Adams Hosts Reunification Ceremony For Puebla Families Affected By Earthquake
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams will host a family reunification event,“Raíces de Puebla,”for natives of Puebla, Mexico today.
For the first time in more than two decades, immigrants who live in the Tri-State Area and are native to Puebla, Mexico will connect with 100 of their elderly parents and grandparents. Many of which were directly affected by the September 19th earthquake.
More than 600,000 Pueblans live in the New York City metro area, and a significant portion of them call Brooklyn home, particularly in the neighborhood of Sunset Park, which has been dubbed by many as “Puebla York.”
At the event, Adams and Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Diana Reyna, the first Latina to hold the position, will speak on the importance of this reunion in the face of adversity that Mexican families are currently confronting in the rebuilding process as well as the protracted immigration battle in Congress that has left an uncertain future for 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients nationwide, 30,000 of whom live in New York City.
The ceremony is being held in partnership with the Government of the State of Puebla’s Office of International Affairs and Support to Immigrant Pueblans; its general coordinator, Alma Patricia Soria, will be in attendance, as will Diego Gómez Pickering, consul general of Mexico in New York.
The event is slated for 6 p.m., today, Oct. 2, at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza, at 209 Joralemon Street, in Downtown Brooklyn.
Espinal Applauds Yankees On Announcing Extension of Protective Netting
City Council Member Rafael Espinal (D-Bushwick, East New York) congratulated the Yankee’s on their announcement to significantly expand their protective netting at Yankee stadium over weekend.
On Sunday, the team announced that they will expand protective netting at their home ball park and Spring training complex next year. The move comes less than two weeks after a 1-year-old was seriously injured by a foul ball and then taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Currently, the nets only reach to the home plate side of each dugout.
Espinal first introduced legislation requiring NYC major and minor league ballparks to extend protective netting in May of this year.
“I applaud the Yankees on stepping up to the plate and doing right by their fans. Just as their fans have been loyal to them, today the Yankees have shown their loyalty to their fans. Thank you to all those who have raised awareness of this issue and advocated on behalf of public safety,” said Espinal.
“My thoughts are with those who have been injured as I am positive that many future incidents will be prevented because of this action. I will withdraw plans to hold a public hearing on my legislation to require extended netting and thank both the Mets and Yankees for showing their leadership. Congratulations,” added Espinal.
Schumer Demands Charter Bus Safety Reform, Following Fatal Queens Crash
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-Brooklyn) urged that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in concert with the Federal Motor Carriers Administration (FMCSA), fully implement an already-passed into law bus safety rating system over the weekend.
Schumer is demanding the DOT and FMCSA to develop a letter grade system comparable to the one New York City restaurants follow. The push comes off the heels of the deadly Dahlia bus crash in Queens, that occurred after charter bus operator Raymond D. Mong, collided with a city bus, killing Mong and two other people and injuring 16 others, the authorities said. Before the deadly crash, the Dahlia Travel company had accumulated eleven unsafe violations, with Mong having a criminal history with the MTA. Mong was fired from the MTA in 2015 after hitting two cars with his sedan on Interstate 95 and fleeing the scene.
In 2012, Congress passed legislation requiring bus operators to post their safety records on buses and at ticket counters.The bill mandates the FMCSA create clear and understandable safety ratings to be posted on buses and at terminals, and requires ticket sellers and bus companies to make their full safety record and history easily accessible at the point of sale. Schumer said this legislation gives the USDOT all the authority it needs to develop and implement a letter grade system for all buses.
Last week, the New York State Senate released a report titled, Violations by the Busload, that found 121 out of 249 private bus companies incurred federal violations, showing that nearly half of the private bus charter companies in NYC had unsafe driving violations.
“We have a law I passed in 2012 that can not only help solve this problem, but can better inform the public, too. I am asking the federal Department of Transportation to hit the gas on a federal letter-grade system for private bus companies. The companies that spend money to ensure a culture of safety will rise to the top, and the bad actors who disregard the value of safety and human life will fail to survive unless they improve. We need a federal letter grade system for bus safety because the public is in the dark on just who is violating the law and how dangerous their charter may be,” said Schumer.
