Adams, Treyger Unveil Plan to Access Beaches Safely
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and City Member Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend) today will unveil a “Brooklyn beaches plan” to allow New Yorkers to access beaches throughout the borough as the weather warms.
The announcement comes after the City announced that swimming will be forbidden at beaches within city limits over the holiday weekend, and in the wake of a proposal by the City to cut funding for public pools throughout the five boroughs.
Adams and Treyger will lay out the necessary steps for opening beaches while adhering to public health guidelines around social distancing.
The unveiling of the plan is slated for 10 a.m., today, May 22 on West 17th Street and Riegelmann Boardwalk (near the Parachute Jump) in Coney Island.
Menchaca Spreads COVID-19 News in District
City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook), in a newsletter to constituents, wanted to inform them of the following as the city begins to reopen:
Testing Sites (full list): The CityMD location at 5204 5th Avenue is providing FREE COVID-19 AND antibody testing. No appointment or insurance required. A temporary site at Our Lady of Perpetual Hope will also run both tests from May 20 through May 24. In Red Hook, neither the City or State has created a centrally located site. Call 3-1-1 and ask for testing assistance.
Temporary Hotel Rooms: Do you have COVID-19 or live with someone who does? Are you unable to isolate safely? If yes, the City is offering temporary hotel rooms. Transportation included. To learn more, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC. Or see English, Spanish, Mandarin.
Masks/Face Coverings: This week, my Council staff will secure 2,500 disposable masks and 2,400 reusable cloth face coverings. We will distribute them to local organizations. Call for more information 718-439-9012.
Census 2020: The Census will determine our money and power for the next ten years. We need a complete count to protect our schools, hospitals, roads, and public programs. New York City lags behind the national average, and our district is one of the hardest to count. Fill out the Census. It’s simple, takes less than 10 minutes, and all information is completely confidential. Go here now: https://my2020census.gov/
Open Streets: Last week, the City closed 6th Avenue between 44th and 51st Streets. This is part of the City’s effort to expand open spaces equitably for New Yorkers not near parks. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing when you’re out on the street. Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., every day.
City Business Survey: The Small Business Service wants input from local restaurant owners to help them create a Restaurant Recovery Plan. If you are an owner, or know someone who is, please send them this link to complete the survey. It’s in English, so if translation is needed, contact our office 718-439-9012.
Free Menstrual Hygiene Products: The Department of Education will distribute free menstrual hygiene products at every Grab-and-Go site that serves grades 6 and up. You can find the closest site by going here and selecting School District 15 or 20. Remember, free masks are also available.
Summer School: This year, summer school will occur remotely. Students in grades 3–8 who are not promoted in June must attend summer school from July 6 to August 11. Students in grades 9-12 who receive a grade of Course in Progress, or who need to retake a course they failed in a prior term, must attend from July 6 to August 14. Students in IEP must attend from July 2 to August 13. For more information, see here. If you have any questions, in Spanish or Mandarin, call 718-439-9012.
Persaud Hosted Conversation with Local Authors
NYS Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D – 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 Nicole Francois, Kamla Millwood, and Anaya Willabus yesterday hosted, “A Virtual Conversation with Local Authors: Discussing their Paths to Becoming Published Authors.”
“I am proud to represent many published authors from Senate District 19 in Albany. This virtual conversation will bring three such constituents, area students, and aspiring authors together to have many questions answered regarding publishing and breaking into the literary world,” said Persaud.
Frontus Hosts Telephone Town Hall for Seniors
Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Gravesend) hosted a tele-town hall focused on issues important to seniors, linking participants with policy leaders and service organizations.
“The safety net for seniors is badly frayed, and we need to work quickly to mend it,” Frontus said.
More than 100 seniors participated in Tuesday’s event, seeking answers to questions related to food insecurity, housing, access to health care, and staying safe during the coronavirus outbreak. The forum is part of an ongoing series of forums Frontus is arranging to address seniors’ concerns.
