According to the MTA Weekender, there will be Roosevelt Island F train service
F Trains run local in both directions between 21 St-Queensbridge and 71 Av
Weekends, 12:01 AM Sat to 5 AM Mon, until Oct 13
Trains stop at 36, Steinway, 46 Sts, Northern Blvd, 65 St, Roosevelt, Elmhurst, Grand Avs, Woodhaven Blvd, 63 Dr and 67 Av.
A message from the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation:
ROOSEVELT ISLAND JEWISH CONGREGATIONAccording to History.com:
Leana Moritt, Rabbi Nina Lublin, President
Steve Kaufman, Treasurer Scot Bobo, Secretary Julia Chang, Communications
www.rijc.org
Our High Holy Days observances continue this week led by our Rabbi, Leana Moritt and our Hazzan, Jacob Agar at Manhattan Park Theatre, 8 River Road
If you have already joined as a member, thank you.
If you have not joined, please consider membership. See our website for details.
The Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation
542 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
www.rijc.org Information@RIJC.org 917-375-1139
Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. Falling in the month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar), it marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. The holiday is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.”More on Yom Kippur from History.com.
Take a cool bicycle ride from the Upper East Side to Roosevelt Island via the FDR Promenade to the Queensboro Bridge, thru Long Island City, over the Roosevelt Island Bridge and then to Lighthouse Park.
But watch out for this.
According to a NYC District 5 See Click Fix report:
There's a crazy male jogger not staying on the right side, but purposely running on the left side of the RI Bridge (when ever he see's a biker), grabbing bikers and assaulting them if they don't stay off the walkway with their bikes. Whether their riding or walking with their bikes. This person looks (white, '5''10, 200 lbs.), and he does this around 8 or 9 in the morning. I have to get me a "gopro" camera to catch this person in action.
... a ride to the beautiful Astoria Park this Saturday at 11:30am! We'll have a picnic in the park (dessert provided by Bike New York) before making the 2.3 mile ride back to Roosevelt Island. It's our last Saturday ride in the Summer Ride Series so you won't want to miss out! Email me at cgoodspeed@bikenewyork.org to register for this free ride...and:
... We're still looking for volunteers to help us count commuters on Roosevelt Island this Monday (Oct. 6) from 6am - 10am! If you're free that morning and would like to help, please send me a message or email me asap at cgoodspeed@bikenewyork.org. All volunteers will receive a free t-shirt, breakfast, and a big hug!Here's what Ms. Goodspeed said
Please join us for our next free Roosevelt Island Moms on the Move (RI MoM) walk and exercise tomorrow, Friday, October 3, starting at 11 AM at the Tram kiosk.
Usually we walk to the south of the island on Manhattan side
and back and do some exercise on the grassy area above the Meditation steps,
in front of Dr. Grimm's office. If it is too cold or about to rain, we might go to the 455 rooftop lounge for the exercise part.
Looking forward to seeing you and your little ones there! :)
Please send me a short e-mail if you are interested in joining us.
The ISC met 9/22/14 with 7 members present from the total membership of 12:Here's Mr. Hamburger's presentation of the ISC Report to the October 1 RIRA Common Council Meeting. Mr. Hamburger added the Roosevelt Island Garden Club is being operated as a private club and that ISC will investigate allegations of Roosevelt Island Garden Club discrimination against the disabled. Mr. Hamburger received appreciation
Manhattan Tram Elevator – We’re waiting for RIOC to bid this project. They plan to first bid the design of the new elevators. Then, they will actually bid the job. Timing is still uncertain, but our estimate is the new elevator will not be available until very late 2015. RIOC has accepted ISC’s request that the Red Bus operate to Manhattan whenever the elevators are out‐of‐service on a weekend with the “F” train running in only one direction.
Tram Gate at RI Station ‐ Access to the Tram is working reasonable well during the morning rush hour with a Public Safety officer opening the gates. We are now going to press RIOC to change the wording on the gate sign to eliminate the threat of a summons if a passenger opens the gate. Proposed wording will be submitted to Cy Opperman, Director of Transportation.
