Cornegy Responds To Incident of Wandering School Student
City Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr. (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights), prime sponsor of “Avonte’s Law”, which requires audible alarms on the exterior doors of all NYC Department of Education (DOE) school buildings, reacted to recent news of a kindergarten student wandering away from his school.
Last Thursday, 5-year-old Synciere Deckard wandered from P.S. 11 in Manhattan onto a nearby subway platform. Synciere left his kindergarten class and walked right out of the school without anyone noticing him, it’s believed he headed east on West 21st Street, walking up to Eighth Avenue. He then went north to West 23rd Street and entered the C and F subway station.Once in the station, he is thought to have ducked under the turnstile and walked out onto the platform. There, he was spotted by a good Samaritan who called police, according to initial reports.
Cornegy was shocked to learn of the news of Synciere, as Avonte’s Law was passed in the hopes of preventing such incidents. The law was created in memory of Avonte Oquendo, a young autistic boy who wandered out of his school in Long Island City in late 2013 and was found dead months later.
“The installation of door alarms was meant to prevent students wandering from school buildings. If DOE schools are not using the alarms for all hours of the day that school buildings are occupied by students, then they are not following the intent of ‘Avonte’s Law’ and are willingly putting the lives of NYC school children at risk,” said Cornegy.
“We must demand answers from DOE as to why this incident was not caught immediately by the use of door alarms, and what can be done to ensure future incidents like these are prevented by the use of door alarms, as intended by Local Law 36,” added Cornegy.
Persaud’s Legislation to Expand CUNY Funding Becomes Law
State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud’s (D-Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Mill Island, Georgetown, Ocean Hill, Starrett City) bill aimed at adding another funding opportunity for the City University of New York (CUNY) became law late last month.
On Dec. 21, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Bill 1198-2018, which gives New Yorkers the option to donate to CUNY on their personal income tax returns.
The purpose of the legislation is to create an additional revenue source for the educational institution while also raising awareness of CUNY. The City University Construction Fund collects the revenues and its trustees will report how the money is used at the beginning of each year. Additionally, the donations made will not reduce the state tax owed by contributors.
“This piece of legislation is clear, and integral in advancing the education of this great city and state. I am pleased to see CUNY getting more attention and hopeful they receive the necessary funding for the betterment of our students,” sad Persaud.
Rose Gets Sworn In, Vows To Fight For Staten Island and South Brooklyn
Congressman Max Rose (D-South Brooklyn, Staten Island), an Army veteran, was sworn in as as a Member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the 11th District of New York covering Staten Island and South Brooklyn last Thursday.
Rose was sworn in using his father, Hal Rose’s Jewish Bible. Rose is the first post-9/11 combat veteran elected in New York City. He served as a Ranger qualified Infantry Captain in the active duty Army and he continues to serve in the Army National Guard. He deployed to Afghanistan and earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
At the event, Rose addressed the crowd promising to focus on the transportation needs of his district, to fight the opioid epidemic, and to root out corruption in Washington.
“It’s the greatest honor to be given the opportunity to serve the best district in Congress. Staten Island and South Brooklyn sent me here not to work for a political party, but to fight for them, because for too long Congress has either ignored our problems or ripped us off,” said Rose.
“There is no end in sight for our commuting nightmare, and far too many families have a loved one still struggling with addiction. Lives are on the line, so I don’t care who I have to work with or take on to do my job and get things done. And as long as the corrupt special interests run Washington, donors will always be put first, not my constituents. It’s wrong, it’s disgusting, and I won’t stand for it. So I will continue leading the charge to change our politics and end corruption. As long as I represent New York’s 11th District, I will always show up, listen, and fight for all of Staten Island and South Brooklyn, ” added Rose.
Deutsch Announces Culmination Event of Annual Student Sock Drive
City Council member Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Midwood) announced the culmination event of the PS 255 annual sock drive last week.
The annual event gives the students encourages students to donate pairs of socks to underprivileged and needy families during the winter months. This year’s haul will be donated to the local Bay Family Shelter.
The event is slated for 9 a.m., today, Jan. 7, at PS 255, at 1866 East 17th Street in Sheepshead Bay.
BP Adams Encourages Brooklynites To Get Civically Engaged
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams is encouraging Brooklynites from every neighborhood in the borough to apply for an opening on one of Brooklyn’s 18 local community boards ahead of the 2019 cycle deadline.
Community boards, which have existed in their current form for more than 40 years following the Charter Revision of 1975, are the most local representative bodies of government in New York City; they are responsible for dealing with land use issues, assessing neighborhood needs, and addressing community concerns. Borough presidents are responsible for the appointment of each of their community board’s 50 unsalaried members, half of whom are nominated by local members of the City Council.
Adams is also renewing his call for young Brooklynites ages 16 to 18 to apply, as well as Black, Latino, Asian, and LGBTQ+ individuals, to ensure that the borough’s community boards reflect the vast diversity and changing demographics of the communities they represent. Since 2015, he has used the authority granted under a new State law that gives borough presidents the ability to appoint two members who are at least 16 years of age, to each community board.
“Brooklyn’s community boards are the epicenter of grassroots democracy in our borough, providing a voice for everyone to get involved and make a difference in their communities,” said Adams.
“Following last year’s ballot initiative on community boards, we must reenergize these public forums by encouraging diverse representation to represent the many voices that make our communities unique. I encourage people from all walks of life to make their voices heard in every corner of the borough, from Brighton Beach to Bushwick, and Bay Ridge to Brownsville,” added Adams.
The closing date for application submissions in hopes of a 2019 appointment will be Friday, February 15th.
Interested candidates are to submit their application online at brooklyn-usa.org. Hard copies of community board application can still be provided, but only by special request.
Applicants must be New York City residents in order to serve on a community board. To qualify for a particular board, they must live, work in, or have a professional or other significant interest in that board’s district.
