There is no early voting polling station on Roosevelt Island. The Robert Wagner Middle School at 225 East 75th Street is the early voting period polling location for Roosevelt Island.
Don't forget if you have an absentee ballot you can skip the line and drop it off in one of our secure ballot boxes. Easy as 1-2-3! pic.twitter.com/Dqqu0OJBH6
firing at the direction of NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo carried out by the
RIOC Board of Directors based upon certain allegations against Ms Rosenthal made
by an employee.
A complaint was made to the Governor’s office and others on June 12th by an
employee of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation that alleged that the
President of the organization had used inappropriate language and engaged in
inappropriate conduct in the workplace.
This complaint was immediately referred to the New York State Governor’s
Office of Employee Relations for investigation. This investigation
substantiated that the President had used racially and sexually offensive
language, in clear violation of State policy and the strict standards set by
this Administration. The President was Immediately terminated.
Ms Rosenthal has remained silent until now. On October 19 Mr Rosenthal filed a
lawsuit
in NY State Supreme Court alleging wrongful termination. According to the
lawsuit
(Page 1-2):
... Rosenthal, until her abrupt and improper termination on June 19, 2020,
was the President of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
("RIOC", or "Respondent"). A long time, fierce advocate for civil rights
and, more recently, a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement
Rosenthal, a white female, brought an increased level of racial diversity to
RIOC over her more than five year tenure as President. It is thus both
ironic and tragic that Respondents blindly accepted the malicious, false and
baseless allegations of racism and using sexist language from a known
malcontent employee (the "Employee").
Rushing to announce their decision to terminate Petitioner on Juneteenth,
Respondents conducted a brief, sham investigation which ignored irrefutable
evidence that the allegations were nonsense. Had the Respondents conducted a
good faith investigation, they would have quickly come to that conclusion.
Instead, not only did Respondents terminate Rosenthal in violation of their
own internal policies, but they did so with a public announcement which had
the anticipated effect of besmirching a more than 45 year long exemplary
career.
In short, in order to obtain some cheap publicity on Juneteenth, they
arbitrarily, maliciously and in violation of law threw Rosenthal under the
proverbial bus. By this special proceeding, Rosenthal seeks reinstatement,
back pay, attorneys' fees and damages.
... When she was hired in 2015, Rosenthal was warned by RIOC management of a
'cabal,' which included Employee, which targeted management and sought to oust
them from RIOC. Roosenthal was told to be careful because of their propensity.
Again further proving the axiom that no good deed goes unpunished, Rosenthal
even supported the promotion and increased pay Employee enjoyed....
According to the MTA, there is Roosevelt Island F Train Service to and from Manhattan this weekend. Also, Roosevelt Island E Train service to and from Manhattan.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) was recently asked by a resident:
There has been a lot of complaints again about terrible tram congestion and waiting times at weekends, with one resident saying that she waited an hour to get back from Manhattan in the tram queue.
Can you look into the issue again and consider solutions such as a red bus service on weekends for tourists and retaining the tram for residents during this period ?
The Red Bus Shuttle to Manhattan is hardly used during the week but really necessary at the weekend when limits on numbers inside each tram, alongside visitors, makes using it impossible
RIOC spokesperson Jessica Cerrone replied:
Thank you for your feedback. We have notified the Transportation Director about this issue, however, we are not considering priority access to the Tram for residents.
Roosevelt Island residents looking up to get a glimpse of Nypd rescuing teenager who climbed above Queensboro Bridge pedestrian path and was sitting on girder. pic.twitter.com/DaUw82b9zs
At about 4:30 this afternoon, a 17 year old male walking on the Queensboro Bridge pedestrian path started to climb up the bridge and sat down on a girder
Watched this unfold with NYPD ESU on bridge talking this young man in crisis down. It won't make big news but you have to admire the patience and dedication here. Seeing it on a telescope you could observe the Police Officer and his compassion and care.
CBS New York video has up close view.
According to an NYPD spokesperson, the teenager was taken to the 19th precinct.
... was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, criminal trespassing and unlawful possession of noxious matter. He had pepper spray on him which he handed over to officers, police said....
... He was taken to Cornell Hospital for psychiatric evaluation before being discharged and arrested, police said.
I received a tip this morning and asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Shelton Haynes and Public Safety Chief Kevin Brown:
I understand there was a shooting last night near the Octagon
Can you confirm that
Any more details
RIOC issued this advisory:
On Thursday, October 22nd, at 12:48 AM, there was a shooting incident on the north end of Roosevelt Island, located in The Octagon parking lot (888 Main St.). The victim, a 23-year-old male, is in stable condition and is not a resident of the island. Public Safety was called to the scene and is working in collaboration with the NYPD’s 114th Precinct to investigate. Public Safety will continue to be vigilant, with regular patrols and visible presence throughout the island.
According to a NYPD Spokesperson, a 23 year old male victim approached 2 males sitting in a car and heard 2 gunshots. The victim was shot in the upper arm and taken to hospital. Injuries were not life threatening.
No arrests have been made. Incident is under NYPD investigation.
This morning, a tipster out for a walk noticed that the Roosevelt Island Fall For Arts Festival Black Lives Matter 3D Mural at the Rivercross Lawn was damaged. The letter V panel was removed leaving Black Lies Matter instead. The Tipster added:
This should be investigated by NYPD as a hate crime.
I asked the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Shelton Haynes and Public Safety Chief Kevin Brown:
Is Rioc investigating what happened?