Participants in the event included Jocelyn Groden, associate commissioner with the New York City Department for the Aging; Kate MacKenzie, director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy; Kenneth Charles, special advisor to the commission of the NYC Human Resources Administration; Marianne Nicolosi, executive director and Todd Fliedner, deputy director of the Bay Ridge Center; Alla Pliss, senior director of NORC support services at the Jewish Association Serving the Aging; and Grace Brandi, supervising senior center director at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island.
Reps Clarke, Jeffries, Velazquez Host Small Biz Town Hall
U.S. Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope) and 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) and Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Lower Manhattan) hosted a virtual town hall for small businesses and non-profit organizations.
The two representatives were joined by local elected officials & experts who offered information about available resources during coronavirus for local organizations and businesses from the CARES Act, which was enacted in late March. Lawmakers will also touch on the House-passed HEROES Act and discuss why it is important the Senate act and that measure be signed into law.
“I am in this fight to ensure our small businesses and nonprofits within our Central and South Brooklyn community maintain their livelihoods. Small businesses are the backbone of our community and need our help in Washington now more than ever so their doors aren’t shuttered because of coronavirus. It was important for me to host this town hall to help share information with small businesses and nonprofits about how they can weather this very challenging and scary economic storm,” said Clarke.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged America, shuttering small businesses and leaving millions of Americans without employment. Small businesses and nonprofits are the backbone of our communities, and we must provide the support necessary to get them through this dark hour. Last week, the House passed the Heroes Act to provide much-needed relief to the American people, including an essential expansion of the PPP. The Senate must act now and pass the Heroes Act,” said Jeffries.
“Small businesses are anchors in New York’s neighborhoods. Right now, they are struggling with unprecedented challenges and making gut-wrenching decisions as they attempt to keep their doors open and employees on payroll. It’s important they know where to turn for federal assistance and this forum provided a valuable discussion on the Paycheck Protection Program and other available initiatives. Going forward, we will work to further improve these programs and ensure more small businesses receive the emergency capital they need,” said Velazquez.
Myrie, Ampry-Samuel Hosts NYCHA Town Hall Hall With Samuel + Updates
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, South Slope, Sunset Park) and City Councilmember Alicka Ampry-Samuel (D-Brownsville, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant).
Other Updates:
Cases:
- There are now 356,458 positive cases in the state and 5,187 hospitalized. New York State has now suffered 23,083 losses of life, with another 105 yesterday. Each of these is another personal tragedy for a family and our hearts go out to everyone who has lost a loved one. New hospitalizations due to COVID are now down below where they were when the spike began.
Food:
- Two of our community partners are teaming up to provide more food in our district. Food will be distributed weekly starting Monday, June 1, from 3-5pm. Email sign up is required at healthymeals@brooklynmuseum.org.
- Mayor de Blasio said that hunger remains a persistent problem in the city and has launched an effort to distribute 1 million meals and distribute 500,000 more grab-and-go meals over the next week. If you need help finding food, please call 311 or call our office for further assistance at 718-284-4700.
Nys Contact Tracing:
- As part of contact tracing efforts, you may get a call that will pop up on smart phones as “NYS CONTACT TRACING.” If you get that call, it’s the state’s contact tracing team calling to track down potential contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and inform you that you should possibly be tested and quarantined if you were exposed.
Summer Learning
- In addition to the city’s recently released plans, Governor Cuomo today announced that the state will direct all summer school to be conducted through distance learning, while meal programs and child care services for essential employees will continue.
State Taxes:
- The governor announced that the state tax deadline will be delayed further, until June 22, in part to help struggling small businesses.
Unemployment:
- At its peak, the state’s Department of Labor had a backlog of 300,000 requests for unemployment benefits. The DOL has now announced that there are 7,580 claims that are incomplete due to missing information, and 22,801 need to be certified by the claimants.
