Astoria A/K/A Rosie The Wild Turkey Living Comfortably And Exploring Roosevelt Island Bringing Joy And Smiles To Many People - But A Few Are Harassing The Turkey Throwing Rocks And Shooting Water Guns At Rosie

As reported May 16:

A wild turkey has been roaming around NYC in recent weeks, spotted on the streets of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Astoria, Queens.This week the turkey has been seen exploring Roosevelt Island....

The Turkey has been named Astoria on social media

Our #1 favorite bird of Spring 2024 is Astoria the Wild Turkey. She became instantly famous by showing up on East 49th Street in midtown Manhattan on May 7, visiting Saks Fifth Avenue, and staying a week in the area before flying to Roosevelt Island. 🦃 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HET4ZZCLcd

— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) June 13, 2024

but here on Roosevelt Island, many call her Rosie. 

Rosie has brought joy, an appreciation for our wildlife and a smile to the faces of the many people who see her roaming around Roosevelt Island.

Except, there are a few people who have been harassing Rosie.

A Roosevelt Island resident reported this morning:

I felt like sending you this message, because I feel like you are a good voice for our Roosevelt Island community. Thank you so much for your social media presence.

Yesterday afternoon as I was headed to the subway station, I saw the wild Turkey. It has become a lovely and surprising sighting every time I get to see it.

There was a family of five in front of me, including a boy in his late teens and his father. The boy threw a rock to the wild Turkey. I was appalled by this and called him out. His father jumped to his defense very aggressively saying things like “relax man, it’s just a turkey”. They couldn’t understand why I would stand up for a living creature.

I was so offended and disturbed by these behaviors and attitudes. I wanted to share this with you, so maybe you can send a message of care for animals, especially our unlikely visitor.

Another local person reported observing and stopping several children from shooting water pistols at Rosie. 

Let's leave Rosie alone and enjoy her presence on Roosevelt Island from a safe distance.

Saturday 6/8… went to find my girl Astoria the Wild Turkey on Roosevelt Island 🦃🫶🏻 she was in her tree pic.twitter.com/ytK5xY7XV1

— mern (@mariannesimpson) June 10, 2024

Astoria, the Wild Turkey seems pretty comfortable in the grass on Roosevelt Island, with a nice view of Manhattan. Taken on 5.30.24.#wildturkey #birdcpp pic.twitter.com/YB6BLK2NrZ

— Sheryl Checkman (@DiveArtist) June 7, 2024

Astoria, the wild turkey at Roosevelt Island: Hey, who doesn't love a good dust bath?
(Well, I don't, but I'm not a turkey.) https://t.co/F5dId5fsZc

— bangkokdave (@bangkokdave) June 2, 2024

Astoria the Wild Turkey loves 🫐, today on Roosevelt Island. 🦃 💙 pic.twitter.com/dDb75aLfrT

— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) May 20, 2024

Roosevelt Island resident and Wildlife Freedom Foundation President Rossana Ceruzzi reported May 16:

It's a wild female turkey. She has been "traveling" for 3 weeks now. The first time I was called the bird landed on the street in Astoria and was walking on the sidewalk. Then she moved to a park. Later I got a few calls from Manhattan. And now she is visiting Roosevelt Island.

Please remember she is a wild Turkey and not a domestic Turkey. They should never be approached. Wild Turkeys are the largest upland game bird in North America and they reproduce this time of year.

Double Latin Grammy Nominated Cuartetango String Quartet Performs Excerpts From "The Rites Of Love" A New Ballet By Leonardo Suarez-Paz Friday June 14 At Roosevelt Island Good Shepherd Church, Poetry, Instrumental And Vocal Works Too - Get Your Tickets Now

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A post shared by Leonardo & Olga Suarez-Paz (@suarezpaztango)

The Cuartetango string quartet will perform excerpts from "The Rites of Love," a new ballet by Leonardo Suarez-Paz on Friday June 14 at the Roosevelt Island Chapel of the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street). According to Suarez Paz Tango:

Join us for a one of a kind program by the double Latin Grammy nominated Cuartetango string quartet in the acoustically superior historic Chapel of the Good Shepherd. The string quartet will perform excerpts from "The Rites of Love," a new composition by Leonardo Suarez-Paz which will premiere in late 2024. The evening's program will also feature poetry, instrumental and vocal works by Astor Piazzolla and post-Piazzolla composers.

Cuartetango has been featured multiple times at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chautauqua Institution, live at the Latin Grammy Awards, Teatro Colon Opera House and many other venues. Award winning artists include Leonardo Suarez Paz (violin I, voice, direction), Francisco Salazar (violin II), Jon Weber (viola) and Danny Miller (violoncello).

WHERE: The Chapel of the Good Shepherd, 543 Main Street, New York NY 10044

TICKETS: Advance Regular Admission Tickets $20, Advance Senior/Student Tickets $15, Same-Day Tickets $30

Click here to purchase tickets. 

