Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Comptroller Stringer Calls on DOE to Reform Shoddy Contracting and Ensure Children Are Protected


Comptroller returned $9.1 billion in school bus contract extensions until DOE explains exploding costs and lack of performance evaluations
Following tragic death caused by DOE school bus, Comptroller once again calls out DOE’s sloppy procurement procedures
  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer sent a letter to Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza calling on DOE to reform sloppy procurement procedures that risk children’s health and safety in the wake of a DOE school bus tragically killing a 10-year-old girl. The Comptroller demanded answers about DOE’s persistent refusal to use rigorous and regular performance evaluations to ensure taxpayers are getting the services they pay for and that safety procedures are followed. Comptroller Stringer also raised alarms about DOE’s consistent failure to abide by even the most basic procurement protocols. In December, Comptroller Stringer returned $9.1 billion in school bus contract extensions after DOE failed to satisfactorily explain ballooning spending.
“When it comes to the education of our children, every penny counts. The DOE’s careless approach to managing how our children get to and from school is an outrage, plain and simple,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “Parents deserve transparency, accountability, and absolute confidence in the buses that transport our children, but the DOE’s rubber-stamp attitude toward procurement jeopardizes our tax dollars and does a massive disservice to our students. The City’s ability to deliver the education students deserve is compromised when precious dollars are doled out to vendors whose performance has not been properly reviewed. I’m calling on DOE to explain its failures and finally reform its contracting policies. New Yorkers are tired of the excuses—our children deserve far better.”
The letter builds on the Comptroller’s record of shining a light on opaque DOE procurement, including audits in 2015 and 2017 revealing pervasive weaknesses in DOE’s contracting procedures and an audit showing DOE fails to adequately track driver suspensions.
To read Comptroller Stringer’s letter to DOE Chancellor Richard Carranza, click here

SENATOR BIAGGI HOSTS MARCH "FIRST FRIDAY" AT THE POINT CDC!


SENATOR ALESSANDRA BIAGGI HOSTS MARCH "FIRST FRIDAY"
AT THE POINT CDC!

Every month, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi will host a "First Friday" – an opportunity to come and spend time with Senator Biaggi, ask questions, and connect with our office.

WHEN: FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH AT 6:00PM – 8:00PM.
WHERE: The POINT CDC, 940 Garrison Avenue, 
Entrance located on Manida Street).
Let us know you are coming by RSVPing here.

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION KICKS OFF SECOND ANNUAL CIVICS WEEK WITH STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE


Week of Action will get more students registered and pre-registered to vote ahead of the 2020 elections

The de Blasio Administration kicked off the second annual Civics Week with a Student Voter Registration Drive today at William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City. As part of the City’s commitment to increase civic engagement, during Civics Week, DemocracyNYC representatives, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit and the Department of Education will register first-time student voters in high schools and colleges across the city from March 2-6.

Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson, Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, and the Mayor's Public Engagement Unit Director Omar Khan and Councilmember Jimmy van Bramer visited high school students today to discuss the importance of civic engagement and participation in the democratic process.

“Our students are the future leaders of our City, and what we do now to empower them to vote will strengthen our democracy for years to come,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I encourage all students to register and show up at the polls on Election Day because their voice matters.”

“Our future depends on engaging more youth in the democratic process,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “With 16- and 17-year-olds now able to pre-register to vote, we are working to ensure as many young people as possible can participate and lead change in our communities and the nation.”

“Across the City, our schools are hosting voter registration drives, participatory budgeting, town halls, and other activities that get students of all ages engaged in the democratic process,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I’m thrilled to kick off Civics Week this election year by encouraging as many students as possible to register to vote!”

Civics Week is part of the Department of Education’s Civics for All initiative, which teaches students about the foundations of American government and the democratic process. During Civics Week, students at public schools have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, including youth voter registration drives, participatory budgeting for their schools, public speaking competitions, and town halls on issues that matter to them and their communities.

This year, for the first time in New York, 16- and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote, meaning they will automatically be registered when they turn 18-years-old, allowing more students to participate in future elections.

“Civics Week is a great opportunity to help recruit the next generation of leaders and to engage with young people about the importance of civic participation and voting,” said Laura Wood, DemocracyNYC Special Counsel. “Volunteers from city agencies and community-based organizations will be in high school classrooms in every borough for the next week, encouraging students to become life-long voters and engaged members of their communities.

DemocracyNYC thanks our critical partners for their efforts in this city-wide mobilization to empower youth to join in the democratic process.”

“Our democracy is strongest when it represents everyone, and we take seriously our responsibility to make that a reality for all New Yorkers, including the next generation of voters,” said Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit Director Omar Khan. “I’m proud that we are leading the charge to increase participation in our elections, and that PEU’s proactive outreach efforts will positively impact so many students during this Student Voter Registration Drive.”

“Through initiatives like Civics for All and DemocracyNYC, we not only educate young people on how to have their voices heard but work to empower them,” said the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit Commissioner Marco A. Carrión. “This city depends on the next generation knowing how to use their power.”

“At the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, we prioritize community empowerment because we know how critical education about your rights and exercising your voice through civic participation is to realizing a more inclusive, equitable, and just world for all of us,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Through this Civics Week initiative, we are helping to prepare young New Yorkers from diverse families to fully participate in decisions that will impact their lives and their communities.”

“Civics Week is about supporting youth as they step into their power,” said NYC Chief Service Officer Anusha Venkataraman. “Youth already lead our city and build community to support various causes - from climate justice to ending violence. By registering to vote, young people will not only ensure their voices count now but also develop a lifelong practice of civic engagement.” 

