Kudos To The Bronx!

What You Should Know 
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz 
32nd Senatorial District 

Kudos To The Bronx! 
  

You should know that after 50 years, for the second year in a row, the murder rate in Bronx County is under 100. According to a December 30, 2014 New York Daily News article, EXCLUSIVE: Murders in the Bronx under 100 for second year in a row: "The last time the borough had two consecutive years with fewer than 100 murders was in 1963 and 1964." For this, I have to give Kudos to the Bronx! 

  

We all understand that even one death by murder is too many, and we pray to see the day when there are zero murders in the Bronx and anywhere else. Nonetheless, it is exciting to see that the crime rate here is coming down. 

  

You should know that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. should be proud that after 50 years, under his leadership the murder rate in Bronx County has decreased to figures this borough has not seen since 1963 and 1964. In 2013 there were 80 murders in the Bronx, and in 2014 there were 91. 

  

According to the Daily News article: 

  

"The NYPD started keeping modern records in 1963, and numbers showed a steady rise in murderous mayhem through the 1970s, ’80s and into the ’90s. 

The peak bloodshed came in 1990, when 653 people were slain. The year before that, it was 484; the year after, 553. 

It wasn’t until the late 1990s that the rate began to fall under 200 — but it stayed in that range for decades. In 2012, there were 114 murder victims." 

  

My dear reader, with the Bronx murder rate under 100 for the past two consecutive years, we also have to praise the efforts of the New York City Police Department's Bronx Borough Commander, Precinct Commanders, and Police Officers. These statistics that show a drop in murder are proof that the NYPD is doing an outstanding job in its efforts to build strong community relations here in the Bronx. 

  

We also have to recognize the efforts of the leaders of the many Bronx faith communities. Our many religious leaders, priests, rabbis, imams and ministers use their houses of worship to fight crime as they teach people to love and respect each other, strengthen family life, and obey the law. 

  

Parents, Community Leaders, Community Organizations, and members of the community, that year after year coordinate and work hard to organize marches, prayer vigils, and activities against crime to bring peace and harmony among residents of the borough, they also deserve mention and recognition for their contributions to this magnificent news. 

  

Like Hillary Clinton's book title says: "It takes a Village." 

  

Ladies and gentlemen, I need to repeat that the loss of even one life is too many, and we need to see crime rates come down completely - but it is refreshing to see that for the second year in a row, the murder rate in the Bronx is under 100. Kudos to the Bronx! 

  

This is State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Editor's Note - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. is the father of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

3 Kings Day with TEAM DIAZ

  This is what it was all about, making children happy. State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. is joined by his son Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Assemblyman Michael Blake, the Three Kings, and the happy children holding the toys that they received.

Left - Senator Diaz's helpers fill up the PS/MS 5 stage with toys.

Right - Funny Freddy the Clown makes toys out of balloons for the children before the program begins.

Above - The auditorium fills up quickly with children and their parents.

Below - The crowd is treated to dancers from Senator Reverend Diaz's church.

Above - BP Ruben Diaz Jr. tells why he loves his father, and that he attended the very school that the 3 Kings event was being held at PS/MS 5.

Below - Senator Diaz points to the person sitting in the back of the auditorium who provided the monetary prizes for giving the right answer to questions about 3 Kings Day. For a right answer a child would receive a $20.00 bill. BP Diaz gave those who missed the answer a $10.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble book store.

Above - BP Diaz asks the first question about 3 Kings Day.

Below - The right answer is given to the BP's question, and Senator Diaz has the $20.00 for the correct answer.

After all the questions finally were answered correctly the toys were then given out after thanking those who donated them.

Above - BP Diaz with new 79th A.D. Assemblyman Michael Blake.
Below - Team Diaz 2015?

Man Saved by Naloxoneintranasal Medication Administered by 45th PCT. Officers

William Rivera Chairman of Community Board 9 passes on the following.

On December 31, 2014 at  approximately  1045 hrs Officers responded to a radio call of an unconscious M/B/18 at 1020 Boynton Ave. Among the Officers who responded was P.O. GONZALEZ who administered  naloxoneintranasal medication, the officers actions yielded positive results. The aided male immediately regained consciousness and was then transported to Jacobi Hospital.

  Naloxoneintranasal has been given to all police officers to be administered to people who have become unconscious do to drug overdose to bring them back to consciousness before being transported to a local hospital.

Former Governor Mario Cuomo Passes Away at Age 82 Today

  Holding his son Andrew's arm in victory was probably Mario Cuomo's last great achievement in his life, as every father always wishes that his son can take over the business from him. In this case after being governor of New York from January 1983 to December 1994 (12 years), Mario Cuomo's son Andrew Cuomo became governor of New York on January 1, 2011. Andrew Cuomo began his second term as governor of New York today, and Mario Cuomo was pronounced dead only hours after his son Andrew gave his inaugural speech at the age of 82.  

