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Dear Friend,

We kicked off spring by cutting the ribbon on $15 million worth of renovations and improvements to the East River Esplanade. After years of our advocacy, the Parks Department is opening the Queensboro Oval for free tennis for permit holders for 22-weeks during the warmer months and $10 drop-in hours throughout the winter. 

We also moved forward with our fight against super-tall towers with empty voids and opened a new affordable space for artists.

More than 6,000 affordable homes were approved for building or preservation on city land by the Land Use Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions, which I chaired since the start of this term.

I have been elevated to Chair of the Committee on Contracts, with oversight of $15 billion worth of City funds and procurement. We've also got the results of your vote in Participatory Budgeting.

Tenants have rights, and at my annual Tenants' Rights Forum on May 9 where you can learn from experts and get your questions answered by attorneys.

We are cleaning up the streets with Wildcat and will be piloting an overnight power washing of sidewalks along the East 86th Street business corridor.  

Now that spring is in full bloom, I hope you'll join me at events in our parks from May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars The Last Jedi and Incredibles 2 at John Jay to Jazz Concerts at Andrew Haswell Green and Ruppert, Family Day at Carl Schurz Park and Free Skate Night at Stanley Isaacs Playground.

Sincerely,


Ben Kallos
Council Member

P.S. Happy Mother's Day!
SPECIAL EVENTS
 
Tenants' Rights Forum
5/9, 6pm–8pm
 
EVENTS IN OUR PARKS
 

OFFICE EVENTS
 
No-Cost Mammogram Van
 
5/11, 2pm–4:30pm

MONTHLY EVENTS 
First Friday
5/3, 8am–10am 

Policy Night
5/14, 5pm–6pm
(By Appointment Only)

Mobile Hours
Stanley Isaacs
5/14, 11am–2pm
Roosevelt Island
5/22, 11am–2pm


TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

OPENING NEW PARKS

  1. Ribbon Cutting on $15 Million Esplanade Investment by Rockefeller University
  2. Queensboro Oval Open to Public

FIGHTING AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT AND FOR AFFORDABLE SPACES

  1. Stop Supertall Towers for Billionaires on Empty Mechanical Voids
  2. Opening a New Free and Affordable Art Space with ChaShaMa

CLEANING UP GOVERNMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD 

  1. Appointed to Bring Oversight to City Contracts
  2. NASCAR as a Model for Campaign Cash Disclosures
  3. Update: Expanding the City’s Campaign Finance Program
  4. Charter 2019 NYC: Testify in May
  5. Helping Our Neediest Get Support Through Public/Private Partnership
  6. Power Washing East 86th Street with Wildcat

SPECIAL EVENTS INVITES

  1. Tenants’ Rights Forum
  2. No-Cost Mammogram Van
  3. Shred-A-Thon: Pre-Memorial Day Edition
  4. Rehearsal of Truth at Bohemian National Hall

PLAY IN OUR PARKS

  1. May the Fourth Be With You at St. Catherine's Park
  2. Jazz Concert at Andrew Haswell Green Park
  3. Family Day at Carl Schurz Park
  4. Movie Night at John Jay Park
  5. Free Skate Night at Stanley Isaacs Playground
  6. Movie Night at Carl Schurz Park

CELEBRATING EARTH DAY AND TRYING TO SAVE THE PLANET

  1. Historic Energy Efficiency Bill Passes Council
  2. Banning Toxic Pesticides from Our City’s Parks
  3. Plastic Bags Banned and a Fee for Paper Bags: Get Your Free Reusable Bags from Our Office
  4. Banning Single Use Plastic Bottles

 STEM EDUCATION

  1. Millstein Program in Technology & Humanity Ribbon Cutting
  2. Inaugural City Council Hackathon

BUDGET

  1. Participatory Budgeting Results
  2. Council Budget Response

FIGHTING FOR BETTER TRANSIT

  1. Fix Our Transit Rally
  2. Cherry Blossom Festival

FAMILY FUN

  1. Family Day at Jewish Museum
  2. Sutton Area Community Egg Hunt
  3. Helmet Fitting Photos

RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

  1. NAACP Proclamation
  2. Community Board 8 Proclamations
  3. Nail Salon Workers Association Outreach Event On Workers’ Rights
  4. Supporting Our Students
  5. Around New York

 EVENTS SPONSORED BY MY OFFICE

  1. Community Board 8 Health Committee Panel
  2. Celebrate Spring With Esplanade Friends
  3. New York Junior Tennis & Learning/NYJTL 

RESOURCES

  1. New Notary Public Service
  2. Summer Youth Police Academy 2019
  3. CityParks Free Senior Fitness
  4. We Hate to Waste
  5. Bike New York Hiring
  6. Pursuit 6.0 September Fellowship Application Now Open
  7. Chess4CharityNYC on the Upper East Side
  8. Apply to Serve on the Taxi and Limousine Commission

OFFICE UPDATES

  1. Free Legal Clinics     
  2. Here to Help
  3. Mobile District Hours
  4. Ben in Your Building
  5. Community Boards
  6. NYPD Events
  7. Neighborhood and Tenant Associations
  8. Events for Adults
  9. Events for Kids
OPENING NEW PARKS
 
Ribbon Cutting on $15 Million Esplanade Investment by Rockefeller University
 
As Co-Chairs of the East River Esplanade Taskforce Congress Member Maloney and I cut the ribbon on a $15 million public/private partnership that repaired and refurbished, a crumbling seawall and dilapidated stretch of the East River Esplanade from East 63rd Street to East 68th. We were joined by Manhattan Parks Borough Commissioner William Castro as a well as Rockefeller University Executive Vice President Timothy O’Connor.

As Upper East Side Patch reported, the $15 million project to improve the East River Esplanade emerged with my conversations with Rockefeller and Mayor Bill de Blasio during conversations around city approval for Rockefeller’s $500 million laboratory building, a construction project that is adding 160,000 square feet of modern, modular lab space to replacing aging facilities. The University spent approximately $15 million on seawall repairs and esplanade improvements, and committed to maintain the landscaping of this section of the Esplanade in perpetuity. At my request, the investment by Rockefeller University was then matched by Mayor de Blasio with an initial $35 million dollar investment in 2014.
 
The Rockefeller University also made a $150,000 gift to Friends of the East River Esplanade, a grass-roots conservancy dedicated to the restoration and renovation of the Esplanade from 60th to 120th Streets. Watch coverage of the ribbon cutting at BenKallos.com/Videos or from New York 1


Queensboro Oval Open to Public

Since I have been in office I have worked to open the Queensboro Oval to the public for free or low-cost. As Our Town reported, at a Community Board 8 meeting in April, the Parks Department announced it intends to continue with Sutton East Tennis as the operator of the space. However after years of advocacy from local residents, Community Board 8, my fellow elected officials and me, the Parks Department has listened to our concerns that the prices at the tennis club are too high and that public access should be the top priority when awarding the next contract. Last year in a letter to the Parks Department, I raised several concerns, and the new agreement is reported to include:
  • An expansion of the summer public access season from 10 weeks under the old contract to 22 weeks of FREE tennis for anyone with a tennis permit from the Parks Department for $10 for youth, $20 for seniors, or $100.
  • $10 walk-in rate hours for six hours a day during the Winter Season
  • Free and $10 per person programs for Youth and Seniors during the Winter Season
As reported by the New York Post in 2018, the use of this space has been under contention for years. In 2016 at a rally that was covered by The Daily News, Manhattan Express, and DNAinfo the community expressed the following concerns:
  • High fees with a minimum of $80 to a maximum of $225 an hour.
  • Nine and a half months out of the year the land was only available for private play.
  • When the tennis bubble was removed for the summer, the land was left in unusable condition.
I am happy that years of advocacy has yielded results. The proposed 10-year concession agreement for the Queensboro Oval will be discussed at a joint public hearing of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee (FCRC) and Parks Department on Monday, May 6, 2:30pm, at 2 Lafayette Street in the 14th-floor Auditorium. We will be there fighting for parks funds for the district.



