Saturday, June 29, 2024

Emotionally Disturbed Person At Duane Reade Wielding Hammer Subdued By NYPD And RIOC PSD Officers Last Thursday - Man Was Taken To Hospital Following The Incident


Last Thursday June 28, NYPD 114 precinct and Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officers responded to reports of a man wielding a hammer in the vicinity of Roosevelt Island subway station and Duane Reade.

On Friday June 29, I asked RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels for info about the incident. 

Image From Rachel Dowling

Mr Daniels answered:

Yesterday PSD and NYPD responded to an emotionally disturbed person at Duane Reade wielding a hammer. The officers deployed their OC spray to subdue him, and he was taken to the hospital following the incident. Important to note that he did not injure any officers or first-responders, though one officer did get OC spray in his eye and received medical attention.

No arrest, he was sent to the hospital given the mental health episode

Friday, June 28, 2024

Roosevelt Island Celebrates And Thanks Wengerd Family For 35 Years Of The Saturday Farmers Market Bringing Fresh, Local, Homegrown Fruits And Vegetables Every Week To The Community

The 35th anniversary of the Wengerd Family Roosevelt Island Saturday Farmers Market was honored last week with a high flying banner by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)

and a celebratory cake 

at their Good Shepherd Plaza home last week.

Israel Wengerd, who first started working at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market as a youngster, and now runs the market said:

It's been 35 years of serving Roosevelt Island with fresh local homegrown fruits and vegetables. The Roosevelt Island community is the best in New York City.

I would like to say Thank You So Much to the Roosevelt Island residents who put on the celebration last week. Thank you, especially to Judy Berdy for coordinating the event.

The June 27, 2024 Manhattan Community Board 8 meeting approved a resolution brought by Roosevelt Island committee chair Paul Krikler honoring the Wengerd Family Farmers Market service to the Roosevelt Island community stating in part:

... WHEREAS; The Wengerd Farmers Market has provided an invaluable addition to life on Roosevelt Island over decades; and

WHEREAS; The Wengerd Farmers Market crew always leaves the market site spotless at the end of the day;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Community Board 8 Manhattan relishes the opportunity to thank Israel Wengerd, his family, the cashiers and all the other staff for all the years of dedicated service to this community.

Here's the full CB8 resolution.

See you tomorrow at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market.

Roosevelt Island RIVAA Gallery Double Header Saturday June 29 - Echoes Of The Sun King Baroque Chamber Music At 3 PM And Opening Reception For The Road Ahead Exhibition Celebrating Works Of Gen-Z Artists At 6 PM

The Roosevelt Island RIVAA Gallery 

invites you to a double header of art and music Saturday June 29. According to RIVAA Gallery:

Double Header at RIVAA Gallery

TOMORROW: Saturday, June 29th

3:00PM: Baroque Chamber Music

6:00PM:The Road Ahead Exhibition Opening Reception

ECHOES OF THE SUN KING | Baroque Chamber Music TOMORROW: Saturday, June 29 at 3:00PM

From the grandeur of Versailles to the intimate chambers of Köthen, experience how Louis XIV's patronage projected French culture across Europe, shaping the musical landscape for generations to come. Join us for an afternoon of Baroque splendor as we uncover the enduring legacy of the Ancien Régime through the music of François Couperin, Jacques-Martin Hotteterre, J.S. Bach, and others.

David Ross, baroque flute

Arnie Tanimoto, viola da gamba Tami Morse, harpsichord

Entry to this event is complimentary. There is a recommended donation of $25 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Your donations support both our programs and the musicians.

THE ROAD AHEAD | Opening Reception TOMORROW: Saturday, June 29 at 6:00PM

The Road Ahead is an exhilarating group exhibition, celebrating the best works of Gen-Z artists. RIVAA has invited young creators to submit their most compelling pieces, offering a platform for their raw thoughts and feelings. Curated by Elena Jordan, Amazia Thompson, and Tiko El Outa, the exhibition showcases a vibrant collage of diverse works selected by an international panel of jurors. Join us at RIVAA Gallery to experience the bold and innovative visions of tomorrow's artists firsthand!

The exhibition runs from June 27 - July 14, 2024 at RIVAA Gallery, 527 Main Street, Roosevelt Island 10044. All are welcome, and entry is free.

