Today was the last day of the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP) Beacon Summer Day Camp. This afternoon, campers played basketball outside the Youth Center building
and the RIYP issued this statement today:
Last Beacon Day
Today at 6PM the Roosevelt Island Youth Program Inc. ended an era: the program will no longer be affiliated with Public School 217 after 40 years of collaboration.
Beacon programs were designed to establish services for youth and adults in schools in low- income communities. This Agency with the help of then NYC Council Member Gifford Miller and NYC Deputy Mayor Ninfa Segarra secured the Beacon funding for the Island after 5 tough years of negotiating with the Mayor's office and the Department of Youth & Community Development.
After 22 years of RIYP operating the Beacon at PS/IS 217, the school principal Mandana Beckman decided with her handpicked off-island PTA members to prevent the Youth Program from even applying for the funding to operate the Roosevelt Island Beacon program, ensuring the awarding of the grant to an off-island entity.
The RIYP Executive Director Charles DeFino has called Mrs. Beckman's actions "reckless and reprehensible, exhibiting a total disregard for the community. This action is typical Beckman. The community has dealt with her incompetence for over a decade, but we will continue our commitment to the youth and families of Roosevelt Island”.
The new RIYP after-school program information will be introduced to our island families next week.
Do you have a daughter who is entering the 2nd or 3rd grade?
Does she love to learn new things and go on adventures with her friends?
Looking for ways for her to develop leadership, safety, and other great skills? Maybe you just need a direct line to Girl Scout cookies?
If so, then we strongly urge you to consider joining Brownie Girl Scout troop 3002 - right here on Roosevelt Island. We are a well established Troop that has just bridged from Daisies to Brownies and are seeking more members to join us!
POSTPONED: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory due to expected rain this Friday, August 18th. Rescheduled for next Friday, August 25th, weather permitting.
Although at times it may seem that Roosevelt Island is in its own little world, we are not isolated from what goes on in the rest of the country.
Watch this documentary from Vice News on this past weekend's Charlotesville Unite The Right rally by American neo-Nazis, White Supremacy Nationalists and those who protested the rally.
President Trump buoyed the white nationalist movement on Tuesday as no president has done in generations — equating activists protesting racism with the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who rampaged in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend....
Here's Donald Trump's August 15 press conference with his views on what happened at Charlotesville.
The US Army Chief and Marine Commandant tweet:
Army chief & Marine Corps Commandant both spoke up after Trump's remarks — career officers publicly pushing back on president. Think on that pic.twitter.com/wqih8J3iBX
.@jaketapper: To act as if these intellectually destitute people have any moral standing is not only immoral, but un-patriotic & un-American pic.twitter.com/NqzAwxFqb4
The medical needs of this 2 mile long historic island on the East River is a perfect landscape for our services.
RIUC is the first health care facility on the Island. Currently local residents must travel to either Manhattan or Astoria, for treatment—a trip that requires the use of a tram, subway, bus or car. Our facility in essence created a full-service medical center for a growing population of 15,000. RIUC is here to serve your needs.
These needs will increase in the near future with the addition of new multi-family developments and the new Cornell NYC Tech campus, which is under construction and due to open this year. The University is relying on our center to tend to the medical needs of the students and faculty. Roosevelt Island Urgent Care is also well positioned to provide services to the many construction workers who are on the Island during the next few years.
Other amenities include:
Hot and cold complimentary beverage center
Charging station
Flat screen TV in waiting room as well as every exam room
Childrens play area
And much more!
Click here for Kamin Health Urgent Care employment opportunities
I'm curious to know other Islander's point of view and thoughts about one of the panhandlers on the island.
This evening in Duane Reade, the guy who is generally blocking the doors at the F train, rolled in and cut in front of a long line of people to purchase cigarettes. Of course he tells those he's begging from in the station he's buying food. I also witnessed him steal a lighter from the shelves in front of the cashiers. I called him out on it, he called me an ass, and I made sure the employees at Duane Reade knew he took the lighter.
Is public safety doing anything to address this guy in particular? He leaves trash and messes all over, obviously steals from businesses on the island, and becoming more of a nuisance. I understand misfortune and honest asking for help, but this man is not the latter.
For visitors coming to the Island via the train, he's our welcoming committee.
You can report panhandling. If it is in progress, it is considered an emergency situation. If it occurred in the past or occurs repeatedly at the same location, officers from your local police precinct will respond when they are not handling emergency situations.