FIGHTING AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT AND FOR AFFORDABLE SPACES

Stop Supertall Towers for Billionaires on Empty Mechanical Voids

CBS 2 reported on my ongoing fight to close the mechanical void loophole that is allowing developers to build super-tall towers with floors of empty space. In April, the City Planning Commission voted 12-to-1 to limit the maximum height mechanical voids, but it raised the allowable height from 25 feet in the original proposal to 30 feet.
 
I expressed my disappointment with the decision in a statement. I am deeply disappointed that after every Community Board and nearly a dozen elected officials in Manhattan spoke out for fewer and shorter mechanical voids, that the City Planning Commission would disregard the community, evidence from their own experts at the Department of City Planning, and vote in favor of taller buildings for billionaires.

In the coming weeks, it will be up to the City Council to overturn what the City Planning Commission has proposed by reducing the heights of mechanical voids. I have done this before and will need your support to do it again.

At a City Council hearing on the issue, we won big commitments from the City Planning Commission:
  • Commercial Districts, including what's left of Billionaire's Row, will see voids addressed this summer
  • Study of unenclosed mechanical voids also known as stilts
Watch my questions of the Department of City Planning at last month's hearing at BenKallos.com/Videos. Lend your name in support by signing our petition against empty mechanical voids at BenKallos.com/voids


Opening a New Free and Affordable Art Space with ChaShaMa 

With a blight of empty storefronts I have partnered with the non-profit arts organization ChaShaMa to turn empty storefronts throughout the city into art spaces. We cut the ribbon in April on a new art space at 340 East 64th Street featuring work by young immigrant artists. The artists Francisco Donoso and María de Los Ángeles use mixed media art forms to express the geographic and cultural perspectives of Latin American immigrants in America. Their new pop-up gallery together, “Esperanza de Otro Mundo Posible (Hope of Another Possible World),” is reflective of their experiences as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) recipients. Their art, which they describe as a reflection of their “not singular” world experience, is similar to the “twoness” W.E.B. DuBois described as a person of color in America. Read more on the gallery’s opening at BenKallos.com/press-release
 
The next art installation at 340 East 64th Street will be:
Both at Once
Through May 18, 2019
Wednesday – Saturday, 12pm–6pm
Learn more


CLEANING UP GOVERNMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
 
Appointed to Bring Oversight to City Contracts

More than six thousand units of affordable housing were created or preserved under my tenure as chair of the Land Use Subcommittee on Planning Dispositions and Concessions. My favorite part of the committee was asking developers to share where residents watching at home could get jobs as part of their local hire requirements. During my time there we: According to the New York Post, I was “asking too many uncomfortable questions about the mayor’s affordable-housing and tax-break deals.”
 
Now, as Chair of the Committee on Contracts, I will bring that same scrutiny to overseeing $15 billion in citywide spending and procurement policies and procedures, government and collection agency contracts, as well as the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services and the Procurement Policy Board. I plan on carrying on the legacy of Congress Member Carolyn Maloney who founded the committee when she was a Council Member and used it to fight corruption and waste. If you are aware of any instance where New York City is wasting money through its contracts, blow the whistle by emailing my office at BKallos@BenKallos.com.


NASCAR as a Model for Campaign Cash Disclosures

As I recently told the New York Post, I think NASCAR is more transparent about its sponsors than New York politicians. Currently, the way the system works, too many political contributions come from donors who list themselves as “homemaker”,  “student,” “retired,” or “unemployed.” During the last competitive Mayoral election in 2013, $4.8 million came from individuals who contributed under one of these titles.

To add more transparency and accountability to the system, I introduced legislation that would force donors to disclose which industry they get their money from. A pie chart would reflect the industry sources where politicians got their money in the official voter guide mailed out to all New York City voters weeks before the election.


Update: Expanding the City’s Campaign Finance Program

For more than 10 years I have been fighting to get big money out of New York City politics. Last year I successfully worked to get Question #1 on the ballot. In November New Yorkers overwhelmingly voted to expand the City’s campaign finance system by 80% with 1.2 million New York City residents voting in favor of question 1.
 
Following this victory, I authored and passed Local Law 1 of 2019, which offered this new public financing option to candidates of the special election for Public Advocate and every other special election after that. Almost every candidate chose the new option and the campaign system itself was flipped upside down dramatically reducing the amount of big money that was contributed to that election. As reported by the Gotham Gazette, small-dollar donors were responsible for 63% of the campaign contributions to candidates who ran in the special election, up from 26.3% in 2013.
 
There is still room to improve and take even more big money out. During my first term in 2016, I worked to pass Introduction 1130-A which gained 34 sponsors but did not come to a vote. Now, in my second term, my full public matching bill is Introduction 732 which has the pivotal support of Speaker Corey Johnson. The City Council held a hearing in the Committee on Governmental Operations in April. By passing this legislation City government would take a big step in the fight against corruption and even the appearance of it.
 
Join the fight to get big money out of New York City politics at BenKallos.com/BIGMONEYOUT


Charter 2019: Testify in May

While the 2018 charter revision focused on election reform and civic engagement in part adopting my proposals for two of the questions, this year’s charter revision commission has a broad mandate to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the City Charter and its recommendations will be on the ballot when New Yorkers go to the polls in November 2019.

I made 72 suggestions to the Commission. Of those, a surprising number were included as items that will potentially make it to the ballot. You can testify to the commission on May 9, 6pm, at City Hall. If you would like more information on the Charter Commission or to offer feedback and specific proposal, you can submit them by email to info@charter2019.nyc, as well as at www.charter2019.nyc/submit-your-ideas


Helping Our Neediest Get the Help They Need Through Public/Private Partnership
 
Approximately 550,000 of the 2.3 million New Yorkers who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are not getting it, according to the Human Resources Administration. More than half are over 60 years old, according to LiveOnNY. According to research I have done as recently as 2011, Community District 8 on the Upper East Side, which I represent, was first in the city for SNAP under-enrollment—with 91% of eligible seniors not enrolled.
 
One of our City government’s biggest failures is not being able to help a large number of residents in need who qualify for social services and benefits but never apply for them. As the New York Times reported, I authored legislation on Automatic Benefits that would automatically qualify and enroll residents for things like SNAP benefits based on information the government already has, like taxes or other benefits. Gov Tech recently reported that the City responded to my legislation by creating an application programming interface or (API) for New York City which has facilitated the process by which nonprofits and private sector screen applicants for local, state, and federal benefits. The interface does not actually grant the benefits to any individuals, but it does the tedious work of looking through the numbers, exceptions and regulations.
 
The new software is active and can be accessed by anyone at access.nyc.gov. Read the release at Gov Tech.


Power Washing East 86th Street with Wildcat

On May 15, from 8:30pm until approximately 5am, Wildcat Cleaning services will begin power washing sidewalks along the East 86th Street business corridor. The street cleaning is part of my office’s ongoing work to clean up Upper East Side streets and clean up the neighborhood. The power washing will be done during evening/overnight hours when there is less pedestrian traffic. For more information of our neighborhood cleanup initiative, visit BenKallos.com/CleanUp



SPECIAL EVENT INVITES

Tenants Rights Forum
 
Join me Thursday, May 9th at 6:00 pm for a Housing Forum on Tenants' Rights. Learn about your rights as a renter, how to apply for rent increase exemptions for seniors and the disabled, as well as how you can help freeze or lower rents on your rent stabilized apartment. You can also get your legal questions answered by an attorney.

Tenants' Rights Forum
May 9, 6pm–8pm
P.S. 59 at 233 E 56th St.
RSVP


No-Cost Mammogram Van

Do you need a Mammogram? The American Italian Cancer Foundation and my office have made getting one available at no cost to you. You must be a woman over the age of 40 to qualify for the No-Cost Mammogram. No co-pays required and deductibles are waived. Uninsured patients also welcomed.

