SPONSORED POST - Check Out Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket 3 Day Easter Weekend Sale, Specials & Sales For March 25 To April 7 Too - 10% Seniors Discounts Tuesdays & Wednesdays And Sign Up For Bonus Savings Card

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket invites you to check out their 3 DAY EASTER WEEKEND SPECIALS FRIDAY 3/25 THRU SUNDAY 3/27 OF:

• Store Baked Ham $3.99lb
• Store Baked Turkey $5.99lb
• Fresh Mozzarella $7.99lb

AND

• Groceries, 
• Organic & Gourmet, 
• Snacks
• Meat, 
• Fresh Produce, 
• Deli &;
• Fresh Bakery

Department Offerings for March 25 - April 7 (pages 1-4) Perishable Items April 1 -7 (pages 5-6).

Gristedes representative Bob Capano invites Roosevelt Island residents to check out their various product departments for all of your shopping needs.



Also, don't forget the 10% Roosevelt Island Seniors Discount on Tuesday and Wednesday and Sign Up For Gristedes Bonus Cards online or in person at the store.

More Gristedes Supermarket information available at their web site and Twitter feed.

Stop by your local Gristedes and check out this week's discounts! Our ads are designed with YOU in mind! --> https://t.co/GZiwYgMB6A

— Gristedes (@Gristedes) March 25, 2016

Beautiful weather calls for a delicious and healthy spring treat! Grab a few honeydew melons for only $4.99! YUM! pic.twitter.com/7t2YKtrjX2

— Gristedes (@Gristedes) March 24, 2016

Join our mailing list and gain access to our recipes of the week, discounted items, and more! --> https://t.co/LffInXXpVk

— Gristedes (@Gristedes) March 17, 2016

No Roosevelt Island F Train Service From Manhattan This Easter Weekend

According to the MTA:

F Jamaica-bound trains run via the M from 47-50 Sts to Roosevelt Av

Weekend, 11:30 PM Fri to 5 AM Mon, Mar 25 - 28

F trains run express from Queens Plaza to Roosevelt Av.

No Jamaica-bound service at 57 St, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St-Queensbridge.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) adds:

The MTA has issued a weekend service advisory for the F train, which may affect travel plans. The Tram will run on a rush hour schedule from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM to accommodate any increase in traffic. Please plan your travel accordingly and visit mta.info/weekender or call 511 for more information.

For electronic updates on F Train service, sign up for MTA Alerts at mymtaalerts.com.

NYC 2016 Participatory Budget Voting Starts Saturday March 26 - Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA Requests Your Vote For School Green Roof & Computer Carts On Ballot

Saturday March 26th begins the 2016 NYC Participatory Budget (PB) voting process which runs through Sunday, April 3rd.  Of the fourteen projects on the ballot in our District 5 this year, two would fund Roosevelt Island projects, including PS/IS 217 computer carts and the balance of funding needed to finish the PS/IS 217 Green Roof.

The Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA tweets:

Vote for 217 Green Roof this Saturday, March 26! https://t.co/IbP0fdkHl9 via @weebly

— 217 PTA (@217pta) March 22, 2016

and adds:

Every vote matters - vote to finalize the funding for the STEM Green Roof!

1.5 Million is needed to transform 6,750 sq. ft. of underutilized school roof top into a science learning hub with an area for performance. Last year 217 Green Roof project won $750,000, but we are only half way there! We must win this year to get the Green Roof! Competition from the Upper East Side is FIERCE, and they are mobilizing at full force for their projects.

​Please show up & vote & spread the word to get others to vote.

You can vote on or near Roosevelt Island on these dates

• Saturday, March 26 from 11am-2pm (during the RIRA Easter Egg Hunt) at Manhattan Park; 
• Tuesday, March 29 from 4-7pm at the Island F subway station; 
• Wednesday, March 30 from 4-7pm at Tramway Plaza (Manhattan side); or 
• Thursday, March 31 from 7:30-10:30am at PS/IS 217.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos adds:

You decide on how to spend $1 million in our community starting March 26th through April 3rd as part of Participatory Budgeting

Anyone 14 or over can vote by mail or in person at our district office for the entirety of vote week.

