As someone who cares about parks in your borough, we invite you to join us at Bronx Parks Connections. We have an exciting line-up of speakers including NY State Senate Women of Distinction Honoree, Borough Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. We hope to see you there!

BRONX PARKS CONNECTIONS

Mix and mingle with community leaders, hear from NYC Parks staff, and get the latest resources from local organizations. Meet your outreach coordinator, enjoy networking over a complimentary lunch, and get plugged into the community of dedicated volunteers in the Bronx.  At this workshop, we will discuss: The latest resources and staff here to support you Tips on effective outreach and communications  Ways your park group can highlight the history & culture of your neighborhood  Inspiring stories from community leaders in the Bronx  Saturday, August 24, 2019 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451 Learn More

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Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to transform these spaces into dynamic community assets.

Attorney General James Fights Unlawful And Immoral Block Of Asylum Seekers

  Attorney General Letitia James joined a multistate coalition in opposing the Trump Administration’s attempt to illegally limit immigrants' access to the asylum process. Under the rule, individuals entering the United States at the southern border, except in limited circumstances, are no longer able to seek asylum unless they applied for and were denied protection in at least one country they traveled through prior to their arrival. In a comment letter filed today, the coalition urge the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to rescind the policy.

“The Trump Administration has been relentless in its efforts to deny refuge to those who need it most,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Turning children and families away from our border is literally a matter of life or death for these individuals who are fleeing danger. America has always stood as a beacon of hope and we will continue to fight back against these disgraceful and inhumane policies.”

In the comment letter, the coalition maintains that, among other things, the rule violates both the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and the Administrative Procedure Act. Under the INA, any foreign national may apply for asylum upon their presence or arrival to the United States. These asylum protections were built on the principles of the 1951 Refugee Convention, which sought to mitigate some of the horrors visited upon refugees during and after World War II. The INA sets forth very specific circumstances under which an individual can be barred from asylum, and provides protections for particularly vulnerable groups. In promulgating the rule, the Trump Administration failed to provide adequate notice or articulate a reasoned explanation, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.

Additionally, the rule will have a particularly negative effect on unaccompanied children, LGBTQ applicants, and women asylum-seekers, for whom applying for asylum in a third country is extremely dangerous. In fact, recognizing the rule is likely contrary to law and a federal court has already halted its initial implementation.

In submitting the comment letter, Attorney General James joins the Attorneys General of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

DOI ARRESTS CITY SANITATION WORKER ON CHARGES OF IGNORING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND FINES INCURRED FROM MISUSING NEW YORK STATE LICENSE PLATES HE TOOK FROM THE TRASH

  Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the arrest of a City Department of Sanitation (“DSNY”) worker on charges of taking New York State license plates from the trash, affixing them to his car and accumulating more than $17,000 in parking or traffic violations and in unpaid E-ZPass tolls and fees. The license plates in question were found on the defendant’s car parked outside the Brooklyn District garage where he worked. The Office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is prosecuting the case. DOI initiated its investigation after receiving a complaint from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

 JASON RIVERA, 45, of Staten Island, N.Y., is charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor. Upon conviction, a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year’s incarceration

 DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said, “Misusing New York State license plates, ignoring traffic and parking violations, and failing to pay tolls are crimes that will result in arrest and prosecution. These kinds of crimes undermine the government’s ability to do its job and maintain a standard of safety on the roads. These offenses are particularly egregious when committed by a City employee who used his job as a means to commit the crime, according to the charges. I thank our law enforcement partners who worked this investigation with DOI, specifically the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the City Department of Finance.”

 According to the criminal complaint, RIVERA found the New York State license plates in 2016 and gave them to an unknown friend to use on a vehicle. In 2017, the plates were returned to the defendant, who affixed them to his car. While on the defendant’s car, City Department of Finance records showed that the license plates accumulated 72 parking or traffic violations, totaling $5,500; and E-Z Pass records showed $1,793.50 in unpaid tolls and $10,600 in unpaid fees. At the time of the violations and unpaid tolls, the license plates were not registered to the correct vehicle, or any vehicle for that matter, thereby thwarting the ability of the related agencies to properly collect these fines and fees.

 RIVERA has been employed by DSNY since August 2006 and is currently receiving an annual salary of approximately $77,300

 Commissioner Garnett thanked the Office of the Brooklyn District Attorney, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and the City Department of Finance for their assistance on this investigation, and the City Department of Sanitation for its cooperation.

 A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RIKERS ISLAND INMATE SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS IN PRISON FOR CHOKEHOLD ATTACK THAT LED TO DEATH OF FELLOW INMATE

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Strangulation

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Rikers Island inmate has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree Strangulation in the 2018 death of a fellow inmate.

