Thursday, August 15, 2013

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. & STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA LAUNCH THIRD YEAR OF BRONX CAN HEALTH INITIATIVE CHECK-IN


   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and State Senator Gustavo Rivera together with Montefiore Medical Center and other community health partners, will launch the third annual Bronx CAN Health Initiative Check-In on August 17th at Crotona Park, which is located in the new part of Senator Rivera's district. The Bronx CAN Health Initiative was launched in response to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's study that showed the Bronx as the unhealthiest county in the state of New York.
  
In addition to tackling the issues of obesity, nutrition, exercise and access to preventative health services, as has been done at previous events, this year's Bronx CAN Health Initiative Check-In will also offer HIV and Hepatitis C testing, as well as information about how to prevent and where to get treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).  These additions are in response to a recent report from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene which found that the 10457 ZIP code in the Bronx, in which Crotona Park lies, has the highest number of people with at least two STDs in the city.
  
This event is free and open to the public. 

WHAT:            Third annual BRONX CAN Health initiative will offer members of the community     free health screenings, fitness classes and fun activities, such as blood pressure                      screeenings, body mass index measurements, cooling demonstration, Zumba                          classes and much more.  

WHO:           Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
                        Senator Gustavo Rivera
                        Montefiore Medical Center
                        Community Partners  

WHEN:       Saturday, August 17, 2013
                        12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

WHERE:       Crotona Park 
                      Intersection of Crotona Avenue & Claremont Parkway 




Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Raquel Batista , Candidate for Bronx 15th City Council District, Gives Birth Today

 
   Raquel Batista, Democratic candidate for New York City Council’s 15th district, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Carmen, at 12:23 am August 14.  Both Raquel and Carmen are doing well.  Raquel would like to thank Montefiore hospital for the great care they have given her.

Raquel continued to campaign hard throughout her pregnancy, leading canvasses and working phone banks.  She attended events and rallies and was successful in defending the challenges against her designating petition, (as was reportred on) which would have kept her off the ballot.  All well into the advanced stages and due date of her pregnancy.

The Batista campaign said that 15th candidate Raquel Batista wants to thank all those who helped her, but she  is planning to take some time off to recover and spend time with her new born daughter Carmen. Raquel Batista said that she will be back out on the campaign trail soon.   


LIU: LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN NEW YORK CITY


  Comptroller Seeks End to Wholesale Arrests of Minority Youth;
Generate More Than $400 Million Annually for Higher Education


City Comptroller John C. Liu today proposed regulating and taxing the sale of marijuana for personal use by adults in New York City. In a report released today, the Comptroller’s office argued that the change would curb the significant social damage caused by prohibiting the substance and generate more than $400 million annually for higher education.

“New York City’s misguided war on marijuana has failed, and its enforcement has damaged far too many lives, especially in minority communities,” said Comptroller Liu. “It’s time for us to implement a responsible alternative. Regulating marijuana would keep thousands of New Yorkers out of the criminal justice system, offer relief to those suffering from a wide range of painful medical conditions, and make our streets safer by sapping the dangerous underground market that targets our children. As if that weren't enough, it would also boost our bottom line.”
Liu proposed that the City use the revenues generated by the regulation of marijuana to reduce CUNY tuition by as much as 50 percent for New York City residents. “In this way, we’ll invest in young people’s futures, instead of ruining them,” he said. “By regulating marijuana like alcohol, New York City can minimize teens’ access to marijuana, while at the same time reducing their exposure to more dangerous drugs and taking sales out of the hands of criminals.”
Under Liu’s proposal, adults age 21 and over could possess up to one ounce of marijuana, which would be grown, processed, and sold by government-licensed businesses for recreational or medicinal purposes. A strict driving under the influence enforcement policy would be implemented concurrently, and marijuana use in public would be prohibited.

To study issues related to regulation, Liu called for the creation of an interagency task force comprised of the NYPD, Administration for Children’s Services, Department of Education, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, District Attorneys, and Department of Consumer Affairs. The task force would work with the New York State Senate and Assembly in order to pass the appropriate legislation authorizing the full implementation of the plan.

New York City’s current market for marijuana is estimated to be around $1.65 billion annually. Basing its calculations on average consumption rates and the approximate number of users among New York City residents and commuters, the Comptroller’s office estimated that taxing the sale of marijuana would generate approximately $400 million annually, of which roughly $69 million would go to the State and MTA in the form of higher sales taxes. The office calculated that the City could save another $31 million by reallocating time and resources expended by law enforcement and the judicial system on marijuana-related arrests. It did not analyze other economic benefits, such as the reduction in associated incarceration, costs of those arrested, and potential tourist-generated tax revenue. For a detailed explanation of the estimation and methodology, please view Regulating and Taxing Marijuana: The Fiscal Impact on NYC.

But the social arguments for legalizing marijuana are even more compelling, the study found. Because of stop and frisk, minority communities disproportionately bear the consequences of marijuana arrests in New York City — especially the long-term damage to opportunities for employment, post-secondary education, and housing. Combined, blacks and Hispanics make up 45 percent of marijuana users in New York City, but account for 86 percent of possession arrests.  By contrast, whites and Asians constitute 55 percent of users but only 14 percent of arrests. In 2012, 1 out of 627 white New Yorkers was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession, compared to 1 out of 175 Hispanics and 1 out of 94 African-Americans.


More than half (56 percent) of marijuana possession arrests in New York City are of those age 25 and under — a group for whom the negative effects of an arrest or criminal record is especially acute. Convictions can affect people’s eligibility for federal student loans and NYCHA housing, and a history of arrest can bar them from many jobs.

