares owned by company officers and directors, which includes members of the Walton family. Based on the remaining outside shares voted, the five directors opposed by Comptroller Liu and the NYC Pension Funds received the following votes in opposition: Former CEO H. Lee Scott Jr. (38.4% against), Christopher Williams, Audit Committee Chair (32.8% against), Michael T. Duke, CEO (32.2% against), S. Robson Walton, Chairman (31.2% against), Arne Sorenson, Audit Committee Director (9.9% against).
 
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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW


By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York 


It Does Not Make Sense


 
  Mayor Michael Bloomberg  wants  to dictate to us how much soda we should drink.  With this action Mayor Bloomberg confirmed what I wrote a few weeks ago on one of my “What You Should Know” columns, that some elected officials want to create in New York a Nanny State.
 
  For your information, in case you did not read it before I am including inserts of what I wrote before.
You should know that some Members of the New York State Legislature are pushing hard to prevent McDonald’s and certain restaurants from giving out toys to children when they receive their meals unless those meals meet certain standards.
 
  Senate Bill 6386, sponsored by Senator Gustavo Rivera, and Assembly Bill 7662, sponsored by Assembly Member Felix Ortiz, both Hispanic and Puerto Rican, are calling for a law to dictate which restaurants may or may not distribute toys or as they call them, “incentives,” to children, especially poor children in our communities, when their parents take them to McDonald’s or any other restaurant to purchase a meal.  Now Mayor Michael Bloomberg has join them in banning the sale and purchase of  any  bottle of sodas of more than 16 ounces.
 
  It does not make sense and it is disturbing to see these same elected officials fight tooth and nail to give a woman the right to kill an unborn baby, because according to them, it is a woman’s choice to do what they want with their bodies.   Michael Bloomberg, Gustavo, Felix and others have no problem in being pro-choice and giving a woman a right to murder an unborn baby, but they have problems and are willing to take away the right of the mother and father or child to eat whatever they want. 
 
  Don’t get me wrong, I believe that obesity is a problem and that people should be more careful with what they eat, but if people want to be fat and eat hamburgers or anything they want, it is their right to allow them to eat whatever they want. I think that it is a lot better to be fat than to terminate the life of an unborn, innocent baby. Does anyone believe that people are elected into office to regulate what food and drinks moms and dads can serve their children? 
 
  Do these same elected officials who fight for any woman to have a supposed right to choose to kill her unborn baby realize that they are way out of line to try to assume authority over moms by telling them what to give her child to eat or drink?
 
  When pro-lifers like me state the obvious that abortion affects two lives and that the fetus is a life, and that to crack their skulls with forceps or to use saline water to be evaporated, the pro-choice, pro-abortion politicians argue back with that old cliché “my body, my choice”. I’m pretty sure that Mayor Bloomberg, Assembly Member Ortiz and Senator Rivera would stand by their side.  How can those same  officials think they have the right to tell moms how they should feed their children or what to drink?
 
  Parents struggle to do what’s best for their children, and at least so far, in this country parents are not dictated to by local elected officials about how to feed their children.  If they want to cook at home, they can. If they want to go out and eat and drink 32 ounces of soda, they can.
You should know that there are more important issues before us in the State and City of New York, and we sure don’t need Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Rivera, Assembly Member Ortiz and others  to divert our attention by creating a Nanny State.
 
I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.
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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Bronx Democratic County Committee 2012 Dinner


  
Bronx Democratic County Committee
Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie, Chairman
2012 Annual Dinner
Marina del Rey
1 Marina Drive, Bronx, NY 10465
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Cocktails—6:00pm, Dinner and Program—7:00pm


Join us as we recognize these great honorees for their commitment to the Bronx

Simon Bergson
President and C.E.O.
Manhattan Beer Distributors

Fernando Brinn
President
Nandicarm, Ltd.

Marlene Cintron
President
Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp.

Ernest Logan
President
Council of School Supervisors and Administrators

Kathryn Wylde
President and C.E.O.
Partnership for New York City

Gregory Floyd
President
Teamsters Local 237

For more information, call (718) 704-7039, or email dinner2012@distinctivepa.com 

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