Condition of Sportspark Facilities – Some clean‐up and improvements have been made at Sportspark, but much remains to be done to make Sportspark a first class facility.
New Public Library ‐ Installation of new windows was completed by RIOC for the first floor of 504 Main. We expect that work will now begin to renovate the space for the new library. We don’t have an official date for the start of operations at the new site, but it’s unlikely that we’ll have a new library before 2016.
Swim Classes for Babies and Toddlers – The Fall session will start in early October. We will now work with Sportspark’s management to make these classes part of their annual schedule.
Control of Rats and Pigeons on RI ‐ We will request that Raye Schwartz draft a comprehensive proposal which will be presented to RIOC.
Boy Scouts – A meeting is being scheduled for early October of people and groups interested in restarting a Boy Scout troop on RI. Two possible troop leaders have been identified.
Management of the Garden Club – ISC will reactivate the Garden Club(GC) as an active issue as we recognize that there are many problems with the management and operation of the GC. One problem, among many, is the arbitrary issuing of new rules which chiefly are designed to impact only a few people. ISC continues to maintain that the GC is a “service” organization recognized and funded by RIOC to provide gardening opportunities for RI.
Tom Sakmar provided this eyewitness report last Friday of:
A large bi-hull sailboat was de-masted today (September 26, 2014) at about 2:47 p.m. when it hit the Roosevelt Island Bridge. The boat was in the East Channel of the East River heading South propelled by a rapid tidal current...which triggered these memories of similar sailing accidents from Roosevelt Island residents.
... The metal mast and all the rigging and struts came came crashing down to the deck within seconds as the two adults on the deck, a man and woman, scrambled to stay clear. Neither of them appeared to be injured,...
Image From William S
Back in the "early days" (daze?) of Roosevelt Island when the park was brand new (What is now called Cappobianco Park), there was always a huge amount of kids and parents playing with all the new toys....Full Court Basketball games, The Mens RI League Softball, Hippies with Frisbees, New Paddleball courts..and Al Short has a more recent memory:
And we all begin to notice a rather large sailboat heading North in the East Channel being carried quite swiftly by the afternoon tidal flow.
Suddenly, we all hear the sounds of a big motor racing it's engines and begin to realize that the huge 30 to 40 foot sailboat is trying it's best to avoid hitting the bridge with it's very tall mast.
They didn't make it.
With what sounded like a huge crack of Lightning, the 40 foot mast came crashing down onto the boat as it's passengers dove into the river.
Collectively, all 200 people in the park said "OH SHIT!!!" all at once and in perfect unison. I think we were all just as surprised at our perfectly shouted and echoing expletive as we were at the boat's demise.
I live atop Manhattan Park looking south. One 4th of July, back when the fireworks were down off 34th St, some guests and I were looking down on the 4 hr traffic jam to get out of the Motorgate and also the big flotilla of pleasure boats coming up East Channel afterwards. One sailboat clipped the bridge with its mast. It did not break but it sent the boat into an almost surrealistically slow set of 360's. The boat almost hit the rocks behind the Motorgate but recovered in time.If I had a boat
... nominations for a position on the RIRA Common Council and/or as an Executive Officer will open on Wednesday, October 1, and close on October 24 at 9 p.m. Nomination forms can be obtained by email from Nominations Committee Chair Aaron Hamburger (ashamburger33@gmail.com), or in hard copy at either our Public Library or at Public Safety (where there will also be a lock box to drop off your completed forms). As we have been saying in this column, running for an office to represent either your building or RIRA itself is the ultimate form of community service. If you are interested in running and/or have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Aaron at ashamburger33@gmail.com or 212-758-2623. And come to our October 1 Common Council meeting at 8:00 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Center to see the body in action.Here's RIRA Common Council Candidate Nomination Election Flyer.
