4000+ PETITION SIGNATURES FOR CANDIDATES

The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club has filed a huge number of signatures of enrolled Democrats on their designating petitions to qualify their endorsed candidates for the September 10th Democratic Primary ballot.  The Club collected in excess of 4100 signatures.

Endorsed candidate        Office                      Amount needed

Andrew Cohen                 City Council                      450

Ruben Diaz, Jr.                Borough President          2000

Scott Stringer                   NYC Comptroller             3750

Daniel Squadron             Public Advocate              3750

Larry Schachner              Civil Court Judge             4000

Julia Rodriguez               Civil Court Judge             1500

Jeffrey Dinowitz, et. al    Judicial Delegate slate     500

   Said City Council candidate Andrew Cohen: “I want to thank everyone who spent their time in the sweltering heat knocking on doors to place me on the primary ballot. Well over 100 community members volunteered their time in support of my candidacy and I am incredibly grateful. We had volunteers in every neighborhood of the 11th council district. This is grassroots politics at its best, and the work of these extraordinary volunteers showed that my candidacy has tremendous support.

  “It is clear that every community in the district faces similar issues. Everyone is concerned about improving our schools, keeping our streets safe, cleaning up the environment, providing good health care and  having the best possible mass transit system. My campaign is geared towards bringing people together and building coalitions that can work on each of these issues.

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. stated, “The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club has long had a reputation as one of the strongest political clubs in New York City, and their performance gathering nominating petitions this cycle has done nothing to change that.  I thank the club and its members for their continued support, especially those members who undertook the often thankless task of collecting nominating petitions.”

  Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said, “I am proud of my record of results as Borough President, and will bring that same activism and innovation to the Comptroller’s office. I am grateful for the support of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club in my campaign for Comptroller. The Ben Franklin Club is an amazing grassroots political organization with deep roots and strong support in the community. The support of the activists of the Ben Franklin Club and so many other supporters throughout the city will be key to my election as City Comptroller.”

  Daniel Squadron, Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, said, “As someone raised in the Bronx, in Riverdale, I know how important the Ben Franklin Club is in the community.  The club’s support is incredibly meaningful, and the thousands of signatures its effective activists have collected underscore their strength.  It’s exactly that grassroots energy that’s made our campaign so successful so far – and that will propel us forward.”

  “I am so proud and thankful that so many volunteers gave us their time and energy to knock on doors to qualify our candidates for the election ballot.  We were successful in collecting enough signatures to ensure a place on the ballot for all of our candidates – from Andrew Cohen for City Council to Bronxwide and citywide candidates.  And we did it in the most grassroots way possible:  by volunteers knocking on doors.  As we enter the next phase of the campaign I look forward to further grassroots action.  We will reach out to voters by knocking on doors, canvassing by telephone and greeting them at supermarkets, transportation stops and at local events,” stated Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.  

  “Our endorsed candidates represent a strong team of progressive Democrats who can win both in the primary and general elections, and go on to serve the city well.” said Ellen Feld, President of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club. “The club is proud that so many in the community have responded positively by signing their petitions.”

  The Club will soon be meeting to discuss the endorsement of a candidate for Mayor.  For further information on the Democratic Primary campaign, please call the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club at (718) 796-6177.

FVCP's Youth Run Farm Stands Open This Week

 

The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park are Holding Two Youth Run Farm Stands this Summer

Wednesdays from 4-7pm from July 10th- August 28th at
3965 Sedgwick Avenue Bronx, NY 10463

Thursdays from 1-7pm from July 11th- November 21st
at 111 E. 210th Street at Montefiore Hospital.
This site is being held in partnership with GrowNYC.

Buy locally grown produce at affordable prices while helping to support a youth employment program.

EBT, Healthbucks, Cash and Credit Cards accepted at both markets.

Special Thank You to Our Supporters: Partnership for a Healthier NYC & NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets’ FreshConnect program.

Dinowitz Holds Meeting with Con Ed Officials and Area Residents to Discuss Power Outages

Utility company agrees to add additional power sources to affected neighborhoods
 

   Following meetings held at Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s office, Con Edison has agreed to take action to alleviate the constant power outages that affect several buildings on or near Palisade Avenue. At least seven apartment buildings in Spuyten Duyvil experience blackouts several times every year. The widespread loss of power due to Hurricane Sandy highlighted this longstanding problem. All of these buildings lost power as a result of the storm, but for the thousand plus residents of these buildings, losing power – and hot water and heat – was nothing new.

Starting in the fall, Con Edison will split the Riverdale loop in half and add an additional power supply, located on Johnson Avenue and Kappock Street, which will feed the affected neighborhoods additional power. This measure should not only cut down on the amount of power outages but also ensure that the power outages that due occur are much shorter in duration.