  Mario Cuomo had been hospitalized right after Thanksgiving. His son Andrew changed his second inauguration plans from Albany to the World Trade Center to be closer to his father. Andrew even mentioned in his speech that he had hoped that his father Mario could have been at the inauguration, but was home and not well enough to come. Andrew even said that the family had visited with his father Mario last night to ring in the new year.  

   Mario Cuomo has passed away  at the age of 82.

Bronx Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet Thursday Feb, 26th

Wave Hill Events Jan 16–Jan 23

SAT, JANUARY 17    FAMILY ART PROJECT: FREEDOM QUILTS

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, we explore symbols of peace related to nature. Discover some of the techniques used in African American quilts, and then make your own tapestry design, using cloth, yarn and felt to embellish your own personal dream of freedom. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, JANUARY 17    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 hour-long class, Irving Yee, a member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School, introduces students to the internal martial arts and promotes an awareness of its benefits. Sessions are held indoors in winter. Session fee, which includes admission to the grounds: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration offered online only and includes a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM

SAT, JANUARY 17    BEHIND-THE-SCENES GREENHOUSE TOUR

Venture through closed doors for a behind-the-scenes tour of Wave Hill’s horticulture facilities. Peek inside the potting shed, preview the South African bulbs getting ready for their dazzling Palm House debut and chat with a Wave Hill gardener to learn first-hand about their plans for the 2015 gardening season.  Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

SUN, JANUARY 18    FAMILY ART PROJECT: FREEDOM QUILTS

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, we explore symbols of peace related to nature. Discover some of the techniques used in African American quilts, and then make your own tapestry design, using cloth, yarn and felt to embellish your own personal dream of freedom. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, JANUARY 18    HATHA YOGA

Reduce stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath and mind/body/spirit. Classes are led by Yoga for Bliss Director Neem Dewji and other certified instructors, and last for an hour and a quarter. Ms. Dewji is certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga from The Yoga for Health Foundation, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute, NYC. All levels welcome. Sessions are held indoors in winter. Session fee, which includes admission to the grounds: $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration offered online only and includes a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM

SUN, JANUARY 18    MEDITATION

Let nature inspire you to find your center and reconnect with your true self using guided mindfulness and other meditation practices. Each session includes instruction in simple techniques, followed by guided meditations. Led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other qualified instructors. Sessions are held indoors. All levels welcome. Session fee, which includes admission to the grounds: $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration offered online only and includes a $2 discount. Online registration closes at 8AM on the day of the session. Drop-ins will be accommodated as the limited space permits. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11:45AM

SUN, JANUARY 18    WINTER WORKSPACE WORKSHOP: INK AND COLOR—A GONGBI-INSPIRED WORKSHOP

Gongbi, a traditional style of Chinese painting, relies on highly detailed brushstrokes to produce a realistic image. Learn how Winter Workspace artist Fay Ku uses this style in her artwork and then explore introductory Gongbi techniques in the studio. Participants will be instructed in simple drawing exercises, ink handling and color methods. All workshops with Winter Workspace artists begin in their Glyndor Gallery studios with an introduction to their creative process. Unless otherwise noted, art materials are provided. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $15/$5 Wave Hill Member per session. 

GLYNDOR GALLERY AND ECOLOGY BUILDING, 1–4PM

SUN, JANUARY 18    GARDEN & CONSERVATORY 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, JANUARY 19

Closed to the public

WED, JANUARY 21    HORTICULTURAL LECTURE #1—MARCO POLO STUFANO: LOOKING BACK

This ongoing series is hosted by Wave Hill’s Friends of Horticulture Committee and is devoted to landscape design and the meaning of our interactions with plants and the natural world. When founding Director of Horticulture Marco Polo Stufano arrived at Wave Hill in 1967, not long after the property was donated to the City of New York, he found the property in a “sorry state”—with old greenhouses in ruins and paths eroded—and sorely in need of rethinking. The spectacular site and its potential proved so seductive that he devoted 34 years to it. This illustrated talk, the first of Wave Hill’s three 2015 Horticultural Lectures, offers a rare opportunity to hear him trace the evolution of the garden. Stufano retired from Wave Hill in 2001, though his presence is still deeply felt here and in other green spaces across New York City and beyond. The second in this series takes place February 18. Series: $60/48 Wave Hill Member, Student. Individual lectures:$25/$20 Wave Hill Member, Student. Reservations recommended, online atwww.wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Sponsor and series tickets on sale starting November 12; individual tickets on sale starting December 10. 

NEW YORK SCHOOL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, 170 EAST 70TH STREET, MANHATTAN, 6PM

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–4:30PM. Closes 5:30PM, March 15–October 31.  

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings untilnoon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs 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 30 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.

