Queens Lawmakers Laud Agreement to Ban Incarceration on Rikers Island
Several City Queens Lawmakers yesterday hailed the council’s Land Use Committee in passing a resolution authorizing the City Council to file an application at the Department of City Planning to remap Rikers Island so that it will not be allowed to house incarcerated individuals after 2026.
The application will be co-filed with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and Department of Correction (DOC).
The map change at Rikers will be done through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and will ensure that the island will never again incarcerate New Yorkers. Through this ULURP, the city will seek to have the island designated as a “Public Place” on the City Map, which will ensure future development of the site will be solely for the public benefit.
“I applaud Speaker Johnson for taking this step to insure that Rikers Island never hosts a facility that resembles mass incarceration. Additionally, as we look forward we should make sure that the name of the island is changed to make sure the island represents a new future,” said City Council Member Karen Koslowitz (D-Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill)
“Today’s Land Use vote is key to ensure that the commitment to close Rikers Island and permit no further detention on the island by the year 2026 is solidified. This is one step toward moving New York City forward to end an inhumane and environmentally unsound system of mass incarceration,” said City Council Member Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village, South Ozone Park).
“We all know the moral imperative of closing the jails on Rikers Island, which will now be codified into law. This ULURP guarantees Rikers Island is not used to detain another soul by 2026, which will end this stain on New York City’s history. I want to thank Speaker Corey Johnson for fighting to ensure Rikers Island will never be used as a jail again. We must now look at how this island can be used to help the same communities that have historically seen over-policing and underinvestment,” said City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, Long Island City, Rikers Island, Woodside).
“Today, the Council’s Land Use Committee took a huge step towards closing Rikers Island, and I thank my fellow Committee members for working to put an end to this sad chapter in our city’s history. Rikers Island is a stain on our city, and it’s continued operations hurts us all. I look forward to the day when it is gone,” said City Council Member Donovan Richards (Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens).
Van Bramer Hosts 10th Annual Hispanic & Latinx Leadership Awards
City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside) next week will host his 10th Annual Hispanic and Latinx Leadership awards.
“We will be honoring outstanding Queens community leaders in what is sure to be a fun night, featuring special musical performances and refreshments,” said Van Bramer in an email.
This year’s honorees are Beny Castro, Marketer & Liaison for Sunnyside Shines BID; Kevin Montalvo, Founder of Queens Distance Runners & Race Director of Queens Marathon; Maritza Silva-Farrell, Executive Director of ALIGN; Martha Sanchez, Education Activist & Community Organizer; Memo Salazar, Filmmaker, Writer, & Activist; and Rosalie Quinones, Queens Community Advocate & former Public School Administrator.
The event is slated for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Thalia Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside. To RSVP: please contact Nishath Azad at NAzad@council.nyc.gov or (718) 383-9566 ext 1.
Addabbo Schedules Free Mammogram Screenings In Howard Beach
State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth and parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside, The Rockaways) is announcing a free mammogram screening event in Howard Beach at the start of November.
In order to be eligible for the clinical breast exam, women must be:
- · Between 40 and 79 years old with health insurance;
- · Between 50 and 79 years old without health insurance;
- · Currently living in New York City; and
- · Had not had a mammogram in the last 12 months.
Uninsured patients are welcome, there are no co-payments, and all deductibles are waived for this service.
“Since October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, bringing free mammograms and clinical breast exams to the district is a major service for women who are either uninsured or cannot make it to a clinic is even more imperative,” Addabbo said. “As you get older, it becomes more and more important for women to get these tests and screenings in order to monitor for breast cancer and other ailments because early detection can be the difference between life and death. I thank the American Italian Cancer Foundation for coming into my district to provide this accessible vital service.”
The event is slated from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1, when the American-Italian Cancer Foundation will have their Mammogram Bus parked outside of the New York Community Bank, 156-02 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach.
Appointments are necessary in order to get your free mammogram screening or clinical breast exam. To make an appointment and secure your spot, call Senator Addabbo’s office at 718-738-1111, or 1-877-628-9090.