Colton Fights To Save Columbus Statues
Assemblyman William Colton (D-Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) has created an online petition to help save the statue of Christopher Columbus and other important historical figures around the city.
The online petition is addressed to Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments and Markers that was recently created to evaluate the impact of potentially offensive monuments around the city. Currently, de Blasio is considering the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue from Columbus circle in Manhattan, amid a national drive to remove dozens of controversial statues and monuments.
Colton cites his Italian roots as his motivation behind the petition, having been raised by an Italian mother, growing up in an Italian neighborhood and going primarily to Italian schools. In addition, Colton has contacted the National Park Service to obtain approval to nominate the statues as National Historic Landmarks.
“For Italian-Americans, Columbus is a source of pride and a symbol of contributing to the American Dream. Honoring him is a centuries-old tradition in my community that should remain as is,” said Colton.
“It is time to end the practice of erasing figures of cultural significance from history. Italian-Americans refuse to be the latest target for political correctness. Ultimately, the removal of monuments and statues deflect attention from the issues that matter. We need to partake in constructive dialogue between communities and to fight against concrete, contemporary incidents of discrimination and violence,” added Colton.
BK Lawmakers Launch Relief Efforts For Puerto Rico
Assembly members William Colton (D-Bensonhurst, Bath Beach), Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) and Pamela Harris (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge) and State Senator Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island) have launched relief efforts to help residents in hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico.
The state lawmakers will help with the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Irma and Maria by collecting non-perishable and emergency items this week. The group will be accepting daily essentials, such as bottled water, canned foods, flashlights, batteries, diapers, baby formula, small generators, personal items (shampoo, toothpaste, feminine napkins, etc.) and more.
According to the Governor of Puerto Rico, more than 40% of the population do not have access to clean drinking water, food supplies are estimated to last just two weeks and aid from the local and federal governments has been slow to reach many communities, due to a severe shortage in fuel and damage to roadways and bridges.
“This is an American territory where thousands of Americans are drinking unclean water from creeks and living without food, electricity, fuel and essential items – the direct result of two weeks of a completely inadequate response by the U.S. government. It’s up to our communities to step in and do what we can to ease this heartbreaking situation,” said Cymbrowitz.
“The devastation in Puerto Rico has left so many without food, water and power. In these trying times, we must come together to support each other and help our fellow Americans. Even the smallest of donations can make a big difference for a family in need. I’m proud to stand with my fellow New Yorkers in doing all we can to lend a hand,” Assemblymember Harris said.
“New Yorkers know firsthand the hardships that can come from natural disasters — and they particularly know the importance of coming together to help their neighbors in need. I encourage those who have the means to donate items to a nearby drop-off center and take the opportunity to help those during this extremely difficult time,” Senator Savino said.
Colton will be receiving items for donation at his district office, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 10 AM to 4 PM; Thursdays from 12-Noon to 7 PM; and Fridays from 10 AM to 12 PM at 155 Kings Highway, (between West 12th and West 13th Streets) in until October 18.
Cymbrowtiz, Harris and Savino will receive donations at the Shorefront Y, 3300 Coney Island Avenue, on the following dates and times: Sunday, October 1st, 8 am – 4 pm, Monday, October 2nd, 8 am – 9 pm, Tuesday, October 3rd, 8 am – 9 pm, Wednesday, October 4th, 8 am – 4 pm (Erev Sukkot), Sunday, October 8th, 8 am – 4 pm.
Simon Announces First Ever Dyslexia Diagnosis Day
Assembly member Jo Anne Simon (D-Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Boerum Hill) will kick-off the first ever global Dyslexia Diagnosis Day, alongside special guest Miya Ali, today.
The event, conceived of by actor and activist Ameer Baraka, who did not learn to read until he was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 23 while incarcerated, will focus on the need to educate people about dyslexia, the need to screen more young kids for dyslexia, which too often goes unidentified, and the state’s efforts to address the issue. October is national Dyslexia awareness month.
The event is slated for 12:30 p.m., today, Oct. 2, at Mary McDowell Friends School at 20 Bergen Street (between Court and Smith Streets) in Brooklyn Heights.
