Editor’s Note: Due to unusually high traffic of late, we experienced some tech issues yesterday and the site crashed for a few hours. Things have now been restored and we are back at full steam. Our apologies.
Eugene Sponsors Legislation To Target Youth Work Force
City Council Member Mathieu Eugene (D-Prospect-Lefferts, Ditmas Park, parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush, East Flatbush),Chairman of the Youth Services Committee, is calling for the creation of a Disconnected Youth Work Force Development Program for youth ages 18-24.
The bill, Intro 709-A, will create a program within the Department of Small Business Services that functions to more adequately meet the needs of disconnected youth who require specialized services. As of the last census in 2010, there were approximately 170,000 disconnected youth in New York City. This legislation aims to provide young men and women with more concentrated resources that will lead to job placement while also learning financial and entrepreneurial skills.
“I am deeply committed to working with city agencies to provide more resources for our disadvantaged young men and women. We want to encourage and advocate for our youth who have struggled to make a transition into the work force. This bill aims to give these individuals new opportunities that will promote a sense of accomplishment and responsibility. In the great city of New York, there is no reason why our talented youth should not be able to secure better futures for themselves and their families,” said Eugene.
Savino Applauds Passage of Medical Marijuana Bill
State Senator Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island) is applauding the passage of legislation to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying conditions treatable with medical marijuana in New York State.
PTSD symptoms include anger, flashbacks, nightmares, night sweats, insomnia and avoidance, after a person experiences a traumatic event. Women are twice as likely as men to experience PTSD. It is estimated that 19,000 New York State residents suffer from PTSD.
Studies show that PTSD occurs when a person has an endocannabinoid deficiency, and with patients who have PTSD the body stops producing enough endocannabinoids to fill receptor sites. According to research, cannabinoids found in marijuana can play a therapeutic role for these patients.
“This bill will bring real relief to the many New Yorkers suffering from PTSD. Veterans, victims of violent crime, police and firefighters and others can all potentially benefit from PTSD being added to the list of medical conditions eligible for the State’s medical cannabis program. This will help ensure that more of those suffering are eligible to become certified medical cannabis patients, and will allow each doctor to treat their patients as they see fit,” said Savino.
Treyger Secures Funding For Quality Of Life Upgrades
City Council Member Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst) announced funding for a number of quality of life improvements across the 47th District that were included in the recently passed Fiscal Year 2018 Budget.
The secured funds will go towards schools, local parks, and libraries as well as a number of other programs including $20 million Teacher Choice Program, $10.2 million for the NYC Clean-Up Initiative, $4.5 million for the Park;s Equity Initiative, $23 million for various senior programs ( Home Care Services, Weekend Meals Program, etc.), $7.8 million to the Domestic Violence and Empowerment Initiative, $12 million for adult literacy services and $140,00 to install more NYPD security cameras across the district.
“I take great pride in advocating for the needs of residents in our community, and it’s with our children, our seniors, and our working families in mind that I enter into budget negotiations each year. From much-needed upgrades for our schools, libraries, parks and playgrounds, to investments that will keep our community safe and programs designed to help teachers and seniors, these budget victories will continue to improve the high quality of life that southern Brooklyn residents deserve to enjoy,” said Treyger.
BP Adams To Unveil Report On City’s Gifted Education & Specialized High Schools
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L Adams alongside Bronx Borough President Rueben Diaz, will release the findings of a new report conducted by the Gifted & Talented Education Task Force today.
The report will include recommendations to both expand gifted & talented education in New York City public schools at all levels, as well as bring fairness to the admissions process for the city’s specialized high schools.
The task force, which is made up of government officials, community members and parents who are familiar with the issues gifted students face in city schools, hosted several public hearings earlier this year as part of their report.
The event is slated for 12 p.m., today, June 21, at the Tweed Courthouse, 52 Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan.
Donovan Praises Long Confirmation As Head Of FEMA
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) is praising the recent confirmation of Brock Long as the next Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Long was confirmed on Tuesday in a 95-4 vote, the only “no” votes came from Democrats: Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Previously, Long was the director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency from 2008 to 2011. He developed Alabama’s response to the H1N1 influenza and served as the state incident commander during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
“Congratulations to Brock Long on being confirmed as the next Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has made significant improvements to strengthen its emergency response capabilities over the past decade, and I hope Administrator Long will continue to build on this momentum,” said Donovan.
Donovan continued, “New Yorkers know firsthand the importance of making our communities more resilient – whether it’s strengthening our anti-terror preparedness, improving storm resiliency capabilities, or addressing flood insurance affordability, there is still a lot of work to be done. I look forward to working with Administrator Long to build on FEMA’s successes, as well as address critical gaps and vulnerabilities that remain.”
CM Williams Honor Cure Violence Providers
City Council Member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) will honor 13 cure violence providers during the Council’s Stated meeting today.
In September 2011, the New York City Council created the Task Force to Combat Gun Violence as a response to a series of shootings around the city. Out of the task force, came a report that recommended the creation of the Crisis Management System (CMS), which is a model designed to provide an immediate, coordinated response to gun violence that aids in victim and community recovery while preventing future violence.
The system employs cure violence providers in high-risk communities to identify and engage individuals most likely to be involved in gun violence. The providers deploy “violence interrupters,” who are usually former gang members, to intervene in disputes between community members before incidents escalate to gun violence.
June 21 marks the first day of summer, which is when violence historically peaks. June is also Gun Violence Awareness Month, which was created in an effort to raise awareness surrounding the issue of needless and senseless gun violence in New York’s communities.
Espinal, Dominican Delegation Celebrate Exceptional Student From ENY
City Council Member Rafael Espinal (D-Bushwick, East New York) alongside a Dominican Delegation will honor Chelsea Batistia, a Macaulay College Honors Student at Brooklyn College.
Batista, the child of two Dominican immigrants grew up in East New York, Brooklyn. Chelsea was accepted to 11 medical schools and will publicly announce the school of her choice at the Presentation of Proclamation at the City Council Pre-stated Ceremony later today.
The event is slated for 1 p.m., today, June 21, in the Council Chambers in Lower Manhattan.