Call 911 to report the panhandling in progress.
... Lehrer: Did you say you wish panhandling – just asking people for money – would be illegal?
Mayor: I’m saying that not as a matter of policy, I’m saying that as a human being, bluntly, Brian. To so many people, I think it’s off-putting and again it gets confused understandably for homelessness because you don’t whether someone has a home and is panhandling versus someone who literally has no place to sleep last night. I just wish it didn’t exist.
I know constitutionally, of course, it cannot be banned but I’m just expressing a frustration because I think it hurts the quality of life in many ways.
Lehrer: I’m just trying to clarify. Are you saying that you’re objecting to people making up being homeless when they’re not homeless? Or do you really not like poor people on the street asking others for money?
Mayor: What I’m responding to is, I think it, to many people, it does appear that someone is homeless. And, yeah, they give help to someone thinking that they are homeless. And I think some people are out there panhandling because they are truly in need. And obviously I’d rather address their problem directly not having them be out on the street panhandling. I’d rather help them because we would help them. Anyone in real need, we’re going to help them get a roof over their head. We’re going to help them if they need any kind of service.
We’re going to help them try and find a job. That’s what the City of New York does. But there are also people out there who are just begging for money and it’s not out of dire economic need, and that is frustrating to me.
Again, I know there’s no legal way to get rid of that per say but it is frustrating....
... Encourage what we call “successful panhandling,” which brings together willing donors and willing solicitors; and discourage “unsuccessful panhandling,” which targets people who don’t even want to see solicitations, let alone give money to someone asking for help on the sidewalk.
What’s wrong with most anti-panhandling ordinances is that they try to ban or discourage both kinds instead of promoting the former and discouraging the latter.
Panhandling credentials
The policies we think will work best would spread information about panhandlers, particularly through the issuance of credentials. The basic problem now is that potential donors know very little if anything about the panhandlers they encounter. That makes them reluctant to give....
Here's the Red Bus Shuttle heading to the Queensboro Bridge on way to Manhattan
and on 57th Street on way back from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island.
Today, RIOC announced that the AM Red Bus Manhattan Shuttle service is cancelled starting Thursday. According to RIOC:
Due to lack of demand, AM Red Bus shuttle service to the city will be cancelled starting Thu., Aug. 17th. PM service, will continue as scheduled. PM service will start at the tram at 3:00pm and run on the hour on the Roosevelt Island side and on the half hour on the Manhattan side. The last trip on the Manhattan side will be at 8:30 pm.
The Manhattan Tram Shuttle departs on the half hour from the southwest side of 2nd Avenue, between 58th and 59th Sts.
Bespoke My Heart is a party/event planning, supplies, and rental boutique now serving Roosevelt Island since July 2017!
Always planning a party in her head way ahead of time, Natalia DiPalma decided to put her skills to good use and venture on a party/event planning business. After months of brainstorming what’s needed in our community, she, and her husband Eric, founded Bespoke my Heart, LLC with a mission to bring new services, products, and the best innovative party and event experiences to our community at an affordable price . . . AND without the need to leave Roosevelt Island!
Serving Children and Families:
...
With all the changes and advances in child development and play, their goal is to bring a new movement in kids’ party planning/hosting: Imagination Play and STEM parties
“We believe kids parties should be fun, unique, enjoyable events that promote safe and constructive/educational play for children ranging from infant to 10 years of age.” - Natalia DiPalma
Bespoke My Heart offers mobile, unique and interactive parties catered to everyone’s needs: packages range from DIY solutions (“Party-in-a-box”) to an all-included service (“Oh My Heart”) where you don't have to do a thing . . . except show up - of course!
All of their packages include entertainment, decorations and party rooms on the Island! They can customize everything including:
Invitations ● Favors ● Paper Goods ● Tables ● Backdrops ● Balloons ● Food, Cakes, Deserts ● and more!
Bespoke My Heart parties are never one-dimensional and the experiences are all equally amazing. There are many options to choose from and each new party is unlike any other one created. Their mobile play areas are fit for indoor and outdoor spaces, and include:
Shop 'Till You Drop! At the Marketplace ● Build and Fix at the Construction Site ● S'mores & More at the Campsite ● Be a Star on the Stage ● Sensory Table ● Prince & Princess ● Dress Up ●Unicorns and Rainbows ● Nail Salon ● Tattoos and Face-painting ● and much more!
