| Dear Neighbor, Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate our freedom we must remember that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. We continue to fight overdevelopment. While the developer of a supertall building won special treatment so that our community's hard-won rezoning wouldn't apply to his building for billionaires, we will bring the fight to court. We passed an $89 billion budget for the city that invests in our children, libraries, and parks while making transit more affordable and taking a look at why property taxes are higher in this neighborhood than many others. As we invest in schools, we broke ground on 180 new pre-kindergarten seats that should be ready for next year, stood up for specialized high schools and congratulated graduates from more than a dozen schools, sharing nothing less than the secret of life, spreading a message of tolerance, and hoping to inspire the next generation. We are working to make our streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers by giving everyone their own safe space. On Monday, July 9th, the Department of Transportation will be proposing a parking-protected bike lane to protect cyclists on Second Avenue below 68th Street and crosstown bike lane pairs on 65th and 66th as well as 84th and 85th Streets. I hope you will join me for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in Carl Schurz Park nightly at 7pm from July 17th through the 22nd. As I continue the second half of my paternity leave through the month of July, I took time out to fight for Universal Childcare, paying our childcare workers equitably and keeping children from being separated at the borders. Although I am on leave, my staff is still there to help every day from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday at 212-860-1950, or you can email me at BKallos@BenKallos.com. Regards,
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SPECIAL EVENTS 7/17-7/22, 7PM
7/11, 6PM 7/18, 11AM – 6PM MONTHLY EVENTS 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 3:30PM – 6PM |
HEADLINES
- Victories in the New City Budget
- Breaking Ground on 180 New Pre-K Seats
- Congratulating 2018 Graduates
- Developer Wins Special Treatment to Build Supertall
- Filling the Second Avenue Gap, New Crosstown Bike Lanes, and Pedestrian Safety Measures
- Meet the Leaders Interview: Ben Kallos
COUNCIL EVENTS
- Shakespeare in Carl Schurz Park
- New Senior Technology Tutoring
- Five Mile Stone Meeting with Community
- Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) in Your District
EDUCATION
- Protecting Specialized Education at Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech
- Celebrating Bronx High School of Science’s 80th Anniversary
- Fighting for Speed Cameras Around New York City Schools
- STEM Training for Teachers at Cornell Tech
- Universal Child Care Starting with Government Employees
- Pay Equity for Child Care Workers
- Governor Cuomo Launches LGBTQ Fellowship
- YMCA Scholarship For the Children of Servicemembers and Veterans
AFFORDABLE HOUSING & OVERDEVELOPMENT
- Affordable Housing Mansion Giveaways
- Scaffolding Plagues the Upper East Side
- Won Funding for Public Housing Repairs
- Low Rent Increase on Rent Stabilized Tenants
- Crain's Business Breakfast
- Overdevelopment Forum, Thank You
HEALTH
- What Lives in Our Subways
- Fighting Legionnaires’ Disease
- Partnering with Students to Reduce Childhood Obesity
- Fresh Food Box
GOOD GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY
- Groundbreaking on Senior Center and Youth Center at Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center
- Roosevelt Island Town Hall, Thank You
- Honoring Glaser’s Bake Shop After 116 Years
- Efforts to Boost Tourism on Roosevelt Island
- Remembering NYPD Hero Struck Down by 911
- Ruppert Park Beautification by Muslim Volunteers
- Summer Fun, Thank You
- New York Foundation for Senior Citizens City-wide Minor Home Repair Services
OFFICE UPDATES
EVENTS
- Events Funded by My Office
- Community Boards
- NYPD Events
- Neighborhood and Tenant Associations
- Community Events for Kids
- Community Events for Adults
Victories in the New York City Budget
The $89 billion 2018-19 budget passed by the New York City Council is a budget that highlights our needs and aims to strengthen the City’s financial position in case of economic downturn. I am particularly proud to have fought alongside my colleagues for and won:
Fair Fares - saves $700 a year in transit costs for 800,000 New Yorkers living in poverty and 12,000 veterans attending colleges in New York City for a $106 million investment.- Property Tax Reform Commission - to study disparities in property taxes resulting in our district paying higher property taxes than others do for larger homes.
- Fair Student Funding - schools in our neighborhood were chronically underfunded and nearly everyone will see a boost in funding with an investment of $125 million.
- Accessible Schools - almost every local public school in the neighborhood is not accessible which is why we are investing $150 million in making our schools accessible to every student.
- Supporting Our Youth - after school, summer programs, summer and year-round youth employment saw restorations and increases of $58.5 million.
- Expanding Our Libraries - with an investment of $60 million for new libraries and $16.7 million to keep them open.
- Cleaning Up Our Parks and Streets - we’ve invested $15.8 million in Parks Maintenance workers, tree stump removal and extra sanitation services.
- More Affordable Housing - we need more affordable housing for all New Yorkers including $40 million for public housing infrastructure, $3 million for homeless youth shelters, and $500 million for senior affordable housing.
For more information on the City’s most recent budget visit BenKallos.com/press-releases
Breaking Ground on 180 New Pre-K Seats
After years of advocacy and work with the community, we broke ground on a new Pre-Kindergarten facility on the Upper East Side, located on East 76th Street between First and Second Avenues. This facility will provide 180 much-needed seats to four-year-olds in the district. The good news does not end there. The City has also built another 234 seats at new facilities on East 57th and East 95th streets, which are all on schedule to open for this school year. Thanks to this new push in our neighborhood by the School Construction Authority, we will be adding a total of more than 400 Pre-K slots by the 2019 school year. For more information read the coverage in the Wall Street Journal or Upper East Side Patch, the press release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or watch the groundbreaking at BenKallos.com/videos
If you need help with Pre-K admissions and applications, call my office at 212-860-1950 or email UPK@BenKallos.com.
Congratulating 2018 Graduates
One of the best parts of my job is participating in graduations where I have been known to share the secret of life. Congratulations to the graduates of P.S. 59, P.S. 77, P.S. 151, P.S. 158, P.S. 183, P.S. 198, P.S. 290, P.S. 527, P. 169M, The Children’s Center, East Side Middle School, Yorkville East Middle School, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Life Sciences, and The Child School Legacy High School for hosting me and letting me speak to their graduates on their special day. As covered by Fox 5, following a bomb threat at Vanguard High School, we were able to work with administrators to save the graduation by asking that the nearby of Church of St. John Nepomucene to host the graduation, which they did at a moment’s notice. As we face hate and terror small miracles like these can restore our faith.
If you’d like me to speak at your school’s graduation next year, or even stop by your class during the year, whether you are a teacher, student, parent, or administrator, please email Scheduler@BenKallos.com.
Developer Wins Special Treatment to Build Supertall
As reported by Bloomberg, Crain’s, Manhattan Express, Politico, The Real Deal and Real Estate Weekly, the fight to preserve our residential communities against super-tall buildings will have to continue in court before a judiciary which is less likely to be tainted by the political process, following an irresponsible decision by the Board of Standards and Appeals. The Board ruled in favor of a bad acting developer against a lawful rezoning that was the result of a grassroots effort by the local community and elected officials.
Once again the city is allowing a developer to ignore the laws, having hurtled forward with its illegal foundation, in full knowledge of the zoning change, then asking the city for special treatment after the fact. In a mad rush to complete its foundation so it could then claim a hardship, the developer completed the bulk of its foundation using illegal After Hours Work Variances, while failing repeatedly to comply with Department of Transportation safety requirements.