March 26^th – April 3^rd:
Monday – Friday: 9:00AM – 6:00PM
Saturday – Sunday: 11:00AM – 5:00PM

We will also make voting more convenient by bringing the ballots closer to you at mobile voting sites throughout the district with help from this cycle’s budget delegates who will be sponsoring even more vote sites as they continue to shepherd the process. Let us know when and where you'll be voting with your reservation below:

Saturday, 3/26/2016:
10:00AM – 2:00PM, East 82nd Street Greenmarket, RSVP
11:00AM – 2:00PM, 20 River Road, Manhattan Park, Roosevelt Island, RSVP

Sunday, 3/27/2016:
10:00AM – 2:00PM, Carl Schurz Park, RSVP

Monday, 3/28/2016:  
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M79 Bus at York Avenue, RSVP
8:00AM – 11:00AM, 311 East 82nd Street, P.S. 290, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, East 86th between Lexington and Third Avenue, RSVP

Tuesday, 3/29/2016:
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M86 Bus at York Avenue, RSVP
7:30AM – 10:30AM, 1700 Third Avenue, P.S. 198/77, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, F Train Subway at Roosevelt Island, RSVP

Wednesday, 3/30/2016:  
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M67 Bus at First Avenue, RSVP
10:00AM – 1:00PM, 411 East 76th Street, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, Tramway Plaza at E59th Street, RSVP

Thursday, 3/31/2016:
7:30AM – 10:30AM, 645 Main Street, P.S. /I.S. 217, Roosevelt Island, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, East 96th Street Subway Station, RSVP

Friday, 4/1/2016:       
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M72 Bus at First Avenue, RSVP

Saturday, 4/2/2016:  
10:00AM – 2:00PM, East 67th Street Greenmarket, RSVP

Below are the Ben Kallos District 5 Participatory Budget eligible projects including the Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Green Roof and Computer Carts funding.

More on the Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Green Roof project at this previous post.

Scenes From Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Easter Bonnet Making Crafts And Story Time For Kids

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator (RIPN) Eva Bosbach shares these photos and reports on the March 19 RIPN Easter Bonnet Making Crafts at the Seniors Center.

Dear all,

Thank you to all who participated in our Easter Craft

 last Saturday! The children had lot of fun making

 beautiful Easter bonnets

and enjoyed story time

by Piya.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the next RI Parents' Network's Crafts with Kids workshops, which will be our Spring Craft on April 16 and a Mothers Day Craft on May 7, always 10-11am at the Senior Center.

For more info on RIPN, contact here.

Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation Celebrate Purim Story Of Esther With Worship, Food, Songs And Political Parody - Make Shushan Great Again Was Theme

Janet Falk reports on the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation (RIJC) March 23 Purim celebration. From Ms. Falk;

Make Shushan Great Again: A Purim Celebration on Roosevelt Island

Purim, a joyous and comedic holiday celebration, filled with fun and parody based on the Biblical story of Esther, was celebrated by the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation (RIJC) with more than 50 people participating in a full evening of activities for all ages on March 23.

After a communal pizza, quiche and pasta dinner, Rabbi Leana Moritt, dressed as a chef, led the worship service; it included the reading of the megillah or traditional scroll, which recounts the story of the holiday, marking the survival of the Jewish people at a time of a threatened massacre. Assisted by Gad Levanon and Michal Melamed, her reading was interrupted by children and adults wielding groggers to blot out the recitation of the name of the man who purportedly attempted to destroy the Jews. With humor and parody, the congregation joined in singing prayers and song parodies to popular music and show tunes.

Later, a Purimschpiel, or play based on this narrative, was performed. Written by Mickey Rindler and Janet Falk, Make Shushan Great Again wove aspects of the Presidential campaign into the familiar tale and featured King Obamasuerus (Noam), Donald Haman (Mickey Rindler), Senator Mordechai Sanders (Scot Bobo) and Secretary of State Esther Hillassah (Rabbi Moritt). (Esther is known as Hadassah in Hebrew.)

The audience was invited to join in a song to popular melody by Pharrell Williams, here called (Because I’m) Esther, when Secretary of State Esther gathered her courage to petition the King and secure the safety of the Jews.

The cast members included students of the RIJC Hebrew School, led by Anna Levenstein -- Anna assisted in the direction --, plus other members of the RIJC.

The Purimschpiel's broad humor and political-themed puns, plus references to Roosevelt Island affairs, drew laughter, groans and cheers from the audience, who applauded enthusiastically.

For example, Donald Haman (Mickey Rindler) and his Apprentices plot to kill the Jews

Image From Judy Berdy

Also, Secretary of State Esther Hillassah (Rabbi Leana Moritt) and Senator Mordechai Sanders (Scot Bobo) exchange emails to solve the peril for the Jews

Image From Judy Berdy

And the Cast sings (Because I’m) Esther a la Pharrell Williams

Image From Julia Chang

Judy Berdy and The RIJC maintained the long-standing tradition of making shaloch manos gift bags for the residents and patients of Coler Hospital and to the patients of the nursing facility in Harlem, where some of the former Island residents now reside. Congregation donations of socks, gloves, hats, toiletries, writing materials and other small items will be distributed to them by Rabbi Alcabes.