...
Their “STEM Parties” take core educational concepts from the classroom and apply them to a party atmosphere. The results are amazing! Children have a blast and parents enjoy a more well-behaved and engaged gathering of beautiful young minds. Children can enjoy:
Little Picasso Paint Studio ● Art Station ● Play-Doh® Station ● Little Bakers ● Build a Robot ● Mad Scientists ● Dinosaur Dig ● and more!
...
Serving Adults and Businesses:
The fun doesn’t end with Kids Parties. Bespoke My Heart has been building up accounts with the Residential Buildings on the Island to bring fun and creative monthly events to our fellow residents. Look forward to one of their Karaoke Night events coming to a building community room near you in the next few months!
Showers, anniversaries or any party/event can also utilize the services of Bespoke My Heart to bring an added special touch, or even to coordinate the entire event from finding a space, to decorations, favors, catering, rentals and more!
BMH has also been instrumental in working with our new Cornell Tech neighbors, ensuring the opening events have everything they need to be successful.
Bespoke my Heart’s promise is to bring the best party service and affordability without having to leave our wonderful island.
At Bespoke My Heart we put the parts in parties. And our hearts, too!
They still have a few weekends available for outdoor parties!
We may be in the dog days of August but Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal has a Very Cool Plan for the upcoming Christmas/Chanukah Holiday Season.
During the August 9 RIOC Board of Directors meeting (video web cast of full meeting here), Ms Rosenthal announced a plan to bring a Winter Wonderland of Holiday Lights to Roosevelt Island on Main Street from Blackwell House to Capobianco Field including the Tram, Ferry and Subway Station.
Ms Rosenthal reported to the RIOC Board:
... Last Christmas I walked down Main Street and it was kind of dreary...
Ms Rosenthal hopes to:
... bring lots of light and festivities to Main Street ... to light it up and make it look great....
adding:
... maybe even Cornell Students would want to come down. It might even encourage a new retailer or two....
Here's Ms Rosenthal explaining the Roosevelt Island Winter Wonderland concept to the RIOC Board.
Just to get you in the mood, take a look at the fabulous annual Holiday Lights show
NYC Ferry representatives will be at the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Center Kiosk today from 3-7 PM to answer any questions you may have
Great job by #Harbor with the arrest of a male they observed in a kayak spray painting graffiti on rocks in v/o Roosevelt Island Bridge. pic.twitter.com/TxC3XiI9jr
and directional signage to the Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock from the Tram Station
and Main Street in Southtown
was spotted yesterday.
NYC Ferry representatives will be at the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Center Kiosk Tuesday, August 15 from 3-7 PM to answer any questions you may have
The EDC reps reported that the City is moving toward approving a landing barge for Octagon and also are examining sites on the south shore nearer to the Island transportation hub. Katz noted that the Coast Guard opposed any west channel site other than Octagon, and mentioned that RIOC VP, Rosina Abramson, had conducted a survey of east channel southern sites that included the participation of the Queens DOT Commissioner. Shane recalled that, twenty years ago, Abramson, then RIOC President, had organized ferry service using the oil dock on the east channel. He said it was temporary and inadequate. Shane noted that Manhattan is organized through a central spine and so, ferry riders would be obliged to continue their commutes from the shoreline. He said that the "spud barge" idea for the pier at the subway would not work, as that site would require considerable drilling, but that the old oil dock was under consideration....
It's hard to believe after so many years, but Roosevelt Island is getting Ferry Service.
7 months old female kitten. She was abandoned by her owner/s and found starving and crying. She is in a temporary foster home until she finds her forever loving family. Ambra has been spayed, vaccinated and tested. She is very well behaved and super affectionate (as all orange tabbies are known to be). And, as you can see from the photos, she is absolutely beautiful!
If you'd like to be considered to adopt gorgeous Ambra, contact the Wildlife Freedom Foundation at: wffny.info@gmail.com to receive an application.
Kittens # 2-3
These are Silver and Kikko,
3 months old males, neutered, vaccinated, healthy, a little bit shy but absolutely playful and adorable! Silver and Kikko are siblings and very attached to each other (as you can see from the picture) so they will not be adopted separately. To receive an application to adopt these two sweet little babies, please contact the Wildlife Freedom Foundation at: wffny.info@gmail.com
Don't know if Ambra, Silver or Kikko can do a High Five with a Fist Bump yet, but with a little love and kindness, maybe.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