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Time & Place: 8:00 pm, Church of Good Shepard
1. Public Session
2. Roll Call of Common Council Members
3. Adoption of Agenda
4. Adoption of the Minutes
a. Adoption of September 2014 Council Meeting Minutes
b. Adoption of February 2014 Council Meeting Minutes
c. Adoption of January 2014 Council Meeting Minutes
5. President’s Report
6. Treasurer’s Report
7. Island Services Committee Report
8. Nomination Committee Report
a. Motion to Expense Up to $300 for Nomination Materials
9. Old Business
a. Government Relations Committee Report (as laid over from September 2014 Common Council Meeting)
b. Resolution for Joint RIRA Letter by RIRA President, Housing Committee Chair, Planning Committee Chair and Island Services Committee Chair to Hudson Related Request a Town Hall Meeting (as withdrawn from September 2014 Common Council Meeting and resubmitted for consideration)
10. New Business
a. Committee Reports and Resolutions Submitted after deadline of 5PM the Friday preceding present Common Council Session
i. Communications Committee Report
1. Resolution to (y) Re-institute Email
Communications by Groups and (z) Permit Common Council Member Distribution of Informative and Promotion Communications
ii. Elections Committee Report
1. Motion to Seek Resolution of Method of Voting and Expenditure of Funds for RIRA 2014-2016 Term of Elections
b. Resolution to Seek Alternate Storage Space for Non-Archival Corporation Records and Materials
September 26 - October 10 Look AheadAlso, the most recent air quality monitoring data from Cornell NYC Tech at the Goldwater Hospital site.
Structural demolition of Building C is ongoing. The above-grade portion of the building is fully demolished, and work to remove the basement and foundation walls will start shortly. The sorting of the rubble will continue.
Hand demolition of the northern portion of Building F is underway. This demolition method is being used due to the close proximity to the north loop road. Once the northern portion of the building is complete, mechanical means will be employed for the other sides of the building.
Interior demolition is now complete in Building E, marking the end of interior demolition across all buildings on the Cornell site. Interior abatement work is ongoing and focused on the first floor and basement levels.
Test pits have been completed successfully along the north loop road and the southern portion of the west roadway. Underground conditions were verified and steel plates have been used to secure the openings.
The barging operation has been impacted by the limits imposed on marine travel due to United Nations meetings. Once normal operations resume, there will be an increase in barge activity as we work to remove the backlog of containers from the site.
More details on Cornell NYC Tech demolition procedures of Roosevelt Island's Goldwater Hospital at this August 25 post.Image From Cornell Tech
Air Quality Action Levels
Background corrected particulate concentration data from the site is compared to particulate action levels. This correction is calculated by subtracting the upwind concentration from the downwind concentration and provides the concentration of particulates being generated by site activities. The specific action levels and their response are as follows:
Electrical Issues
- Between 0.100 mg/m3 and 0.150 mg/m3 – Particulate suppression techniques instituted.
- Greater than 0.150 mg/m3 – Stop work and reevaluate activities.
Due to an event in Manhattan involving an electrical feeder (not associated with the Cornell Tech project), the on-site construction trailers did not have electricity from September 19th through September 22nd, making it impossible to charge the batteries for the monitors overnight. Power was restored Monday evening, allowing the equipment to charge and air monitoring to resume on Tuesday, September 23rd.
September 25, 2014
Sorting of the rubble took place in close proximity to the downwind meter resulting in particulate concentration in excess of 0.1. Additional water was used as a particulate suppressant and readings soon returned to normal levels.
From the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse:
While #Maje does #longexposure #photography I am #experimenting with #lightplay. #rooseveltisland… http://t.co/wdVTpzecR5
— KѺḋƏ studios NYC (@kod3studios) September 29, 2014
On September 26, I asked Roosevelt Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Chief Howard Polivy:
I understand that Frank Farance was recently suspended from the Roosevelt Island CERT Team.Mr. Polivy replied later that day:
According to Frank, he was suspended because CERT Team members claim he included Roosevelt Islander in an email thread that had certain critical remarks about the manner in which Howard Polivy is leading the Roosevelt Island CERT Team. Also, CERT team members affiliated with the Wire newspaper were on the email thread but that was not given as a reason for Frank's suspension.