SUPPORT RIVAA - DONATE NOW, BE A CHAMPION OF THE ARTS

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Blast From The Past, Actors Recall The 2012 White Collar TV Show Episode Starring Matt Bomer Leaping From One Tram Cabin To The Other Over East River And More Scenes From Roosevelt Island

Actor Matt Bomer starred as Neil Caffrey in the USA Network TV program White Collar from 2009-14. The Matt Bomer United fan club Twitter(X) page yesterday shares the actors reminiscing about the 2012 White Collar episode filmed inside the Roosevelt Island Tram cabin, at the Tram Station, on a gorgeous Riverwalk Landings apartment outdoor patio and various other Roosevelt Island locations.

Here are scenes from the White Collar episode filmed on Roosevelt Island including Matt Bomer leaping

Image From You Tube Video

from one Tram Cabin to the other.

As reported in 2012:

... During Roosevelt Island filming, star Matt Bomer practiced leaping over Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) Visitors Center bench and kiosk railing,

Image From Judy Berdy
posed for a picture with RIHS President Judy Berdy

Image of RIHS President Judy Berdy with White Collar's Matt Bomer 
and enjoyed a Roosevelt Island ice cream with co-star Tim DeKay.

Image From Jonathan Kalkin via Instagram

You can now watch episodes of White Collar on Netflix.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Rosie The Turkey Taking A Roosevelt Island Stroll This Afternoon Mingling With Residents, Checking Out The Riverwalk Food Cart, Subway Station And Red Bus Stop

The NY Post reported on Rosie the Roosevelt Island Turkey too.

More on Rosie the Turkey at this prior post.

Roosevelt Island Youth Center Marks End Of School Year Program With Summer Send Off Showcase Featuring Music & Dance Routines, Art Gallery And Science Fair - Sign Up Now For Summer Program Beginning July 8

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels reports:

To mark the end of the Youth Center's school year program, the center held a grand finale Summer Send-Off Showcase on Tuesday, June 25th. A performative arts experience, the event showcased the youth center participants' creativity and featured music, dance routines, an art gallery, and even included a science fair. The Youth Center begins its summer program July 8th which runs through August 23rd. 

You can find more information about the RIOC Youth Center Summer Program here.

Here are more scenes from the Roosevelt Island Youth Center Summer Send Off Showcase.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Mayor Eric Adams Op-Ed Announces "NYC Solves" Education Initiatives To Make Mathematics More Accessible For All Students And New Division To Support Multilingual Learners And Students With Disabilities

New York City Mayor Eric Adams submitted the op-ed article below to local NYC community media including Roosevelt Islander Online.

According to Mayor Eric Adams:

Education that Lifts Up All of Our Students

June 24, 2024

As New York City’s first openly dyslexic mayor, I know what it is like to not have the support I needed in school growing up. School was often difficult for me. I was scared of being called on by the teacher and my fellow students made fun of me. I know how important it is that our children have a bright start and the support they need for a bold future.

That is why this administration is investing in upstream solutions in our education system, creating conditions that improve outcomes for all our students. We don’t want our children to fall behind because they learn differently, we want them to start out ahead. And this week we are taking another big step forward with two major initiatives: a new vision for special education and a new math curriculum, “NYC Solves.”

“NYC Solves,” is a major citywide initiative to make mathematics more accessible for all students — no matter where they go to school or what language they speak at home. This new program will revolutionize how algebra is taught in schools and ensure that all our students have foundational math skills and are being encouraged to excel in mathematics at every level.

We are also creating the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL), which will be led by a new Deputy Chancellor for Inclusive and Accessible Learning Christina Foti. This new division will utilize a $750 million budget and 1,300 staff to focus on supporting multilingual learners and students with disabilities, so that every student can be prepared for a rewarding career and long-term economic security — no matter their background or ability.

The work of DIAL will be guided by external voices through a new advisory council charged with helping shape support systems for immigrant students and their families, so that we can improve educational opportunities and outcomes for every student.

These two new initiatives build on the generational investments we have already made in public education.

In just two years, our administration has implemented a major initiative, “NYC Reads,” to fundamentally change how students learn to read literacy as the core focus and priority of New York City’s public schools. We have also invested over $600 million to protect critical programs that were funded with temporary stimulus dollars, including arts funding, teacher recruitment efforts, restorative justice programming, computer science programs, “Civics for All,” school social workers and psychologists, and much more. Our mandated universal dyslexia screening

for all students are helping us get students the support they need early on, and we have created the first-ever public school dedicated to supporting students with dyslexia and related learning disabilities.

We have also provided over 42,000 students with offers for a 3-K seat — an increase of 300 percent in the last five years, and we are continuing to work to ensure that every child who wants an early childhood education seat will have access to one. We have also added 57 Gifted and Talented programs citywide and added over 26,000 classroom seats through major construction and modernization projects. I am also pleased to report that nine new schools will open in the coming school year, including a new high school focused on health care.