NYC Clean Heat Program Helps Remaining Bronx Heavy Oil Buildings Meet June 2015 Deadline

Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo (District 85) and various State & City colleagues today announced a New Year’s Resolution helping fellow Bronx constituents to better health and cleaner air by calling for building owners and managers to meet cleaner fuel requirements before the approaching June 30th, 2015 deadline.

“Harmful emissions from heating systems still burning heavy heating oils (No. 4 or 6) are associated with hundreds of premature deaths and thousands of ER visits and hospitalizations each year in New York City,” said Assemblyman Crespo. “In the Bronx alone, buildings still using heavy fuels emit approximately 75 tons of fine particulate matter annually. Until these building heating systems are converted to use cleaner fuels, the emissions from these buildings will contribute to health disparities for Bronx residents.”

"The need to protect our communities from the negative impacts of heavy heating oil is an environmental, economic, and moral imperative. Here in the Bronx, where asthma rates have reached epidemic proportions, we are especially vulnerable to the harmful emissions that result in thousands of hospital visits and hundreds of deaths each year," said Assemblyman Blake. "Dirty fuels increase energy consumption and result in higher heating costs, which isn't good for anybody. I stand here today with Assemblyman Crespo and my fellow colleagues to call upon building owners to make the switch from dirty oil to clean fuel for a better, healthier, and more efficient NYC."

“Historically, the Bronx has been disproportionately affected by various health and quality of life issues.  Our borough has one of the highest asthma rates in the country, and reducing our boroughs greenhouse gas emissions from residential and commercial building’s heating systems, will help improve our air quality. I support the Mayor’s NYC Clean Heat program to promote clean and efficient burning fuels and protect the health of our most vulnerable New Yorkers from harmful emissions,” said Councilmember Annabel Palma.

“All New Yorkers should have the right to breathe clean and healthy air that minimizes noxious toxins that are proven to increase the incidence of asthma, emphysema and other chronic illnesses that have long plagued much of the Bronx,” New York City Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson (D-Bronx, 16^th CD) said. “By targeting air pollution at its source, the City’s Clean Heat program has had a major positive impact on air quality in the Bronx and today we are showing our support for these efforts, and encouraging landlords throughout the Borough to participate.”

"The NYC Clean Heat Program is intended to transition buildings to less harmful heating fuels and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers by 2015," said Assemblymember Victor Pichardo. "It is important that we all do our part to make our environment cleaner and our air, pollution free."

“The cleaner fuel requirements are a win for Bronx residents, a win for public health and a win for our environment," said Council Member Andy King (12th CD, Bronx), Co-chair of Black, Latino & Asian Caucus of the City Council. "By promoting the NYC Clean Heat Program and cutting harmful emissions, we’re continuing to build on PlaNYC’s broader goal, of increasing energy efficiency in residential building, reducing pollution and improving air quality. The NYC Clean Heat program will help heavy oil building owners and managers meet cleaner fuel requirements. I encourage them to get with the program! Our residents are suffering and this program attacks this head on."

As part of PlaNYC’s goal to achieve the cleanest air of any large U.S. city, The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability launched the NYC Clean Heat program to provide resources to owners, managers, and tenants of buildings that are required to stop burning heavy heating oils, and to encourage those conversions to the cleanest fuels possible. The NYC Clean Heat team provides assistance directly to building decision makers at no cost to help make the switch to cleaner heating fuels. Switching to the cleanest fuels improves the air and the bottom line. Getting off of heavy heating oils can increase the energy efficiency of a building and also ensure that the building does not incur any permit violations. NYC Clean Heat helps buildings make the best choices for their financial situation and the air quality of New York City.

NYC Clean Heat has already reduced over 50 percent of the fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) emissions from buildings burning heavy oil. NYC Clean Heat’s achievements have contributed to the City’s overall pollution reductions. Since 2008, the levels of sulfur dioxide (SOx) in the air have dropped by 69 percent and since 2007 the level of PM 2.5 pollution has dropped by 23 percent.  The cleaner air enjoyed by New Yorkers today is preventing 800 deaths and 2,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations from lung and cardiovascular diseases annually, compared to 2008.

Nilda Mesa, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, confirms that “when buildings switch to cleaner fuels, we get a twofer – we reduce the particulate emissions that trigger asthma, and we cut greenhouse gas emissions. Asthma kills too many of vulnerable New Yorkers, often in low-income neighborhoods.” Additional pollution reduction will result in additional lives saved.

“There has been a significant reduction in heavy oil use since the NYC Clean Heat Program began” continued the Assemblyman. “But in the Bronx, over 240 buildings using No.6 oil remain in operation, and over 1,100 use No.4 oil. I am strongly encouraging building owners and managers to utilize the NYC Clean Heat team and deliver cleaner air throughout the Bronx while meeting their fuel compliance requirements.”

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