Is Frank's correct regarding the reason he was suspended?
If not, what was the reason for his suspension?...
The following was sent to OEM and the CERT team:Mr. Farance sent the following message yesterday to the NYC's Office Of Emergency Management (OEM) in response to his suspension by the Roosevelt Island CERT.
"CERT Frank Farance has been suspended from RI CERT, Mn8.The team will discuss this ongoing suspension at its next meeting, Monday, October 27."
This is an internal team matter for which I have no other comments at this time.
I disagree strongly, Mr. Polivy's actions are inappropriate, and (essentially) this punishes and retaliates against a CERT member who has reported significant operational problems with CERT. I am requesting a full investigation of this team, including its leadership, and the supervisory and oversight practices of the CERT management chain. I am also requesting the NYC DOI Inspectors General to investigate. It should not be the case that CERT member participation is subject to political payback and retaliation....(The emails referenced by Mr. Farance are not included in this post).
1. The Roosevelt Island CERT (RI-CERT), originally formed in 2006, has suffered from dysfunction for several years. I can't think of any meeting minutes we've had in a half dozen years. Below, please find a list of the very few meetings in 2011-2013. There were long periods, including over a year, where we received no communication from our team chief Mr. Polivy (or his assistant chief). The meetings were extremely sparse, several members questioned whether or not we (as a CERT team) still exist, and we suffered significant attrition of team membership.
2. The call tree has not been updated in 6 years (see E-mail below). I have requested updated contact information from Mr. Polivy several times. His wife, Ellen Polivy (also a CERT member), has asked for this information to be updated and Mr. Polivy asked me to do it (see E-mails below). Normally, I maintain the E-mail reflector (E-mail list) for the team so we can quickly communicate. However, Mr. Polivy is not providing information, and his blind-copy E-mails prohibit/inhibit communications among the team. With no phone numbers, no call tree, an out-of-date E-mail reflector, and blind-copies ... there is no way for CERT members to communicate in an emergency, which is a serious operational problem for our CERT.
3. In our meeting last week, some CERT members registered complaints that were repeats of the same arguments they made when Mr. Polivy's wife (and others, who are also CERT members) unsuccessfully tried to get me expelled from the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) because I was complaining about improper financials, procedures, and such. It seems clear that their complaints in the CERT meeting were, essentially, a repeat of their complaints in RIRA. Also, there are a variety of conflicts of interest that, I believe, operate here, which I will detail further in discussions with NYC DOI and the OEM Commissioner.
4. The purported suspension process, I believe, has no validity. There was no advanced notice that I might be suspended, the meeting seemed driven by local politics. If there has been some infraction, then it is up to the City (e.g., OEM) to determine my official status, not a set of volunteers without procedures and procedural guidance, and conflict-of-interest and whistleblower safeguards.
5. According to Mr. Polivy, he has concerns with the RI Blog receiving a copy of my message. Mr. Polivy has only provided excerpts and not the full context of the E-mail thread, which concerned CERT equipment, unbeknownst to myself and the owner of the building, being kept in a storage room -- these storage rooms were already under scrutiny as a potential fire/theft hazard when the owner, in consultation with NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), who changed the access procedures and started mandating their clean-out/reorganization.