The city has been complicit in ignoring the law in order to help a developer beat the community, from delaying the rezoning for years to adding a bogus grandfather clause to granting illegal After Hours Variances, endangering public safety by closing streets in violation of the law, and now finally ignoring the hard-fought zoning change the community had won.
The Daily News devoted a cover and two-page spread reporting on the fact that the real estate developer and Mayor were represented by the same law firm to whom the Mayor still owes $300,000.
This rezoning was a hard-fought victory for the community led by the East River Fifties Alliance, and we must not give up without a fight. Please join us in our next battle by financially supporting us in court at ERFA.nyc/donate
Filling the Second Avenue Gap, New Crosstown Bike Lanes, and Pedestrian Safety Measures
On Monday, July 9th at 6:30 P.M., residents are invited to attend Community Board 8’s monthly Transportation Committee at Hunter College, Room 615 in the West Building at 121 East 67th Street.
Crosstown bike lane pairs have also been proposed for the Eastside on 65th and 66th as well as on 84th and 85th Streets. This would add to existing crosstown lanes at 90th and 91st as well as two new pairs at 77th and 78th as well as 70th and 71st that were added two years ago. While controversial at the time, we have received no complaints since their installation and have seen improvements in safety with reductions on collisions between vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
The agenda will also include a report from New York City Transit on the M31, M66 and M72 bus lines.
If you wish to speak please show up early or on time and sign up to do so at the beginning of the meeting. Remarks are often limited to two minutes or less.
Meet the Leaders Interview: Ben Kallos
I sat down for a quick but informative interview with Altice’s Meet the Leaders program. We covered a range of issues from the ongoing battle to prevent a supertower in the Sutton Area to how much funding my office has secured for rebuilding and maintaining the East River Esplanade. The interview also touches on one of my earliest accomplishments as a City Council Member when we were able to make being a member of the City Council a full-time job, which does not allow for outside income and influence. This change alone has made the City Council more transparent and a lot less vulnerable to corruption, as now Council Members cannot take outside income from corporations or other special interests and then vote on legislation affecting the company they work for on the side. Watch the entire interview at BenKallos.com/videos
COUNCIL EVENTS
Shakespeare in Carl Schurz Park
I love Shakespeare in the Park and have been proud to partner with the New York Classical Theatre to provide funding to bring it to Carl Schurz Park for its third year. Please join us July 17th through the 22nd starting at 7 P.M. in Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street and East End Avenue for a free performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. This performance will bring the story of star-crossed lovers to life in a fast-paced, six-person tour de force interpretation, as they perform scenes at various locations throughout the park. Bring your favorite blanket or a folding chair if your mobility is limited, and enjoy the show.
Shakespeare in Carl Schurz Park
Romeo and Juliet
7 P.M. at East 86th Street and East End
Tuesday, July 17, RSVP
Wednesday, July 18, RSVP
Thursday, July 19, RSVP
Friday, July 20, RSVP
Saturday, July 21, RSP
Sunday, July 22, RSVP
RSVP at BenKallos.com/events
New Senior Technology Tutoring
Learn how to use computers and smartphones at the Senior Technology Clinic, made available by Search and Care with funding from my. The program offers one-on-one tutoring for seniors sixty and older. The classes will take place in my office, using one of our desktop computers, or participants; laptops if they bring them. Anyone who is interested can also bring a tablet (like iPad or Kindle), and/or a cell phone. Classes are by appointment only, Thursdays in July & August from 3pm – 4:30pm.
Whether you have some computer experience or none whatsoever, we can help you learn:
- the ABC’s of using a keyboard and computer for the very first time;
- how to set up and use email to connect with family members;
- how to safely search online for recipes, news, and other topics;
- how to set up easy online bill paying, or refilling your MTA senior-fare Metrocard;
- how to use your cell phone.
RSVP for yourself or someone you know now by calling 212-860-1950.
Five Mile Stone Meeting with Community
Over the years, neighbors have made complaints about Five Mile Stone using the sidewalk to serve residents illegally, windows that were open late, and excessive noise after 9 P.M. As a result, my office has withheld approval for a sidewalk cafe. Following a decline in complaints and a meeting with all five owners, Five Mile has agreed to close windows at sundown on Fridays and 10 P.M. all other nights, and to make owner numbers available at the entrance. We are holding a series of public meetings with owners and neighbors to ensure that everyone is happy as we move towards approving a sidewalk cafe to support this local business.
Please join my office, Community Board 8, and the owners for a
Five Mile Stone Meeting with the Community
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 6PM
Five Mile Stone, 1640 Second Avenue
RSVP at BenKallos.com/events
Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) in Your District
HPD will hold office hours in City Council Districts across the city to address the needs of constituents seeking information about HPD and housing-related issues. Staff from HPD’s Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services will be present for sessions in Councilmember Offices and/or at specified locations in the HPD Outreach Van.
We can help you:
- Understand Your Rights and Responsibilities: Learn about the ABCs of Housing and your rights and responsibilities as a tenant or owner.
- File a Housing Complaint: Get help filing a complaint about housing code violations and landlord harassment.
- Finance Improvements and Repairs: Learn about and apply for financial assistance for property owners.
- Prepare to Apply for Affordable Housing: Learn about opportunities and prepare to apply for affordable housing lotteries.
- Register Your Building: Get help registering your building as a property owner.
- Remedy a Violation: Learn how to remedy housing code violations at your property.
Call our office at 212-860-1950 to make an appointment.
EDUCATION
Protecting Specialized Education at Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech
As covered by CBS 2 News and the New York Daily News, like many other New York parents around this great City, I was extremely disappointed to hear that the Mayor was planning on getting rid of the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). Although I understand the Mayor’s good intentions for integrating the top high schools in the City and for pushing for more diversity and fairness, I believe doing away with the test is not a good method of doing so.
Our Specialized High Schools have seen a drop in enrollment by black and Latino students by as much as 27% since de Blasio became Mayor. Despite this drop, 44% to 66% of students at the Specialized High Schools are Title I, with a majority coming from homes where English is not the primary language. We need to understand that the test is not the problem. The problem is the broken school system serving the students who cannot score high enough in tests, and the failure to prepare all students for the Specialized High Schools admissions process.
I oppose replacing objective criteria like this exam with subjective measures that would further erode any notion of a meritocracy in New York City’s school system. Prior to eliminating t
e sole objective criteria, the City must:
- Seat every middle school student for a practice exam followed by the actual exam during school hours; and
- Provide free preparation for the examination as part of a Universal After School mandate;
Join the fight to protect a world-class public education by adding your name at BenKallos.com/petition/SpecializedHighSchools
Celebrating Bronx High School of Science’s 80th Anniversary
This year I joined fellow classmates for our 20-year reunion as well as alumni of all ages at the Bronx High School of Science’s 80th Anniversary All Years Alumni Day. I had the opportunity to see old classmates, constituents and graduates from all over who support the test, as well as meeting current students for interviews by Wolverine TV, the Science Survey, visiting the onsite Holocaust Museum and hanging out in the computer lab. You can check out photos at Facebook.com/BenKallos/photos. As an attorney and now elected official, I can tell you that Bronx Science was the most academically rigorous and only time in my life, present included, where no one got bullied for being smart.