Mammogram Van
Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center
415 East 93rd Street
Friday, May 3rd, 2pm–4:30pm
RSVP REQUIRED @ 1-877-628-9090

Mammogram Van
The Carter Burden Center for the Aging
351 East 74th Street
Friday, May 24, 9:00am–12:30pm
RSVP REQUIRED @ 1-877-628-9090
 
Mammogram Van
Good Shepherd Plaza
543 Main St.
Saturday, May 25, 9am–12:30pm
RSVP REQUIRED @ 1-877-628-9090


Shred-A-Thon: Pre Memorial Day Edition

All those yellowing, moldy docs of yours? Tax forms? Checks? Instead of throwing them out, get them industrial-grade shredded and for FREE! Not only will you get rid of your unwanted papers, but also by shredding them you'll make sure your personal information stays safe. Just keep in mind, NO cardboard or plastic-handled shopping bags. REMOVE paper clips and spiral bindings. NO HARDCOVER BOOKS (paperbacks are fine).

Shred-A-Thon
82nd Street Greenmarket
82nd Street between First & York
Saturday, May 11th, 10am–2pm
RSVP
 

Rehearsal of Truth at Bohemian National Hall

I am proud to provide funding for a showcase of emerging Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Slovak playwrights whose work reflects on current social and political issues. The plays have been translated into English and feature local New York performers and directors who will have the opportunity to try out the works onstage as part of the European Month of Culture. The program also includes a full Romanian production.

Rehearsal of Truth
Thursday, May 9
7pm through Sunday, May 12, 10pm
Bohemian National Hall (321 E 73rd St)
RSVP


PLAY IN OUR PARKS
 
May the Fourth Be With You at St. Catherine's Park
 
May the Fourth Be With You
Stars Wars The Last Jedi
Light Up Saber Battle
May 4, 7:30pm–10pm
St. Catherine's Park, 1245 1st Avenue
Free Foam Light Sabers (Supplies Limited)
RSVP Required
 

Jazz Concert at Andrew Haswell Green Park
 
Jazz at Andrew Haswell Green Park
Saturday, May 11, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Andrew Haswell Green 60th Street & FDR Drive
(Enter at 60th St. & York Ave
Walk up to the top of the ramp)
RSVP


Family Day at Carl Schurz Park

Family Day at Carl Schurz Park
May 18, 1pm–4pm
Carl Schurz Park, East End Ave and 84th St.
RSVP


Movie Night at John Jay Park

Incredibles 2 at John Jay Park
May 18, 7:30pm
John Jay Park
77th St. and Cherokee Place
RSVP


Free Skate Night at Stanley Isaacs Playground

One of my favorite spring events is Skate Night at Stanley Isaacs Playground. This year the fun will take place on Saturday, May 25 from 4pm to 7pm. I am looking forward to the dancing as well as the outdoor roller skating and the live DJ. Free skate rentals will be provided onsite on a first come first serve basis, but feel free to bring your own skates.
 
Skate Night on the Upper East Side
May 25, 4pm–7pm
Stanley Isaacs Playground
First Avenue & East 96th Street
RSVP


Movie Night at Carl Schurz Park

Grab a blanket and come enjoy a screening of Mary Poppins Returns at Carl Schurz Park. For this screening, we will have complimentary ice-cream, popcorn, face painting, and more activities related to the movie. Movies begin at dusk.
 
Mary Poppins Returns
June 1, 8pm
Carl Schurz Park
East 84th and East End Ave
RSVP



CELEBRATING EARTH DAY AND TRYING TO SAVE THE PLANET
 
Historic Energy Efficiency Bill Passes Council

Last month, the New York City Council passed groundbreaking legislation I was proud to co-sponsor to make our City’s largest and oldest buildings more energy efficient. The passage of this legislation is a major victory for New Yorkers, the environment, and the world. The Hill likened this legislation to the Green New Deal, writing, “at the heart of the package is a bill that would require New York’s largest residential and commercial buildings to reduce carbon emissions 40 percent by 2040 and 80 percent by 2050. In comparison, the Green New Deal resolution introduced in Congress aims to get the U.S. electric grid running on 100 percent green energy by 2030." I am proud to be a co-sponsor of Introduction 1253 as it sets ambitious, comprehensive standards on New York City’s worst polluters, old buildings. By modernizing buildings to raise efficiency standards we will dramatically cut pollution long term.
 
The legislation requires retrofitting older buildings, which are the City’s worst polluters. Under this law buildings over 25,000 square feet have to be retrofitted with efficient energy systems in order to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2040. By 2050, this would reduce our City’s carbon emissions by 80%. These changes are expensive up-front, but will ultimately save tenants and landlords an immense amount while also reducing carbon emissions. This legislative package will result in the equivalent of taking more than one million cars off the road by 2030. For more information on the new legislation, read the release at BenKallos.com/press-release


Banning Toxic Pesticides from Our City’s Parks

I have reintroduced legislation to ban the use of toxic pesticides in City parks and open spaces, as reported by Environmental Health News. The World Health Organization’s International Agency has declared glyphosate a probable carcinogen, meaning this chemical, which is found in many pesticides, could possibly cause cancer to those who come in contact with it.

Even though many countries have partially or fully banned glyphosate, Monsanto's Roundup (a glyphosate product) is the City’s most heavily used herbicide. Our efforts to fix this problem were first inspired after meeting local public school teacher Paula Ragovin and her kindergarten students at P.S. 290 who voiced their concerns about the potential harm that the children are exposed to when they play outside in City parks. As reported by CBS 2, they even met me at City Hall for a hearing on the issue back in 2017.

In April, I was also the featured speaker at the 37th Annual Pesticides forum organized by Beyond Pesticides. At this event experts from all over the New York area met to discuss my proposed legislation and to learn more about this problem. With enough public support, we can ditch these harmful chemicals and convert to safer organic alternatives as my legislation would require. Learn more about my legislation at by reading the release at BenKallos.com/press-release or join the fight against toxic pesticides at BenKallos.com/petition/bantoxicpesticides


Plastic Bags Banned and a Fee for Paper Bags: Get Your Free Reusable Bags from Our Office

As Gothamist reported, the State legislature banned single-use plastic bags and is allowing municipalities to charge a fee for single-use bags. The City Council responded quickly by passing legislation I co-sponsored to add a five-cent fee for single-use paper bags. Three cents of every bag fee charged will be distributed to the New York State Environmental Fund and the other two cents for use in distributing reusable bags for New Yorkers who need them. The goal of the plastic bag ban and paper bag fee is to nudge New Yorkers to make sustainable choices and remember to bring reusable bags with them to the grocery store. Adding the paper bag fee will prevent the plastic bag ban from only resulting in a sharp increase in paper bag use. Don't forget you can always drop by my office and pick up a free reusable "stuffable" bag or canvas bag.


Banning Single Use Plastic Bottles
 
At the annual meeting of the Sierra Club, the environmental grassroots organization with over one hundred years of service, I gave a presentation on the work I have been doing and legislation I have introduced to help the environment. I presented alongside Martin Rogowsky (Former Westchester County Legislator), Jonathan T. Wang (Citizens for A Responsible County Airport), and Michael Dulong (River Keeper) pointing out a series of steps New York City can take to be on the forefront of environmental consciousness.
 
At the meeting, I discussed how single-use plastic bottles are more often than not ending up in landfills or filling up our oceans with millions of tons of non-biodegradable waste. That is why I introduced legislation to ban single-use plastic bottles in New York City parks. To keep plastic bottles out of our landfills and oceans, show your support for my legislation by signing the petition at BenKallos.com/petition/banthebottle



STEM EDUCATION

Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity Ribbon Cutting
 
Cut the ribbon on Cornell Tech’s new Milstein Program in Technology and Humanity with Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, Borough President Gale Brewer, Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, EDC President James Patchett, and the Milstein family. The program combines an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education from Cornell University, access to the thinking and network of Cornell Tech. I have been proud to guest lecture since the program opened.


Inaugural City Council Hackathon
 

As a software developer I know first hand how computers can empower you and set you free. I was proud to join Tecnology Committee Chair Peter Koo, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, BetaNYC, and CS4All at the inaugural City Council Hackathon.