Low-level marijuana arrests have skyrocketed during Mayor Bloomberg’s Administration and are directly related to the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk strategy. Since Mayor Bloomberg took office in 2002, there have been almost 460,000 misdemeanor marijuana arrests. The number of these arrests is on track to reach 37,000 in 2013 alone.


Liu’s proposal comes on the heels of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that the Administration was overhauling federal sentencing guidelines to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders. Liu hailed the Holder move as “a solid step forward” but said the plan did not represent enough real progress for New Yorkers because it did not address the need to decriminalize marijuana or the growing conflict between state and federal laws in this area.

City Council District 12 Caribbean Heritage Marcus Garvey Family Day Celebration




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Riverdale B'Ramble of the Run for the Trail Series


  Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and Van Cortlandt Track Club Partnering to Host First Race of Run for the Trail Series

The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and the Van Cortlandt Track Club announced today that they are combining resources to put on the inaugural race in a series of Run for the Trail events this fall in Van Cortlandt Park, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Van Cortlandt Park's historic cross-country course, and to raise funds for its maintenance.

The first race of this series:

What: The Riverdale B'Ramble 10k/5k
When: Sunday, September 1 at 10:00 am
Where: Tortoise and Hare Statue, Van Cortlandt Park (near 250th and Broadway)
Registration fee: $25 online, $30 mail in. All proceeds go to the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park’s Summer Teen Trail Crew who will help to maintain the Cross Country Course.

We promise you tough hills, Lloyd's Carrot Cake muffin age-group awards, and a great time! The first 200 runners will receive commemorative t-shirts.

To register or for more information on this race and the series, please go to: http://www.vctc.org/page/riverdale-b-ramble-10k

Save the Dates of the Remaining Run for Trail Series Events:
Sunday October 27th at 11:30am
Friday November 29th at 10am
The Entire Run for the Trail Series is a joint effort by the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, Van Cortlandt Track Club and BronxNet.

About Friends of Van Cortlandt Park:
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park is a nonprofit, community based organization that actively promotes the conservation and improvement of Van Cortlandt Park through environmental education and restoration and enhancement of the Park, its forests and trails.

For more information, contact:
Christina Taylor, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park
Tel.: 718-601-1460
christina@vancortlandt.org
www.vancortlandt.org


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

LIU TO TWC, CBS: BLACKOUT IS PENALIZING NEW YORK’S FOOTBALL FANS


 

A day before an important meeting on the issue, City Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following about the ongoing blackout of CBS:

 

“Because of the blackout, on Friday night, diehard New York Jets fans were deprived of the opportunity to watch their team’s first preseason game. It may not have meant much to TWC and CBS executives, but it sure meant a lot to the fans.

 

“If the blackout isn’t settled soon, fans will be deprived of even more football this coming weekend. With the opening day of college football and regular-season NFL rapidly approaching, we urge TWC and CBS to resolve their differences or, at least, resume transmissions of the broadcasts until that happens.

 

“The Franchise and Concession Review Committee meets tomorrow, and my representative will insist that FCRC take up the issue of whether TWC has violated its franchise agreement.”

Background

Comptroller Liu sits on the New York City Franchise Concession and Review Committee, which authorizes the television franchise agreement between New York City and Time Warner Cable and provides TWC access to New York City customers.
 
Editor's Note: Many people think that Time Warner Cable serves only Manhattan in New York City, but there are also Bronx subscribers who are served by Time Warner Cable.


Demostration by Bangladeshi Community of Racial Attacks on Their Community


   STATE SENATOR RUBEN DIAZ WILL JOIN THE BANGLADESH COMMUNITY IN A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST RACIAL ATTACKS AGAINST THEIR COMMUNITY 

   On Saturday, August 10th, at 6:30PM, Mr. Nurun Nabi, member of the Parkchester Jame Masjid congregation, was viciously attacked on his way home after a prayer service.

  The incident took place on the corner of Ellis and Virginia Avenues near the mosque. The suspect attacked Mr. Nabi, stabbing him in the back without provocation or cause, apparently just disgusted by his appearance.

  On Monday August 19th, 2013 at 2:00PM, The Bangladesh community will hold a press conference in front of their mosque located at 1203 Virginia Avenue (Between Ellis & Gleason) to denounce the racial attacks that have taken place against their community.

  For more information, Please contact Abdus Shahid at 646-331-9023.

New Poll Shows De Blasio Now Ahead For Mayor


This item came in after our newspaper deadline.

 The latest Quinnipac University poll released today shows Bill de Blasio in the lead for the Democratic nomination for mayor. The question below includes undecided voters who were asked to say which candidate they lean more to however.

   If the Democratic primary for Mayor were being held today, and the candidates were John Liu, Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson, Bill de Blasio, Anthony Weiner, and Sal Albanese, for whom would you vote? (if undecided) As of today, as of today, do you lean more toward Liu, Quinn, Thompson, De Blasio, Weiner, or Albanese?

  30 % said Bill de Blasio,  24 % said Christine Quinn,  22 % said Bill Thompson, 10 % said Anthony Weiner,  6 % said John Liu, 1 % said Sal Albanese, and  7 % said they don't know or had no answer.     The margin of error was stated as 4 %. The results were further broken down to show that De Blasio leads among male, female, and white voters, with Thompson leading among black voters.                 The reason for De Blasio's rise in the polls is being attributed to his stance on the Stop N Frisk issue, and opposition to a hospital closing in Brooklyn.