Treyger To Rally For Equitable Access to Healthy Food, Quality Nutrition Education
City Council member Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst), Chair of the Committee on Education, will be joined by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, advocates, and educators for a rally today to call for access to quality, nutritious school food and education across New York City public schools.
On Wednesday, the coalition will push for passage of Int. 1283, which would require the Department of Education (DOE) to collect data and publicly report on the status and quality of food and nutrition education that students at NYC public schools are currently receiving.
Research conducted by the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University has shown that 44% of the City’s public schools lack external nutrition education programming. The DOE would be required to produce this data if Treyger’s bill becomes law, creating transparency and open doors for new policy and funding toward a more equitable, culturally responsive approach to food and nutrition education.
The event is slated for 12 p.m., today, Jan. 16, on the Steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
The rally will be followed by a City Council Education Hearing on Health and Wellness oversight of NYC schools, where testimony and analysis of this legislation will be heard. The hearing is slated for 1 p.m., today, at City Hall, Council Chambers in Lower Manhattan.
Deutsch’s Holocaust Remembrance Legislation To Get Public Hearing
City Council member Chaim Deutsch’s (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach) legislation aimed at recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day across the City will get a public hearing today by the NYC Council’s Committee on Civil Rights.
Resolution 673 recognizes International Holocaust Remembrance Day in NYC on January 27th, 2019, and, significantly, declares the week following as a citywide Holocaust Education Week.
Additionally, Holocaust survivors, educators, and members of community organizations that service Holocaust survivors are scheduled to give testimony at tomorrow’s hearing.
The resolution is expected for a full Council vote at the Stated meeting on January 24th.
The event is slated is for 1 p.m., today, Jan. 16, at 250 Broadway, 16th Floor Committee Room in Lower Manhattan.
BP Adams Leads Electeds In Pursuit of Key Commitments From Cuomo Following Changes To L Train Shutdown
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer alongside a group of elected leaders, publicly released a letter this week that was submitted to Governor Andrew Cuomo demanding answers to a range of questions regarding the viability of the proposed changes to the planned L train shutdown.
Earlier this month, Cuomo announced an alternative plan to the major restoration project planned for the Canarsie Tunnel that was expected to completely shutdown the train route for 15 months. The new plan will require an unspecified amount of weekend and nighttime shutdowns of one of the two tunnels, allowing the L train to run while repairs are made.
In the letter, Adams and Brewer, alongside the other community leaders, stipulated several key commitments in advance of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board’s vote on the new plan in the coming weeks, including:
- an independent analysis evaluating the long-term viability of the Canarsie Tunnel under the previously proposed plan as well as the new one;
- a detailed timeline of completion for the new proposal for evening and weekend work
- maintenance of the existing mitigation plan such as long-awaited improvements including extra train cars, free out-of-station transfers, alternative bus service, and other bus priority treatments, Citi Bike expansion, new bike infrastructure, new pedestrian; infrastructure, and additional ferry service;
- advertisements and special edition MetroCards to draw customers and assist small businesses; additional meaningful community input sessions beyond the initial plan of four briefings;
- reinvestment of any and all cost savings due to the new shut down approach into infrastructure along the L train corridor, including implementation of long-awaited accessibility station enhancements and other pedestrian circulation improvements;
- a detailed public accounting of the exact savings, new contract terms, and any effects the new approach will have on already guaranteed federal dollars, as well as a full review of the process that led to the last minute change of course including the release of any other alternatives that were considered before arriving at the new proposal.
Additionally, the joint letter emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in the decision-making process regarding the L train, a critical transportation route, which is essential to commuters in both Brooklyn and Manhattan on a daily basis.
“We truly hope this new plan will be a way forward, to alleviate what would otherwise be a far worse 15 months of transit pain for residents and businesses alike,” jointly wrote Borough Presidents Adams and Brewer, alongside the other community leaders. “However, we must ensure that this new plan will meet the same goals as the previous plan and properly address the infrastructure present in the Canarsie Tunnel,” read a joint statement.
Clarke Elected Vice Chair of Energy & Commerce Committee
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D- Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope) yesterday was elected as Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Clarke will serve as the Vice Chair of the full Committee for the 116th Congress. In the role, the Vice Chair will:
(i) Preside at full Committee hearings or markups when the Chairman is not present;
(ii) Serve as a liaison to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC);
(iii) Help coordinate and develop messaging for markups and high-profile hearings; and
(iv) Serve as the whip for markups, high profile hearings and other committee activities.
“I am honored to serve as the Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee in the 116th Congress. As the Committee’s Vice Chair, my concerns include net neutrality, lowering prescription drug prices, climate resiliency, the safety of migrant children at our southern border, broadband infrastructure, cybersecurity, privacy and consumer protection, and to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care.
The 2018 midterm election reflects the desires of the American people for progress and advances in achieving a quality of life that surpasses that of prior generations. It is my firm belief that we have what it takes to achieve these advances. It just takes our will and resolve to make it so.
The American people have put their trust in their Representatives and are relying on us to govern responsibility in order to achieve legislative results that benefit all Americans,” said Clarke.
Savino, Gounardes Applaud Passage of Election Reforms
State Senators Diane Savino (D-Coney Island, Staten Island) and Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, parts of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park and Midwood) applauded the State Legislature’s passage of a package of bills aimed at reforming the state’s electoral system this week.
On Monday, as the first major act of this legislative session, Savino and Gounardes alongside the new Senate Majority Conference passed a series of bills that will empower New York voters.
The legislative package included bills that will enable early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, modernize and expand voter registration, extend Primary Election voting hours, impose limits on LLC contributions and ensure uniformity throughout the state.
“Thank you to Leader Stewart-Cousins on her leadership in bringing election reform as the first issue to the floor this year. It is long overdue that we ensure everyone in New York has proper access to the voting booth and we’re approaching updating election law in a pragmatic way,” said Savino.
“Voting should be the single easiest way people can participate in our democracy. No voter should have to wait on long lines to vote, register months in advance, wonder whether their vote is actually being counted, or worry that their name has been purged from the voter registration database. New York can’t truly become the progressive beacon it is destined to be without an aggressive overhaul of our obsolescent system of elections,” said Gounardes.