BUDGET
 
Participatory Budgeting Results
 
Thank you to all the Upper East Side, Roosevelt Island and East Harlem residents who voted in participatory budgeting this year. The results are in and the winners are.
  • Park Improvements Districtwide: $250,000
  • New Trees and Guards for Sidewalks Parks: $225,000
  • Laptops for 10 Public Schools: $350,000
Congratulations to the winners and all who participated! There were many other worthy projects on the ballot. If you’d like to learn and organize for next year visit BenKallos.com/PB. If you have thoughts on the participatory budgeting process or interest in becoming more involved next cycle, please submit a project at BenKallos.com/pb/propose


Council Budget Response

Over the last two months, the City Council has held its annual Preliminary Budget Hearings reviewing the Mayor’s proposed budget. As it does every year the City Council’s has put out a budget response highlighting areas where money should be spent. Many of the items in that official response are issues I personally have been pushing for investment in like Universal Pre-K, Gifted and Talented programs, 3K for all, our City’s parks, expanding bus lanes, traffic light bus signal priority, automated traffic enforcement cameras at dangerous intersections, Public Housing funding, Budget Savings and Reserves and quality of life enforcement implementation of Local Law 47 which I authored. Over the next month, the City Council will hold executive budget hearings to continue to push for these items.



FIGHTING FOR BETTER TRANSIT

Fix Our Transit Rally

I joined transit advocates at the Bowling Green subway station for a rally in favor of congestion pricing.  Although all of the details of the State’s plan have not yet been decided and release we know Congestion pricing will unclog traffic in Manhattan streets and raise the money we need to fund urgent fixes in our transit system. Thank you to all the advocates who were at this rally and who have pushed for this plan to pass.


Cherry Blossom Festival
 

Congress Member Maloney and I addressing a record turnout crowd at the Cherry Blossoms on Roosevelt Island festival. 



FAMILY FUN

Family Day at Jewish Museum

Every year I support family day at the Jewish Museum, where this year we had musical guest Shira Kline.


Sutton East Egg Hunt

Council Member Keith Powers, Sutton Area Community President Dr. Charles Coutinho, and I at the Annual Easter Egg Hunt.


Helmet Fitting Photos

Distributing bicycle helmets with the Department of Transportation by the FDR.
 


RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
 
NAACP Proclamation

Presenting members of the NAACP with a city proclamation for 110 years of service.


Community Board 8 Proclamations


Presenting David Liston and Nick Viest of Community Board 8 with proclamations for years of continued service to the City.


Nail Salon Workers Association Outreach Event On Workers’ Rights
 
My office met with members of The New York Nail Salon Workers Association (NYNSWA). The group is holding ongoing worker-to-worker outreach events throughout the City in an effort to organize workers for better pay, better working and conditions.
 
The vast majority of nail salon workers in New York City are immigrant women of color, and over 64% work shifts of ten hours or more with a median wage of only $10.19, including tips. Thank you to the over 750 worker members, that continue to improve the conditions in nail salons across New York State and ensure that workers’ dignity and health are respected in their workplace.


Supporting Our Students
 
I try my hardest to support and attend as many events that support students and education in New York City. I was able to join high school students at the Manhattan Student Leadership Council and meet with middle schoolers at the Nightingale Bamford School for discussion of social issues they had questions about. I also met students in the Bronx with Senator Robert Jackson for an Interfaith Discussion at Yeshiva University and talked to more high schoolers at a Student Voter Registration with the Deputy Mayor and Chief Democracy Officer. I was able to join students at the NYC Robotics Regional Championships and join parents and their children for an installment of Drag Queen Story hour.


Around New York
 
As I support various community groups across Manhattan on different topics and causes I travel the borough meeting many New Yorkers doing great things for great things worthy of praise. Some the events I participated were Muslim Volunteers Volunteer Day at Ruppert Park, Spirit of Service Awards, and a productive meeting with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. I also attended a ribbon cutting for National Action Network Conference and the Jewish Community Relations Council Am Yisrael Chai Gala. Finally, I joined hundreds of advocates and tenants for the kicking off of the  Moral March on housing. If you have a community event you’d like my support at you can always reach out to my office at Scheduler@BenKallos.com.



EVENTS SPONSORED BY MY OFFICE

Community Board 8 Health Committee Panel
 
Community Board 8 will hold a panel discussion on the NY Health Care Act on May 9 at 6:30pm at the 92Y.  If the bill becomes law, it will provide universal health care, including dental and vision care, as well as long term care to all NYS residents.

The panelists:
  • Senator Gustavo Rivera, the chair of the Senate Health committee and bill sponsor
  • Stacey Pedone, a patient advocate
  • Dr. Henry Moss, architect of the long term portion of the bill
  • Mark Hanay a health care advocate who will discuss the cost factors
Community Board 8 Health Committee Panel on NY Health Care Act
May 9 at 6:30pm
92nd St Y


Celebrate Spring With Esplanade Friends
 
It’s time for Spring! Enjoy Free Live Music, Ice Cream, Face Painting, Arts & Crafts and more at the Alice Aycock Pavilion by the Esplanade. Admission free, rain dates April 28, May 19, June 2.
 
Celebrate Spring at the Alice Aycock Pavilion
Saturdays April 27, May 18, June 1, June 8 from (1pm-4pm)
Alice Aycock Pavilion (60th St. and East River)
RSVP


New York Junior Tennis & Learning/NYJTL
 
I am proud to fund New York Junior Tennis & Learning/NYJTL which will open its free Spring 2019 Community Tennis Program at Octagon Park on Roosevelt Island on April 29th.  This program, which will run through the end of June, is a result of  NYJTL’s FY 19 citywide funding.
 
For more information visit www.nyjtl.org, for the latest details on its spring programs and other events. Please note that there is NO cut-off date for registration allowing parents/guardians to register their children any day that the program operates



RESOURCES
 
New Notary Public Service
 
The first Friday of the month, beginning Friday, May 3, 9:30am-12:30pm. Search and Care will have a Notary Public in the office to notarize document signings for people 60+ at a fee of $5.00 per scheduled appointment. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 212-289-5300.
 

Summer Youth Police Academy 2019
 
The NYPD Summer Youth Police Academy is one of several innovative, effective programs that the Department provides for young people in New York City. This free 6 week Summer Program gives young individuals between the ages of 10 & 15 the opportunity to train & engage with our officers during the summer months. Apply for the 2019 Youth Police Academy online at 1.nyc.gov/nypdservices/law-enforcement/youth-programs/youth-police-academy.page.

The application is a fillable pdf form. Please complete the application on your computer, save the form, and email it to communityaffairs@nypd.org.
 

CityParks Free Senior Fitness
 
April through June, come out and get active in your neighborhood park with CityParks Foundation. New Yorkers 60+ are invited to participate in free tennis lessons, yoga and fitness walking in Carl Schurz Park and 15 neighborhood parks across the city. Activities in this six-week Seniors Fitness program take place twice a week and all equipment is provided. Register online at cityparksfoundation.org/seniors-fitness/ or call (718) 760-6999 for information. On-site information also available day-of.
 

We Hate to Waste
 
We all create too much trash. But no one wants to give up convenience. So, what is the way forward?  What kind of lifestyle would enable consumers to live trash-free and happy, too?  That’s what WeHateToWaste.com is trying to find out. Want to Learn What It Takes to Live Trash-free and Happy, Too? Start by learning about the seven facets of what we call the Trash-Free and Happy, Too Mindset. While you’re there, focus in on our favorite one, Share Rather Than Own. It’s all about new ways to Share, Swap, Borrow, Donate and Gift the stuff that already exists. Sharing rather than owning stuff is also a great way to save money and rebuild our communities. For more information visit www.wehatetowaste.com


Bike New York Hiring
 
Bike New York is looking to hire for the positions of Youth Instructor and Bicycle Mechanic/Sales Associates. If you are interested, email your resumes, references, and letters of interests to jobs@bike.nyc with the position sought in the subject line.


