Schumer: Executive Orders Omit Funding for New York School Reopening, Testing & Tracing

On Monday, Aug. 10, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer highlighted what he called some of the glaring deficiencies in President Donald Trump’s announced ‘Executive Orders’ that he said are cause for serious concern amid the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus. Schumer said President Trump’s actions yesterday “totally” leave out money for state and local governments—from New York City, to Long Island and beyond.   He also said the orders totally exclude money for schools to reopen safely, a New York priority. Finally, Schumer warned the orders leave out testing, tracing and treatment of the coronavirus itself. Schumer


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1,452 Bronx Households Still Without Power 6 days after Tropical Storm Isaias

  Con Edison is slowly restoring power to the 21,655 customers in the Bronx who were left without it after Tropical Storm Isaias passed through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The National Weather Service reported sustained winds in the area of 30 to 40 miles per hour, which brought down large trees on top of parked vehicles, houses and power lines.   Power outages were reported in Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Bay Plaza, Kingsbridge, Williamsbridge and Riverdale. One resident of Williamsbridge reported that the lights went out Tuesday, briefly came back on Thursday night August 6, went off again


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First Climate Justice Working Group Meeting on Aug. 13 & DEC Celebrates 50th Anniversary

  The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), 13-member Climate Justice Working Group will hold its initial meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. Established under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (2019), the Group is tasked with establishing criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities to reduce co-pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, compile regulatory impact statements, and manage the allocation of investments pursuant to the Act.   The Act is among the most ambitious climate laws in the world and requires New York to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030, and no less than


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Eviction Moratorium Extended to September 4, Bronx Affordable Housing Application Deadline Aug. 14

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the moratorium on evictions in New York State has been extended to Sept. 4. The moratorium was first put in place in March to protect residential and commercial tenants facing financial hardship due to the pandemic. “As long as we are in the middle of the pandemic, there will be no evictions,” he wrote on Aug. 7.   On May 7, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the governor announced that the state’s moratorium on COVID-related residential or commercial evictions would be extended for an additional 60 days until Aug. 20. He also announced, at that


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NYS Attorney General James Files Lawsuit to Dissolve NRA

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit on Aug. 6 seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest and most influential pro-gun organization in the nation. Attorney General James charges the organization with illegal conduct because of their diversion of millions of dollars away from the charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty.   The suit specifically charges the NRA


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Fresh Air Fund Opens Free Outdoor Summer Spaces For Bronx Children

The Fresh Air Fund, in response to COVID-19, has created Fresh Air Summer Spaces, fun, free and safe play spaces for New York City children, ages five through 13.   Fresh Air Summer Spaces provides children the chance to enjoy safe, supervised outdoor summer activities where they can laugh, smile, play and make new friends. Fresh Air staff supervise arts and crafts, interactive games and even dance parties! Summer Spaces would not be possible without the support of the local community.   Fresh Air Youth Employment program participants will assist at sites.  The Fund is helping to fill the gap


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Advertorial: Jerome Gun Hill BID Merchant Spotlight – Outdoor Dining in the BID!

  As New York City’s small businesses transitioned to Phase 3 of the city’s reopening plan earlier this month, restaurants and diners took to the streets and sidewalks for open dining. From now through October, restaurants can offer outdoor seating on the sidewalk and curb lane to customers. With six outdoor dining destinations to choose from in the BID, there are plenty of opportunities to sit back and relax on Jerome Avenue and East Gun Hill Road.   Jennifer Tausig is Executive Director of the Jerome Gun Hill BID. “Open dining has provided a much-needed lifeline for our small, locally


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Volunteers of America Receive $30M To Run Two Bronx Domestic Violence Shelters

  Volunteers of America – Greater New York (VOA–GNY) announced on July 13 that it will receive $30 million from the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) over five years to take over the running of two domestic violence shelters in the Bronx starting on Oct. 1. VOA–GNY is an affiliate of VoA, a national, faith-based human services non-profit helping individuals and families in need through social service programs.   The two shelters will serve different purposes. The first, Victory I, will be a 120-bed emergency shelter for critical and acute domestic violence situations, and will provide housing to


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NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund Issued over $110 Million to City’s Non-Profits

The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund announced on July 29 that more than $110 million in emergency support has been distributed to 768 New York City-based social services and arts and cultural nonprofits affected by the coronavirus public health crisis. More than $73 million in grant funding was managed by the New York Community Trust and over $37 million was managed by Nonprofit Finance Fund for no-interest loans.   Small to mid-sized nonprofits across New York’s five boroughs applied for grants or interest-free loans to ensure the continuity of their daily operations and to help counteract lost revenue that


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