Hikind Praises De Blasio On Trash Pick-up Shift
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (Boro Park) praised Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia yesterday for altering pick-up times for trash and recycling within Boro Park to help alleviate traffic congestion in the community.
Currently, yeshiva buses and sanitation trucks are out simultaneously in the mornings, which has posed a major traffic dilemma within the neighborhood. The mayor announced on Sunday at a Boro Park dinner for the Bobover mosdos, that the resolution, set to begin on April 4, will feature trash and recycling pick-ups from the 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. morning shift be moved to the overnight shift, beginning at midnight and ending at 8 a.m.
De Blasio also announced that trash collection will take place on Shabbos, further eliminating traffic chaos within Boro Park. The schedule shift is said to remove roughly 79 percent of the garbage trucks that service the neighborhood.
“Through hard work and perseverance we were able to deliver, as promised,” said Hikind. “I commend the Mayor, Commissioner Garcia, the Sanitation Workers Union and for their hard work and dedication in resolving the traffic-sanitation issue. In Boro Park, our community knows all too well what happens when sanitation trucks and yeshiva buses are making their routes simultaneously. The much-needed scheduling shift in trash and recycling pickups will greatly diminish congestion that has continued to hamper our streets.”
Parker Attends Annual Girls Empowerment Conference
State Sen. Kevin Parker (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope) this past weekend joined over 150 young girls between the ages of 14-18 joined along with Queen Geniuses Founder and President, Regine Roy, for the 4th Annual Girls Empowerment Conference titled “Know Your Worth” at Medgar Evers College.
The event catered to young girls from across the five boroughs and had a full day of programming including panel and breakout sessions, live performances by local cultural organizations, and workshops all focusing on women empowerment.
Fort Greene/Clinton Hill City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo served as the keynote speaker for this year’s event, and various community leaders came out to offer their services and words of encouragement to the young woman that were in attendance.
The purpose of this event was to ignite, inspire and support the next generation of young female leaders by encouraging them to think critically, communicate powerfully, and seek opportunities that empower them to take actions in pursuit of their passions.
“I am excited to partner with Ms. Roy and Queen Genesis for the fourth year in a row as the work that she does not only empowers young women, but has the multiplier effect of empowering communities and transforming generations. For that, Queen Geniuses should be commended and I am proud to be a partner since the inception of the conference, and I plan on continuing to support their efforts in the years to come,” concluded the Brooklyn lawmaker.
Ortiz Wants Restored State Funding For MTA Capital Plan
Sunset Park Assemblyman and Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz yesterday joined the Riders Alliance in asking that Governor Cuomo restore state funding to the MTA Capital Plan.
Ortiz said Cuomo promised $8.3 billion from the state for the MTA capital plan, and $1 billion was included in last year’s budget. The latest budget proposal has $0 in new appropriations for the MTA capital plan. Instead, the state will only pay its share when other funding sources “have been exhausted”—meaning the MTA will take on $8 billion more in debt before the State starts to pay.
“The communities in my district rely on subways and buses to get to work and travel throughout the city. Plans to rebuild the decaying and noisy N and R lines under 4th Avenue are critical to maintaining homes above the route from further damage caused by underground vibrations. Better bus service is needed to the Brooklyn waterfront before streetcar routes and commercial marine terminal projects can proceed. The MTA Capital Plan goes a long way to meet these needs. We cannot afford to cut state funds from the MTA. This is not the time to move in the wrong direction,” said Ortiz.
The $26.1 billion five year MTA Capital Plan matters. It pays for: new subway cars and buses, commuter rail cars, station upgrades, better train control and upgraded signals to allow more trains to run better.
“Transit riders in Brooklyn and the metropolitan area need to see real improvements in our transit system. They don’t want to see improved service sidelined by the state,” Ortiz added.
Richardson, Montgomery, Cornegy Hold Summer Youth Employment Workshop
Crown Heights/Lefferts Gardens Assembly Member Diane Richardson, Bedford-Stuyvesant State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery and Bedford-Stuyvesant City Councilman Robert Corngey, Jr. are teaming up to host a Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Workshop tomorrow.
At the workshop, the City’s Department of Youth and Community Development and an SYEP provider will provide information about the program and how to apply. For those interested in applying to SYEP at the workshop, an SYEP provider will be in attendance to assist youth attendees between 14-24 years old whom are interested in submitting an application at the workshop. A parent’s signature is required on the application for youth under age 18. If youth is interested in submitting an application at the workshop, they must attend with a parent or guardian.
The event is slated for between 7-7:30 p.m., tomorrow March 9 at PS/IS 138, 801 Park Place between Nostrand and Rogers avenues.
Williams Committee Greenlights Two Construction-Related Bills
City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), Chair of the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings, saw two bill related to building energy usage and green standards pass through his committee.
Intro 701-A, sponsored by Speaker of the City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito, would require City-owned buildings be designed and constructed to meet energy reduction targets. Additionally, the bill would require the city to create a plan to ensure all new city-owned buildings meet extremely energy efficient, passive building standards, by 2030. The bill applies to City-owned buildings undergoing capital projects that involve the construction of a new building, an addition to an existing building or substantial reconstruction of an existing building, where the project involves substantial work on the building envelope.
Intro 721-A, sponsored by Council Member Williams, updates the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards, makes those standards more stringent, and expands the scope of the current law to new building types. The bill ensures that when construction is paid for by New York City taxpayers, those dollars are used to construct buildings which reduce energy consumption and protect the environment.
“We have an obligation to ensure construction in New York City does not damage our environment,” said Williams. “The amount of new construction in New York City continues to increase and we must take steps to protect the environment and our communities. Today, I’m proud the Housing and Buildings Committee voted to strengthen our green buildings standards and make buildings more energy efficient.”
The measures now move onto the entire City Council for a final vote.