Since the inaugural Student Voter Registration Drive in 2015, tens of thousands of students have been registered to vote at hundreds of high schools throughout New York City. In just the past two years, DemocracyNYC, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit and the Department of Education registered nearly 30,000 students.


During this year’s Student Voter Registration Drive, DemocracyNYC and the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, in partnership with NYC Votes, will also mobilize a broad coalition of partners, including the Civic Engagement Commission, the Community Affairs Unit, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Mayor’s Office Immigrant Affairs and community-based organizations such as Dominicanos USA and League of Women Voters to register students to vote in high schools and colleges across the five boroughs.

“Civics Week gives young people the tools to empower themselves and their friends to participate fully in New York City’s democracy,” said Sabrina Castillo, Director of Partnerships and Outreach, New York City Campaign Finance Board. “NYC Votes is committed to providing data and voter registration best practices to these student leaders so they become powerful voting advocates in their communities.”

The next citywide elections in New York City will be the Presidential Primary and the Special Election for the 37th Council District in Brooklyn on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. The deadline to register to vote for the Presidential Primary is April 3. The state, local and federal Primary Election is on June 23, 2020. The general election is on November 3, 2020. There will be nine days of early voting before all these elections. New Yorkers who need to register to vote can do so through the DMV online, by mail or in-person at a New York City Board of Elections Office. New Yorkers who are interested in registering to vote, need to update their existing registration, or want more information on the upcoming elections can call 311 or visit www.voting.nyc.


Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Women's History Month


Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr.

Invites you on
Thursday, March 5, 2020
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Morris Yacht & Beach Club
25 City Island Avenue, Bronx




2020 
Honorees
Ms. Noelle Santos
Entrepreneur/Proprietress
The Lit Bar
**********
Ms. Fatima Shama
Executive Director of
the Fresh Air Fund
**********
WoW
Women of Woodlawn
Ms. Erin Lee, President

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote
1920 - 2020
Please call to confirm your attendance 718-590-3522 or

Monday, March 2, 2020

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Community Meeting


mar 2020 (1).jpg
Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting:
When: Tuesday March 10,2020 at 7:15 pm
Where: Bronx House, 990 Pelham Parkway South, Bx NY 10461
Who: Joe Franklin, New York City Board Of Health
Hosted By: P P N A
Attachments area

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO AND COMMISSIONER BARBOT ON FIRST CORONAVIRUS CASE


Statement from Mayor de Blasio:

"From the beginning, we have said it was a matter of when, not if there would be a positive case of coronavirus in New York. Now our first case has been confirmed. The patient contracted the virus during recent travel and is isolated in her home under close monitoring.  Our health authorities have been in a state of high alert for weeks, and are fully prepared to respond. We will continue to ensure New Yorkers have the facts and resources they need to protect themselves.”


Statement from Health Commissioner Barbot:

“While we hoped this moment wouldn’t come, it was something we prepared for. Our disease detectives have already identified close contacts of the patient, who may have been exposed, and will take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite this development, New Yorkers remain at low risk for contracting COVID-19. As we confront this emerging outbreak, we need to separate facts from fear, and guard against stigma and panic." 

Sunday, March 1, 2020

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO AND COMMISSIONER BARBOT ON CORONAVIRUS TESTING


Statement from Mayor de Blasio:

"Today, the FDA approved our application to develop our own test for the Coronavirus. That is not the only good news: after asking the CDC for weeks, they have finally sent us new kits that will allow us to run the CDC's test locally. This means we will soon, within the coming week, have the ability to get results back in a matter of hours, not days. Quick detection is vital to stopping the spread of the virus, and this development will help the experts do their job to protect New Yorkers."

Statement from Health Commissioner Barbot:

"We are pleased to learn our advocacy efforts on behalf of New Yorkers have paid off and that we will soon be able to test for COVID-19 here in New York City. Having tests available will significantly reduce the amount of time we have to wait to know whether someone has the virus that causes COVID-19. This is a big step and one that was possible through our strong partnership with the State Health Laboratory."


Friday, February 28, 2020

Bronx Man Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison For Narcotics And Firearms Charges


  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TERRELL POLK was sentenced today to 35 years in prison in connection with his participation in a crack cocaine conspiracy and related firearms charges.  As the evidence at trial established, POLK committed three shootings of drug rivals in the Bronx, New York during August 2015.  POLK was convicted following a trial before United States District Judge George B. Daniels, who also imposed today’s sentence.    

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As the jury found, Terrell Polk sold large quantities of crack cocaine and resolved disputes over drug territory with terrifying violence.  As a result of the skill and determination of our law enforcement partners, Polk will now spend several decades behind bars.”
According to the evidence presented during the trial:
Terrell Polk was a member of a violent drug trafficking organization that sold large quantities of crack cocaine in the Highbridge section of the Bronx.  On July 25, 2015, Polk used a .40 caliber pistol to shoot a rival drug dealer at point blank range on University Avenue in the Bronx.  The victim of this shooting suffered a fractured leg. 
Approximately 10 days later, on August 4, 2015, Polk used a shotgun to shoot two victims inside of a store located on Anderson Avenue in the Bronx.  On that occasion, Polk was in a car when he saw one of his victims standing on the sidewalk.  Polk stopped the car, jumped out of the driver’s seat with a shotgun, and chased the victim into a store.  The victim and an innocent bystander in the store barricaded themselves in the back room to hide from Polk.  When Polk was unable to gain access to the room, he fired a shotgun blast through the door, wounding both men.  The first victim sustained shotgun wounds to his leg and hand, and the second victim sustained shotgun wounds to his elbow. 
A few weeks after these shooting incidents, on August 26, 2015, New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers stopped a vehicle driven by Polk, and recovered a loaded gun from the back seat.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and NYPD.