Clarke Names Post Office After Major Owens
U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, Park Slope) memorialized her late predecessor, U.S. Rep Major Owens (D-Central Brooklyn) this past weekend with a renaming of the Post Office at 1234 St. Johns Place in Crown Heights.
Located in Clarke’s Congressional District, the newly named, “Major Robert Odell Owens Post Office” resulted from Clarke’s bill H.R. 5238, which became a law in December 2018.
Clarke renamed the post office as a tribute to Owens past work serving Central Brooklyn as she seeks to find solutions to the current inefficiency of Brooklyn’s post offices.
Numerous constituents wait hours in line due to under-staffing and many are not receiving their mail in a timely fashion or at all, Clarke said.
“In the spirit of Congressman Owens, this post office renaming boldly signifies how he would have stood up and fought to ensure Central Brooklynites will again receive service they can count on from their neighborhood post offices.”
Clarke called Owens, “the father of progressive politics of Central Brooklyn.” He was a fierce social justice fighter and championed issues like education, gun control and equal rights until his retirement from Congress in 2007, said Clarke.
Reynoso, Ortiz Laud Foam Ban Going Into Effect
City Council Member Antonio Reynoso (D-Williamsburg, Greenpoint) and Assembly Member Felix Ortiz (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) yesterday lauded the city’s Department of Sanitation (DOS) and the city on the announcement to businesses reminding them it begin enforcing its foam ban law yesterday, at the end of its six month warning period.
The foam ban, which officially took effect January 1, prohibits New York City stores and food-service businesses from offering, selling or possessing single-use foam food containers such as takeout clamshells, cups, plates, bowls, coolers and trays. Additionally, manufacturers and stores may no longer sell or offer for sale loose fill packaging, typically known as “packing peanuts,” in the city.
Single-use foam items are not recyclable and are instead collected as trash in the city. The ban encourages businesses to use one of many alternative packaging options including compostable products, or recyclable paper, plastic and aluminum.
“It’s time for New York City to move away from the use of poly-styrene once and for all,” said Reynoso, chair of the Council’s Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management. “In order to meet our City’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030, we must rid our waste stream of non-recyclable materials like Styrofoam that have no post-consumer application. Elected officials and advocates fought long and hard to rid our city of this pernicious material, and I am thrilled to see the ban finally go into effect. I look forward to working with the de Blasio administration in taking further steps to reach Zero Waste by 2030.”
“New York City’s ban against foam containers represents an important step towards a more progressive and healthy society,” said Ortiz, the Assistant Assembly Speaker. “We are taking a responsible step to insure that our environment is a safe and free from pollutants that damage our quality of life and spoil the ecosphere. The next step should be to ban these products at the state and national level. The fight for a better New York continues.”
Jeffries, Velazquez Address Offensive Border Agents Remarks
U. S. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Bed-Stuy, East New York, Coney Island, Queens) and Nydia M. Velázquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Lower Manhattan) today will host a press conference addressing the vile comments made by U.S. Customs and Border (CPB) agents in reference to immigrants and Hispanic Members of Congress.
The comments, which were dismissive of the crisis on the southern border and sexually threatening to elected officials, were found in a Facebook group comprised of more than 9,000 current and former CPB agents.
The press conference is slated for 1:45 p.m., today, July 2, at Foley Square, Lafayette and Centre Streets in Lower Manhattan (map).
Adams Announces Annual NYC E-Prix and Formula-E Races In Red Hook
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams today will join with NYC E-Prix and Formula E at Brooklyn Borough Hall to announce the annual Formula-E races scheduled to take place at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook on July 13 and 14.
Formula E is a motor-sport that uses only electric-powered cars. At the announcement, NYC E-Prix will have a car on-site for public engagement, and it has also been distributing free tickets for area residents since Friday.
The announcement is slated for 11 a.m., today, July 2 at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