Leonardo Suarez-Paz is a Roosevelt Islander and has performed previously at Good Shepherd.

RIOC Announces 2024 Outdoor Summer Movie Series Films And Dates At Southpoint Park Beginning July 12 With Wonka - Disney's Encanto July 19, Wish July 26 And Finding Nemo August 2

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced today their selections and schedule for the 2024 Summer Outdoor Movie Series at Southpoint Park.

Drumroll please… here are the movies that the Roosevelt Island community voted for to watch during the Outdoor Summer Movie Series! The summer movie series will begin in one month, on July 12th. pic.twitter.com/hzTta7a1sN

— Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@RIOCny) June 12, 2024

RIOC Installs Tram Webcam Real Time Live Streaming Feeds At Both Manhattan And Roosevelt Island Stations Today - Riders Can Check Line Conditions Before Deciding To Travel On The Tram Or Subway

During a conversation last February with Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Deputy General Counsel/Interim Leadership Team member Gerrald Ellis and Communications Director Bryant Daniels, I mentioned that about 10 years ago Roosevelt Island had several active public webcams showing livestream views of various spots on the Island. Among the live webcams at the time was one from Rivercross Crossing at 405 Main Street showing the Roosevelt Island Tram station. These webcams have not been active for many years.

I suggested RIOC install a webcam at both the Roosevelt Island and Manhattan Tram stations so that residents can see how long both Tram station lines were at any given time before making a decision to take the Tram or subway.

Today RIOC announced that they installed the Roosevelt Island Tram webcams as can be seen from the screenshot below.

RIOC reported today:

This past week, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) launched its new Tram Station Livestreams, real-time video feeds of both the Roosevelt Island and Manhattan Tram stations that will allow travelers to check lines and conditions before heading out for their travel. The livestreams can be viewed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the RIOC website. To navigate to the Livestream from the RIOC homepage, visit RIOC.ny.gov, click the Transportation tab, then Tram, then Roosevelt Island Tram Station Livestreams.

The Roosevelt Island Tram has become both an essential transportation option for island residents and a notable tourist attraction for people from all over the world. In recent years, the Tram has seen a surge in ridership, which during the busier warmer months can lead to extended wait times and longer lines for the Tram, particularly on the Manhattan side. The Tram Station Livestreams are designed to help riders plan their travel by offering real-time insights into Tram station conditions, which in turn can help lead to better planning with off-island travel.

“This was an idea we heard about earlier this year and thought it would be a great way to help Tram riders, particularly those who live on Roosevelt Island, make more informed travel decisions,” said Gerrald Ellis and Dhruvika Patel Amin, RIOC’s Interim Leadership Team. “The Roosevelt Island Tram is the busiest Tram in the entire world according to our operator Leitner-Poma. We take pride in that, but we also understand that its popularity is a double-edged sword for island residents who just want to get home after a long day at work or school. Now with our Tram Station Livestreams, if you check the feed and see that the line at one of the stations looks particularly long, you’ll know that you might want to try utilizing another travel option, like the F-Train, before heading out on your trip.”

RIOC’s Tram Station Livestreams serve as a valuable resource to help alert the public to current Tramway conditions and anticipated travel times. Livestreams are not recorded and do not transmit any accompanying audio. They shall not be used to monitor or surveil individuals or groups. RIOC shall provide for a level of privacy consistent with applicable laws and in accordance with the requirements of using CCTV systems for traffic management and traveler information purposes in the State of New York.

The project to develop the Tram Station Livestreams was spearheaded by the RIOC Information Technologies Department, led by Abdel Boujoual, RIOC’s Director of Information Technology. The page has also been optimized for mobile users, so riders can check the Tram stations on their phones before travel.

Today, I asked Mr Daniels:

Why is there no webcam showing the Manhattan station platform? It only shows the staircase and Tram Plaza which is good, but knowing how crowded the platform is would be a benefit too.

Mr Bryant replied:

The idea was to locate the cameras in a way that can show if the lines are particularly long. The platform will always get crowded from time to time but if you can see a longer line outside on the plaza area, you can probably expect a longer than average commute.

Good job by RIOC and the Interim Leadership Team. Placing a webcam live streaming feed at the Tram stations has been requested for many years under multiple RIOC administrations and never implemented before. 

Unfortunately for Roosevelt Island, Mr Ellis announced last week that he will be leaving RIOC at the end of this month.

Scenes From Saturday June 8 Roosevelt Island Day - Fun & Informative Day For The Community

Saturday, June 8 was a beautiful morning and afternoon to celebrate the annual Roosevelt Island Day at Meditation Lawn and Blackwell Plaza. Fun for residents of all ages with inflatable rides, games, music , food and various community groups and businesses promoting their services. Here are some scenes.