Fighting for More Speed Cameras Around New York City Schools
Albany failed New York City residents once again by refusing to extend authorization for speed cameras to protect New York City school children. The City should not have to ask to keep or expand the speed camera program, as experience has shown that wherever speed cameras are installed, they reduce speeding by 63 percent, while injuries to pedestrians drop 23 percent. Albany must get back to work to reinstate this approval.
We can and should do more than protecting only 150 intersections, and I am working on a new policy to keep us safe. If you have any other ideas you think will make our roads and sidewalks safer, please share your ideas and research with me at BKallos@BenKallos.com.
STEM Training for Teachers at Cornell Tech
It was really an honor welcoming a group of over 100 educators from across the city to the “Ignite My Future in School” initiative, hosted by Tata Consultancy Services and Cornell Tech in June. This new program offers New York City teachers resources and support in getting computational thinking into the school curriculum. In my remarks, I shared with teachers how I use computational thinking every day to be a better advocate for change. Whether it is fighting voter purges with VoterSearch.org, fighting for and winning more school seats using data, or the next big issue, computational thinking can help fix any problem of today and tomorrow.
Universal Child Care Starting with Government Employees
As a brand new father, I understand firsthand the difficulties New York City parents are facing with rising and often exorbitant childcare costs. In June, alongside the Public Advocate Letitia "Tish" James and Council Members from across the city, I rallied on the steps of City Hall in support of child care services for municipal employees. Parents shouldn’t be forced to choose between a career, paying for childcare, or leaving the city. This childcare legislation will study how to move forward here in New York City, and I committed to winning childcare for all New Yorkers.
Pay Equity for Child Care Workers
I have been fighting for wage parity for New York City child care workers since I was elected. It is still unbelievable that these workers are paid 40-60% less than New York City public school teachers despite doing the same work and having the same degrees and certifications. In June that fight continued as I marched from the North End of Battery Park to City Hall with childcare workers represented by District Council 1707 and its fearless Executive Director Kim Medina. Once we arrived at City Hall, hundreds of union members rallied against wage inequality. Supporters of this cause addressed the large crowd and demanded that New York Public Center-based child care workers be paid the same as their counterparts that work for the Department of Education. Watch the rally at BenKallos.com/videos
Governor Cuomo Launches LGBTQ Fellowship
Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched an LGBTQ Fellowship honoring Edie Windsor, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera through the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer. The LGBTQ Fellow will be awarded every two years to an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to social justice, a track record of working on LGBTQ equality, civil rights and diversity issues, and a strong interest in a career in public service. The Fellow will have the opportunity to network with elected officials and industry partners and to participate as an Empire State Fellow in educational and professional development programs, including a week-long orientation session and biweekly evening classes that will help them to serve as an effective government leader and strengthen the network of LGBTQ policymakers and leaders in New York State. The Fellow will serve from September 2018 to September 2020 and will earn a salary of $72,765 plus a generous benefits package. Apply by July 13, 2018, and learn more at Governor.NY.gov.
YMCA Scholarship For the Children of Service Members and Veterans
To honor the service and sacrifice of America's veterans the YMCA has created a special scholarship to send the children of Servicemembers to the Y’s Sleepaway Camp in Huguenot, NY. If you’re a Servicemember or veteran, or a survivor with child(ren) who’d like to go to the YMCA’s Sleepaway Camp this summer, but cannot afford the cost, please email Daniel Garber, Senior Director of the Annual Fund at dgarber@ymcanyc.org.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING & OVERDEVELOPMENT
Affordable Housing Mansion Giveaways
As chair of the Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions I oversee the development of affordable housing on City-owned land that is given to real estate developers. Since this is a role I take incredibly seriously I am committed to making sure New Yorkers are getting the best use out of every tax dollar. In June the New York Post and The Real Deal reported one deal that got my attention. Ten families got the luckiest real estate deals in all of New York City with more than $600,000 in subsidies to purchase properties worth more than a million dollars for pennies on the dollar triggering a 1 percent “mansion tax,” which the city received City Council approval to waive. I will continue to keep a watchful eye on every affordable housing deal to make sure that every tax dollars gets the most affordable housing possible. Read more in The Real Deal and the New York Post.
Scaffolding Plagues the Upper East Side
As made obvious by Our Town’s reporting in June, sidewalk sheds continue to be a problem in our neighborhood. To put it simply, there are just too many of them and they are everywhere. According to their reporting, Community Board 8 has 537 active sheds over 15 miles of sidewalks in our neighborhood. The problem is that the scaffolding is up for too long with no work being done on the building. The scaffolding is put up for an average of 240 days on the Upper East Side, but it can even go up and stay up for years, even if no work is happening. This is why I continue to push for the legislation I authored that would require all sheds to be taken down in six months, or in seven days if no work is performed during that period of time. The City would then step in and do the facade work and send the bill to the building owner. I believe this legislation would decrease the amount of scaffolding around the City while making sure that facade work to buildings is getting done safely. Read more in Our Town.
Won Funding for Public Housing Repairs
For years, too many of the 400,000 New York City residents who live in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings have had to deal with toxic lead paint, mold, pest infestations, inadequate heat, and unreliable elevator service. These are problems that all persist. In an effort to improve conditions and fix these issues, I stood together with NYCHA tenants, members of Community Voices Heard, Council Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo, and Council Members Jumaane Williams, Carlina Rivera, and Helen Rosenthal to demand $2 billion in NYCHA funding and a repair instead of the annual $1 billion from the City of New York in its FY 2019 budget. I’m happy to report that after our rally once the budget passed, the City agreed to pay $2.2 billion over the next 5 years in repairs for NYCHA facilities. After that, the City has committed to an additional $200 million per year until the needed repairs are completed. NYCHA has also agreed to create three new departments (for compliance, environmental health and safety, and quality assurance) in order to combat its mismanagement. For more information, watch the press conference at BenKallos.com/videos
Low Rent Increase on Rent Stabilized Tenants
For the fourth consecutive year, I rallied with activists from all over the City as they came together in 2018, to demand that the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) not increase rents for the 1.6 million rent-stabilized apartments in our City. I once again joined with tenants providing testimony to the RGB, making the case that landlord profits are on the increase and residents still have not caught up due to the high rate increases in past administrations.
Over the last four years since our advocacy began, the RGB has made history by issuing two consecutive rent freezes and two historically low increases. This year, however, the RGB voted to allow landlords to increase rents by 1.5% on one year and 2.5% on two-year leases. While this was a lower increase than the disproportionately high increases of previous administrations in part due to our continued advocacy, more needs to be done to balance tenants’ rent burdens with landlord’s revenues.
Over the past four years, we have supported the Rent Justice Coalition, Urban Justice Center, and Met Council on Housing, and we have led fellow elected officials in securing two consecutive rent freezes. I will continue this fight every year to keep our rents low so that millions of New Yorkers can afford to live in this great city. To learn more, read the testimony I submitted to the Rent Guidelines Board this year calling for a rent freeze at BenKallos.com/press-releases.