Pursuit 6.0 September Fellowship Application Now Open
 
Applications for our Pursuit 6.0 Fellowship September launch are now open! Pursuit trains adults with the most need and potential to get their first tech jobs, advance in their careers, and become the next generation of leaders in tech. For more information and to apply visit: www.pursuit.org/fellowship?utm_content=launch


Chess4CharityNYC on the Upper East Side

Saturday, May 4, beginning at 10am through 3pm Chess4CharityNYC will be hosting its first annual chess tournament at Yorkville Community School located at 421 East 88th Street.  All donations/proceeds from this event will go to the Ronald McDonald House.  There will be fun for everyone and prizes for the winners. Register at www.chess4charitynyc.org (all levels are welcome).
 

Apply to Serve on the Taxi and Limousine Commission

The City Council’s Manhattan Delegation is accepting nominations for a position on the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The delegation should have all the nominees name, resume and questionnaire by May 22nd for coming interviews.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating New York City medallion (yellow) taxicabs, for-hire vehicles, community-based liveries and black cars or commuter vans, paratransit vehicles (ambulettes) and certain luxury limousines. Members serve a 7-year term and are not compensated. No professional qualifications are required although candidates must reside in Manhattan.

Please let me know if you are interested in this position or if you have any questions.
OFFICE UPDATES
 
Free Legal Clinics
Need a lawyer? Every month I sponsor legal clinics where you can get free legal advice in my District Office at 244 East 93rd Street from 3pm-6pm:
  • General Civil Law, 3rd Tuesday
  • Life Planning Clinic, 3rd Wednesday
  • Family Law and Domestic Violence, 1st Tuesday
  • Housing Clinics, Every Monday and 1st Wednesday
Please call my office at 212-860-1950 in advance to schedule your appointment.


Here to Help
We are here to help. My social work team can help you find out what services you are eligible for and assist you in your application. Some examples include:
  • Seniors: Medicare savings, Meals-on-Wheels, Access-A-Ride
  • Housing: searching for affordable units, free legal housing clinic at my office
  • Job Resources: training resources and assistance, unemployment benefits
  • Families: Universal Pre-K, Head Start, After-School programs
  • Finances: cash assistance, tax credits, home energy assistance
  • Nutrition: WIC, free meals for all ages
Please also call us at 212-860-1950 or email us at bkallos@benkallos.com with any unresolved 311 complaints.


Mobile District Hours
Get assistance wherever in the district you are when we bring our office to you. Please join us at monthly mobile district hours from 11am–2pm:  
Ben in Your Building
 
The "Ben in Your Building Program" is a chance to discuss issues of importance to you and your neighbors in person. Please consider inviting me to your cooperative or condominium annual meeting or tenant’s association meeting, and I will be happy to join you. Over the past year, I have visited several buildings to discuss matters of importance in the neighborhood, including street furniture, road conditions, homeless outreach, and sanitation issues. Please schedule a "Ben in Your Building" today by calling 212-860-1950 or email Scheduler@BenKallos.com.
 

Community Boards
 
5/8: Community Board 6 Full Board Meeting
7:00pm, 433 1st Avenue (NYU School of Dentistry), Room 210 [TBD]
 
5/9: Community Board 8 NY Health Act Forum
6:30pm, 92nd Street Y, Warburg Room 1395 Lexington Avenue
 
5/15: Community Board 8 Land Use & Full Board Meeting
6:30pm, New York Blood Center, Auditorium 310 East 67th Street (first-second)
 
5/21: Community Board 11 Full Board Meeting
6:30pm, Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility 1752 Park Avenue
 

NYPD Events
 
5/19: 19th Precinct Community Council
7:00pm-8:00pm, 19th Precinct Station House, 153 E. 67th Street
 
5/22: 23rd Precinct Community Council
6:00pm-7:00pm, 23rd Precinct Station House, 164 E. 102nd Street
 
5/28: 17th Precinct Community Council
6:00pm-7:00pm, Sutton Place Synagogue, 224 E. 51st Street
 

Neighborhood and Tenant Associations
 
First Wednesday, 5/1: Roosevelt Island Residents Association Common Council Meeting
8:00 pm-10:00 pm, Good Shepherd (Downstairs), 543 Main Street
 
Second Wednesday, 5/8: Lexington Houses Tenant Association
6:00pm, 1539 Lexington Avenue
 
Second Tuesday, 5/7: Stanley Isaacs Tenant Associations
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street
 
Third Tuesday, 5/14: Holmes Towers Tenant Association
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street


Events For Adults
 
5/1, 5/15, 5/29: Adult One-on-One Computer Help Workshop
11:30am, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Work one-on-one with a volunteer tutor. Improve Internet skills, create, and use e-mail, cell phone help, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Power Point). Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pre-registration required in person or by phone at 212.744.5824. Seating is Limited
 
5/1: Adult One-on-One Computer Help Workshop
12 noon, Webster Library, Auditorium
Work one-on-one with a staff member. Use this time to improve Internet skills, navigate emails or Microsoft Office, or bring in your device for an e-reading tutorial. Space is limited to 6 20-minute slots per session.
 
5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29: Learn to Play Chess For Adults
2:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Learn to play the most popular game ever: A game of strategy and
problem solving. Whether you are beginner or a more advanced
player you can learn the strategies that will make you a better
chess player. Best part of all CHESS IS FUN!
 
5/1, 5/11, 5/20: Yorkville Writing Circle
4:30pm (5/1), 11:00am (5/11), 5:15pm(5/20), Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Want to meet local writers? Commit to a writing schedule? Practice your craft
through writing prompts? Read original work to get and give feedback? Then come to the biweekly meetings of the Yorkville Writing Circle! Writers of all genres and styles, at all levels, are welcome to participate. No sign-ups required.
 
5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23: Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation
9:00am, 300 East 67th Street 2nd Floor Seminar Room
Learn the basics and feel the benefits of mindfulness meditation in this small group workshop. If you often feel stressed and overwhelmed, this is a good class for you. In six classes, a certified mindfulness teacher, will help you work with your breath to become more aware of your body, surroundings, and reactions to stress.
 
5/2: Roosevelt Island Senior Resources Fair
10:00am, Roosevelt Island Senior Center
Our Roosevelt Island Senior Center is having a Resource Fair to provide information for older adults and the general public on a variety of topics.
 
5/2, 5/7, 5/9, 5/14, 5/16, 5/21, 5/23, 5.28, 5/30: Preventing Heart Disease Class
10:30am, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Greenberg 4 North Patient Lounge
Interactive talk discussing tips to lower risk for heart disease. Topics include mindful eating, heart healthy diet education and reducing the risk of coronary artery disease through lifestyle factors
 
5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30: COMPUTER LAB
12:00pm, 96th Street Library
At the 96th Street Library Computer Lab our tech volunteers assist you with almost any computer topic you want to learn. Topics include computer basics, Microsoft Word, online shopping, email, downloading eBooks, resume assistance, Facebook, phone apps and more! Students are encouraged to bring their own laptop or tablet device. If you can't bring yours, we will lend you one for the duration of the class.** Space is limited and sign-up is required. Late arrivals may be turned away, so please arrive on time to secure your spot. Sign up in-person or call 212-289-0908.
 
5/2: Film - GOING OUT IN STYLE(2017)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
Lifelong buddies Willie, Joe, and Al decide to buck retirement and step off the straight and narrow for the first time in their lives when their pension fund becomes a corporate casualty. This film is 96 minutes in length.
 
5/2: 96th Street Library Book Discussion: short stories
6:00pm, 96th Street Library
Please join us for our May 2019 book discussion. We will be reading a selection of short stories. They will be available at the 96th Street Library one month before the book discussion.
 
5/2: Annual Spring Benefit
6:30pm, The Burden Mansion
The Carnegie Hill Neighbors Annual Spring Benefit is CHN’s major fundraiser, and always a festive evening of camaraderie among neighbors, who gather in one of Carnegie Hill’s historic venues to celebrate our community. The CHN Enrichment Award is presented for an outstanding neighborhood enhancement, and other lucky guests win raffle and silent auction prizes.
 