The evening concluded with delicious Hamentaschen, a holiday fruit pastry treat, baked by the Levanon-Seligson family, as is their annual tradition.

For more information about the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation, please visit www.rijc.org or call 212-688-0003.

Happy Purim - Shake Your Grogger.

Sign Of Roosevelt Island Spring - Subway Fruit Stand Vendor Returns Today After Winter Hiatus

One of the first signs of spring is when the Roosevelt Island fruit stand vendor returns from his winter hiatus.

This morning, the Roosevelt Island Fruit Stand was being set up next to the F Train subway station and Duane Reade.

 Image From Janet Falk

The Roosevelt Island Subway Fruit Stand is open now.

Just need some warm weather.

Roosevelt Island Magnolia Trees Blossoming By Coler Hospital - 8th Annual RIHS Cherry Blossom Walk On Saturday April 23

Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy shares these pictures

and reports

that the Magnolia Trees

surrounding Coler Hospital

on the north side of Roosevelt Island are in full bloom.

Ms Berdy adds that the 8th annual RIHS Cherry Blossom Walk will take place Saturday April 23.

Contact the RIHS to make reservations for the Cherry Blossom Walk.

NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright Introduces Legislation This Week To Bring Major Changes For Roosevelt Island Governance - RIOC CEO To Be Appointed By Board Directors And CEO Must Live On Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
 

 Image Of Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright At 2015 Roosevelt Island Town Hall

introduced Bill A09605 which, if passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, would bring major changes to the governance of Roosevelt Island by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC).

According to Assembly Member Seawright:

This bill allows the board to appoint the CEO of RIOC, determine the term of office and requires that the CEO complies with the rules that apply to public officers. It is a pivotal step towards self-governance for Roosevelt Island residents, creating accountability and requiring greater transparency.

The legislation, introduced on March 22, would also require the RIOC CEO to be a resident of Roosevelt Island or become one within 6 months of being appointed to the position.

Below is the purpose, summary and justification for the legislation as outlined in Bill A09605:

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To establish the position of chief executive officer of the Roosevelt Island operating corporation, and the requirements for such position.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill makes a technical amendment, and provides the following:

1. The board shall appoint a chief executive officer of RIOC, who must be a resident of Roosevelt Island or become a resident within 6 months of appointment;

2. The board shall determine the term of office, fix the compensation and prescribe the duties for the position; and

3. The CEO must comply with, and be subject to, certain rules that apply to public officers.

Section two provides that this act shall take effect immediately, except that the term of the current chief executive officer shall end at such time as a successor chief executive officer is appointed.

JUSTIFICATION:

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) was created in 1984 to manage Roosevelt Island, oversee its continued development through the Master Plan and allocate state capital funding and operational support.
The directors of RIOC board are not elected but rather appointed. Presently, there is neither residency requirement for all RIOC board directors nor for the President/Chief Executive Officer. The President/CEO is primarily responsible for operations of daily life on Roosevelt Island. There has never been a RI resident appointed to this position but rather only persons who reside outside the community once appointed, the President/CEO has never moved into the community.

This bill provides a step toward self-governance for Roosevelt Island residents by requiring the next newly appointed CEO to be a resident or become a resident within six months of his/her appointment. This residency requirement will ensure the CEO is a member of the community.

This bill would make the next CEO more accountable to the residents he/she will serve. The RIOC Board of Directors will appoint the CEO, determine the term of office, fix the compensation to be paid, prescribe the duties and responsibilities and may remove him/her for cause. This bill requires greater transparency because the next CEO will be subject to the Public Officers Law including financial disclosures and a Code of Conduct.

and the contents of the full Bill.

Image From NY State Assembly

Click here for more information on Bill A09605 introduced by NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright regarding Roosevelt Island governance.

The Roosevelt Island Tramway Is Like A Slow Roller Coaster Says Visitor - Take A Ride This Summer Or Right Now

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:

The Tram to Roosevelt Island is like a really slow rollercoaster.

— Ruthi (@Ruthi_m) March 23, 2016

I want to ride the Roosevelt Island Tramway this summer!

— CH (@_Celenyyy) March 23, 2016

Take a Tram ride right now.

Roosevelt Island Tramway from Aye Savid Teixeira on Vimeo.

