MTA Signal Problems Strand F Train Riders On Roosevelt Island Tonight In Cold Waiting For Q102 Bus To Get Home

A Roosevelt Island Tipster reports at 6:19 tonight:

Image of 1/2 Roosevelt Island F Train Station Crowd

F is down.

Hundreds of people in line.

F Train has signal problems.

Everyone out in the cold.

Waiting for a shuttle.

According to the MTA:

Service Change Posted: 01/02/2016 6:09PM

Due to signal problems at 21 St-Queensbridge, The following service changes are in effect:

F Subway trains are running on the E Subway line between Roosevelt Av-Jackson Heights and 5 Av-53 St in both directions.

Expect delays in E Subway and F Subway trains.

Allow additional travel time.

I love it when the NYC subway system @MTA leaves me stranded on Roosevelt Island with no way home 😊😊😊😊😊

— Amanda Chen (@amandafob) January 2, 2016

The crowd of stranded F Train riders

were waiting for the Q102 bus to take them home. Unfortunately, first Q102 bus to come had to pass them by without stopping because it was full. 



The best place to avoid the crowd at the subway station to catch the Q102 was

a short walk up the Commons to the stop next to the Riverwalk Bar.

As of 7:25 PM, most of the stranded passengers were gone from Roosevelt Island. Hopefully, they will be home soon.

Spectacular Sunset Over NYC East River Waterfront And Queensboro Bridge Seen Tonight From Roosevelt Island

Sunset desde el condado pic.twitter.com/IFkWofKYVA

— Juan Carvajal (@JCine) January 2, 2016

International Space Station Astronauts Wish Happy New Year To People Of Roosevelt Island And All The Planet Earth

Happy New Year to the people of Earth! From @StationCDRKelly, @Astro_Tim & @Astro_TimPeake on @Space_Station https://t.co/RySv31alvw

— NASA (@NASA) January 1, 2016

Here's what New York City and Roosevelt Island look like from the International Space Station.

My cosmonaut colleague Oleg Kononenko took this incredible picture of #NYC last night. Enjoy. #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/GWSSTcuiD9

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) October 18, 2015

Good News To Start Year 2016, Roosevelt Island F Train Service To And From Manhattan This Weekend

According to the MTA Weekender, there will be Roosevelt Island F train service

to and from Manhattan this weekend.

That's five weekends in a row without Roosevelt Island F Train service interruptions.

Good way to start the New Year.

Best Wishes For A Happy And Healthy New Year From Roosevelt Island - Goodbye 2015 With A Last Party, Welcome 2016 With Peace, Love And Understanding

Best Wishes to all for a Happy And Healthy New Year in 2016.

You Tube Video of Bottle Band Auld Lang Syne Performance

There's no better way to party out the past year than with a traditional last song from Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes together with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band .

We're havin' a party
Everybody's swinging
Dancing to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mr. DJ
Keep those records playing
'Cause I'm having such a good time
Dancing with my baby

You Tube Video of Southside Johnny and Bruce Springsteen Having a Party in 1978

Here's hoping for some 2016 Peace, Love and Understanding from Elvis Costello.  



HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

UPDATE 4 PM - And Cheers.

NYPD & NYFD East River Water Cannon Salute For Detective and Air National Guard Sergeant Joseph Lemm Killed In Afghanistan Seen From Roosevelt Island Tram This Morning

The New York Times reports today:

They lined up by the hundreds outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the shield of the New York Police Department mixing with the insignia of the United States Air Force on the shoulders of men and women who came to mourn a Nebraskan who took New York as his home.

Detective Joseph Lemm gained a reputation as something of a comic book superhero in the New York department, his bravery and warm manner winning him many admirers. But it was in his role as a sergeant in the Air National Guard that he was killed last week, along with five other Americans, in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan....

Click here for the full NY Times article.

This morning an East River water cannon salute to NYPD Detective and Air National Guard Sergeant Joseph Lemm could be seen

from the Roosevelt Island Tram.

NYPD and NYFD boats salute procession from East River. #JosephLemm

— Rich Liebson (@RichLiebson) December 30, 2015

The New York Daily News has more.

Roosevelt Island Do For One Southern Soiree And Square Dancing New Year's Eve Benefit For New Yorkers Living With Disability At Good Shepherd

Image From Do For One

Do For One's:

... mission is to develop and support relationships for people with developmental disabilities. By selectively matching one person with disabilities in need of companionship with another person who enjoys the more ordinary privileges in life, we promote healthier communities and richer lives....

