Gounardes, Carroll- Insurance Companies Cover Affected Businesses
State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Gerritsen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park) announced that he would sponsor Senate legislation (A-10226-A/S.8211) to match Assemblymember Robert Carroll’s (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Ditmas Park) bill in the Assembly to eliminate the virus exclusion in business interruption insurance policies.
The COVID-19 outbreak has required businesses across New York State to shut their doors, forcing many to lay-off or furlough employees. The economic impact of this pandemic is being felt globally and is especially burdensome on small business owners.
“If a global pandemic doesn’t count as a legitimate business interruption for insurance purposes, then nothing does. Small businesses are in desperate need of a lifeline right now, and to deny them their insurance payouts is to let them drown. Now more than ever we have to fight for the small businesses that are the heart and soul of our City,” said Gounardes.
Louis Introduces Food Safety Bill
Council Member Farah Louis (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, Kensington) along with Council Member Mark Gjonaj introduced a food safety bill that would require third-party food delivery services and foodservice establishments to display sanitary inspection letter grades online.
“With more customers ordering online or through mobile apps, food safety must always remain a top priority,” said Louis. “We cannot continue this two-tier system that creates a loophole for eateries, endangers public health, while depriving paying customers of critical safety information to protect themselves.”
The introduction of this piece of legislation could not be more timely as city residents and small businesses have undergone drastic changes due to COVID-19, namely, shifting to delivery and take-out only.
Persaud to Host Online “Story Time” with author Kamla Millwood
NYS Senator Roxanne J. Persaud ( Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Mill Island, Georgetown, Ocean Hill, and Starrett City) in partnership with children’s author Kamla Millwood, will be hosting “Story Time.”
“I am honored to partner with Ms. Millwood to host this online event, now in its fourth week. During these unprecedented times, it is important that children continue a healthy educational routine. This event will help inspire a passion for reading among our youngest constituents while engaging in remote learning,” said Persaud.
Ms. Millwood will be reading from her popular children’s book series, Peach the Duck, on Wednesday, April 29th at 11 a.m. on Facebook LIVE.
To participate with your child, go to www.facebook.com/peachtheduckfanpage/ or Senator Persaud’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sd19senatorpersaud.
Colton Demands Stop to Education Cut Proposal
Assemblyman William Colton (Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) demands from Mayor Bill de Blasio to stop his proposal to cut $827 million in education spending.
“Close to $800 million in cuts to the classrooms and the teaching programs are unthinkable. They are also stoppable where the chancellor hires six-figure paid cronies to staff task forces to study items that can never become a reality. This must stop NOW. All such monies must be redirected to preventing unthinkable cuts to our children’s education. The cronies must be let go. The multiple layers of consultants must be ended,” Colton stated.
“The costly idealist ideas promoting political ideologies must end. All precious school monies must be diverted to learning in the classrooms and to the teachers and the school staff who directly promote this learning. According to the president of the union Mark Cannizzaro, who represents school administration mentioned that schools are already received approximately $700 million less than they are owed under the city’s own formula, and now De Blasio has the nerve to propose more cuts, that is unacceptable and we cannot let him do that. We must accept nothing less than full funding of education monies to our schools” Colton added.
Bichotte Wishes Ramadan Mubarak
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) wants to wish all those who celebrate Ramadan a Ramadan Mubarak.
“May you find peace in your prayer and fast,” she wrote.
Jeffries Supports $484 Mil Bill for Small Businesses
U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Canarsie, East New York, East Flatbush, Bergen Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Brighton Beach, Coney Island) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of emergency spending legislation that provides $484 billion for small businesses, testing and hospitals and healthcare workers.
“I rise in strong support of this emergency spending legislation.More must be done, but it is a strong step in the right direction.The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging America. Small businesses are shuttered. Thousands have died. Millions of Americans are unemployed.
“Rome is burning. We can either put out the fire or watch our great nation go down in flames. This bill will help family-owned businesses, help women-owned businesses, help minority-owned businesses, help small family farmers and help our hospitals and our nursing homes.
“Yes, it’s not perfect. But, we cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good,” said Jeffries.
Rose Votes Yes on Corona Bill
U.S. Rep. Max Rose (South Brooklyn, Staten Island) voted to pass $484 billion to assist businesses, nonprofits, hospitals and testing in the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The legislation, which passed the Senate on Tuesday, now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“We should have been here weeks ago. Weeks ago to get more money for our hospitals, weeks ago to protect testing, weeks ago to improve this program for small businesses,” said Rose in a speech on the House floor prior to passage. “But, alas, only in Washington, D.C. would we wait weeks when we all agree. But let’s move forward, because our frontline workers right now cannot afford for us to stand by for politics. Leader McConnell said to our cities and states, to our cops and firemen and teachers, he told them to drop dead. Well, why don’t we put politics aside, rise up and tell him that we are putting the country first?”
Wright Announces New COVID Test Site Opens in Bed-Stuy
Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright (D-Bed-Stuy, Northern Crown Heights) announced yesterday there is a new Coronavirus testing site opening today in the heart of her district in the Parking lot of the Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center (BSFHC), 325 Herkimer Street, Brooklyn NY 11216
