Williams Honors Elders In His Community
East Flatbush City CouncilMember Jumaane Williams last week honored the elders in his community with first holding a ceremony co-naming East 40th Street between Foster & Farragut Roads “Pecola & Nicholas Rodriguez Way.”
The day before, Williams joined the friends and family of longtime community member Inez R. Thompson at the New Life Center to present her with a New York City Council Proclamation on behalf of her centennial birthday.
“Our elders are the backbone and brain trust of this community, so I was thrilled to honor the Rodriguez’s during a street co-naming ceremony, and Ms. Thompson for her tremendous birthday milestone,” said Williams. “Mr. & Mrs. Rodriguez and Ms. Thompson have made lasting impacts in this neighborhood.”
Mr. Rodriguez was among the first wave of immigrants who became heavily involved in American jazz, and played with Louis Armstrong, Don Redmond, Spike Hughes and Coleman Hawkins to name a few. Mrs. Rodriguez was a registered nurse at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for 33 years and served as a public member of the Park and Library committee for Community Board 17.
At the the street co-naming ceremony, Williams was joined by Assembly Member Nick Perry, members of Community Board 17, including the board’s Chair Dr. Gail Reed-Barnett, family and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez. Musical selections were preformed by the Edward R. Murrow HS Jazz Band and an invocation was delivered by Minister Dietrich Nelson of Cornerstone Baptist Church.
Golden Advances Legislation to Make Roads Safer
Bay Ridge State Senator Martin Golden, yesterday, announced the senate approved two of his bills designed to create safer roadways throughout the State for motorists,
pedestrians and bicyclists.
The first bill would increase the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident when a death, injury or damage of property occurs. The bill would deter drivers from leaving injured victims on the road, facilitate police investigations and enable timely chemical testing of a driver if warranted.
“All too often, it seems we hear about another reckless driver who injures or claims the life of an innocent victim and compounds the crime by leaving the scene of the accident. Stronger action is clearly required and additional increases are warranted,” said Golden. “There is no other way to say it than that these criminals show a blatant disregard for human life. This legislation sets out to increase the penalties and
reflects the seriousness of their actions.”
The second measure would add a bicycle and pedestrian safety component to the pre-licensing driver’s education course. Additionally, the bill adds bicycle and pedestrian
safety to the list of topics that are included in the written examination.
“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of bicycles on the road, and at the same time, there has been an increase in the number of automobile and pedestrian accidents. This legislation will create drivers that are more aware, by officially factoring in the presence of bicycles and pedestrians on our streets from the beginning of their driving career,” said Golden.
In a show of Brooklyn unity, Assembly members Steve Cymbrowitz and Walter Mosley introduced the bills on the assembly side.
Cumbo Informs Constituents About Jobs
Fort Green/Crown Heights City Council Member Laurie Cumbo will host an information session today in Crown Heights to let constituents and other attendees know about job training opportunities with the Association of Community Employment Programs (ACE).
Since 1992, ACE has helped nearly 2,000 homeless New Yorkers secure full-time employment by providing job training, work experience, and a lifetime support network to help program participants reach economic independence.
WHO: New York City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo, chair of the Committee on Women’s Issues, Representatives from ACE, Community residents
WHAT: Information session on job training opportunities with ACE
WHEN: At 2 and 6 p.m., today, Tuesday, June 9
WHERE: Ebbets Field Senior Center (outdoor patio), 1680 Bedford Avenue
Adams Has Another Busy Day
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams starts his day this morning at 745 a.m. with a rally at borough hall with tenants, including members of his Mitchell-Lama Task Force and Tenants & Neighbors, a citywide non-profit tenant advocacy organization, before they board a bus trip he is sponsoring to Albany, where participants will lobby for the strengthening of the rent regulation laws that are set to expire next week.
Adams will speak out on the urgency for action to be taken by Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature on repealing vacancy decontrol, protecting tenants with preferential rents, and reforming Major Capital Improvement (MCI) rent increases.
At 5:30 p.m., Adams will host a hearing at borough hall on Access-Friendly NYC, his initiative to improve accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. New York City Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Carmelyn P. Malalis, Esq. and Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Commissioner Victor Calise will be among those on hand to hear testimony from impacted New Yorkers and advocates on how building and street accessibility issues are impacting navigation throughout the city.
Access-Friendly NYC is a set of guidelines that Adams unveiled in February which calls for buildings to go above and beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and make changes to auditory, physical, social, and visual components that can further improve accessibility and increase safety. Through this hearing, he is actively exploring other legislative measures and incentives that would push buildings to follow the guidelines.
At 6 p.m., Adams will host a town hall with the New York City Council’s Women Caucus, chaired by Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo, and The Black Institute on the challenges facing minority and women-owned businesses.
Expected attendees include advocates for minority business reforms as well as minority business owners representing construction, financial services, professional services, and other sectors.
Brooklyn Borough Hall is at 109 Joralemon Street.
Council Members Rally Around Greenfield’s Clean-up Initiative
Midwood City Council Member David Greenfield, tomorrow, will see a collection of colleagues along with Doe Fund President George McDonald rally around his NYC Clean-up Initiative.
Greenfield spearheaded the efforts of NYC Cleanup, procuring $3.5 million for the City Council’s 51 members to promote cleaner streets in their respective districts. Each member is allocated funding to distribute to the organization of their choice to provide cleaning services.
WHO: New York City Council Members including David Greenfield, Daniel Dromm, Rafael Espinal, Mark Treyger, Paul Vallone, Mark Weprin, Corey Johnson, Vanessa Gibson, Costa Constantinides, Donovan Richards, Elizabeth Crowley, Mark Levine, Helen Rosenthal, Eric Ulrich, Founder and CEO of the Doe Fund George McDonald, Doe Fund participants, and other nonprofits funded by NYC Cleanup initiative.
WHAT: Rally to support NYC Cleanup initiative.
WHERE: Steps of City Hall, New York, NY.
WHEN: 1 p.m., Wednesday June 10
