BK Lawmakers Weigh In On Trump SOTU Address
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) and City Council member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) weighed in on President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union Address yesterday.
On Tuesday, Trump delivered his first national address as President in which he highlighted his success to date in regards to the economy, healthcare, the unemployment rate, wages, terrorism and immigration. Trump delivered a speech in which he touted the U.S. strengths as a military and economic power including highlighting the retreat of ISIS and the need for immediate immigration reform to prevent domestic terror attacks.
“Tonight, President Trump delivered a powerful message to the American people on building a safer, stronger and prouder nation. He outlined a vision of a united people, working together to face major challenges head-on and build off the progress made in the past year. While our nation has made strides, the President made clear that there is still much work to be done. It’s time to address our crumbling infrastructure, broken immigration system, deadly opioid epidemic, and unfair trade deals,” said Donovan.
“Unsurprisingly, Donald Trump displayed a misguided and bigoted perspective regarding immigration to this nation, and policies that support these repugnant views. As ICE continues to aggressively pursue immigrants and deport them, and as the President uses vulgar and hateful rhetoric to refer to their countries of origin, his past pledges to protect DREAMers and to have compassion for those who come to this country ring hollow. But while Trump is quick to create a scapegoat on which to blame the problems Americans face, he made no mention of some of our most pressing crises.”
“The State of the Union is one of imbalance. Imbalance of wealth, where the top one percent of people control the vast majority of resources at the expense of the middle class and of those most in need. Where racial inequality still permeates the workforce, the criminal justice system, our communities, and our halls of government. In either case, the future of our Union is in our own hands as we must stand united in resistance against this agenda of ignorance and hate, and work to ensure that a year from today, there is new, progressive leadership across government to correct this imbalance and move forward toward progress,” said Williams.
Treyger, Reynoso Elected Co-Chairs of BK Delegation
City Council Members Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Gravesend) and Antonio Reynoso (D-Bushwick, Williamsburg) celebrated their election to serve as co-chairs of the City Council’s Brooklyn Delegation yesterday.
This will be a second term for Treyger who was originally elected atop the largest borough delegation back in 2015 when he replaced City Councilman Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park). This is Reynoso first time heading the delegation, replacing former City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy.
“We are extremely proud and honored to have been elected to serve as co-chairs of the Brooklyn Delegation, and we thank our colleagues for their support. Our delegation already has a track record of successfully advocating for the needs of our borough’s diverse communities, and we look forward to continuing that legacy.”
“The Brooklyn Delegation has been a leader in advancing signature Council budget initiatives. As co-chairs, we are committed to ensuring that the voices of all Brooklyn members are heard and represented in the priorities of the City Council,” said the joint statement.
Adams To Host Cultural Events Ushering In Year of Dog
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams announced a series of cultural events in honor of Lunar New Year to usher in the Year of the Dog yesterday.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by a number of Asian cultures with deep roots in the borough, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. In particular, Brooklyn is home to a large and growing Chinese population; according to the 2016 American Community Survey, 7.8 percent of the borough identifies as Chinese, a population largely with origins in the Fujian province that now resides in neighborhoods such as Bensonhurst, Sheepshead Bay, and Sunset Park.
Adams, whose administration has focused on highlighting Brooklyn’s diversity, encouraged Brooklynites from all backgrounds to come out and experience these heritage celebrations. The celebrations will include a Chinese-American cultural exchange, a lantern flower market and an awards ceremony. The month-long commemoration of Lunar New Year will culminate in a Year of the Dog celebration that will include live performances, traditional Chinese cuisine, and an awards ceremony honoring Chinese-American Brooklynites who have given back to their community.
Last October, Adams alongside Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the City will pursue a new archway spanning Eighth Avenue between 60th and 61st streets in Sunset Park.
“We derive strength from the rich diversity of our borough. This month’s collection of Lunar New Year programming is a testament to how important it is to keep heritage alive as we build One Brooklyn that is a rich tapestry of culture and community,” said Adams.
