Best Wishes to all for a Happy And Healthy New Year in 2023.
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
Cheers
and Best Wishes for the 2023 New Year.
If you're interested in making an End Of Year Donation, please consider supporting local Roosevelt Island organizations doing good work for our community including:
The Wildlife Freedom Foundation
Main Street Theatre & Dance AllianceRIVAA Gallery
FDR Four Freedoms Parkand the Roosevelt Island Historical Society.
Best Wishes For A Happy New Year From Roosevelt Island's:
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Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton Haynes, Public Safety Department Chief Kevin Brown and Assistant Vice President of Communications Akeem Jamal:
12/21/22 -2218 – 540 Main Street – Sexual Assault – EMS, PSD Responded – Transported to Hospital
Will RIOC comment on the sexual assault incident listed in PSD Incident Report above?
What happened? Was there an arrest?
This incident will be of great concern to the Roosevelt Island community and I want to make sure that the reporting is accurate.
Will RIOC comment on this matter?
Did not receive any response and followed up again this afternoon to RIOC asking:
I’m following up on yesterday’s email below regarding a December 21 sexual assault at 540 Main Street reported in the PSD daily blotter.
This is of great concern to residents. Will Rioc provide information about what happened including if there was an arrest?
Today, a NYPD Press Spokesperson told me they had no information on the matter.
I’ve also asked several residents who usually know or can find out and they had no info either.
At 4:14 pm today, RIOC sent out this advisory:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community,This is an update in response to community inquiries concerning an alleged sexual assault incident on 12/21/22 at 10:18 PM. Emergency Medical Services responded to an unknown individual in the area of 540 main street. Upon arrival, the individual on the scene declined to provide their information and declined assistance from NYPD. After further investigation – there was no police report filed, and the NYPD 114th precinct Detective Squad was not notified of an act of sexual assault.
The Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department and NYPD take any allegations of sexual assault or general wrongdoing seriously. Should you wish to make an anonymous report, please get in touch with the NYPD Crime Stoppers tip line at 800-577-TIPS or submit an online tip.
Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department
Upon reading the advisory, one resident asked:
How did this get on their blotter if nothing took place?This is practically identical to the claim they made concerning the last incident.
Another resident added:
I try to give Chief Brown & PSD the benefit of the doubt on some criminal activity but they continue to test us. And this Advisory tests their credibility.Does “... In the area of 540...“ mean In the Building Lobby? Near the Cultural Center Staircase? Poorly lit Dark Space Further down the road to the river?Wondering who exactly called 911 if the victim didn’t?540 Breezeway is hard for PSD to miss. Doubt any PSOs were out at that crosswalk but is possible. Even when they are there they miss stuff...And, most importantly, isn’t this the 2nd time this year this kind of assault was reported & nothing happened?The PSD & RIOC have the responsibility to be transparent & report critical events relatedto the SAFETY of the PUBLIC. Chief Brown can remind us, at those Public Safety meetings & other settings, how low the crime rate is & how safe we are ... But they never send out or post some reminders about our personal safety.
RIOC's relatively new Vice President of Communications, Akeem Jamal, has made it extremely difficult for the local Roosevelt Island media to obtain information about important issues of concern to the Roosevelt Island community. In response to a prior Public Safety incident last October, Mr Jamal replied to my inquiry:
... In the event of community concern in the case of such an incident, RIOC would work to advise the public should there be a need. In the future, if you would like information regarding any incident or have other inquiries, please submit a FOIL request.
This email serves as notice that RIOC will no longer respond to these incidents or other matters unless a FOIL request has been submitted.
I've asked Mr Jamal why he refuses to answer press inquiries on issues of concern to Roosevelt Island residents.
Mr Jamal's answer was:
RIOC wants to control the narrative.
Roosevelt Island public safety issues were discussed with RIOC PSD Chief Kevin Brown during the December 22 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee meeting. Among the issues discussed were:
Watch the video of full meeting.
These meetings are open to the public to participate.
Contact RIRA Public Safety Co-Chair Erin Feely-Nahem if you are interested in attending the next meeting.
Roosevelt Island is joining the Pickleball Craze with 2 new outdoor courts installed by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) in the area behind Sportspark that used to be a basketball court.