Do For One's Founder/Program Director Andrew Oliver adds:

Do For One NYC is a non profit that works to instill dignity and purpose in the lives of people with disabilities through the power of genuine relationships. On Roosevelt island, we work with Coler hospital residents by providing one to one visits with residents as well as host a number of community gatherings at their facility such as game nights and karaoke. We also work with a few families who have members that are disabled on the island by building and fostering peer to peer relationships as well as hosting gatherings that warmly invites them into community life.

Hope Church Roosevelt Island helps us a great deal and is also how we met a number of families with members who have disabilities. 

Do For One is hosting a Southern Soiree New Year's Eve Benefit

at Roosevelt Island's Good Shepherd Community Center.

According to Do For One:

Hello There!

Come support Do For One at our New Years Eve Fundraiser!

All proceeds go toward’s Do For One’s mission to instill dignity and purpose in the lives of New Yorkers living with disability.

A Southern Soiree with DoForOne.org! Complete with a Southern Supper and Square Dancing!

Come join us as we click our boots and tip our hats to 2016!

A generous donor has agreed to cover most of the cost of the event so that we can offer a more affordable price! The price is now $25 for pre-registration and all proceeds will go toward instilling dignity and purpose in the lives of those living with disabilty in New York City.

Any questions please contact Andrew@DoForOne.org

Thursday, December 31, 2015 at 8:00 PM - Friday, January 1, 2016 at 12:00 AM

543 Main Street New York,

More information on Do For One available at their web site and this video.

F Train Subway Delays Today Causing Overcrowding At Roosevelt Island Tram For Morning Commuters

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:

@MTA stuck on train between 21 queensbridge and Roosevelt Island #getittogethermta

— Cara Marie Luzzi (@Caramarieluzzi) December 30, 2015

According to the MTA:

Service Change Posted: 12/30/2015 8:32AM

Due to a switch problem at 21 St-Queens Bridge, the following service changes are in effect:

F Subway trains are running on the E Subway line between Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av and 5 Av-53 St, then via M Subway line to 47-50 St Rockefeller Center in both directions.

As an alternative customers are advised to use the N Subway, Q Subway, R Subway or Q102 service making nearby station stops.

Quite a crowd to get on the tram with the F train outage @Rooseveltisland pic.twitter.com/KezueJm0RR

— Andrew Jones (@atjones0011) December 30, 2015

Stranded on Roosevelt Island. I'm not getting on the tramway 😩 pic.twitter.com/UKRdsFsETI

— Coup de Grâce (@Inkofamartyr) December 30, 2015

Roosevelt Island Parents Learn About PS/IS 217 Gifted & Talented Program At December 14 Education Forum - Eligibility, Testing, Class Size & More Discussed

A Roosevelt Island Gifted & Talented (G&T) Education Forum

Image From NYC Gifted & Talented Handbook

took place December 14 at PS/IS 217 presented jointly by Manhattan Community Board 8's Youth & Education and Roosevelt Island Committees.

As previously reported:

Learn about the G&T test, the G&T curriculum, school choice and options for students.

Bring your questions about the G&T test and how the curriculum differs from the regular curriculum of PS 217, and other topics.

Speakers:

• Daniel Hildreth, Enrollment Director, New York City Department of Education
• Mandana Beckman, Principal, PS/IS 217
• G&T curriculum educators at PS/IS 217
• Parents of students enrolled in the G&T program

Program sponsored by Roosevelt Island Residents Association, Roosevelt Island Committee and Youth and Education Committee of Manhattan Community Board 8, PS/IS 217 and the PTA of PS/IS 217.

Below is video of the Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 G&T Forum.

Part 1 - NYC Department of Education Gifted & Talented Program Enrollment Director Dan Hildreth discusses and takes questions about application procedures, enrollment eligibility, testing and more.



Part 2 - More questions from parents including class size, future of program for higher grades, priority seating for district 2 families, eligibility scores, waiting lists.



Part 3 -PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman and staff describe the school's G&T program.



Part 4 - PS/IS 217 G&T teacher describes learning philosophy and Principal Beckman describes testing, transportation and waiting list process. RIRA President/CB8 Committee member Jeff Escobar praised PS/IS 217 General Education Program



More information on PS/IS 217 available at the NYC Department Of Education (DOE) web portal including 2014 -2015 School Quality Snapshot Statistics.