You're Invited To Purim In The Chocolate Factory Presented By Chabad Lubavitch Of Roosevelt Island Thursday March 24 - Megillah Reading, Chocolate Fountain, Buffet Dinner & More, Please RSVP

Image From Chabad Lubavitch Of Roosevelt Island

An invitation from the Chabad Lubavitch Of Roosevelt Island to Purim In The Chocolate Factory:

Join us for a fun Purim experience! Purim party, fun for kids, Megillah reading, food and more including:

• Interactive Megillah reading,
• Magnificent Chocolate Fountain,
• Buffet Diner,
• Chocolate Fun,
• Thursday March 24 6 PM,
• 425 Main Street,
• Suggested: $18,

Please click here for more information and to RSVP.

According to the Huffington Post:

Purim is a spring holiday that commemorates the Jewish community's narrow escape from collective destruction in the ancient Persian Empire. The word itself, purim, comes from the Persian word for "lots" and is a reference to the fact that the date set for the Jews' annihilation was chosen by casting lots.

There are several major components of the Purim holiday, including public readings of the Book of Esther (k'riat megillah), giving charity to the poor (matanot la'evyonim) and delivering gifts to friends (mishloach manot). But Purim is most obviously characterized by a boisterous feast (se'udah) during which participants dress in costumes and drink to excess....

The Maccabeats celebrate and explain Purim too.



Raise your glass and click here to RSVP for Chabad Lubavitch Purim In The Chocolate Factory.

Roosevelt Island Resident Persuades RIOC To Add New Bench For Riders Waiting For Red Bus/Q102 - Seniors And Disabled No Longer Have To Stand While Waiting For Bus

Thanks to the advocacy of Roosevelt Landings Service Committee Chair Romano Reid, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) recently installed a bench for those waiting for the Red Bus/Q102 in front of 504 Main Street.

 Image Of New Bus Bench At 504 Main Street

According to Mr. Reid:

I have been working day in and out for the past year trying to secure seating for those Island residents waiting for the Q-102/ Red bus service alongside 504 Main Street. After some serious advocating, I am proud to mention that Erica Wilder & Cy Opperman of RIOC finally acknowledged my request .

It was appalling to see mainly the seniors and disabled residents having to stand while waiting for bus service. Thankfully, those days are over ! 

Good job by RIOC and Mr. Reid.

As previously reported, Mr. Reid and Mr. Opperman persuaded the MTA to add a bus stop to that location in 2013.

Roosevelt Island New York Public Library Branch Named Literary Landmark In Recognition Of Works By Nellie Bly, Horatio Alger, Stephen Crane, O. Henry & Eugene O'Neil - Ceremonial Plaque Unveiling April 12

Roosevelt Island New York Public Library Branch manager Nicole Nelson reports:

The New York Public Library is pleased to have the Roosevelt Island Library named as a "Literary Landmark" by the Empire State Center for the Book and United for Libraries. It's a recognition not just of Nellie Bly's Ten Days in a Mad-House, but of the island's appearance in works by Horatio Alger (Ragged Dick), Stephen Crane (Maggie, A Girl of the Streets), O. Henry (The Cop and the Anthem) and Eugene O'Neil (The Hairy Ape)

There will be a brief ceremony on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, 2:00 pm. to unveil the Literary Landmark plaque at the library.

 Image From Lake Oswego Reads

According to United For Libraries:

The Literary Landmarks Association was founded in 1986 by former FOLUSA president Frederick G. Ruffner to encourage the dedication of historic literary sites....

and:

... Dedications have included homes of famous writers (Tennessee Williams, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, William Faulkner), libraries and museum collections, literary scenes (such as John's Grill in San Francisco, immortalized by Dashiell Hammett, and Willa Cather's Prairie near Red Cloud, Nebraska), and even "Grip" the Raven, formerly the pet of Charles Dickens and inspiration to Edgar Allan Poe and now presiding (stuffed) at the Rare Books Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The list of dedicated sites continues to grow....

Click here for more United For Libraries New York Literary Landmarks.

Roosevelt Island Residents Margie Smith And Ellen Polivy Receive Women Of Distinction Award For Outstanding Work And Dedication To Our Community From NY Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright & Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright tweets:

Honoring the fabulous women on the UES and Roosevelt Island! pic.twitter.com/M27ZfTtvGv

— Rebecca Seawright (@SeawrightForNY) March 18, 2016

According to this press release from Assembly Member Seawright's office:

On Friday, March 18, 2016 residents of Roosevelt Island, Yorkville, and the Upper East Side, along with Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney attended the Second Annual Women of Distinction Awards ceremony at the community office of Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright honoring six local women for their outstanding work and dedication to the community.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney along with Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright presented the awards and spoke to the accomplishments of women in history and the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in Congress. Ellen Polivy and Margie Smith were two of those honored for their work on behalf of their community on Roosevelt Island.