 District Attorney Clark said, “In an unprovoked attack in front of several people, the defendant approached the 35-year-old victim and put him in a chokehold, triggering a fatal asthma attack. This was a senseless death. We must continue to do all we can to make our jails safe for anyone who must be there.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Artemio Rosa, 28, an inmate at Rikers Island, was sentenced to eight years in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Hornstein. Rosa pleaded guilty to first-degree Strangulation on July 24, 2019. 

 According to the investigation, on July 9, 2018 in the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island, the defendant approached fellow inmate Casey Holloway and put him in a chokehold for approximately 30 seconds. This caused Holloway to have an asthma attack, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

 District Attorney Clark thanked the New York City Department of Correction and the New York Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat Statement on the Decision to Deny Members of Congress from Entering Israel

  Congressman Adriano Espaillat released the following statement in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to deny Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) entry into Israel:

“As a co-chair of the Latino-Jewish Caucus and a member of the Foreign Affairs committee, I strongly disagree with the Israeli government’s decision to deny entry to my colleagues, Congresswoman Omar and Congresswoman Tlaib, and condemn President Trump for encouraging this politically biased decision,” said Congressman Espaillat.

“While I may not share all of my colleagues’ opinions on these issues, this action flies in the face of our values as a nation, which Israel has long said it shares. Criticism should not be silenced and this attempt to close off dialogue undermines the ability to attain mutual understanding.

“I have traveled to Israel in my official capacity and found it a valuable and educational experience, where I learned first-hand of Israel’s challenges and how it works to protect its citizens’ security. Only through person-to-person dialogue and shared leaning can we bring together people of varied perspectives in order to promote peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. That is precisely why the Israeli government should encourage the visit of the first two Muslim American women in Congress, rather than prevent it.

“I strongly urge the Israeli government to reverse this decision and allow Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar to continue with their travel.”

MAYOR DE BLASIO, CHANCELLOR CARRANZA ANNOUNCE EASIER AND MORE TRANSPARENT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Families will now have one form and one deadline for middle and high school admissions

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced a shorter, easier, and more transparent process for students applying to enter middle and high school for the 2020-21 school year. Now, there will only be one application round and deadline for families to keep track of. All admissions processes will have one round, from 3-K to high school. Students will be placed on a waitlist for each school listed higher on their application than the school to which they are offered admission, informed of their spot on the waitlist, and immediately offered admission off these waitlists as seats become available.

“Parents have enough on their plate—tangling with bureaucracy to get their child into school shouldn’t add to the load,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We are changing the middle and high school application processes so families don’t have to go through the gauntlet just to get a placement. There will be one application round and one deadline to make everyone’s lives easier.”

“We’ve heard from families and educators that they want a simpler, more transparent, and more accessible system of school choice, and today we’re taking a step forward,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “This common-sense change will make a real difference for families across the five boroughs, and improve our middle and high school choice process for years to come.”

The DOE is eliminating the second application rounds for middle and high school. The main round application process and timeline will remain the same, with middle and high school applications opening in October with a December deadline. Students will receive their offer in March. Families can still appeal for travel, safety, or medical hardships; if families have any hardship, they will be able to access in-person support at Family Welcome Centers, rather than wait to participate in a second process. The waitlists will open after offers are released and will be a simpler, clearer process for families, increasing:          

   

·         Transparency:  By knowing their waitlist position, families have a better understanding of their chances of getting into a preferred school option in the event that seats become available.

·         Ease: This is a shorter process that requires less paperwork. Rather than having to complete a second application and wait weeks—often into May or June—for a second decision or offer, families will complete one process, receive one offer, and receive any additional offers based on waitlist position.

·         Consistency:  Families will now have one admissions system at all grade levels, with the changes to the middle and high school process making it more similar to the elementary school admissions process. Currently the elementary school process has one round, and the middle and high school processes have two rounds with different names; now, families will not need to learn a different process each time a child applies to a new school—allowing them to focus on school options and not process.

There will be a robust set of resources available to schools and families to ensure educators and families have information about the changes being implemented, and the DOE will engage families once school is back in session. Schools will have resources to support families, and Family Welcome Center staff will be fully trained in these new processes to help guide and support families. The DOE will also share information at middle and high school fairs this fall, and update the website and family-facing materials.

Information will be distributed to all principals and throughout the fall, the DOE will conduct training for school staff on the application process. In February and March, the DOE will provide targeted, in-depth training on waitlist management and systems.

Public Hearing for Hutch Metro Center Expansion September 16th With Link to Project

 The public approval period that is beginning for the Hutchinson Metro Center expansion.  Here is a link to the project website https://esd.ny.gov/bronx-psych-redevelopment-project, which provides links to all the materials. 

