Roosevelt Island Easter Sunday April 17 At St Francis Xavier Cabrini Church & Mosaic Covenant Church

The Roosevelt Island St Frances Xavier Church

at 504 Main St

 will hold Sunday Easter Day Mass at 8:30 & 10:30 AM.

 

Happy Easter 

UPDATE 8:20 PM - Also:

 

Chabad Of Roosevelt Island Community Passover Seder April 15 & 16, Best Wishes For A Happy Roosevelt Island Passover - Why Is This Night Different From All Others And What To Do With Leftover Matzah?

An invitation from the Chabad Of Roosevelt Island to the Roosevelt Island Community Passover Seder:

Roosevelt Island Community Passover Seder

Whether you are a Seder veteran with answers to all four questions or a curious explorer with 40 questions of your own, Chabad's Seder offers a stimulating & satisfying experience.

More information available on the Chabad of Roosevelt Island Passover Seder at their website or contact nechama@rijewish.org.

Passover's Four Questions are presented by the Maccabeats

and here's 20 things you can enjoy doing with Matzah after Passover.

 

Best wishes for a Happy Roosevelt Island Passover.

Why Is April 14 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Board Of Directors Meeting Being Held In Executive Session With The Public Excluded From Attending And No Prior Public Session For Community Comments? Are Purported RIOC Employee Whistleblower Allegations Of Corruption Or Apparent Firing Of Community Affairs Director On Secret Agenda?

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will meet 5:30 PM Thursday April 14, via video conference. The sole Agenda Item is in executive session meaning that it will be held with the public excluded from attending. According to RIOC:

Chair’s Motion for Executive Session 

1. Discussion of the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation..

Unlike most RIOC Board meetings, there is no Public Session scheduled prior to the April 14 Board meeting for the residents to comment on community issues. I've asked RIOC several times why there is no Public Session for tomorrow's Board meeting but have not received any response.

Could the RIOC Board meeting secret executive session be about the allegations of wrongdoing leveled against RIOC President Shelton Haynes and other members of the RIOC executive staff?

As reported March 28:

A document was published on the OPNLTTR web site dated March 26, 2022 purportedly shared by a group of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) employees raising serious allegations of wrongdoings against RIOC President Shelton Haynes and certain members of the RIOC executive staff...

... Click here to read the full document.

 Among the allegations are:

• Misappropriation of state funds
• Covering up a negligent death
• Mismanagement of the AVAC System
• Cronyism
• Fraud
• Abuse of power
• Predatory Behavior/Grooming and Fostering a toxic work environment
• Disability Discrimination
• Violating NYS equal employment laws
• Violating NYS ethics laws: JCOPE (title 19/disclosure of outside activities) 

The group of purported RIOC employee whistleblowers making these charges call themselves NYS We Deserve Better.

NYS We Deserve Better has a Twitter feed.

- Hiring of cronies and promotions with fictitious titles to reward loyalists
-Over the top spending with little to no oversight
Interested in learning more? Read and retweet our story to help bring change to our workplace and community. https://t.co/lpqI1sB4uZ

— NYSWeDeserveBetter (@NYSWEDESERVEBTR) April 10, 2022

Group claiming to be @RIOCny employees continue to bring pressure on current @RiocCeo , Executive Staff and Directors by recalling past episodes of corruption found in 2014. https://t.co/JSgbne9Uay @JulieMenin @SeawrightForNY @SenatorSerrano @SenGianaris @GovKathyHochul https://t.co/01nK9lVIOu

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) April 8, 2022

There has been no public comment from RIOC about these allegations.

Or could the RIOC Board meeting secret executive session be about the apparent firing of long time RIOC Director of Community Affairs Erica Spencer-el, who was also named the Director of Communications last year.

On April 1, I asked RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith:

I've been told that Erica Spencer-El was fired by RIOC. is this true? When was she fired? I'm told it was last Friday. If not true, please indicate it is false.

I've been told that RIOC Public Safety Deputy Chief Anthony Amoroso and at least one other PSD officer escorted Ms Spencer-El from RIOC. Is that true? Please indicate if it is false.

As Director of RIOC Communications & Community Affairs, her status is of concern to Roosevelt Island residents and organizations.

Ms Smith replied later that day:

... please be advised that RIOC does not comment on personnel matters with the public.

Emails to Ms Spencer-El at RIOC which previously were delivered have been undelivered this past week.

Stay tuned.

History Of Women In Computer Science Lecture By Cornell Tech Student Agustin Forero Presented To Roosevelt Island Senior Center - Watch The Video To Learn About Computer Pioneers Ada Lovelace And Grace Hopper And Current Status Of Women In Tech Industry

As part of its commitment to serve the Roosevelt Island community, students at Cornell Tech are encouraged to engage and assist local residents and organizations with their technology needs. According to Cornell Tech:

When Cornell Tech opened on Roosevelt Island in 2017, we joined a community of thousands of very involved and caring people who we are proud to call our neighbors. We were delighted to join a community of over 35 nonprofit and volunteer organizations on the island who work hard every day to improve life on Roosevelt Island — many of whom have become our partners and work with us on a regular basis. 