RIOC spokesperson Jessica Cerrone reported:
I have the letter and it will be re-attached.
The Tipster added:
Public safety called me after my report, saying Jessica had found the letter on the lawn, and that they think it’s weather related (again).
The Tipster says "again" because several weeks ago the Black Lives Matter 3D mural was knocked over and damaged, as were several other murals. At the time, RIOC attributed the incident to an overnight wind storm.
Reacting to today's incident, the Black Lives Matter 3D Mural artist Savior Elmundo said:
I don't know what happened. Hope it was not a negative thing that someone did on purpose
.
I spoke with Mr Elmundo about his mural last month.
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Interim President David
Lawson and Nominations Committee Chair Adib Mansour report:
Dear Roosevelt Island residents,
I hope you are keeping well
in these difficult times.
We are a few days away from the US
general election! Traditionally, this is also the time for the election to the Common Council of the Roosevelt Island Resident Association (RIRA). The purpose of the RIRA, is to represent the interests of the island
residents to all governmental, governmental-related and private institutions:
that develop policy affecting Roosevelt Island and its residents;
that
supervise or manage our housing and that supervise or manage other Island
operations;
as well as to ensure that the health, safety and welfare of its
members and the quality of life in our community are maintained and improved.
This is an important entity, as it is the only elected body on the Island
formally entrusted by the community to defend its interests.
Earlier this month, the RIRA Common Council unanimously
decided that RIRA 2020 election be rescheduled to 2022, as a result of
COVID-19 and exceptional and unprecedented circumstances, presenting
life-threatening risks and complex logistical constraints that do not allow
for a fair and transparent RIRA election to proceed.
Consequently,
the outgoing Common Council members will remain seated through the upcoming
term Nov. 2020 - Nov. 2022. Nevertheless, a RIRA nomination campaign has been
launched to invite and encourage Roosevelt Island residents to join RIRA, as a
majority of RIRA Common Council seats (34) are currently vacant. Interested
residents will be voted in by the current Common Council members on November
4th. In the absence of the usual RIRA election, once new Common Council
members are voted-in and seated with the current ones, the President and
Vice-President will exceptionally be elected among and by Common Council
members, like the other officers (Secretary and Treasurer).
The Carter Burden Network Roosevelt Island Senior Center (546 Main Street) is offering free flu shots tomorrow. You don't have to be a Senior to get the Flu Shot. It's available to all. Come on by to the Senior Center at 546 Main Street from 10 AM to 12;30 PM for your flu shot.. First come, first serve. Please bring your insurance info.(The Flyer says Seniors Only but I'm told the Flu Shot is available for all)
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Shelton Haynes
announced during the October 15 Operations Advisory Committee meeting that the
annual Roosevelt Island Holiday Lights display will be cancelled this year due
to revenue shortfalls.
No Reindeer sled,
no Roosevelt Landings Arcade Lights,
no Tram Plaza animal lights
or any other Holiday Lights.
Mr Haynes explained that RIOC is currently experiencing a $2.7 million revenue loss this year and reducing it's community events budget from $150 Thousand annually to $50 Thousand.
Last Friday,I asked Mr Haynes what other upcoming Roosevelt Island events will be cancelled.
Will update when answer received.
UPDATE 5:35 PM
This is a bummer. I took a picture by the sled last year, and I'd love it if we could figure out a way to keep it, since so many other local holiday traditions are being cancelled this year. https://t.co/Nuf96HymU2pic.twitter.com/2vKHsssgmy
The Friends Of Coler are a group of Roosevelt Island residents organizing to help the patients and staff of NYC Health & Hospitals Corp (HHC) Coler Facility during the Coronavirus pandemic
... we are constituting a community-based Coler Task Force under the
auspices of Community Board 8, chaired by Alida Camp, CB8’s Chair and a
professional mediator to be called upon when necessary. The Task Force
will be composed of Coler residents and families, local stakeholders and
elected officials. The Task Force will identify issues of concern and
obtain timely responses from Health + Hospitals senior management,
facilitate tours of Coler for members of the committee and elected
officials, and ensure healthcare workers or residents who speak out are
shielded from any retribution...
COVID has dissipated at Coler as it has all over NYC and the Roosevelt Island Medical Center established within Coler has gone, but when individual cases arise due to staff Covid infections, then lockdown of patients ensues.
Recent reports from Coler Rehab Nursing Care Center indicate we need to be very concerned for a pattern of actions that severely limit patient movement and keep them away from family and friends and advocates. As we all know from recent months, mental health and physical health are closely intertwined.
The Friends Of Coler invite you to learn more about what really happened at the Roosevelt Island Coler nursing facility during the early stages this year of the Coronavirus Pandemic at a Virtual Sneak Preview and Conversation on Wednesday October 21 of a new documentary currently in the works - Fire Through Dry Grass.
This Wednesday evening, October 21, the Roosevelt Island NYPL branch and Friends of Coler are
co-hosting a storytelling/fundraising event to support a forthcoming
documentary about life inside Coler during the pandemic.
Please join the Open Doors Reality Poets alongside filmmakers Andres "Jay" Molina (a Coler resdient) and Alexis Neophytides for the trailer release of their forthcoming documentary, FIRE THROUGH DRY GRASS, and a conversation about #ownvoices pandemic storytelling.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately affect people of color, poor people, currently and formerly incarcerated Americans, and nursing home residents, Molina and Neophytides will discuss the critical impact of documenting from the inside and uplifting narratives from the communities most at risk.
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.