During the October 20, 2022 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting Public Session, Roosevelt Island residents Lorraine Altman
and Vicki Feinmel
advocated for Pickle Ball courts on Roosevelt Island.
During the December 22, 2022 RIOC Board Meeting, RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson announced Pickleball was coming to Roosevelt Island at the Sportspark outdoor court this coming spring.
According to Ms Robinson:
We are bringing Pickleball to Roosevelt's Island as Mr Haynes previously mentioned. We have decided to dedicate the courts behind Sports Park to that effort and a formal announcement will go out soon but asphalt was laid and striping was completed this month. I believe the court will be completed and accessible in the early spring so that's really exciting.
Comments on Roosevelt Islander Instagram Pickleball post include:
Are you ready for Roosevelt Island Pickleball?
iDig2Learn Wishes You All The Joys The World Has To Offer Into The New Year And Beyond
Help us end 2022 strong!
Donate to celebrate iDig2Learn’s 10 years and propel us into the next decade.
We love discovering nature’s wonders and are excited for what’s ahead. Deep thanks to all our partners for helping us expand our impact to all ages and spark our desire (and know-how) to make sure our human impact is good impact.
Wish to support?
Click this link where our fiscal sponsor and nonprofit Open Space Institute 501(c)3 public charity lists us as one of their Citizen Action Groups ready to accept donations. Be sure to select - iDig2Learn - from the drop down menu to ensure we get your generous gift. Can’t support right now? Follow us and spread the word! Thanks to all who have make this decade fun and joyful!
Follow us on our iDig2Learn website and Instagram page.
Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy reports:
It is Christmas day and a good day to be in the kiosk and meet our visitors. I do not know what to expect since the temperature is about 20 degrees out.Roosevelt Island residents are also invited and welcomed at the RIHS Visitors Center Kiosk. Stop by, talk to Ms Berdy and the friendly staff and make a merchandise purchaseJust as I approach the kiosk a couple is looking at the RIOC map sign and I invite tme into the kiosk to defrost. The woman, Alette is almost 90 years old with her 19 year old grandson, Jonathan. They are from Montreaux, Switzerland and are here for a week's vacation. They sit down to warm up, though the kiosk has not warmed up yet to a frosty 50 degrees. We chat and discover Jonathan is studying and working at the Montreaux Jazz Festival working rigging and lighting every summer. His English is great and Alette is used to walking the mountain trails of Switzerland.
They are lots of fun and after a half hour decide to ride the red bus around the island.
ARLETTE AND JONATHAN, OUR FIRST VISITORS OF THE DAY.
Marie, a young woman from College Park, Maryland joins me and we chat about restaurants and customer service, since she works in a Japanese Restaurant. Her friends soon arrive, three grad students from Maryland and they are off to explore the island.
A young couple come in and we chat. They are Greek and seek instructions to Astoria for some good "home" cooking. She is a nursery school teacher and he a tech teacher in London. We have a few laughs of British cooking and they are definitely ready for Astoria.
A family from Dubai come into the kiosk, yes Dubai. Mom, dad and 3 kids. The are nearly frozen and we chat so they can warm up. One son is definitely under the weather and the family has already visited Duane Read. He is completely bundled and masked up. I am sure he really wanted to be under the covers. The family is from Pakistan and have lived over 20 years in the Middle East. The teen age daughter has been directing her family's itinerary including the Met and MOMA. She wants to go into design and has a list of must-sees for her family. One the way out we present a I Love NY baseball for the son, though it is not a cricket ball. it will be a great New York souvenir. The family has decided that this is the last trip to New York in winter.
Other families enter the kiosk,
many asking for a restroom. We do not have the coffee maker on today since using it will probably blow out our fragile electrical system. We sell some pairs of gloves and not much else. We notice that the majority of our visitors are from tropical climates, such as Malaga,Spain, California, Florida and warmer places. Most wanted a little less of the freeze they had been experiencing here. At 4 p.m. my feet are frozen and time to head to Granny Annies for a bowl of hot French Onion Soup.
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukkah from Roosevelt Island.