If you are interested in joining the fight, sign my petition at BenKallos.com/petition/rent-roll-back
Crain's Business Breakfast
Thank you to everyone who attended the Crain's Business Breakfast in early June. It was a pleasure to be able to discuss topics like overdevelopment, affordable housing, and neighborhood rezonings at the forum hosted by Crain’s. The panel, which I found to be very informative, was made up of City Council Land Use Chair Rafael Salamanca Jr., Zoning Chair Francisco Moya, Council Member Ritchie Torres, and myself. As an elected official, one of my priorities has been getting the most of your tax dollars and making sure your money is working for you. In my role in the Council as Planning, Dispositions and Concessions Chair, I took this opportunity to discuss scaffolding legislation, workers safety, and the zoning process. Watch the entire forum at BenKallos.com/videos
Overdevelopment Forum Thank You
Nearly 200 residents attended June’s Overdevelopment Forum put together by my office and hosted in conjunction with State Senator Liz Krueger and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. The forum, which took place at Lenox Hill Neighborhood Center, consisted of a number of presentations and a panel of experts from the Municipal Arts Society, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, CIVITAS, and Community Board 8. Their presentations centered around what residents could do to help preserve our neighborhoods and explaining all the loopholes that developers violate in order to build taller. Thank you also to State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright for being supportive and to fellow Council Member Keith Powers for attending and addressing the crowd. Most of all thank you to the residents who showed up and participated in 2 and a half hour forum that I hope was informative. You can watch the entire forum at BenKallos.com/videos
HEALTH
What Lives in Our Subways
For the past three years, I’ve had the pleasure of joining Weill Cornell’s Dr. Christopher Mason and his team in collecting genetic information on Global Sampling Day. This year, we again swabbed the 72nd street stop of the 2nd Avenue subway for bacteria and organisms, and the data we collect will give us a better idea of New York’s microbiome. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Mason for his research in this topic and for allowing me to participate in such an important global study. Stay tuned for the results of the study in a few months. For more information visit metasub.org/global-city-sampling-day
Fighting Legionnaires’ Disease
In 2015, in response to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in the Bronx, I co-sponsored Local Law 77 of 2015, which required registration, inspection and testing of cooling towers in the city. When the Upper East Side had its own cluster of Legionella, we already knew where all the cooling towers were and were able to test every single one of them. Following a positive test for the Legionella, bacteria samples are usually grown for two-weeks to see if they develop into Legionnaires’ Disease. Rather than wait two weeks and risk another infection I requested that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) immediately order biocide disinfection of 43 cooling towers in the neighborhood, which they did, and no one else got sick. Now as reported by Gothamist that buildings appear to be falling behind on inspections and testing I am pushing for the City to take action and to make sure that the cooling towers stay safe.
With summer weather here, please make sure your building is keeping your cooling towers safe, and if you are concerned that you or someone you know might be suffering or exposed to Legionnaires please check out our FAQ at BenKallos.com/press-releases
Partnering with Students to Reduce Childhood Obesity
One out of every four New York City public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade is obese. I met student leaders at the Teens for Food Justice and American Heart Association’s Youth Leadership Conference in early June who are taking this issue head on. The two organizations have partnered this semester to teach students about the importance of children having access to healthy options in restaurant menus and in their neighborhoods. I also took the time to talk to the students about legislation I have introduced with the support of the American Heart Association to ensure New York City Kids eat and drink healthier. Under legislation I will soon be introducing, restaurants will be forced to remove sugary drinks as the default serving from kid’s menus. My bill aims to make healthy options like water, non-fat milk, and 100% real fruit juice the default choice in kid’s menus in all restaurants in New York City. For more information on the bill and my work with the American Heart Association watch the press conference at BenKallos.com/videos
Fresh Food Box
Our Fresh Food Box, which began as a pilot program between my office and GrowNYC back in the spring of 2016, is now a fan favorite for residents. GrowNYC's Fresh Food Box Program lets customers benefit from fresh farm-to-table produce from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share, with the flexibility of week-to-week purchasing.
Fresh Food Box
District Office,3:30pm and 6:30pm
Every Thursday Until November 15
Place your order and pay just $14 (cash, credit/debit, SNAP/food stamps, greenmarket bucks). Pick up your bag full of farm fresh produce the the following week.
Learn more at BenKallos.com/FreshFoodBox
GOOD GOVERNMENT
Improving Community Boards
As New York City continues to move forward with a Charter Revision spanning a wide range of issues, I submitted testimony once again, this time identifying areas where the Charter could be revised to improve community boards and the land use process. As a former member of Community Board 8, I know the Boards need help doing outreach and recruitment to make sure they recruit experts from all segments of the community including youth representation. Community Boards also need help with their websites, standardizing the application and moving applications entire online.
On the topic of Land Use, I have for a long time now pushed for greater community input and power during the land use process. I have recommended that an Office of Community Planning be established to provide technical expertise, resources and guidance to Community Boards and neighborhood organizations to encourage greater involvement in often-complicated land use decisions. Community Boards should have binding power with a combined “no” vote by a Community Board, Borough Board, and Borough President able to stop a project from moving forward. Last but not least, if a Community Board and Council Member or Borough President agree on a rezoning, City Planning should be required to move forward with the application.
Read my entire testimony at BenKallos.com/press-releases
Digital Tools to Improve Government
Thank you to the organizers of the Personal Democracy Forum 2018 for their invitation to the event. It was a great opportunity to discuss how technology and government are now more than ever before intertwined. As an elected official and software developer, I discussed how technology has become crucial for the government to do its job well. Attendees of the forum also had the chance to explore the question of “how we make good” on creating and strengthening both democracy and its core institutions by using technology.
COMMUNITY
Groundbreaking on Senior Center and Youth Center at Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center
For more than 50 years, the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center has served the needs of over 6,000 children and low-income families, out-of-school and out-of-work youth, and older adults every year. As reported in the Upper East Side Patch, in June, the center began a $2.1 million renovation and upgrade of its kitchen funded in part by my office. The renovations include:
- Isaacs Houses – replacement of existing kitchen equipment, new kitchen floor and ceiling, and mechanical upgrades.
- Holmes Towers – complete bathroom renovation, replacement of plumbing fixtures, new LED lighting fixtures, and new doors and frames.
Construction is expected to be completed in February 2019, and the facility is expected to be up and running by July 31, 2019. For more information read the coverage in CityLand, watch the press conference at Benkallos.com/videos, and read the release at BenKallos.com/press-releases
Roosevelt Island Town Hall, Thank You
Thank you to the more than 100 Roosevelt Islanders who turned out to our annual town hall. We were happy to take questions, provide answers and find areas for more collaboration. Thank you to Congress Member Maloney, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Senator Serrano and Assembly Member Seawright for attending. Watch the entire event at BenKallos.com/videos
Efforts to Boost Tourism on Roosevelt Island
As covered by amNY, Roosevelt Island is a dynamic island that just like Manhattan island is full of culture, art and detail that make it a wonderful place to live. In early June I had the pleasure of joining residents on the island in unveiling more artwork by way of a 6-foot-tall carbon-steel column, inspired by the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. This is just the latest work that has made me proud to represent Roosevelt Island and all of the many pieces of art that are scattered throughout the island such as FDR Four Freedoms Park, the climbable “Blue Dragon,” Cornell Tech’s WPA murals on its campus, and of course the latest exhibition at Gallery RIVAA. For more information read amNY.