5/3: Jane’s Walk: FDR Four Freedom State Park and the Past, Present, & Future of Roosevelt Island
11:00am, Roosevelt Island Tramway Station
This annual event held the first weekend in May is a global festival of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by urban activist Jane Jacobs. During Jane’s Walk weekend, the simple act of exploring the city is enhanced with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement. Jane’s Walk encourages people to share stories about their neighborhoods, discover unseen aspects of their communities, and connect with visitors and neighbors alike.
 
5/3, 5/10, 5/17: Creative Aging: Painting 1-2-3
12:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Creative Aging program series is geared for older adults aged 50+. From now through May 17, 2019 at our branch, we're hosting painting workshops. An introduction to the basic concepts of painting by exploring different techniques and styles. Discover color theory and learn to mix paint colors. Your appreciation of art will be enhanced as you learn to see things differently as an artist does and have the opportunity to capture this on canvas. Presented by Brandon Arana.
 
5/3: Tai Chi for Beginners
3:30pm, Bendheim Integrative Medicine Center
In this class you will learn and practice Tai Chi, a classical form of exercise known for its smooth and gentle movements that strengthen muscles of the ankles, knees, hips and legs. Tai Chi for Beginners is easy to learn, enjoyable and provides many health benefits in a relatively short period of time, including reducing the fear and likelihood of falling, increase range of motion, and improve circulation.

5/4: I Love My Park Day
10:00am, Four Freedom State Park
I Love My Park Day heralds the start of spring with this statewide call to volunteer. Come celebrate the statewide I Love My Park Day at Four Freedoms State Park! Show your appreciation of NYS parks by volunteering to help keep the Park beautiful, clean, and welcoming.
 
5/4: The Carter Burden Singers Choir Concert
Carter Burden Gallery
Our Carter Burden Singers will be performing at our Carter Burden Gallery. This is an event you don’t want to miss!
 
5/4: Zoning in Action: Building Blocks on the Upper East Side
11:00am, East 86th Street and East End Avenue
Jane Jacobs, the namesake of the Municipal Art Society’s annual Jane’s Walk, was famous for her advocacy for human-scale development. As over development and “super tall” buildings threaten the human-scale of New York’s residential neighborhoods, we’ll take a thrilling dive into the zoning ordinances that help keep that development in check! From floor area ratio to R8B, and POPS we’ll see zoning in action on this tour of the Upper East Side led by urban planner George Janes.
 
5/4, 5/11, 5/18: Computer Tutoring Sessions (Noon)
12:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Join us for an one-on-one tutoring sessions! Our computer tutors can help you with everything from learning how to use a mouse, formatting a resume, setting up an email address, posting photos on the internet, starting a blog, using Microsoft Office, and more.
 
5/4: Organic Gardening Workshop: Sowing Soil & Transplanting Into The Garden
12:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
RI Living Library & Think Park and RI Public Library Present FREE Monthly Workshops on Organic Gardening Open To All Ages Including Parents & Children! This workshop will include different types of soil: acidic, compacted, sandy, rich, and how to test your soil. The workshop will also include differences between in-the-ground gardening or container planting.
 
5/4: Marketing Strategies and Building a Blog for Your Business
2:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Join Small Business Administration Economic Development Specialist Man-Li Lin to learn marketing strategies and how to build a blog for your business.
 
5/4: Zoning in Action: Building Blocks on the Upper East Side
11:00am, N/E Corner of East 86th Street and East End Avenue
Jane Jacobs, the namesake of the Municipal Art Society’s annual Jane’s Walk, was famous for her advocacy for human-scale development. As over development and “super tall” buildings threaten the human-scale of New York’s residential neighborhoods, we’ll take a thrilling dive into the zoning ordinances that help keep that development in check! From floor area ratio to R8B, and POPS we’ll see zoning in action on this tour of the Upper East Side led by urban planner George Janes. Presented as part of Jane’s Walk 2019, hosted by the Municipal Art Society. Free to the public, advance registration is required. Register at nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?etid=11125.
 
5/4: Historic Workshop: Herbs
2:00pm,The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden 421 East 61st Street
Bask in the scents of the garden, pluck your favorite herbs and create special scent jars and soaps to perk up your home and enliven your senses. Learn how herbs were used in the past for medicines, cleaning supplies and cosmetics and take your herbal creations and some new tricks home with you. $15 Adults, $10 members and Students
For more information and tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4187668
 
5/4: May the Fourth Be With You
6:30pm, St. Catherine's Park 1245 1st Avenue
Star Wars Day in St. Catherine’s Park.
 
5/5 - 5/14 : MV4NY’s fourth annual Ramadan Food Drive
MV4NY is hosting its Annual Ramadan Food Drive to benefit food-insecure New Yorkers, serviced by the New York Common Pantry. The Food Drive will be held online at mv4ny.org/ramadan, where donors may choose how they would like to pay for the meals of a family in need. The summer months are a particularly lean period for donations at the Pantry. Together, let's make sure everyone can enjoy a nutritious meal throughout the year. If you would like to contribute to the food drive this year, please visit mv4ny.org/ramadan between May 5th and May 14th.
 
5/6: Digital Grandparents: eBook Help for Older Adults
4:00pm, 96th Street Library
Learn how to download eBooks and stream films with NYPL resources like SimplyE, Overdrive, and Kanopy on your tablet, smartphone, or e-reader. Drop by the table near the elevator with your device to get one-on-one help.Please come with a valid library card and PIN. You will also need to know any passwords for your device (Apple ID, Play Store, etc.) to successfully download and authorize the library apps.
 
5/6:Start Your Day With Art: Watercolor Open Studio
11:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
Let your imagination run wild. Spend the morning working with watercolors! No specific instruction is provided and no prior experience necessary. ALL MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED.
 
5/6: Mystery Monday
4:00pm, Webster Library
May 6th - Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman
 
5/6:Stonewall50: Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50; An Evening of Poetry Poet Joy Ladin
5:30pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Join us as we welcome poet Joy Ladin as she reads her poetry and discusses LGBTQ issues in today's society.
 
5/6: Navigating the Healthcare System
5:30pm, Webster Library
Gain insight on Long Term care planning including Medicaid enrollment, navigating the healthcare system, and much more that can help you and your loved ones prepare for the road ahead.
 
5/7, 5/14, 5/21: Brutal Beowulf Discussion
4:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Come sail the whale-road and fight some monsters with us as we discuss the epic poem Beowulf!
 
5/7: Preparing for Retirement
5:30pm, 96th Street Library
Come and learn the answers to your questions: How do I want to retire? How much money will I need to retire? When is the right time to retire? Who do I share my retirement income with? What are the greatest risks to my retirement plans?. Guest Kamran J. Keypour from Foresters Financial.
 
5/7 5/14, 5/21, 5/28: We Speak NYC English Conversation Groups: Webster Library – May 2019
11:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
We Speak NYC is an Emmy Award-winning TV show created to help people practice English. Each story is about everyday situations, like going to the doctor or talking with a child's teacher. The characters speak slowly and clearly. Intermediate and Advanced Level Conversation 2-Hour Classes for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): Adult learners will have the opportunity to learn English by watching We Speak NYC videos and discussing them with other adults from around the world.
 
5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28: Word for Beginners
3:00pm, 96th Street Library
Learn the basic features of Microsoft Word 2010, a word processing program you can use to create documents. Topics include: entering and editing text, saving files, and various formatting options. This is a comprehensive course, so please make sure you can attend all sessions. Call 212-289-0908 to register.
 
5/7, 5/21: Webster Writing Circle
6pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Let your stories unfold! Join Webster for an exploration in creativity. This writing circle is informal in style and structure: there is no experience necessary. We’ll spend time writing and talking about what we have written. There's no registration or sign up required. Meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6 PM
 
5/8: Covello Health Fair
10:00am, Carter Burden/Leonard Covello Senior Center, 312 East 109th Street
Join us to learn more from the local East Harlem community about a variety of health topics.
 