Enjoy these Holiday Songs from Bing Crosby and David Bowie,
Dropkick Murphys,
The Waitresses,
RUN DMC,
Great Big Sea
and for those who Eat Chinese Food At Christmas.
Happy Holidays Roosevelt Island.
Reports are coming in of Santa Claus sightings from all around the world. You can even follow Santa moment by moment as he travels around the world with the aid of Norad's Santa Tracker.
Santa will arrive on Roosevelt Island in a few hours. When he does, it may be on his specially designed, Reindeer powered, Roosevelt Island Tram Cabin sled.
It's time for some great Christmas Eve songs.
The Pogues Fairytale Of New York,
Darlene Love Christmas Baby Please Come Home,
Bruce Springsteen Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
and from Ted Lasso, Carol of the Bells.
Here's more about the NORAD Santa Tracker.
Roosevelt Island.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton Haynes was ill yesterday and was not able to attend the December 23 RIOC Board Of Directors meeting last night. In his place, RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson read the RIOC President's Community Report to the Board and those in attendance.
Among the topics discussed were:
Here's the RIOC President's Report read by Ms Robinson.RIOC Board of Directors Meeting | Recap pic.twitter.com/zNQGJMpEZ2
— Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@RIOCny) December 23, 2022
Full video of the December 23 Board of Directors meeting will eventually be available at the RIOC website.
The Chabad of Roosevelt Island invite you to the Annual Family Public Menorah Lighting
Come together to celebrate Jewish pride!
Enjoy hot latkes, hot drinks, music, dreidels and other treats.
For more information contact nechama@RIjewish.org
Enjoy this West Side Chanukkah Story from Six13,
the Shlomones Rocky Hora Chanukah song
and the Dreidel song with a Texas swing twist.
Happy Roosevelt Island Chanukkah!
Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance wishes the Roosevelt Island community joy, peace and love for the holidays, and a happy New Year filled with singing, dancing and merriment.Start the new year with MSTDA classes and shows for all!!!
Facebook.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM GRADUATE ROOSEVELT ISLAND HOTEL, CELEBRATE WITH US.
The Wengerd Family,
operators of the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market, wish you a Blessed Christmas season and a wonderful 2023 New Year.
The Roosevelt Island Farmers Market at Motorgate Plaza under the Helix
is open early morning to mid afternoon on Saturdays in good weather and bad
offering a wide variety of healthy and delicious tasting fruits, vegetables
and much more.
The Roosevelt Island Wengerd Family Farmers Market is closed this Saturday December 24 and the following Saturday December 31.
They will be back Saturday January 8 and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
Eat Fresh, Eat Local and Eat Healthy at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market.
Please enjoy the Christmas Carols from the Sugar Hill Mennonite Mission Choir
who performed at the Farmers Market last Saturday.
Happy Holidays From The Wildlife Freedom Foundation.
At Wildlife Freedom Foundation, our commitment has been to do everything we are capable of to rescue, protect, rehabilitate, and place into loving homes many abandoned pets and provide permanent shelter for the cats that aren't adopted. Many of our animals are saved from kill shelters, found on the road, or inside dumpsters.
With YOUR help, we rescued/spayed/neutered/rehabilitated/nurtured back to health, cared for so many animals in these past years. With your help, we will continue our work of rescuing and caring for abused and neglected animals and continue to care and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife.
THANK YOU on behalf of all animals who will have a second chance and whose lives will be forever changed by your generous Tax-deductible donation. We couldn’t do it without you!
Learn more about the Wildlife Freedom Foundation
at our web page
and Instagram Page.
Happy Holidays Roosevel Island and Best Wishes for the New Year.!
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will meet in person tomorrow, December 22 at 5:30 PM in the the Cultural Center (548 Main Street).
You're invited to attend, ask questions and share concerns about Roosevelt Island during the opening Public Session before the start of the meeting. Sign up to speak here.
Among the items on the Meeting Agenda is approval of the proposed RIOC Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 which projects revenue of $34,280,000 and capital improvements in the amount of $6.8 million.