Honoring Glaser’s Bake Shop After 116 Years
After 116 years of outstanding service and sweet contributions to our community, the beloved Glaser’s Bake Shop closed its doors on July 1st. Glaser’s Bake Shop has been the community’s go-to source for many memorable delicacies, and it is especially famous for its iconic treat: the black and white cookie. While the community and world have changed so much over the 116 years, Glaser’s Bake Shop has remained incredibly consistent in both quality and service. To honor their dedication and hard-work, I presented brothers and co-owners Herb and John Glaser with a commemorative proclamation. I wish them both a happy retirement with lots of rest. See more of the photos and video on Facebook.com/BenKallos
Remembering NYPD Hero Struck Down by 9/11
Deputy Chief Steven J. Bonano joined the NYPD on January 26, 1982. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Deputy Chief Bonano’s public service career spanned four decades. During his 33-year career with the Department, Deputy Chief Bonano served in several commands including the 23, 34, 45, 46, and 52 Precincts; Vice Enforcement; the Aviation Unit; the Emergency Service Unit (ESU); the Community Affairs Bureau; and Patrol Borough Brooklyn South.
During 9/11, Deputy Chief Bonano played a decisive role in the Department’s rescue and recovery efforts. He served as commanding officer of the Emergency Services Unit and 23rd Precinct as well as executive officer of both the Community Affairs Bureau and Patrol Borough Brooklyn South. An accomplished licensed pilot, Deputy Chief Bonano also spent many years with the NYPD Aviation Unit and was a recipient of the Department’s second-highest medal, the Police Combat Cross. Over the course of his time with the NYPD, he made 385 arrests and was recognized 44 times for Excellent Police Duty; 12 times for Meritorious Police Duty; 10 times with Commendations; and once with an Honorable Mention. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University. Deputy Chief Bonano died on January 17, 2015. He is survived by his parents, Eulogio and Vivian; his brother, Anthony; his sister, Lisa; and his fiancée, Miriam Rivera.
Ruppert Park Beautification
by Muslim Volunteers
On July 13, Muslim Volunteers for New York will be hosting a day of fun at the park with the help of the New York City Parks Department. Playtime begins at 4pm and ends at 6pm. A parks associate will be present to organize and play with any attending families and children who want to play Jumbo Games or do Arts and Crafts. Muslim Volunteers will also be at Ruppert Park on August 10 and September 14. RSVP at Facebook.com/mv4ny/events
New Yorkers Resist Separating Immigrant Families with Love
President Trump's policy forcing the separation of immigrant families at the border created a situation where over 2,400 children were separated from their families and sent around the country. Hundreds of those children including some as young as 9 months are in New York City.
Although President Trump has finally signed an executive order ending the policy of separating children from their families, it is clear that his administration has not adequately planned out steps for reunifying the hundreds of families that have already been torn apart. The situation is a tragedy that could have been avoided.
As a father, I cannot imagine being separated from my child, unsure of where she is or who is caring for her. No family should be put into this situation. Thankfully, New York State is both willing and able to help these children and as reported by Our Town the people of New York City have opened their arms donated many supplies to make the situation for this children better while they are here. I am thankful to our States leadership and City for speaking out against President Trump’s actions policies and I’m also proud of the thousands of New Yorkers who have chosen to stand in solidarity with these immigrants. I hope to be able to work with the City and the State to improve the lives of these children and reunite them with their families.
Summer Fun, Thank You
As promised, my office kicked off summer 2018 with a variety of free activities in our parks. Thank you to the hundreds of residents both young and elderly who attended Skate Night in late June our various Movie Nights throughout the District and of course my favorite Family Day. All of the events in June were well attended, and I had a great time at each of the ones I made it out to. Thank you to the New York City Parks Department for helping us put these events on, and I am already looking forward to more events in the coming months and years.
What was your favorite programming and what would you like to see more of in the future?
To stay up to date with all the events my office organizes visit BenKallos.com/events
New York Foundation for Senior Citizens City-wide Minor Home Repair Services
If you are a homeowner age 60 or over, you might be able to qualify for the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens’ Minor Home Repair Program. The program can help with a number of services, including:
- Weatherization (i.e. weatherstripping of doors/windows, caulking, A/C filters & covers)
- Carpentry (i.e. lock installations & repairs, repair steps/doors/windows)
- Plumbing (i.e. faucet repair & installation, toilet repairs, sink drains, grouting of tiles)
- Masonry (i.e. minor cementing & patching)
- Electrical (i.e. replacement/repair switch, outlet, repair light fixture/lamp, smoke & carbon monoxide alarm installation, doorbells)
- Safety Audit (identify potential hazards & recommend ways to resolve them)
With the program, you can ready your home for free for any season. For more information visit the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens' Website. If you would like to apply for the services or refer potential applicants, please call 212-962-7655.
OFFICE UPDATES
Legislative Corner
According to the Department of Health, someone in NYC dies of an overdose every 7 hours. More New Yorkers die of drug overdoses than homicides, suicides, and motor vehicle crashes combined and opioids are an increasingly common cause. To combat these preventable deaths, the City Council passed a package of bills this month that I cosponsored.
Local Law 128 of 2018 offers overdose prevention and reversal training to the general public and Local Law 124 of 2018 requires that all syringe exchange facilities in the City receive this training, which also includes how to administer common opioid antagonists to reverse an overdose.
Free Legal Clinics
Need a lawyer? Every month I sponsor legal clinics where you can get free legal advice in my District Office at 244 East 93rd Street from 3pm-6pm:
- Housing Clinics, Every Monday, and 1st Wednesday
- Family Law and Domestic Violence, 1st Tuesday
- Life Planning Clinic, 3rd Wednesday
- General Civil Law, 3rd Tuesday
Please call my office at 212-860-1950 in advance to schedule your appointment.
Here to Help
We are here to help. My social work team can help you find out what services you are eligible for and assist you in your application. Some examples include:
- Seniors: Medicare savings, Meals-on-Wheels, Access-A-Ride
- Housing: searching for affordable units, free legal housing clinic at my office
- Job Resources: training resources and assistance, unemployment benefits
- Families: Universal Pre-K, Head Start, After-School programs
- Finances: cash assistance, tax credits, home energy assistance
- Nutrition: WIC, free meals for all ages
Please also call us at 212-860-1950 or email at bkallos@benkallos.com with any unresolved 311 complaints.
Mobile District Hours
Get assistance wherever in the district you are when we bring our office to you. Please join us at monthly mobile district hours from 11am-2pm:
- Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street, 2nd Tuesday
- Roosevelt Island Senior Center, 546 Main Street, 4th Wednesday
Ben in Your Building
The "Ben in Your Building Program" is a chance to discuss issues of importance to you and your neighbors in person, in your home. Please consider inviting me to your cooperative or condominium annual meeting or tenants association meeting and I will be happy to join you. Over the past year, I have visited several buildings to discuss matters of importance in the neighborhood, including street furniture, road conditions, homeless outreach, sanitation issues and you name it. Please schedule a "Ben in Your Building" today by calling 212-860-1950 or email Scheduler@BenKallos.com.
EVENTS FUNDED OR SPONSORED BY MY OFFICE
Tuesdays Year Round: Community Supported Agriculture Boxes From GrownNYC
3:30pm, Center @ Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Year-round at the Center @ Lenox Hill Neighborhood House you can pick up your own Community Supported Agriculture box of high quality, farm fresh produce at below retail prices! For only $14, receive $25 worth of fresh greens & fruit every week. CSA shares must be purchased a week in advance. For more information email Sit Coordinator Abby Lee at alee@grownyc.org.
7/1, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29: Summer Sunset Sundays and Four Freedoms Eats
9:00am - 8:30pm, Four Freedoms Park
Enjoy delicious food, twilight evenings, and other fun surprises.
7/9: Drag Queen Story Hour (A Summer Reading Program)
3:00pm, Yorkville Library
A program for children aged 3-8 that raises awareness of gender diversity, promotes self-acceptance, and builds empathy through an enjoyable literary experience.