Also, information available at the PS/IS 217 PTA web site and previous blog posts.

NYC DOE Gifted & Talented Resources Page is here.

Roosevelt Island Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Discusses Passage Of 9/11 First Responders Zadroga Act And Panda Bear For NYC During Cats Roundtable Radio Interview With Roosevelt Island Gristedes Owner John Catsimatidis

Roosevelt Island's Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

 Image Of Congresswoman Maloney & Panda Bear During 2014 Visit To China From Town & Village Blog

was a guest yesterday, December 27, on Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket owner/real estate developer/ NYC Mayoral Candidate/ Oil Billionaire John Catsimatidis radio program.

Image of John Catsimatidis Cat's Roundatable Radio Show.

According to Mr. Catsimatidis web site:

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is a member of Congress in New York’s 12th congressional district., the eastern half of Manhattan and portions of Queens. A Democratic, she worked as a teacher and an administrator for the New York City Board of Education. The Congresswoman was the driving for to extend the provisions of the Zadroga Act, federal law providing medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 first responders which passed just this week, Friday December 18, 2015. Congresswoman Maloney is one of the hardest working members of Congress; the reason is re-elected by ever increasing margins. Recently Congresswoman has been advocating the installation of a Panda bear exhibit in New York City whether it be Central Park or the Bronx Zoo system. Also one of the Congresswoman’s current projects is the Women’s Museum in Washington DC. After years of effort she and her co-backers have received approval and are moving forward.

To hear John CATS upcoming roundtable radio shows, tune in at 9 AM New York time every Sunday morning on 970 AM Radio: The Answer! Can’t get to a radio? Listen in online! The show is live at www.am970theanswer.com at 9 AM New York time every Sunday morning. Thanks for listening!

Listen below



to the Cats Roundtable interview with Congresswoman Maloney.

The full December 27 Cats Roundtable interview show is here.

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network 2015 Year In Review - 530 Members, Education Workshops, Crafts For Kids, Moms On The Move, Issue Advocacy, Salsa Night Out, Information Exchange & More

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

Image Of RIPN Members And Kids At Four Freedoms Park

Dear RI Parents,

As another year draws to a close, many of us reflect upon the things that matter most to us. Our families and our community are the focus of every holiday season. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to you for being part of the RI Parents' Network and making it what it has become.

We have now 530 members and look back on many events and get-togethers in 2015 that would not be possible without the dedication, kindness, volunteering efforts and community spirit of many of you. Thank you!

We met monthly for our "Crafts with Kids" workshops that included a "Valentine's Craft", "St Patrick's Craft", "Earth Day Craft", "Easter Craft", "Mother's Day Craft", "Father's Day Craft", "Summer craft - a lady bug", a "Back to school craft", a "Halloween craft", a "Lantern making workshop" a "Thanksgiving Craft", and most recently a "Holiday Craft".

Every week moms went for walks and then enjoyed exercise and chats outside or in playrooms during the RI Moms on the Move (RI MoM) events.

We went out to leave the Island! ;) for a Salsa Night Out, a Mommy-lunch, a night out with drinks and a comedy show, and met here on RI for several Potluck Family Picnics. We got together for many Playroom Share Projects during the first months of the year and for a few now that the winter is slowly turning in again.

During two "Parents for Parents" workshops we learned about "Sleep: from Newborn to Preschool age", and about the choices when "Choosing the Kindergarten for your child".

We partnered with other Island organizations for their events and are thankful to all our sponsors. I am looking forward to many exciting events in the upcoming year! Please save the date for our New Year's Brunch on January 10, from 11am to 1pm at the 475 lounge.

Another part of our activities was advocacy for the needs of Island families like the functionality of the Tram elevators or Pre-K programs on the Island. We interacted with RIOC and other Island organizations and as a member of the RI Community Coalition (RICC) added the voice of our member families to negotiations with Cornell in regards to the new campus.

Perhaps most importantly, the RI Parents' Network continued to serve as a free information exchange platform and a support network for all interested Island families.

Thank you all for your contributions within this parents' community!

I wish you all Happy Holidays as well as a healthy and joyful year 2016 with lots of energy, sleep and love.

Cheers! :)

Feel free to contact us for more information on the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network.