Soccer Referees Wanted!

The reasons for becoming a referee with the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) are as diverse as the personalities of our roughly 3,000 referees and assistant refs.

Applications Remain Open for the City’s Summer Rising Program Among Others

Applications remain open to apply for the City’s Summer Rising program, as well as a number of other programs. Commissioner Manuel Castro of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and Commissioner Keith S Howard of NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) are encouraging applications to various summer programs from the City’s youth such as the Summer Youth Employment Program, Summer Rising and Saturday Night Lights, along with adult literacy programs.  

City Council Votes to Pass More E-Bike Safety Rules to Address Dangers of Fires Caused by Lithium-Ion Batteries  

The New York City Council voted on Wednesday, Feb. 29, to pass new legislation that will increase e-bike regulations in the interest of improved safety. The new laws come after one person died and 22 were injured in a Harlem fire caused by an e-bike on Friday, Feb. 23. Council members said that over the past few years, as e-bikes, e-scooters, and powered mobility devices have become more prevalent, the City has experienced a rapid increase in lithium-ion battery-related fires in both residential and commercial properties that not only destroyed property but resulted in injuries and fatalities.

Torres Co-Leads Bipartisan Bill to Address Childcare Affordability

Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15) co-led the introduction on Wednesday, Feb. 28, of legislation described by his office as groundbreaking, to tackle the pressing issue of childcare affordability faced by families across the nation. Officials from to the Bronx congressman’s office said the bipartisan measure, known as the Combatting High Inflation Limiting Daycare Act, or the “CHILD Act,” seeks to provide much-needed relief to American families struggling to meet the rising costs of childcare by doubling the annual contribution limit for tax-advantaged Dependent Care Flexible Savings Accounts (DCFSAs).

Espaillat, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Temporary Protected Status for Ecuador Act

Bronx Congressional Reps. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), along with nine other original cosponsors, introduced the Temporary Protected Status for Ecuador Act (H.R. 7371) to the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, Feb. 26. The bill, if passed, would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to over 300,000 Ecuadorians in the U.S. who have fled the current mass outbreak of gang-related violence in Ecuador to seek safety for their families.

Health Care Expands March 5 to All Vets Exposed to Toxins during Military Service at Home or Abroad

The U.S. Department of Veterans Services announced on Monday, Feb. 26, that all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military, at home or abroad, will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care beginning March 5. VA officials said this means all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any other combat zone after 9/11 will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.