6. Actually, it was Sherie Helstien (also a member of CERT and a staffer at the Main Street WIRE, our local newspaper) who sent the original message to the RI Blog that I responded to, I did not originate that E-mail thread that included the RI Blog. Since last week's CERT meeting, my purported suspension has appeared on the front page of the local newspaper. If Mr. Polivy feels that the RI Blog hearing about CERT issues was improper, then why is it acceptable to publish the purported suspension? Here is the report in the WIRE:
"Another Common Council delegate, Frank Farance of Island House, has been temporarily suspended from meetings of the Island's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) by its chief Howard Polivy, as a non-team player, pending consultation with the City's Office of Emergency Management."I was in the Westchester Disaster Simulation yesterday: I was elected to lead one of their teams, and our evaluators noted a strong, cohesive team with good/decisive leadership. I've had similar evaluations in other CERT activities over the years, including actual emergencies. Simply, this charge of "non-team" player is a bunch of baloney and disguises the root cause: local politics.
7. Meanwhile, Gwen Ryals and I did participate in the evacuation shelter staffing, several days each, of Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy (see attached photos).
I have volunteered for much CERT work over the years, and have helped the Roosevelt Island team in many ways, including supporting the recent community outreach and printing large banners for the team. Last fall, I participated in the disaster simulation to help graduate more Roosevelt Island CERT members. The Mayor's office has been interested in Gwen Ryal's and my feedback (After-Action Review) on CERT involvement in emergencies, which have helped CERT teams do better.
8. With Gwen Ryal's and my prior helpful feedback in several actual emergency responses, should CERT members be wary of saying anything (even in an off-hand discussion elsewhere) that is critical of CERT team performance? And should we allow politics to play a role in excluding/suspending members from a team? I thought we were based upon City-wide performance standards, not local politics. And what would the NY Times or Daily News say in their reporting: "Emergency Responder Suspended For Revealing Actual CERT Performance Problems"?
Simply, you must correct this (in multiple ways). Gwen Ryals and I will be requesting a meeting with the OEM Commissioner to discuss this further.
OEM's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members undergo an intensive 10-week training program that raises awareness about emergencies and disasters and provides basic response skills needed for fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, and traffic control. After graduating from the 10-week program, CERT members support their communities by assisting with emergency education and response. Emergency services personnel are the best equipped to respond to disasters. NYC CERT volunteers are trained to support the efforts of New York City's first responders.Here's some of the emergency training undertaken by the Roosevelt Island CERT Team.
During non-emergency situations, NYC CERTs educate their communities about emergency preparedness by working with the Ready New York program and building community disaster networks.
It's a volunteer position, They can't stop him! The CERT beg for volunteers and when you disagree with them they complain. I was part of the first CERT and they all refused to go to other parts of the city to volunteer when needed. They claimed they only wanted to participate here on the island. I quit couldn't take the excuses. Stop the stupidness.
Are you looking for a job on Roosevelt Island?
Deli workers are needed for Wholesome Factory (530 Main Street)
Listen to @JCats2013 right now. His guests include @NYSComptroller @charliecrist, Amb Negroponte & Dr. Fauci. http://t.co/87rzj2zde7
— AM 970 The Answer (@am970TheAnswer) September 28, 2014
Here's the Cats Roundtable from September 28,
Stoping by Red Apple VP Dick Cheney & Daughter,Liz Cheney to discuss Politics with John,Margo CATS & Daughter Andrea pic.twitter.com/NSixDKc7Jp
— John Catsimatidis (@JCats2013) September 24, 2014
and my interview with Mr.Catsimatidis during March 2013 grand re-opening of the Roosevelt Island Gristedes.
Citizen Of The Month blogger Neil Kramer examines the meaning of life with the help of the Roosevelt Island Tram.
According to Mr. Kramer:
... as much as you want to control things
Image Of Roosevelt Island Tram Cabin Control Box From Neil Kramer You Tube Video
you are never the conductor.