The public hearing is scheduled for September 16 at 6:30pm.  It will be held at  Albert Einstein College of Medicine, LeFrak Auditorium, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461.

More than 2,000 New Yorkers in the Bronx Enroll in NYC Care in First Two Weeks; 100% of New Members Offered an Appointment with Primary Care Provider within Two Weeks

NYC Care Will Make Primary Care More Accessible and Affordable Across all 5 Boroughs

  NYC Health + Hospitals announced that NYC Care, a new health access program that is a key component of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s commitment to guarantee accessible and affordable health care for all New Yorkers, has enrolled more than 2,000 New Yorkers from every zip code of the Bronx since the August 1 program launch in the borough two weeks ago. In addition, 100 percent of patients enrolled in NYC Care were offered a first appointment within two weeks with a primary care provider who coordinates all treatment and services needed, and there were nearly 600 low-cost prescriptions filled during the new extended pharmacy hours. To prepare for the program roll-out, the seven NYC Health + Hospitals patient care facilities in the Bronx added new staff and evening and weekend hours to accommodate members. There are now more than 70 primary care providers in the Bronx seeing members. The program is on track to meet the Bronx enrollment goal of 10,000 patients in the first six months. 

NYC Care is the new no- or low-cost health care access program of NYC Health + Hospitals for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or who cannot afford it. The program, which is now operating in the Bronx and will be available citywide by 2020, is expected to dramatically change the way the City’s public health system connects people to personalized, coordinated primary and preventive care at its 70+ patient care locations throughout the five boroughs, including 11 hospitals and its Gotham Health Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC)  network.   NYC Care offers affordable medications day or night, culturally responsive care, extensive language access and interpretation services, and provides new 24/7 customer service support. Eligible New Yorkers can enroll by calling 646-NYC-CARE to meet with a financial counselor at a health system patient care site and receive a personalized NYC Care membership card in the mail.

“In New York City, healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. That’s why we launched the most comprehensive health care access program in the country—providing coverage to New Yorkers unable to access affordable insurance,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With over 2,000 New Yorkers enrolled in NYC Care in just two weeks, we are making that right a reality to all those who need it.”

“We invited New Yorkers to unlock their right to health care with dignity and respect, and they have taken us up on that offer. We are on track to guarantee every New Yorker, starting with the Bronx, their own primary care provider who’s going to take care of them and offer continuity of care to keep them healthy and avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “After 30 years of medical practice, I can confidently say that’s what makes a difference – seeing people over time and knowing that when you have a problem, there is somebody that you can go to who knows you and can connect you with all the health care needs you’ll have at every stage of life.”

“Patients are bringing their new cards into visits and are already seeing the benefits of NYC care membership,” said NYC Care Executive Director Marielle Kress. “A brand new NYC Care patient came to see a primary care doctor on a Friday with an old pill bottle and only one pill left. In the past, that patient would have likely ended up going to the emergency room over the weekend for his medication because he could not wait until Monday. Thanks to the expanded pharmacy hours of the program, the patient was able to get the medication that same night.”

About NYC Care

NYC Care launched August 1, 2019 in the Bronx marked with a “Day of Action” when dozens of staff and volunteers from various City agencies and community-based organizations conducted a massive street outreach effort. They gathered at 18 busy subway stations across the borough, distributing 18,000 flyers in seven different languages to promote the new health access program for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or cannot afford it.

NYC Care gives New Yorkers in the Bronx access to a dedicated primary care provider who will coordinate all treatment and services needed, allows them to receive coordinated, preventive care and routine screenings, gives them access to specialty care services, allows them to make appointments and navigate their health care needs through a new 24/7 customer service center. NYC Care members also get access to affordable medications day or night.

The customized membership card also details the specific discounted costs for primary care, specialty visits, and prescription drugs for each member based on household size and income. All services are provided by NYC Health + Hospitals and all information about patient care and treatment is kept private and confidential in accordance with the law.

In January 2019, Mayor de Blasio announced the launch of the largest, most comprehensive initiative in the nation to guarantee health care for every New Yorker. When fully implemented, New York City will ensure the estimated 600,000 New Yorkers currently without insurance are connected to health care – including NYC’s Public Option, MetroPlus – or have direct access to the nation’s largest public health care system through the NYC Care program. Of the 600,000 uninsured New Yorkers, approximately half of them are currently ineligible for health insurance or unable to afford it based on the Affordable Care Act definition, and would be eligible to enroll in NYC Care. The $100 million program will be implemented in all five boroughs by the end of 2020, ensuring that all New Yorkers to have the health care access they need.