5/9: The CHN Breakfast Series
9:00am, Wetherby Pembridge School
The CHN Breakfast Series was developed by two career, turned full-time moms who recognized the need for a variation from our traditional evening forum and lecture series, to accommodate neighbors with non traditional schedules. CHN has been able to capture the interest of new members, interested neighbors and potential volunteers with this series and is a way for new neighbors to meet people, make friends, and, network in interested areas or discover a new avocation from our inspiring topics.
 
5/9: Film: The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
The spoiled young heir to the decaying Amberson fortune comes between his widowed mother and the man she has always loved. This film is 88 minutes in length.
 
5/9: Tenants' Rights Forum
6:00pm, P.S. 59 233 E 56th St
Meeting for Tenants on the Upper East Side.
 
5/9: Computer Basics
12 noon, Webster Library
Learn about the various types and components of computers, including basic computer terminology, an overview of operating systems, and popular software applications.
 
5/11: Plant “Sale”
9:30am, 86th Street at East End Avenue
Just in time for Mother’s Day! Beautiful annuals for garden, terrace, tree pit or window box from premier Long Island nursery, Beds & Borders. Most plants are a $5.00 donation.
 
5/11: UNOde50 Shopping Event
12:00pm, UNOde50 SoHo Studio
Please join us at jewelry store, UNOde50, in SoHo for a shopping event benefiting the Carter Burden Gallery. During the event, 15% of all sales will be donated to the Carter Burden Gallery. Come show your support and maybe even a gift for Mother’s Day!
 
5/11: Free Art Workshop in Portraiture
2:00pm, 421 East 61st Street
In conjunction with our new exhibit, “Portaiture then and Now,” artist Palén Obesa leads a watercolor portrait workshop. Bring photographs and create your own portraits or self-portraits. No experience necessary.
 
5/11: Start a Revolution Film Series: Dread Beat an' Blood (1978)
2:00pm, Webster Library
A portrait of Black poet and political activist, Linton Kwesi Johnson. Johnson's poems, written in Jamaican creole, are chanted to reggae beat and reveal his feelings on racism and urban life in the Black working-class community of Brixton, London. This film is 45 minutes in length.
 
5/11: Selling to the Global Market and Government Contracting
2:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
The Small Business Administration has helped thousands of startups get off the ground and grow with advice and with the necessary information and resources they need. In this presentation, Man-Li Lin discusses selling your products on the government and global markets.
 
5/11: Free Art Workshop in Portraiture
2:00pm, The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden 421 East 61st Street
In conjunction with our new exhibit, “Portaiture then and Now,” artist Palén Obesa leads a watercolor portrait workshop. Bring photographs and create your own portraits or self-portraits. No experience necessary.
 
5/11, 5/18: Computer Tutoring Sessions
12 noon, Webster Library
Join us for an one-on-one tutoring sessions! Our computer tutors can help you with everything from learning how to use a mouse, formatting a resume, setting up an email address, posting photos on the internet, starting a blog, using Microsoft Office, and more. Stop by the branch or call to sign up for one of our help sessions and get a personal tutor at your service! We welcome walkins as well. This program will run every Saturday. Space is limited. Limited Seating ( 6 people max)
 
5/13: Digital Theatre+ Matinee: The Comedy of Errors
11:30am, Webster Library
Do you love theatre?Join us on select Monday mornings to watch a handful of the finest theatre productions from over the pond.

5/13: Crafting the Collection Workshop: Stonewall Uprising
4:00pm, 96th Street Library
Create a collage inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Participants will re-create the “Riot [Stonewall ’69… AIDS Crisis ‘89] (Sticker)” by Gran Fury.
 
5/13: Foresters Financial Services: Preparing for Retirement
5:30pm, Webster Library
Want to understand how prepare for retirement? Join us to learn how you want to retire, how much money you will need to retire, when the right time is to retire, who to share your retirement income with, what the greatest risks to your retirement plans are, and how you should invest for retirement
 
5/13: From Russian with Love: A Sly Bang Book Party
5:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Please join us as the Russian American Cultural Center presents a literary celebration of poet and novelist Larissa Shmailo's latest work, Sly Bang. Shmailo will be joined by several of her peers, including Anna Halberstadt, Elizabeth L. Hodges, Regina Khidekel, Irina Mashinski, Alexander Veytsman, Anton Yakovlev, and Andrey Gritsman, as they read from and respond to her new novel.
 
5/14: Book Discussion Group
5:30pm, 67th Street Library
Get the neighborhood read. Join our lively discussion! We've got the books, now we need you to talk!
 
5/14: The Peggy Rockefeller Concerts
7:30pm, Rockefeller University, Caspary Auditorium
The Peggy Rockefeller Concert Series consists of six musical performances each year by internationally acclaimed artists in a venue unmatched in New York City—the University’s Caspary Auditorium. Designed by renowned architect Wallace Harrison in the 1950s, Caspary Auditorium was part of a mid-twentieth century expansion of the Rockefeller University campus. With its intimate scale, clear sight lines, and superb acoustics, Caspary provides an extraordinary musical experience.
 
5/15: Artist’s Talk: On Journey and Identity
6:00pm, The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden 421 East 61st Street
In conjunction with our new exhibit, “Portraiture, Then and Now” featured artist Mildor Chevalier discusses his approach to his work and the trajectory of his career-from his native Haiti to New York.
 
5/16: Free Naloxone Rescue Kit Training and Distribution
12:00pm, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Cayuga Room
Every day in New York City, about 3 people die from a drug overdose. This brief training will teach you how to recognize and reverse an opioid overdose. You will become a Certified Opioid Overdose Responder and receive a free Overdose Rescue Kit with naloxone - a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and restores breathing.
 
5/16, 5/23: Introduction to the Internet
12:00pm, Webster Auditorium Library
This two-part workshop will teach you: How to define the internet and what it can be used for How to recognize and use hardware and software to access the internet How to break down a web address How to use browsers such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox How to use search engines How to sign up for and use email
 
5/16: Film: Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A free-spirited young woman wants to run away with her con artist father to France, but needs to pretend to be a boy to do it. This film is 95 minutes in length.
 
5/16: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
6:45pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Join us to discuss Before The Fall on May 16, 2019, at 6:00 pm. Admission is free. Registration is required. Book club participants must reserve copies of each title through the Library's catalog system. You can reserve your copy by placing a hold online at www.nypl.org or visiting your local branch.
 
5/18: Year-Round Volunteer Gardening
9:30am, Carl Schurz Park, 86th Street at East End Avenue
Join neighbors and friends and pitch in at this fun, local event! Please note: The Carl Schurz Park Volunteer Gardeners are an adult group that meets monthly to work in the park. Students or children who wish to participate must be accompanied by adults or parents who work along with them.
 
5/18, 5/19: Pop-Up Library
11:00am, Four Freedoms State Park
Join us for a fun-filled weekend with this family friendly event! At the Uni Project, our pop-up reading room, come sit outside, read, draw, play games, and explore a curated collection of books and hands-on materials. Free; registration recommended, link coming soon.
 
5/18: Webster @ the Movies: A Star Is Born (2018)
2:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons. This film is 135 minutes in length.
 
5/18: Time Management: Practical Strategies that Can Change Your Life
2:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Want to reduce stress, accomplish more in less time and enjoy greater freedom to do the things you love? Do you want a greater feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment in your daily life? You are not alone! Speaker, trainer, and certified professional coach, Barbara Phillips, will share practical strategies that have the power to change your life!
 
5/19: Divine Design: Religious Architecture and Community in Yorkville
11:00am, Meeting point provided upon registration
The Upper East Side is home to an extraordinary array of divine designs. In conjunction with the New York Landmarks Conservancy 9th Annual Sacred Sites Open House, architectural historian and preservation consultant Gregory Dietrich will lead us through some of the area’s most eclectic ecclesiastical architecture! As we make our way around the eastern portion of this area known as Yorkville, we will visit a vast array of houses of worship that once catered to immigrant groups that settled in the area including Germans, Irish, Czechs, and Hungarians.
 