On Saturday, October 11, our little Island will again mark the seasonal passing from summer to fall with the annual Fall for the Arts Festival. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., artists of all ages, children to adults, are invited to come together at Southpoint Park and on the lawn south of 531 Main Street to help in the outdoor painting of enormous 6-by-8-foot murals, to participate in interactive art and music workshops, and to watch performance art – all intended to reflect this year’s theme of “A Multicultural Renaissance,” celebrating the cultural, ethnic, racial, and economic diversity of our community while evoking the magic and artistic sensibilities of an age long gone. It's truly gratifying to see neighbors, family, and friends come together, put aside any differences, and roll up their sleeves, pick up a paint brush, engage in friendly chatter, and, even if only briefly, allow their artistic selves to come out. Whether you want to participate, volunteer, or just observe, I strongly encourage you and your family to come and enjoy the festivities sometime during that day.UPDATE 2:45 PM - RIRA Common Council Candidate Nomination Election Flyer.
If art is not your thing but planting is, come help iDig2Learn, in collaboration with the RI Garden Club, RI Youth Program, Gristedes, PS/IS 217, its PTA, and the RI Girl Scouts, from 10:45 a.m. to 12 noon on that same Saturday, October 11, to plant Roosevelt Island’s share of nearly five million daffodil bulbs donated by New Yorkers 4 Parks to the City of New York. Established in 2001 as a living memorial to September 11, The Daffodil Project has grown in the past 13 years to be the largest citywide planting, involving more than 100,000 school kids, parks and gardening groups, civic organizations, corporate volunteers, and other New Yorkers. Now, as one of the kickoff events for our Fall for the Arts Festival, the inaugural Daffodil Project on Roosevelt Island, as hosted by iDig2Learn, will "paint with nature" through the completion of its share of the massive daffodil-bulb planting at the flower bed near Gristedes and the Motorgate Red Bus turnaround.
The planting will be a great family-friendly event and an opportunity to engage in some community pride and beautification, bringing together both new and old Island groups, as we plant bulbs this fall to greet our community next spring with cheerful daffodils and to remember loved ones lost in the September 11 tragedy. Free pre-registration for children, families, and the community begins at 10:45 a.m. at the Motorgate Red Bus turnaround near Gristedes. If you are interested in volunteering for the event, or wish to learn more about either iDig2learn or The Daffodil Project on Roosevelt Island, please reach out to Christina Delfico at iDig2Learn@gmail.com. To learn more about the citywide Daffodil Project, go to New Yorkers 4 Parks at http://ny4p.org and/or The Daffodil Project at http://ny4p.org/daffodil-project.
In 2011, four New York City Council Members launched a process to let residents of New York City have a chance to advocate for how portions of the City's capital discretionary funds would be allocated and used throughout the City's various communities. This year, twenty-three Council Members, including Council Member Ben Kallos who represents the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, have been given the opportunity to participate in the process, giving this district an opportunity to advocate for a share of the $25 million in City capital discretionary funds. To facilitate this process, on October 7th, from 6pm to 9pm at the Senior Center located at 545 Main Street, Council Member Kallos will be having a town hall meeting with Roosevelt Island residents to allow our community to come together to brainstorm, discuss, and supply ideas of how this year's capital discretionary funds should/could be allocated in the City's various communities. If you’re passionate about green spaces, Senior Citizen services, etc. this is the place to start, and I encourage all Roosevelt Islanders to attend this event. For more information regarding the NY City Council Participatory Budgeting, point your browser to: http://pbnyc.org/content/about-new-york-city-process.
Lastly, nominations for a position on the RIRA Common Council and/or as an Executive Officer will open on Wednesday, October 1, and close on October 24 at 9 p.m. Nomination forms can be obtained by email from Nominations Committee Chair Aaron Hamburger (ashamburger33@gmail.com), or in hard copy at either our Public Library or at Public Safety (where there will also be a lock box to drop off your completed forms). As we have been saying in this column, running for an office to represent either your building or RIRA itself is the ultimate form of community service. If you are interested in running and/or have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Aaron at ashamburger33@gmail.com or 212-758-2623. And come to our October 1 Common Council meeting at 8:00 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Center to see the body in action.
@Okrick222 yes they say within next 2 weeks
— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) September 27, 2014
I spoke with the Island Wine & Spirits store owner (who also owns the Main Street Wholesome Factory) and the store manager last Saturday. 