“While I still believe the power lines in the area should be buried, this is an excellent first step,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “Losing electrical power has been a chronic problem for the people of these buildings in Spuyten Duyvil. It happens when it rains. It happens when it snows. And it happens in nice weather. Cutting down on these blackouts will be a big relief for the residents of this neighborhood and save them a lot of headaches.”

The meeting with Con Ed officials followed a press conference held in October, where Dinowitz, flanked by affected area residents and community leaders, called on the utility company to bury the overhead power lines in the heavily wooded neighborhood. Although Con Ed agreed that the area was problematic, they continue to maintain that burying the power lines is too cost prohibitive. 

KOPPELL’S EFFORTS SPARK IMPROVEMENTS TO ELECTRCAL SERVICE POST-SANDY

 

  Following Hurricane Sandy, Council Member Oliver Koppell held a series of meetings, with representatives of Con Edison, to find ways to improve the reliability of the greater Riverdale power grid during inclement weather. 

“The discussions focused on the feasibility of undergrounding power cables to improve storm performance and additional strategies that would help galvanize Con Ed’s power grid from storm related disruptions,” Koppell said.

Subsequent to the meetings, Con Ed unveiled the following 3 step plan, some of which is already in progress, for improving storm service:

     .Approximately 100 trees have been removed or reduced along Palisade Avenue to minimize tree interference.  In addition, street trees throughout Riverdale have been pruned to prevent conflicts.

    .The Riverdale Loop, comprised of 7.3 miles of service, will be cut into two smaller loops, which will shield each section from events that occur in the other area, making each section more reliable and resulting in quicker restorations.

    . The two smaller loops will have 2 power sources each, or 4 for the entire area, in contrast to the 3 power feeds that currently exist.  Six new “smart” (automatic) switches will be added to allow the grid to repower itself remotely in the event of power outages and an additional 4-8 manual fuses will be installed to smaller spur lines at various locations throughout the Riverdale Loop.

Approval for steps 2 and 3 should be received this summer with the work slated for completion by the summer of 2014.

“Because of my persistence with Con Ed,” Koppell said, “the Riverdale Loop will be the first area within the Bronx to receive these system improvements.  I will continue to work with the utility to see if selective undergrounding can further improve the performance of our power network, but I am pleased that, for now, the changes being made by Con Ed will ameliorate the problem of electrical service  for Riverdale residents in the event of future storms.”

Koppell further noted that each of the anticipated improvements will be paid or out of the existing rate base and will not trigger extraordinary rate increases.

GUERRIERO PILES ON THE ENDORSEMENTS

Sheet Metal Workers Local Latest to Back Surging Public Advocate Candidate 

   Cathy Guerriero, candidate for New York City Public Advocate announced that she has the endorsement of Local 137 of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association, AFL-CIO.  

Guerriero now has 33 unions and locals backing her candidacy.

“I am extremely proud to receive the endorsement from the hard-working pros at Local 137,” said Guerriero.  “There is a common theme regarding this endorsement and all the other labor endorsements I have received.  These groups represent New York City’s middle class, and that’s what my candidacy is all about: standing up and fighting for those who work to build and rebuild our city, and who form its economic foundation.  I’m running for Public Advocate so these voices can be lifted up and heard in the halls of power, for they must be part of any conversation dealing with the present and future of our great city.”

Paul Collins, Jr., President of Local 137, said, “We endorse Cathy Guerriero for Public Advocate because she is the best candidate for this important position. Cathy impressed us with her knowledge of the issues we face on a daily basis.  Her passion, intelligence and focus on the challenges facing the middle class comes from being raised in a union household, as she knows well the security that good-paying union jobs provide.”

Dante Dano, Jr., New York Business Representative of Local 137, said, “We need elected officials who understand the value-added that the union movement brings as our city continues to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, for we’re all in this together.  Cathy certainly understands this, and that is one of the many reason why Local 137 supports her candidacy.”

Local 137 is part of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association, which represents 150,000 skilled craft persons throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.  Sheet Metal workers perform architectural sheet metal work, fabrication, installation, service of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, shipbuilding, rail work and more.

Guerriero comes from a union family of teachers, police officers and firefighters.  Both of her parents were public school teachers, and for 35 years her father worked two jobs: teacher by day and at night he worked as a longshoremen’s security guard for the Port Authority, helping to provide for Cathy and her five siblings.   