7/10: Presentation: “Who will decide for me?”
10:55am - 12:00pm, Roosevelt Island Senior Center
VOLS Elderly Project.
7/14: City of Water Day
11:00am - 3:00pm
Celebrate NYC’s incredible waterfront at this annual citywide harbor festival in partnership with Waterfront Alliance.
7/16: Exhibition Opening Reception
6:00pm - 7:30pm, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
Experience the opening of “New York Women, War and Patriotism, 1812-1918.” This exhibition addresses the role of women in wars throughout the nations history. Meet with the descendants of Hildreth Meière, one of many women enlisted in the Navy during WWI. Free with admission and free for Museum Members. Request a reservation by calling 212-838-6878.
EVENTS
Community Boards:
The Community Board 6 and 11 full board meetings have been canceled for the month of July.
7/9: Community Board 8 Transportation Committee
6:30pm, Hunter College, West Building, 121 East 67th Street, Room 615
Agenda: 2nd Avenue Bike Lane Gap, Crosstown Bike Lanes and Pedestrian Safety
7/12: Community Board 8 Parks and Recreation Committee
6:30pm-8:30pm, New York Blood Center, 310 E 67th St
7/17: Community Board 8 Zoning & Development Committee
6:30pm, Lenox Hill Hospital, Carmel Conference Room,100 E 77th St
7/18: Community Board 8 Full Board Meeting
6:30pm-8:30pm, The Nightingale-Bamford School,20 E 92nd St,
7/19: Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee
6:30pm-9:00pm, Good Shepherd Community Center, 543 Main St
7/19: Community Board 8 Charter Revision Task Force
6:30pm, CB8 Office, 505 Park Avenue, Suite 620
7/25: Community Board 8 Housing Committee
6:30pm, Knickerbocker Plaza Community Room,1751 2nd Ave
NYPD Events
First Monday, 7/2: 19th Precinct Community Council
7:00 pm, 153 East 67th Street
Fourth Wednesday, 7/25: 23rd Precinct Community Council
6:00 pm, 162 East 102nd Street
Last Tuesday, 7/31: 17th Precinct Community Council
6:30 pm, Sutton Place Synagogue, 225 E 51st Street
Neighborhood and Tenant Associations
Second Tuesday, 7/10: Stanley Isaacs Tenant Associations
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street
Third Tuesday, 7/19: Holmes Tower Tenant Association
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street
Events for Children
Every Tuesday: Bilingual Birdies French Classes
11:30am, 67th Street Library
In this Summer reading program, we’ll bring families on an out-of-this-world experience where we teach new vocabulary. Program is for children and their families.
Every Tuesday: Early Literacy: Free Play
4:00pm, Webster Library
Join us on Tuesday afternoons for a fun chance to socialize with other kids from the community! Toys are provided. This program is for both caregiver and child.
Every Saturday: Family Game Time
10:00am, 96th Street Library
Come play board and card games in the library. We have classic games and new games, for children ages 2 to 12. Bring your friends and family.
7/2: Children’s Film - UP (2009)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
Join Carl on his journey to relive his childhood dreams of flying away with balloons attach to his house. Free admission.
7/5, 7/11, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26: Early Literacy: Family Storytime
11:00am, 11:30am, 11:45am, Webster Library
Toddlers from birth to 3 years and their caregivers can enjoy interactive storytime. Limit of 15 children and their caregivers. Times are approximate. Tickets are given out the morning of the program on a first come first served basis.
7/5: Film - Paddington 2 (2017)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
While searching for the perfect present for his beloved Aunt Lucy's hundredth birthday, Paddington sees a unique pop-up book in Mr. Gruber's antique shop, and works odd jobs to buy it.
7/6: Popular Films: Ant-Man
2:00pm, 96th Street Library Auditorium
Forced out of his own company by former protégé Darren Cross, Dr. Hank Pym recruits the talents of Scott Lang, a master thief just released from prison. Lang becomes Ant-Man, trained by Pym and armed with a suit that allows him to shrink in size, possess superhuman strength and control an army of ants.
7/7: East Sixties Neighborhood Association Annual Street Fair
12:pm - 5pm, East 60th Street between 5th & Madison Avenue
Join your Upper East Side neighbors as they come out to celebrate the ESNA annual street fair, with festival food, jewelry for sale , gilf, activities, crafts and tcotchkes. For more information email info@esna-nyc-net
7/9-7/13: History Weeks Summer 2018
8:30am - 3:00pm, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
Children explore life in 19th century New York City. Camp fee $275
7/9: Children’s Film - WALL-E (2008)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
WALL-E (2008) 98 min., color, Andrew Stanton, Director. After hundreds of lonely years, a waste management robot finds a new purpose in life. With only a cockroach for a friend, he finds true love in another robot sent on a mission to Earth to see if it is safe for human life. Open to children of all ages.
7/9, 7/23: Early Literacy: Art Buffet
4:00pm, Webster Library
Join us for an hour of uninterrupted fun. Pick and choose from our craft supplies to make a masterpiece to take home.
Every Tuesday starting 7/10: Music Makers Design Lab
1:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
In this interactive, four-part program, children in grades K-5 will explore the mechanics behind music.
7/11: School’s Out… Let’s Have Fun Learning with Songs! (A Summer Reading Program)
10:30am, 96th Street Library
Early Childhood Program (best for PreK and younger). Songs in English and Spanish with ESL strategies to highlight language acquisition. Themes include: Synonyms, opposites, how to be in school and at home, weather, animals, emotions, sequencing, geography, colors, and more.
7/11: Summer Sounds: Kenn Morr Band
7:00pm, John Finley Walk at the top of the East 86th Street staircase, Carl Schurz Park
Kenn Morr’s songs have an elemental quality—water, earth, relationships, seasons, time, change, loss—like the great songwriters who inspired him early on: Dylan, Simon, Van Morrison, Graham Nash, and especially Gordon Lightfoot. He understands that when trouble comes, the trade winds bring an upside, and there’s always the redemptive power of music.
7/12: Webster at the Movies: Paddington 2
4:00pm, Webster Library
Paddington the bear is a popular member of the community who spreads joy and marmalade wherever he goes.
7/13: Popular Films: Hotel Transylvania 2
6:00pm, 96th Street Library Auditorium
Now that Dracula has opened the Hotel Transylvania's doors to humans, things are changing for the better; however, Drac is secretly worried that his half-human grandson, Dennis, isn't showing his vampire side.
7/16: Children’s Film - COCO (2017)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
Despite his family's baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz.
7/17: Music Makers Design Lab
1:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
In this interactive, four-part program, children in grades K-5 will explore the mechanics behind music.
7/18, 7/25: Preschool Storytime
10:30am, 96th Street Library
Read aloud and messy art projects for young children. Wear your art clothes. Smocks will be provided.
7/18: Music Makers Design Lab
3:30pm, Webster Library
In this interactive, four-part program, children in grades K-5 will explore the mechanics behind music.
7/18: Steve Shaiman and Swingtime Big Band
7:00pm, John Finley Walk at the top of the East 86th Street staircase, Carl Schurz Park
That uniquely American combination of reeds, brass and rhythm which defined our nation's popular music for more than three decades and which still pervades our public consciousness.
7/19: Macaroni Summer Reading Program
3:00pm, Webster Library
Best for ages 3 and older. Presented by Monkey Music.