And because we know that learning doesn’t only take place in the classroom and during the school year, we have expanded popular programs like Summer Rising to bring 110,000 students summer programming. We are committed to helping students enter the workforce with programs like FutureReadyNYC that connect our students to apprenticeships that lead to good-paying careers. This work has resulted in students earning a cumulative $8.2 million from paid work experiences at top companies over the past two years alone.

Our New York City Public Schools chancellor, David Banks, and I are both graduates of the New York City school system, and we are committed to continuing our city’s legacy of excellence in public education. We are not going to allow another Eric to sit in the classroom, hoping not to be called on. We are making sure that every student has access to the support and resources they need. We are lifting up our young people and putting them on a pathway to a bright future and making sure that our education system remains unmatched anywhere in this nation.

CBS New York reported on Mayor Adams' new education initiatives.

Information on Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 is here.

Monday, June 24, 2024

Roosevelt Island NYC Health & Hospitals Coler Memory Care Unit Receives Prestigious Beacon Excellence Nursing Award For Long Term Care Of Residents Living With Dementia And Alzheimers Disease

Reported in 2019 on the NYC Health & Hospitals Corp (NYHHC) Roosevelt Island Coler facility Music and Memory program for patients living with dementia

The Coler Memory Care unit was recognized this month for their work with dementia patients.

According to a NYC HHC June 21 press release:

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Memory Care units celebrate their distinguished milestone at a special award ceremony on Roosevelt Island.

Today NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler announced it received the Beacon Award for Excellence, making it the first post-acute care facility in the nation to receive the prestigious nursing award. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recognized the Memory Care units at Coler with a silver-level Beacon Award for their work in long-term care with residents living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The Beacon Award for Excellence — a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments — recognizes caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with a gold, silver or bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

“We are overwhelmed with pride for the incredible work and passion of our Memory Care units at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President for Post-Acute Care Khoi Luong, DO. “As the first, and only, long-term care recipient of this distinction in the nation, Coler has truly set the standard of nursing excellence in Memory Care. Congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment!”

“Congratulations to Coler’s person-centered Memory Care Teams which are comprised of stellar clinical and support staff dedicated to providing extraordinary care to our residents with cognitive impairments,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Executive Officer Stephen Catullo, LNHA, MBA. “The award-winning Memory Care units are a testament as to why our residents’ chose the tagline, Coler is the place to be!”

The Memory Care unit team provides person-centered comfort care and interactive group activities to ensure meaningful engagement with Coler residents.

“I am extremely pleased and proud to recognize the NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Memory Care Units for becoming the first and only post-acute care facility in the entire nation to earn the silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN),” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “Our Coler post-acute care facility has been providing exceptional care to New Yorkers for more than 60 years at its Roosevelt Island location, and its Memory Care Units offer tender and compassionate care to residents living with dementia. As the first post-acute facility in the country to receive this prestigious recognition, Coler’s Memory Care Unit definitely is setting the standard for nursing excellence. We celebrate and applaud our nurses’ momentous achievements.”

“We are excited for this prestigious honor, but the greatest satisfaction is our life-changing impact to the lives of 150 residents with dementia who have been impacted by social determinants of health like poverty and homelessness as well as pre-existing mental illness and behavior disorders,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Memory Care Director Deepa Vinoo, RN. “Our units serve as the safety net for those who otherwise would lack access to high-quality person-centered dementia care.”

“Congratulations to the compassionate nurses and staff of Coler’s award-winning Memory Care units, who devote their careers to improve the quality of life for those living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Board Member Jackie Rowe-Adams. “Our public long-term care facilities continue to raise the standard and truly embody excellence in every way!”

“Congratulations to the Coler Memory Care Unit on winning this well-deserved reward. Coler is integral to the NYC Health + Hospitals system and a lifeline for New Yorkers with cognitive impairments,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “Coler’s work is unparalleled, and I’m thrilled that the staff is receiving this distinguished recognition.”

“Kudos to the extraordinary Memory Care team at Coler whose compassionate and efficient care has been recognized with a Beacon Award for Excellence,” said New York State Senator Liz Krueger. “May the supportive and caring hands of this distinguished team continue to benefit the residents of Coler.”

“I commend NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler CEO Stephen Catullo and the staff of the Memory Care Unit on the occasion of receiving the Beacon Award for Excellence, the first in the nation to receive this recognition,” said New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright. “The care and dedication by the team at Coler for residents living with dementia and Alzheimer’s are shining leaders in the H+H system and the field of memory care.”...

Memory Care Nurses provide daily wellness check-ins with Coler residents to ensure they feel safe, comfortable and have everything they need for a productive day.