In addition to this latest endorsement, Cathy Guerriero also has the support of the International Longshoremen’s Association Locals 920, 1814, 824, ILA United Marine Division Local 333 AFL-CIO, Communication Workers of American Locals 1102 and 1106, Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 726 and 1179, Heat and Frost Insulators Local 12, Cement Masons Union Local 780, Cement and Concrete Workers District Council of New York City, Laborers Local 6A, 18A and 20, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Local Lodge 5, Ironworkers Locals 40 and 197 NYC, NYC Captains Endowment Association, Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association, Detectives Endowment Association, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Benevolent Association, Bridge and Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association, Superior Officers Benevolent Association, Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association, Correction Captains Association, Detectives Investigator’s Association, Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, Port Authority Detectives Endowment Association, Port Authority Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Port Authority Sergeants Benevolent Association, Uniformed Fire Alarm Dispatchers Benevolent Association, and the NYS Fraternal Order of Police.

For a complete listing of Cathy Guerriero’s many endorsements and more information on her candidacy for NYC Public Advocate, go to www.cathyguerriero.com.

Emergency Construction on Sedwick Avenue.

   This is what you see at the corner of Sedwick Avenue and Van Cortlandt Avenues. Emergency construction by the Department of Environmental Protection to fix a water leak under the roadway has closed one lane in each way. This is on top of Con Edison construction in the same area, and some of those Con Edison metal plates are still in the roadway. This photo was taken on Saturday afternoon when traffic was at its lightest.

Wave Hill Events July 19–July 26

 

   We are as busy as the bees in our hives getting ready to throw open the doors of newly renovated Wave Hill House tomorrow. Hope you are planning to stop by and step out of the heat into our cool, historic mansion!  At least through mid-August you can celebrate hump day with special zest at Wave Hill, when we celebrate Sunset Wednesdays each week with music, yoga, guided garden walks and fabulous, light suppers in The Café.

FRI, JULY 19    YOGA TOGETHER

Child and parent or caregiver practice fun yoga poses that build strength, increase flexibility and relax body and mind in this one-hour class taught by Catherine McGibney, an instructor at Yoga for Bliss. Recommended for ages 3–5. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Member $15/Non-member $23. Session fee includes one adult and one child, $5 each additional child. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM

SAT, JULY 20    FAMILY ART PROJECT—WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

Water, Water Everywhere/Agua, agua en todas partes

Sketch the river landscape and Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden, and discover that water really is everywhere. Use water with paint, crayons and collage to create liquid landscapes to take home. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, JULY 20   TAI CHI CHUAN

Quiet like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature. In this beginner-level class, Irving Yee, an active member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School, will introduce students to the internal martial arts and promote an awareness of their health benefits. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SAT, JULY 20    SUMMER HIVE INSPECTION

Don hat, veil and gloves—bring your own or borrow ours—and join urban beekeeper Sara Katz and Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day for a hands-on look at the Wave Hill hives. Learn proper techniques to safely work with a hive filled with 50,000 honeybees. Beginning and experienced beekeepers welcome. $20 Member/$30 Non-Member. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM−12:30PM

SAT, JULY 20    WAVE HILL HISTORY WALK

Discover the fascinating history of the gardens, buildings and the people who once called Wave Hill their home, with historian and Wave Hill Garden Guide Deirdre LaPorte. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, JULY 20   GALLERY TOUR

Bronx Calling: The Second AIM Biennial features cutting-edge work by 73 New York-area emerging artists who participated in The Bronx Museum of the Arts’ Artist in the Marketplace (AIM) program in the last two years. Organized by Gabriel de Guzman, Wave Hill Curator of Visual Arts; Elizabeth M. Grady, guest curator; and Lia Zaaloff, Bronx Museum Curator, the exhibition is presented concurrently at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Wave Hill and 1285 Avenue of the Americas Art Gallery. Also on view in this tour, led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow, is an installation in the Sunroom Project Space, where Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao transform the space into an artificial greenhouse. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, JULY 21    FAMILY ART PROJECT—WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

Water, Water Everywhere/Agua, agua en todas partes

Sketch the river landscape and Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden, and discover that water really is everywhere. Use water with paint, crayons and collage to create liquid landscapes to take home. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, JULY 21   HATHA YOGA

Find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and meditation. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga by The Yoga for Health Foundation in Bedfordshire, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute in NYC. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11:15AM

SUN, JULY 21    MEDITATION

This summer, take a moment to release stress and reconnect with your inner self while practicing meditation. Each session includes instruction in simple relaxation techniques followed by 20 minutes of meditation. Led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and instructor and long-time meditator Lea Tenneriello. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET IN WAVE HILL HOUSE, 11:30AM‒12:45PM

SUN, JULY 21    DRAGONFLY WALK

Did you know that dragonflies begin their lives underwater? Join naturalist Paul Keim on this family-friendly nature walk to observe interesting aspects of dragonfly behavior and view their aerial antics in the garden. Ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 12:30PM