Right on time for the first day of Winter...quite a storm coming our way. .@nycemergencymgt is preparing - please take some time to do so as well! https://t.co/YF8gm6nHVj
— Christina L. Farrell (@calfarrell) December 21, 2022
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Community Emergency Committee Chair Frank Farance reports:
The RIRA CEC has a monthly Zoom presentation on emergency preparedness, each month is different, it's tailored to the season and circumstance, and it's for Roosevelt Islanders, so ask your Roosevelt Island specific questions.
This month's presentation, December 22 at 8-9 PM, was already scheduled for Winter Storm Preparedness. With the winter storm forecast for the end of this week, Thursday's presentation will have live analysis and discussion on the upcoming storm, so you'll be able to apply your knowledge right away.
Frank Farance is a National Weather Service (NWS) Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador (we communicate weather knowledge to the public). He is an active member of the American Red Cross of Greater New York (ARC-GNY), and is Disaster Action Team (DAT) Supervisor. DAT responds 24/7/365 to disasters, such as home fires, which occur 8-12 times a day in NYC. He has served 15 years as a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) member for Roosevelt Island and NYC. He is a graduate of FEMA's National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA). He teaches FEMA STEP (Student Tools for Emergency Planning) to K-12.
The monthly presentations are typically the 4th Thursday of the month at 8-9 PM so the WHOLE FAMILY can participate. The link for the monthly presentations are:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/91230498521?pwd=Q05STWZGUk1iUm9Iai9YajFmbnI2dz09
Meeting ID: 912 3049 8521 Passcode: 591680 One tap mobile +19292056099,,91230498521#,,,,*591680# US (New York) +16469313860,,91230498521#,,,,*591680# US (New York)
Here is the current forecast for Thursday:
Severe weather heading our way just in time for holiday travel... 🧵 pic.twitter.com/OSgWSCxvVa
— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) December 21, 2022
SHOP LOCAL FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GIFTS
AT THE Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) VISITORS CENTER KIOSK
GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS FOR THE FAMILY!!!
CHECK OUT SOME OF THE HOLIDAY MERCHANDISE AND HELP SUPPORT RIHS
Happy Holidays From Roosevelt Island Riverwalk Place Condominium Residents, Owners, Staff & Management And Best Wishes For The New Year
Roosevelt Island Riverwalk Place resident and very talented jazz musician Ben Rosenblum with his friend Jasper Dutz provided some holiday music cheer in the building lobby last Sunday.
Enjoy.
Happy Holidays to all in the Roosevelt Island community.
Happy Holidays From Cornell Tech.Wishing all our neighbors on Roosevelt Island a joyous holiday season and a healthy, safe and prosperous New Year!
The Cafe And Parliament Holiday Hours:
December 19-22 Open 8am -5pm
December 23 To January 2 CLOSED
January 3-20: Open 8am - 5 pm, closed Sat & Sun
January 21-22: Open 11am - 5 pm
During the revised hour period we will have food made to order available until 2pm and all other items will be available until 4 pm.
MST&DA is partnering with Roosevelt Island Concerts to host violinists Claudia Schaer
and Funda Cizmeciogluat the theatre tomorrow night at 7pm for a special family friendly holiday music concert for free.
MST&DA is located at 548 Main Street.
More info on Roosevelt Island Concerts available at their website.
UPDATE 12/20 - SORRY - THE CONCERT FOR TONIGHT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. WILL REPORT WHEN NEW DATE ANNOUNCED.
Photographer Noel Y. Calingasan shares this awesome, rarely seen aerial view looking down on the Roosevelt Island Tram passing over the East River from a penthouse at the 847 foot tall Sutton Tower Condo on East 58th Street.
The views of Roosevelt Island and the NYC East River Waterfront skyline are
stunning. Watch the video.
Here's more on the photographer:
How does a research scientist become one of the most popular New York City photographers on Instagram?
Noel Y. Calingasan, Neuroscience researcher, came to New York City from the Philippines in 2001. He got himself a camera to start documenting his experiences in New York City so he could share his photographs with family and friends back home. When he started uploading his photos to a photography blog, a friend suggested he create an Instagram account to share his photos with New Yorkers and other photographers, and his following took off!...
Sunrise view over Queens, Roosevelt Island and the East River pic.twitter.com/Ow4btHeGyg
— Noel Y. Calingasan • NYC (@nyclovesnyc) December 19, 2022
