Adams Black History Month Celebration
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, the first person of color to serve as Brooklyn’s chief executive, will host his Black History Month celebration tonight at Brooklyn Borough Hall, where he will highlight the legacy of the borough’s African-American community leaders.
The event, featuring a diverse display of artistic expression, will recognize a handful of local residents for their commitment to advancing the borough. Honorees will include actor and activist Jamie Hector of Crown Heights as well as nine-year-old author Anaya Lee-Willabus of Mill Basin.
Colvin W. Grannum, president and 21q`CEO of Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, will serve as the evening’s keynote speaker.
Adams will speak about the importance of Black History Month to the culture of Brooklyn as well as the impact that African-Americans have had on the borough’s development.
The event is slated for 6:30 p.m. tonight at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
Cumbo Tabbed As City Council Women’s Caucus Co-Chair
Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Prospect heights/Crown Heights City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo and Manhattan City Council Member Helen Rosenthal were elected yesterday as co-chairs of the Council’s 14-member Women’s Caucus.
The Caucus is committed to advancing women’s rights through public policy, education, legislation, and advocacy and funding nonprofit organizations that will positively impact the lives of New York City women.
“The Women’s Caucus has an awesome responsibility to prioritize and address the needs or challenges faced by women of all ages and backgrounds within the City of New York,” said Cumbo. “Under the leadership of (former chairs) Council Members Crowley and Mealy, this Caucus has made exceptional progress towards a more equitable city where women have better access to reproductive healthcare, humane treatment while in the criminal justice system, supportive programs and employment opportunities to thrive as parents, heads of households, entrepreneurs, career women, and survivors of domestic violence. Through our continued collaboration, we can build upon the strong foundation that exists to amplify the voices of women.”
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called the Women’s Caucus is a crucial part of the City Council’s efforts to support and empower women throughout New York City. “I look forward to working with Chairs Cumbo and Rosenthal and all the members of the Women’s Caucus as we work to advance gender equality and women’s rights across all sectors of our society,” she said.
Gentile’s Bill Outlawing Hookah Smoke Submits Cartoon
Bay Ridge City Councilman Vincent J. Gentile produced the above cartoon identifying non-tobacco shisha smoke as the “elephant in the room”, as his proposed measure to add non-tobacco shisha smoke to the landmark 2002 Smoke Free Air Act will be heard before the Council’s Committee On Health today.
Gentile argues that shisha smoke is as dangerous as tobacco, but he is sure to get some blowback from the proliferation of hookah bars around the city including at least a dozen in Bay Ridge’s Arab north end where it has old traditions within the culture.
The committee meeting is slated for 10 a.m., today at 250 Broadway, 14th Floor Committee Room in Lower Manhattan.
Cymbrowitz Praises Lady Moody House Landmark Decision
Sheepshead Bay Steven Cymbrowitz yesterday praised the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission recommendation that could keep the Lady Deborah Moody House in Gravesend safe from potential destruction.
The Lady Moody-Van Sicklen House was one of the 30 out of 95 backlogged properties in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island deemed worthy of protection. Regarded as one of the few 18th-century Dutch farmhouses still standing in Brooklyn and the only one made of stone, the house had languished on the LPC backlog for close to half a century.
“I’m pleased that the Landmarks Commission has decided to rescue the Lady Moody House from and uncertain future and prevent yet another precious piece of our history from slipping away,” said Cymbrowitz.
“Buildings like the Lady Moody House are our city’s ‘senior’ structures. They too are a window on the past, reminding us of what the world, and in this case the community of Gravesend, looked like long before we were alive. As with their human counterparts, our commitment to our oldest structures must include some level of protection,” he added.
The LPC’s recommendations must go through another round of hearings and a final vote by December.
Malliotakis Statement on Plan to Close Gitmo
Bay Ridge/Staten Island Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, a Cuban-American, issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
“In announcing the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, it is clear that President Obama is looking to appease the Castro brothers at the expense of the American people. While others celebrated restoring relations with Cuba, I warned that this would lead to concessions being made to a brutal dictatorship with little or no benefit to the United States.
What President Obama may view as an accomplishment is nothing more than a victory for the world’s most dangerous terrorists and the Castro brothers, at the expense of American national security. Those who wish to commit acts of terrorism against the United States are enemy combatants and should be treated as such, and no Guantanamo detainees should be brought to the United States for trial in our courts.”
Golden To Hold Hearing On Heroin & Opioid Addiction
Bay Ridge State Senator Martin J. Golden, a member of the New York State Senate Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, announcing that the committee will meet in the Dyker Heights tomorrow.
The hearing will examine the issues facing communities throughout the City and State in the wake of the increased abuse of heroin.
Task Force Co-Chairs, Senators Terrance Murphy (40th District), George Amedore, Jr. (46th District), and Senator Robert Ortt (62nd District) will join Golden.
Panelists and those giving testimony will include representatives from law enforcement, healthcare, social services and government officials. Program participants who have successfully completed addiction programs will attend the hearing as well.
The hearing is slated for 2 p.m., tomorrow, Feb. 26 at the Knights of Columbus, 1305-86th Street in Dyker Heights.
Williams Bill Gets City Council Vote
City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (East Flatbush/Flatbush/Midwood) yesterday saw his bill requiring increased language access to city websites, as well as a bill requiring accessibility standards for city websites for New Yorkers with disabilities pass the City Council.
Under the measure every city website will include a translation feature for viewing the text of the website in languages other than English. It also requires the translation feature to be comprehensible to speakers of the seven most commonly spoken languages.
“It’s simply wrong that many New Yorkers can’t currently access critical city services and information because of language barriers,” said Williams. “I am proud we are passing important legislation to increase accessibility on city websites. We must make sure that New York City works for all New Yorkers, regardless of English language proficiency.”