SUN, JULY 21    STUDIO SUNDAYS: GEOMETRIC PATTERNS IN NATURE

Engage in a creative dialogue with your surroundings guided by professional artists working in various media. Try something new―all skill levels welcome! In this session, capture abstract and geometric patterns found in nature using your digital camera. Artist Fariba Alam guides participants in creating images that can stand on their own or become the starting point for intricate symmetrical collages and patterns. $20 Member/$30 Non-member each session. Space is limited. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Drop-ins accommodated as space permits.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 1–4PM

SUN, JULY 21    MEET THE ARTISTS; ADAM FREZZA AND TERRI CHIAO

Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao’s collaborative, interdisciplinary practice explores the role of play in everyday life. Their work is often inspired by common daily rituals, such as eating breakfast, watering house plants or celebrating holidays. In the process, quotidian materials become important elements of inspiration. For their project in the Sun Porch, Frezza and Chiao explore the tension between nature and artifice embedded in the concept of a “controlled wild,” transforming the space into a competitive natural environment created largely through artificial means. Responding to the Sun Porch’s alternating role of winter conservatory and summer art space, Frezza and Chiao have built a small pyramidal greenhouse in the center of the Sun Porch, populated by a lush assortment of handmade, paper plants dispersed among living plants curated from local nurseries. Viewers are invited to enter the greenhouse sculpture and inspect the plants up-close while immersed in a fantastical landscape of fiction and reality.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 1:30PM

SUN, JULY 21    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, JULY 22

Closed to the public.

TUE, JULY 23    STORIES IN THE GARDEN

Join us for a delightful reading adventure as we explore a different, nature-related theme each week with beautifully illustrated storybooks, beloved classics and exciting new selections. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent.  Ideal for ages 3 and up and their adult companion. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all day.

ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM

TUE, JULY 23   GALLERY TOUR

Bronx Calling: The Second AIM Biennial features cutting-edge work by 73 New York-area emerging artists who participated in The Bronx Museum of the Arts’ Artist in the Marketplace (AIM) program in the last two years. Organized by Gabriel de Guzman, Wave Hill Curator of Visual Arts; Elizabeth M. Grady, guest curator; and Lia Zaaloff, Bronx Museum Curator, the exhibition is presented concurrently at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Wave Hill and 1285 Avenue of the Americas Art Gallery. Also on view in this tour, led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow, is an installation in the Sunroom Project Space, where Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao transform the space into an artificial greenhouse. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all day.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

WED, JULY 24    SUNSET WEDNESDAY

Experience summer at its best—an expansive landscape of rolling lawns and gorgeous formal gardens, fresh river breezes, plein-air performances of Bronx Beat Music, yoga, guided walks and cutting-edge art in Glyndor Gallery. Order dinner from exclusive caterer Great Performances, and you have the makings

of a superb summer evening. Gardens open until 8:30PM. The Café at Wave Hill open until 8PM. Glyndor Gallery, Perkins Visitor Center, The Shop at Wave Hill open until 7:30PM. Check www.wavehill.org/visit for the schedule for Sunset Wednesdays free shuttle service to and from Metro-North and the #1 subway.

ON THE GROUNDS, TILL 8:30PM

WED, JULY 24   SUNSET HATHA YOGA

Find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and meditation. This sunset session is led by Yoga for Bliss instructor Joanne Salomone. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6–7:15PM

WED, JULY 24    SUNSET GARDEN WALK

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a mini tour of one of Wave Hill’s magnificent gardens. Tours vary by week―come back on another evening for a glimpse of a different garden area! Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

WED, JULY 24    SUNSET MUSIC: CLASSICAL GUITARIST ANDREW GEDDIS

A high point of each Sunset Wednesday includes live music performed by Bronx musicians on the grassy expanse of the Great Lawn, overlooking the majestic Palisades. Tonight’s performer, classical guitarist and poet Andrew Geddis, performs some of his favorite Spanish-influenced music written for the classical guitar. Free with admission to the grounds.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7–8PM

WED, JULY 24    BAT WALK

Yes, there are bats in New York City! Hunt for these mysterious creatures of the night with naturalist Paul Keim, the “Batman of Brooklyn”. Participants use eyes and ears— and an echo locator—to search for bats as they skim the dusky sky looking for insects. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Space is limited. $10 Member/$18 Non- Member. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 7:30−9PM

FRI, JULY 26    YOGA TOGETHER

Child and parent or caregiver practice fun yoga poses that build strength, increase flexibility and relax body and mind in this one-hour class taught by Catherine McGibney, an instructor at Yoga for Bliss. Recommended for ages 3–5. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Member $15/Non-member $23. Session fee includes one adult and one child, $5 each additional child. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—5:30PM. Closes 4:30PM, November 1—March 14.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free all day Tuesdays in July. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Program s are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 3o minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242^nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.