For a calendar of the months events check here.
The final celebration is slated for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m, Thursday, Feb. 22, at Brooklyn Borough Hall, at 201 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
Lander Renews Call For Statewide Plastic Bag Solution
City Council member Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Gowanus) renewed his call for Governor Andrew Cuomo to introduce statewide plastic bag legislation yesterday.
Lander is demanding that Cuomo find a solution to the plastic bag waste crisis plaguing the state in his 30-day amendments to the Executive Budget. In particular, Lander wants Cuomo to impose a fee on all single-use plastic and paper bags across the state. Through a petition, Lander hopes to pressure legislation from the Governor.
Earlier this month, Lander criticized Cuomo’s lack of a comprehensive plastic bag solution after the release of a 88-page report called “An Analysis of the Impact of Single-Use Plastic Bags.” The report outlined several solutions to the problem without ever recommending a clear option.
Last February, Cuomo blocked a law that would have imposed a 5-cent plastic bag fee on single use bags but instead formed a statewide task force to develop a uniform state plan for addressing the plastic bag problem. Over the last year, NYC residents have sent 8 billion plastic bags to landfills.
“When Governor Cuomo nullified NYC’s “Bring Your Own Bag” law, he promised to deliver an effective statewide policy to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. But as you may have seen, Cuomo’s so-called report of the NYS Plastic Bag Task Force has failed to deliver even a proposal. Now, it’s up to us to raise our voices to make sure he understands the cost of breaking his promise. make clear that every additional ton of NYC’s plastic bag waste is now in Cuomo’s hands,” said Lander.
Persaud Applauds Mayoral Investment In NYCHA Heating System
State Senator Roxanne Persaud (D-Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Mill Island, Georgetown, Ocean Hill, Starrett City) applauded Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement of a $200 million investment into the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) yesterday.
The investment will go toward replacing boilers and upgrading the heating systems at 20 NYCHA developments experiencing chronic outages across the city.The funding comes off the heels of a boiler and hot water crisis that saw almost 300,000 NYCHA residents suffer from outages. According to reports, NYCHA currently reports 13 heat and/or hot water outages in progress in various NYCHA buildings through the five boroughs.
“This is indeed a step in the right direction. As elected officials, it is imperative that we ensure that New Yorkers receive basic housing amenities; moreover this is a human right. While this investment is commendable, we cannot stop here,” said Persaud.
“We have to continue to conduct a comprehensive need assessment in each housing development to ensure that NYCHA residents and especially the vulnerable populations do not suffer. I am immensely grateful to Mayor de Blasio for this bold undertaking, especially with the constraints of such a tough federal budget. We know that the greater the investment in our people; the better for all of us in society,” added Persaud.
Golden To Host Free Thyroid Cancer Screening Event
State Senator Martin Golden (R-C-I,Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend and parts of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park and Midwood) alongside State Senator Terrence Murphy (R-C-G, I, SC) will host a New York State sponsored free thyroid cancer screening today.
The event is in partnership with HeartScan Services (HSS). In December, HSS conducted thyroid cancer screening for New York’s finest, an event that helped saved the lives of many individuals last year. Additionally, Murphy recently secured $75,000 to fund free cancer screenings open to the public.
According to 2018 Thyroid Cancer estimates, about 53,990 new cases of thyroid cancer (40,900 in women, and 13,090 in men), about 2,060 deaths from thyroid cancer (1,100 women and 960 men). There are four main types of Thyroid Cancer: Papillary, Follicular, Medullary, Anaplastic. Early detection is critical for thyroid cancer due to the increase in survival rate.
According to the American Cancer Society, Papillary, Follicular and Medullary if detected in stage I or II has a survival rate of nearly 100%. However, If detected in stage IV survival rate falls to 50% and to 7% in Anaplastic cases.
The event is slated for 1 p.m., today, Jan. 1, at a JetBlue Hangar 81-JFK, at South Cargo Rd (148th St) in Jamaica.