... “As part of Coler’s Memory Care Unit, I am filled with pride for this prestigious honor and recognition from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Memory Care Nurse Rosilimol Clement, RN. “With every restorative care intervention performed, we provide maximum comfort and improved quality of life for our residents. Many older adults spend their final days among the loving arms of nursing staff of all colors and cultures, with all levels of knowledge. We are experienced with the tricks of the trade necessary to optimize their quality of life.”

The award-winning Memory Care Unit is home to long-time resident and poet, Zahra Dhakkar. Though not a writer originally, Zahra started writing to record her thoughts and help with her memory issues. With her art to guide and inspire her, and the staff to support her, Zahra increased her confidence and independence. Now, she can spend her days outside, wandering through the gardens or watching the East River flow by while she writes.

“At NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler, my poetry is inspired by the simple things I do and interactions I have throughout the day. I gradually build it up to things I see outside and anything else that captures my imagination,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Resident Zahra Dhakkar. “I’m stimulated by the variety of activities that we have here. I am drawn in to something, and inspiration takes flight by itself.”

“The Memory Care units offer the most challenges, and the staff are to be commended for their knowledge, compassion & kindness to all residents,” said President of the NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Auxiliary Judith Berdy. “The award is not just for the units but for all the Coler staff who work together to make the lives of all our residents better.”....

Caring For The Ages has more on the Coler Memory Unit by Howard J. Finger, DO Deepa Vinoo, RN, DNP :

... Recently, Coler received the American Association of Critical Care Nursing’s Beacon Award for Excellence in recognition of the high-quality dementia care provided in its MCU, becoming the first U.S. post-acute care recipient. Coler’s MCU team remains committed to advancing health equity in dementia care for an aging minority population in need of palliative services. To them, the true test of leadership is identifying new challenges, finding solutions, and inspiring others — for advancing health equity requires a deep-seated commitment to providing the highest-quality care.

The journey began two decades ago when the dementia care model was aggressive medical treatment, involving a hospital transfer at the resident’s end of life. For Coler, the key initial step involved transforming dementia care from a predominantly medical model to a palliative one, which required changing the culture of care. The first target was tube-feeding in advanced dementia, which had been commonplace at Coler at the time. By contrast, emerging evidence-based medical literature was advocating maintenance of oral feeding as the more humane alternative (J Am Geriatr Soc 2014;62:1590–1593). Coler’s frontline MCU interdisciplinary team (IDT) took on the challenge, and they persuaded families to try this evidenced-based approach. As a result, within a relatively short interval they significantly reduced tube-feeding among their residents with advanced dementia.

Coler’s efforts continue today, and currently no MCU residents are receiving tube-feeding. A key lesson learned from this experience was how to embolden team spirit and build off an initial success in implementing evidenced-based care. Kindness

Since 2008, kindness has been the key ingredient in the MCU team’s recipe for success, enabling the MCU’s residents to find their “comfort zone” and to express themselves in more meaningful ways. Kindness is also the key that enables the MCU IDT to gain the respect and trust of families.

Click here for the full Caring For The Ages article.

The Roosevelt Island Historical Society newsletter adds:

COLER STAFF CELEBRATES The Beacon Award for Excellence FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CRITICAL CARE NURSES.
Photo From Roosevelt Island Historical Society Newsletter
For patients and their families, the Beacon Award signifies exceptional care in a unit that puts patients first. For nurses, this award can mean a positive and supportive work environment with greater collaboration, higher morale and lower turnover.

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Sponsored Post - Check Out The Roosevelt Island Café At Cornell Tech June 24 Weekly Menu For Breakfast, Lunch, Salad Bar, Coffee, Smoothies, Wifi For Your Laptop & Much More - How Are We Doing? Send Your Feedback By Email Too

Check out the June 24 weekly menu at the Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Café.

We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we are doing. Any feedback can be emailed to thecafe-fbservices@tech.cornell.edu

The Cornell Tech Café is a great spot on Roosevelt Island   

for breakfast, Daily Hot Lunch Meals,  

Specialty & Grab and Go Sandwiches, Make Your Own Salads, Flatbread and Neapolitan Pizza, Salads, Soup, Coffee, Smoothies,


 beer, wine,

Sushi Thursday

and more.

Bring your laptop if you wish. The Cafe has very good wi-fi connection  



and very relaxing outdoor patios.


The Cafe is open Monday (except Memorial Day) thru Friday 8am to 7 pm. Saturday and Sundays 11am to 5pm.

More info at the Cornell Tech Café website and Instagram Page.

See you soon at the Cornell Tech Café