7/20: Storytime-All About Ice Cream
10:30am, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
Historical stories and crafts best for children ages 2-6. This months focus is ice cream and how it’s made. Free for members and children and their caregivers.
7/20: Children’s Film - Frozen (2013)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.
7/20: DJ Workshop for Beginners
3:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
An introduction to professional equipment and some DJ software. For ages 13-18 years old. Presented by DJ Carol C.
7/21, 7/22: Uni Project Featuring Story Time
11:00am - 4:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Join us for a fun-filled weekend at this family friendly event.
7/26: Popular Films - Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
2:00pm, 96th Street Library Auditorium
With the IMF now disbanded and Ethan Hunt out in the cold, a new threat -- called the Syndicate -- soon emerges.
7/28: Webster at the Movies: Black Panther
2:00pm, Webster Library
Watch one of the biggest blockbusters of 2018!
7/30: Children’s Film - Ratatouille (2007)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession.
7/31: Sunset Film Festival: Paddington 2
8:30pm, Basketball and Hockey Courts, Carl Schurz
The famous Paddington bear embarks on another adventure to find his 100-year-old aunt a birthday present.
Event for Adults
Every Monday: Chess For Adults
1:00pm, 96th Street Library
Come learn to play chess or practice your skills and impress everyone.
Every Thursday: Computer Lab
12:00pm, 96th Street Library
At the 96th Street Library Computer Lab, our tech volunteers assist you with almost any computer topic you want to learn. Topics include computer basics, Microsoft Word, online shopping, email, downloading eBooks, resume assistance, Facebook, phone apps and more.
Every Friday: Learn to Play Chess at Webster
3:00pm, Webster Library
Whether you’re a chess master or just starting out, come join us for some board time. All materials will be provided, and an experienced instructor will lead the group.
7/1: Unleashed by Petco
12:00pm - 4:00pm, 1155 Third Avenue
Join Petco for a pet friendly event.
7/2: Mind Over Matter: Brain Tumor Patients
1:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people with primary brain tumors undergoing treatment at MSK. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise through the course of their treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another.
7/3, 7/10: Adult Coloring
11:00am, 96th Street Library
Looking for a new way to relax? Enjoy the sublime pleasure of coloring. Coloring sheets, Crayons, coloring pencils, and reading materials will be provided to participants by the Library.
7/5: Brain Cell Types and Lineages from Single-Cell Transcriptomes
10:30am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is open to the research community.
7/5: Prostate Cancer Support Group
12:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.
7/5: Cancer-Related Lymphedema Support Group (MSK Commack)
4:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Lymphedema is a chronic condition that some patients face after treatment for cancer. Join us for this support and discussion group aimed at connecting with other patients, sharing techniques and tips for managing lymphedema and coping with this chronic condition.
7/5: Book Discussion: The Mothers by Britt Bennett
6:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Participants must reserve copies of each title through the Library’s catalog system. Admission is free.
7/6: Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Tumors
12:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a meeting for young adults who were treated for a brain tumor as a child. Topics include career and employment, dating and intimacy, family relationships, and exercise and nutrition.
7/8: Roosevelt Island Sketch Walk
10:00am - 5:00pm, Four Freedoms Park
Join Urban Sketchers and American Society of Landscape Architects, New York chapter for a sketch walk around Roosevelt Island. Group will meet at the front of the Roosevelt Island train station.
7/9: Yorkville Writing Circle
5:15pm, Yorkville Library
Want to meet local writers? Commit to a writing schedule? Practice your craft through writing prompts? Read original work to get and give feedback? Then come to the biweekly meetings of the Yorkville Writing Circle!
7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30: Dance Expressions: A New Group Therapy Program for Woman with Cancer
1:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is an 8-week class offered by Integrative Medicine Service. Dance Expressions helps women use dance, yoga and mindfulness to express their emotions and reduce the stress related to cancer treatment. Sessions are taught by an expert dance/movement therapist. You will feel supported in exploring new movement skills. Connect with other survivors in this shared experience.
7/9: Esophageal Cancer Group
1:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people who have had surgery for esophageal cancer. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise during and after treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another. This group is open to everyone.
7/10, 7/17, 7/21, 7/31: Microsoft Word for Beginners
3:00pm, 96th Street Library
Learn the basic features of Microsoft Word 2010, a word processing program you can use to create documents. Topics include: entering and editing text, saving files, and various formatting options. This is a comprehensive course, so please make sure you can attend all sessions.
7/10, 7/13: Beautiful Words, Beautiful Writing
3:30pm, 96th Street Library
Swirls and scrolls come to life as you learn to draw your own calligraphy. Learn about this elegant art form and create your own written treasures. All materials will be provided.
7/10: Gynecologic Cancer Support Group
3:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a support and discussion group for women who have completed treatment for gynecological cancer. Discussion topics include diet and nutrition, adjusting to physical changes, and managing anxiety.
7/10: Rad Iliad Reading Group
4:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Learn about the foundational text in the Western literary tradition in this five part discussion group on Homer’s Iliad.
7/10: Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancers Discussion Group: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
5:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Join fellow adult survivors of childhood cancers to discuss the issues unique to you. We will talk about family relationships, changed perspectives, and late effects of treatment.
7/10: Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series: Autism
5:30pm, 96th Street Library Auditorium
Want to know more about your health? come join us for the Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series at the 96th Street Library.
7/11: Young Adult Group
12:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is online support group for young adults (ages 21 to 39) receiving active cancer treatment at MSK. Discussions will focus on the unique patient experiences of young adults.
7/11: HSS Workshop for Seniors: Chronic Eye Conditions
3:00pm - 4:00pm, Carter Burden network Headquarters
Joan Altman will be hosting a workshop for seniors on chronic eye conditions.
7/11: Kenn Morr Band
7:00pm-8:30pm, Carl Shurz Park
Join us at John Finley Walk at the top of the East 86th Street staircase to hear music from the Kenn Morr Band! Rain date is Thursday July 12th.
7/12: Managing Multiple Myeloma
10:30am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people with multiple myeloma and undergoing active treatment or surveillance at Memorial Sloan Kettering. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise during treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another.
7/12, 7/19, 7/25: Caregivers’ Group
12:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for caregivers of people undergoing treatment at MSK. It offers the opportunity to discuss the stresses, challenges, and rewards of providing care for someone with cancer.
7/12: Head, Neck, and Oral Cancer
2:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.
7/12: Film - Vacation From Marriage (1945)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A dull married couple, separated by their enlistment during World War II, reunites after three years to find that they have become very different people.
7/12: Manhattanenge
5:00pm - 9:00pm, Four Freedoms Park
Capture the NYC skyline as you’ve never seen it before. Registration required.
7/12: Book Discussion - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? By Edward Albee
6:00pm, 96th Street Library
Please join us for a discussion of Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
7/13: Lunchtime Lecture-Celebrating the 4th of July in 1827
12:30pm, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
Celebrate the USA’s independence by bringing your own lunch, while the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden will supply refreshments and some fascinating facts. Free with admission.
7/14: Music - Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor recital by New York Opera Forum
1:00pm, 96th Street Library
New York Opera Forum performs the complete opera of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR by Gaetano Donizetti. A live musical recital performed in concert with piano accompaniment.
7/16: Breast Cancer Support Group
2:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.
7/16, 7/23, 7/30: Preschool Storytime: Petite Picasso
4:00pm, 96th Street Library
Read aloud and messy art projects for young children. Wear your art clothes. Smocks will be provided.