Good job organizing the event by 

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A post shared by Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@rooseveltislandny)

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A post shared by Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@rooseveltislandny)

the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

Roosevelt Island Community Input Needed For Proposed Coler Flood Hazard Mitigation Perimeter Wall - You're Invited To June 10 NYC Health & Hospitals Coler Virtual Community Visioning Workshop To Discuss Design And Construction Plans

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Dear Roosevelt Island Community:

Please join NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler for a virtual community visioning workshop to discuss the design and construction of a new perimeter hazard mitigation system at its long-term care facility on Monday, June 10th from 6pm to 7pm. This project will address potential flooding vulnerabilities to protect the skilled nursing facility campus from major storm events.

The project team wants your thoughts and ideas for the public space around NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler. Your participation in this workshop will help develop a public space that benefits everyone.

You can register for the session at this link...

Roosevelt Island resident and iDig2Learn founder Christina Delfico encourages residents to learn more about the proposed Coler Berm project. According to Ms Delfico:

This is a call to TUNE IN MONDAY, JUNE 10th from 6-7 PM via Zoom to learn about a huge proposed island construction of a wall at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island.

REGISTER NOW to TUNE-IN and receive the follow up on the Coler Coastal Resiliency Project Community Input Needed

Planned for Lighthouse Park and surrounding Coler Hospital, please learn more and weigh in. 

Learn about the people and parkland that will be impacted - Island Impact: Coler Upcoming Construction.

Learn more about the Coler Berm project at the NYC Health & Hospitals Corp Coler Coastal Resiliency Project web page and click here to share your thoughts on the project.

Roosvelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President and Coler Auxiliary volunteer Judy Berdy adds:

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND THIS MEETING ON MONDAY.

THIS MEETING HAS BEEN HELD YESTERDAY WITH THE COLER RESIDENTS AND STAFF.

THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED ASKED:

WHY DO WE NEED A “500 YEAR FLOOD MITIHGATION PLAN” FOR COLER?

THE FLOODING IN 2012 CAME FROM THE STEAM TUNNEL UP INTO THE BASEEMENT, NOT FROM THE RIVER. A SEAWALL WILL DO NOTHING IF WATER COMES FROM THE STEAM TUNNEL (WHICH IS NOW CLOSED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY SEALED).

FEMA HAS AUTHORIZED $90,000,000 TO BE SPENT ON THE PROJECT, BUT THESE PROJECTS USUALLY HAVE VASTLY MORE COSTS AND TAKE YEARS TO COMPLETE.

COLER’S ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS RELOCATED AFTER 2012 HURRICANE SANDY AND ALL UTILITIES ARE ON THE SECOND LEVEL OR ABOVE. THERE IS NO VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BASEMENT, THE ONLY AREA TO FLOOD IN 2012. SOME ADJOINING PARKING AREAS ALSO FLOODED BUT DID NOT ENTER PATIENT AREAS.

THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 32 MONTHS OF MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION AND DISRTUPTION. GIANT PILES WOULD HAVE TO BE SUNK INTO THE BEDROCK (10-30 FEET DOWN AROUND THE WALLED IN AREAS). IMAGINE LIVING WITH THIS AROUND YOUR HOME FOR YEARS.

ALL TREES AROUND COLER AND PROBABLY NEARBY WOULD BE REMOVED OR PERMANENTLY DAMAGED.

MOST IMPORTANT:

COLER IS A PERMANENT HOME TO 500 RESIDENTS. MANY COLER RESIDENTS DO NOT GO OUT OF THEIR UNITS OR OFF CAMPUS.

MOST OF THE PLANS INCLUDING MASSIVE BERMS (OR HIGH MOUNDS) WOULD BIOCK ANY VIEW FROM THE MAIN FLOOR.

THE EAST SIDE OF THE BULDING WOULD HAVE A MASSIVE WALL TO BLOCK ALL VIEWS EXCEPT THE PARKING LOT FROM MAIN FLOOR.

PSYCHOLOGICALLY, THIS PLAN WOULD DAMAGE THE RESIDENTS AND STAFF.

IT IS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, COME UP WITH A REASONABLE SOLUTION ANTHE PROPOSE TO COLER AND RIOC A REASONABLE SOLUTION, THEN PROPOSE IT TO THE COLER COMMUNITY AND IT REST OF THE ISLAND RESIDENTS,.

THE COLER COMMUNITY AND OURS ARE VERY ACTIVE POLITICALLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE & WILL MEET ANY CHALLENGE HEAD-ON.

Here's the video

and PDF presentation

of the Coler Resiliency Project by NYC Health & Hospitals Corp representatives to a May 2 Roosevelt Island community meeting.

You can register here to attend tomorow's 6 PM Virtual Community Visioning Workshop.