Whether engaging with island youth, older adults, people with disabilities, sustainability advocates, the arts community, island governance, or other community activists, Cornell Tech extends its mission of improving the connection between people and technology to the Roosevelt Island community. In the true land grant tradition, we aim to broadly apply the expertise and resources of Cornell for lasting impact on this wonderful community.

For example, Agustin Forero is currently working with the Carter Burden Network Roosevelt Island Senior Center. Mr Forero reports:

I am a Masters student studying Computer Science at Cornell Tech. I teach Demystifying the Computer at the Roosevelt Island Senior Center, a course with two aims: to teach my students how to use basic technologies (Zoom, iPhones, Windows, etc.), and to contextualize the history and inner workings of the computer. I want to help my students understand that computers aren't the mystical black box some people think them to be -- in reality, they're just very robust calculators!

For Women's History Month, Mr Forero presented a fascinating lecture on the history of Women in Computer Science

including the role played by Ada Lovelace

and Grace Hopper

as well as statistics on the current status of women in the Tech industry.

Here's the Women In Computer Science presentation to the Roosevelt Island Senior Center by Cornell Tech student Agustin Forero.

What do the Roosevelt Island seniors think of the class? Viviane Codderrens said Augustin is a really good instructor and she has benefited from the class. Diane Mangraviti said Agustin is just marvelous!

Congratulations To Roosevelt Island Resident Emily Engstler Selected Fourth In WNBA Draft Tonight - NYC Toughness Comes From Playing Hoops At The Blackwell Park Basketball Court

An emotional moment for @UofLWBB's Emily Engstler ❤️ @em__baller pic.twitter.com/FLVOuCuNHP

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 11, 2022

As reported last January:

In 2018, Roosevelt Island resident Emily Engstler was one of the top High School Basketball players in the county. Ms Engstler is now one of the top College Basketball players in the country playing at the University of Louisville and attributes much of her success to Roosevelt Island NY toughness. She even has a tattoo on her leg showing Blackwell Park where she started playing hoops on Roosevelt Island....

Emily Engstler of Louisville may be the best defender in the country!! Stats prove it. She explains why her New York toughness has helped her become who her coach calls “the best we have had since @angel_35 “ @UofLWBB @em__baller pic.twitter.com/jBJD7dPuWy

— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) January 20, 2022

Congratulations Emily Engstler, Roosevelt Island is very proud of you.
UPDATE 4/12:

Here's @em__baller @UofLWBB who was picked 4th overall in the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.... on being drafted in her home town.... and what Louisville meant to her. @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/TKB3gj4538

— Kent Spencer (@WHAS11Kent) April 12, 2022

Celebrate National Poetry Month With Reading By Roosevelt Island Resident And Poet Adela Sinclair Of Her New Collection Of Poems Titled La Revedere Wednesday April 13 At NY Public Library Roosevelt Island Branch

April is National Poetry Month. 

To celebrate, you're invited to the Roosevelt Island New York Public Library branch (504 Main Street) presentation of a reading by Roosevelt Island resident and poet Adela Sinclair

of her forthcoming collection of poems titled La Revedere (Goodbye) on April 13 2022 at 7 PM.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adela Sinclair (@adelasinclairpoet)

 According to Ms Sinclair's website:

Adela Sinclair is a NYFA Grant Winning Romanian-American poet, translator, and teacher. Fluent in English, French, and Romanian, poetry is her primary, though not exclusive, medium....

Her poetry explores themes of cultural identity, memory, loss, trauma, and desire.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adela Sinclair (@adelasinclairpoet)

Ms Sinclair adds:

I am excited to share the news with you that my poetry collection La Revedere (Goodbye) is now available for pre-orders on the Finishing Line Press website. 

Gallery RIVAA member Tony Vita designed the cover of the book. And RIVAA member Esther Piaskowski took the author photos that will be on the book jacket. 

This clip is of the title poem from La Revedere.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by books, poetry and wine (@bookandwinetastings)

Click here to pre-order your copy of Ms Sinclaire's La Revedere poetry collection.

Happy National Poetry Month.

Sponsored Post - It's Time To File Your Taxes, "We Get The Job Done" Says Roosevelt Island Based Accountable Financial Management

Seymour Williams, CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) is a trusted advisor to individuals and business owners who seek to maximize their financial position. For over 30 years he has been a fully licensed expert in the financial fields of investments, insurance, real estate, mortgages and taxation. He is the President of Accountable Financial Management Corp, a minority owned business which has operated here on Main Street for more than 20 years.

We get the job done.

Mr. Williams’ professional experience is extensive and he has consulted with several major international banks and with programs sponsored by both the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

He holds a BBA degree from Bernard M. Baruch College and an MBA in Finance from Long Island University, where he served on the faculty as a Professor of Finance and Management. Sy has lived on Roosevelt Island for 35+ years raising his family and serving as a respected member of the community.

CONTACT:
501 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
Website: www.afmcmoney.com Email: accfin1@aol.com
Phone: 212-644-8231
Fax: 212-644-0292