7/16: Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series: Sleep
5:30pm, Webster Library
Join us for a sleep health presentation as part of the Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series. Hosted by Daniel Barone, M.D.
7/16: Meditation for a More Peaceful and Healthy Life
5:30pm, Yorkville Library
Please join Rosanna Jimenez, CHHC and long time meditator, for this informative workshop. Learn to incorporate a simple yet powerful technique into your life.
7/17: Lung Cancer Support Group
11:30am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.
7/17: Wildlife Superheroes
4:30pm, Webster Library
A visit by a New Canaan Nature Center naturalist will give participants an up close look at several creatures with an array of “super” qualities.
7/18, 7/19: Hematopoietic Stem Cell / Bone Marrow Transplant
8:00am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This two day program is designed for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners caring for patients undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). The program provides an overview of the types of HSCT and discusses common complications.
7/18: Sarcoma Cancer Group
12:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people undergoing treatment for sarcoma. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise through the course of their treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another. The group is open to everyone.
7/18: Bladder Cancer Support Group
12:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.
7/18: Ostomy Group for Colorectal Patients
4:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people with an ostomy. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise during and after treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another. This group is open to everyone.
7/18: An Orientation to Life after Cancer
5:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This talk will review common emotional and practical concerns that come up when treatment is over. We will go over ways to manage the return to everyday life. Patients and caregivers are welcome to join.
7/18: U Boat Assault on America with Ken Brown
5:30pm, Yorkville Library
Join us as author Ken Brown discusses his book, U-boat assault on America: why the US was unprepared for war in the Atlantic.
7/18: Steve Shaiman and Swingtime Big Band!
7:00pm, John Finley Walk a the top of the East 86th Street staircase
Listen to Swing music that originated from the hits from the Great American Songbook.
7/19: Film - Indiscreet (1958)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
An American diplomat in London falls in love with an actress, but tries to protect himself by saying he is married.
7/19: Along The Avenue: Fifth Avenue
6:00pm, Meeting point will be provided upon registration, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts
This early evening walk celebrates sites that border Fifth Avenue, both within leafy Central Park and inside the Upper East Side Historic District. Led by architectural historian Matt Postal, we’ll amble east and west, discussing the history of our beloved park and the development of the stately blocks that border it.
7/19-22: Inaugural BIKE HSS event
HSS
This summer, in support of HSS Physiatry, Physiatrist-in-Chief, Dr. Joel M. Press, will lead his colleagues in a 155-mile bike ride around the greater New York City area to raise awareness and critical funds for the department.
7/20: VOLS Elderly Project Legal Clinic
10:00am, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center
Contact Peter Kempner at 347-521-5704 for more information.
7/20: Popular Films - Mamma Mia
2:00pm, 96th Street Library Auditorium
Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends.
7/20: Medicare 2018
2:00pm, Yorkville Library
Learn about your Medicare coverage and options and programs to help with your Medicare costs. We will cover Medicare Part A and Part B, Medigap/Medicare Supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage/Medicare Health Plans, Medicare Part D, Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help/LIS and EPIC.
7/21: Breaking Free From Limiting Beliefs: How to Live a Life You Truly Love
2:00pm, Yorkville Library
Speaker, trainer, and certified professional coach, Barbara Phillips, will help participants get greater clarity about what is holding them back from what they want in their lives – and learn simple strategies to move beyond perceived limitations into a life they love living.
7/23: The Yorkville Writing Circle Presents- Jennifer Wilkov How to Market Your Book
6:00pm, Yorkville Library
In this presentation, Jennifer S. Wilkov, popular host of the radio talk show, “Your Book Is Your Hook!” and sought-after book consultant, will show you how to master the art of marketing your book!
7/24, 7/26, 7/27 (9:00 am on 7/27): World Head and Neck Cancer Day: Free Head and Neck Cancer Screenings
8:00am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
In honor of World Head & Neck Cancer Day, please join us for free head and neck cancer screenings. The screening will include a ten-minute exam to look for signs of head and neck cancer, resources on how to quit smoking and nutritional resources on cancer-preventive diets. This type of cancer can occur in the nasal passages, mouth, throat, or voice box.
7/25: Men and Cancer
2:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
After surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, post-treatment challenges often emerge. Common areas of concern include adjusting to life after treatment, communicating effectively with one’s health care team, building stamina, sexual health, employment, and managing fears of recurrence. This group is for men with any diagnosis who have finished treatment at MSK.
7/25: Bereavement Support Group
5:30pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This monthly support group led by an oncology social worker is open to family members and friends who have lost someone to cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering. The group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.
7/25: Johanna Baldwin: All (Wo)men Desire to Know
5:30pm, Yorkville Library
Johanna Baldwin comes to Yorkville Library to discuss her debut novel, All (Wo)men Desire to Know, an emotional and spiritual journey of love and loss that takes a woman to the mysterious world of the Ancient Greek Philosophers.
7/26: A Gathering for Brain Tumor Survivors
1:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
In this open discussion and support group, the challenges and adjustments to life after treatment for survivors of a primary brain tumor will be addressed. Common areas of concern include side effects from medications and treatment, seizure activity, fear of recurrence, and the impact this disease has on the entire family. Family members and caregivers are invited to attend.
7/26: Film - Sirocco (1951)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A reticent middle-aged professor meets a young woman who gets him involved in a murder.
7/26: Bladder Cancer Group
4:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This is a live, online support and education group for people undergoing treatment for bladder cancer. It offers them the opportunity to discuss issues that may arise through the course of their treatment, to share their personal experiences, and to provide practical and emotional support for one another. This group is open to MSK and non-MSK patients.
7/26: Breast Cancer and Your Arm: A Seminar to Promote Health and Strength
4:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Learn about reducing the risk of lymphedema, exercise recommendations, resuming prior activities after surgery, and guidelines for air travel.
7/26: Reel Classics: Casablanca
4:00pm, Webster Library
Film will be shown on 16mm film reel. Duration: 102 minutes
7/26: Carter Burden Gallery Exhibition
6:00pm - 8:00pm, Carter Burden Center
Opening reception.
7/27-28: The Hearst Fellows Symposium
2:00pm, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
Hearst scholars will present original research on America in the 1830s. Free with admission, and refreshments to follow.
7/28: Biscuits & Baths (Dogs Only)
11am-3pm, 1064 1st Ave
Bring in your dog for a nice day at Biscuits & Baths!
7/28: The Yorkville Writing Circle Presents- Jennifer Wilkov How to Market Your Book
2:00pm, Yorkville Library
Speaker, trainer, and certified professional coach, Barbara Phillips, will help you get greater clarity on key elements of the job search process and explain key tools for finding a “best fit” job.
7/30: School of Radiation Therapy Open House
9:00am, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Join us at our next Open House to be held on Monday, July 30th at 9:00am for a presentation of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Radiation Therapy Program. Learn about what a radiation therapist does on a day-to-day basis, the admission process for entering our program, and the curriculum.
7/30: Biscuits & Baths (Dogs Only)
11am-3pm, 1064 1st Ave
Bring in your dog for a nice day at Biscuits & Baths!
7/30, 7/31: Nursing Professional Development Certification Preparation
4:00pm, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
This two day ANPD Nursing Professional Development Certification Preparation course is to prepare participants for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) specialty examination in nursing professional development.