Margie Smith

is a lifetime New Yorker and longtime Roosevelt Island resident. A true advocate for Roosevelt Island, Margie is Chair of the Governance Advisory Committee and a member of the Operations Committee of RIOC. Currently, she is also the Director of Administration for one of the largest brand licensing companies in the world.

Ellen Polivy

is a social worker and Roosevelt Island resident. Ellen is an activist on Community Board 8, serving as a host on CB8 Speaks. Ellen is an activist in her own community as co-chair of Roosevelt Island Community Coalition and former president of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association. Additionally, she is an advocate for the elderly, sitting on the board of Bird S. Coler chronic care hospital, and in her own personal geriatric care management practice.

In addition, Alice Heyman,

the Founder of the First Women’s Bank, community organizer and activist also received an award. She contributed much needed funds that made the completion of the FDR Hope memorial possible. Until recently, she wished to remain anonymous for her generous contribution to Roosevelt Island.

Eileen Toback is a labor advocate, coalition leader and campaign organizer, currently serving as executive director of the New York Professional Nurses Union, advocating for safe staffing of nurses and quality patient care.

Loraine Brown is a member of Community Board 8, where she serves as co-chair of the Housing committee. Notably, Loraine is working with the White House’s Leadership Council to address “Prison Sentencing Reform.

Zoe Markowitz is the youngest member of Community Board 8, where she serves on the Land Use and Youth and Education Committees. Zoe has also worked with US Senator Charles Schumer and advocates for seniors on the DOROT Next Generation Teen Council.

“It is important to recognize the women who paved the way,” Assembly Member Seawright said in her remarks. “We stand taller because we stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us, and they deserve to be recognized here today.”

Congratulations to the Women of Distinction.

Roosevelt Island Portrait In Red Photographed By Local Kids Elliot & Alice

Roosevelt Island dad & Bubo Blogger Nick Turner tweets:

Idea for when kids are driving you crazy: Go outside and have them take pictures of everything red https://t.co/ndanSgYlkq @Rooseveltisland

— Nick Turner (@SFNick) March 21, 2016

Mr. Turner adds:

... since we live on Roosevelt Island, which has a signature color — we chose red. Here is the result.

Good job.

Roosevelt Island Family Easter Egg Hunt For Children Toddlers To 8 Years Old Saturday March 26 - Pre Registration Deadline March 24

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) annual Easter Egg hunt takes place Saturday March 26.

RIRA's Social, Cultural & Educational Committee Chair Lynn Strong-Shinozaki reports:

Sign Up TODAY for the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26 at 11:00 am

Family fun for Roosevelt Islanders. The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is for children ages Toddler to 8 years old and meets in Manhattan Park. Food and books for all.

Please Pre-Register HERE. 

Fee is $5 per child and maximum $20 per family. Children will hunt for eggs in the Manhattan Park lawn and greet the Bunny. Make a bonnet and play games. Prizes (stuffed animals, English and non-English language books) will be awarded.

Entertainment includes a performance by the Main Street Theatre cast of Annie. Read-aloud with Girl Scouts and volunteers. In case of rain, the activities will be moved to 8 River Road. For more information, please contact SCE@riraonline.com

Pre- Register here to PAY IN ADVANCE AND AVOID LONG LINES. Pre Registration deadline is Thursday March 24.

CASH ONLY DAY OF EVENT

Please note that priority is given to Roosevelt Island residents and their families.

Thanks! Hope to see you all there!

Ms. Shinozaki adds:

Totally amazed at peoples generosity.

We had over 30 people helping us stuff our 10,000 eggs. We had a 91 year old Grandmother who stuffed over 300 eggs by herself! We had a very pregnant mother helping us with our inventory count. We had a Superr stuffer who had a crisis at her work till 3am and still woke up and got the eggs to us when she promised.

We received about 70 non-english books and hundreds of toys donated!

We are so happy to have a performance by the Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance.

We have the best committee and team ever. Every one involved has been working incredibly hard. Julie, Shauna, Julia, Susy, Eva, Marie, John, Janet, Sherie, the Girl Scouts, to name a few! Let’s hope this year we get good weather!

Some scenes

Image From Jacqueline Schott

from past



Roosevelt Island Easter Egg Hunts.

Have fun!!