5/23: 16mm Film Nights: Reel Classics: Singin' in the Rain (1953)
4:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound. This film is 103 minutes in length.
 
5/23: Film - ALICE ADAMS (1935)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A young girl hoping to marry well in the 20s soon finds out some of the realities of love and life. This film is 99 minutes in length
 
5/23: Free Screening: A Star Is Born(2018)
6:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Join us for a free screening of Bradley Cooper's highly-acclaimed A Star Is Born! Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons. Seating is first come, first served. This film is 134 minutes in length.
 
5/24: Free Skin Cancer Screenings
4:00pm, MSK 60th Street Outpatient Center, 16 East 60 Street, 3rd floor, Suite 302
In honor of National Melanoma/ Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, we are hosting free skin cancer screenings at various locations. Individuals at increased risk for skin cancer are most likely to benefit from screening. Risk factors for skin cancer include family history of melanoma (two or more blood relatives), multiple atypical moles, and numerous actinic keratoses (scaly patches of skin, gray to pink in color, on sun-exposed areas of the body). Skin cancer is the most common cancer, and the most curable when detected early. Take the time… not the chance. By appointment only. To make an appointment, call 646-888-6410
Phone lines open at 9:00 am on Wednesday, May 22 and will close after all appointments are filled.
 
5/24: Artful Insights: Finding Her Way
10:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
American women artists working before 1945 had to navigate societal expectations of women’s domestic roles with their drive to be professionals. These artists often faced difficult choices–-sacrificing in their personal lives or in their careers. Despite evident talent and success, most fell into obscurity with their death. In this interactive session, come discover and closely examine works by women artists who collectively paint a picture of a changing America.
 
5/24, 5/31: Creative Aging: Painting 1-2-3
10:30am, Roosevelt Island Library
Creative Aging program series is geared for older adults aged 50+. From now through June 28, 2019 at our branch, we're hosting painting workshops. An introduction to the basic concepts of painting by exploring different techniques and styles. Discover color theory and learn to mix paint colors. Your appreciation of art will be enhanced as you learn to see things differently as an artist does and have the opportunity to capture this on canvas.
 
5/29: Foresters Financial Services: Money Management
5:30pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Want to learn how to improve your money management? Join us to learn how to prepare a budget, how to balance your accounts, how to cut back on expenses, how to save more, and how to set financial goals.
 
5/29: A Bilingual Poetry Reading by Anna Halberstadt
5:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Please join us as the Russian American Cultural Center presents a Bilingual Poetry Reading by Anna Halberstadt from her new poetry collection in English, Green in a Landscape with Ashes, New Meridian Books, 2017, and Russian, Пасмурное Солнце, издательство Евгения Степанова, 2018.
 
5/29: Cover Letter Legends
6:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Looking for a job? Need help with your cover letter? Look no more! Make an appointment at the library where you'll receive one-on-one instruction in composing your cover letter.
 
5/29: Facebook Basics
12 noon, Webster Library
Need some help navigating Facebook? Learn how to catch up with friends and family, share photos, and much more on the popular online social network. Must have an active email account. No registration required. Pre-Req: Introduction to the Internet
 
5/30: Film - BALL OF FIRE (1941)
2:00pm, 96th Street Library
A stripper-mob girl is interviewed by a nerdy professor for a book on slang, so when she needs a place to hide, she turns to his institute. This film is 111 minutes in length.
 
5/30: Movie Night: Ashby (2015)
6:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
A high-school student befriends his neighbor who is a retired CIA assassin who does not have much longer to live. This film is 100 minutes in length.
 
5/30: FREE! Skin Car Screenings
4:00pm, 16 East 60th Street, 3rd floor (Suite 302)
Memorial Sloan Kettering will provide FREE skin cancer screenings on Thursday, May 30th from 4:00-7:00 pm at 16 East 60th Street, 3rd Floor, Suite 302. This screening is by appointment only, the appointment line opens on Wednesday, May 22nd at 9:00am. To make an appointment, please call, 646-888-6410.


Events For Kids:
 
5/1: Kids Tales Writing Program
3:30pm, 96th Street Library
Children will brainstorm, write, and edit their very own short story. At the end of the workshop, the stories will be assembled in a collection and published as an anthology on Amazon.com. Each student writer receives a copy of the book as well as a journal and a pencil. Please plan to attend all four sessions every other week in March and April. Limited to 8 to 12-year-olds.
 
5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23: Family Storytime
11:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
Toddlers from birth to 3 years and their parents/caregivers can enjoy interactive stories, action songs, fingerplays, and spend time with other toddlers in the neighborhood. There is a limit of 15 children and their caregivers. Tickets are given out the morning of the program on a first come, first serve basis. Times of the programs are approximate.
 
5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30: Pre-School Story Time
4:00pm, Yorkville Library Children’s Room
Come meet your friends at the library and listen to some of your favorite picture books. It's a great way to end a busy day. Ages 3 and older.
 
5/2: Veggie Prints
4:00pm, Webster Library
Vegetables are not only wonderful to snack on but they can be used to make awesome prints with paint!
 
5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31: Learn to Play Chess at Webster
3:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Are you a chess champion? You want to show off your best moves against other chess fans? Whether you're a chess master or just starting out, come join us for some board time Fridays at 3 p.m. Learn how to play, practice your skills, or to play a game. All materials will be provided, and an experienced instructor Timothy Mobley will lead the group.
 
5/4, 5/11, 5/18: Kids’ Coloring Club
10:00am, Yorkville Library Children’s Room
Join us every Saturday morning from 10am-12pm for our Kids' Coloring Club -- children of all ages are invited to color coloring sheets featuring their favorite characters, seasonal designs, and more. Feel free to bring your favorite coloring book!
 
5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25: Read to our New York Therapy Dog!
10:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
Come read to our therapy dog Tugboat! These licensed therapy dogs and their owners can't wait for you to come read them a story. Enjoy one-on-one, no-pressure reading time with a furry friend! Pre-registration is required for each 15-minute slot and opens 1 week in advance. For ages 5 and up.
 
5/4, 5/11, 5/18: Read to Frtiz, our New York Therapy Dog!
11:00am, Yorkville Library Children’s Room
Come read to our therapy dog Fritz! These licensed therapy dogs and their owners can't wait for you to come read them a story. Enjoy one-on-one, no-pressure reading time with a furry friend! Pre-registration is required for each 15-minute slot and opens 1 week in advance. For ages 5 and up. Available every Saturday in the children's story time room.
 
5/6, 5/13, 5/20: Toddler Story Time
11:30am, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Toddlers from 18-36 months old (Walkers) and their parents/caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other toddlers in the neighborhood. Programs are first come, first served, space is limited Please note: There is no elevator available, and stroller parking is limited.
 
5/4: May the Fourth Be With You - Star Wars Program
2:30pm, Webster Library
Join us in celebrating May the Fourth, with a Star Wars themed activity. For ages 5 and up.
 
5/6, 5/13, 5/20: Preschool Storytime: Petite Picasso
4:00pm, 96th Street Library
Read aloud and messy art projects for young children. Wear your art clothes. Smocks will be provided. Limited to 24 participants.
 
5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28: Baby Storytime
10:30am, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Babies from birth to 18 months old (Pre-Walkers) and their parents/caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. *Program will be ticketed to 30 children and their caregivers. *Tickets will be distributed at the door 15 minutes prior to the start of the program Please note: There is no elevator available, and stroller parking is limited.
 
5/8: Poof! Life in a Vacuum with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
4:00pm, 96th Street Library
Join us as we explore space with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum! Where does "space" begin? How far away is the moon? Where did the space shuttles go? These questions and more are answered as you discover Intrepid's role in the Space Race and the importance of Earth's atmosphere. Using a bell jar and vacuum pump, Museum educators will mimic the vacuum of space and its effect on objects and the human body. Discover why astronauts need to wear spacesuits!
 
5/8: Storytime Fun!
11:00am, Webster Library Auditorium
Join Lex, children from birth to 3 years, and their parents/caregivers for interactive stories, action songs, fingerplays, and spend time with other toddlers in the neighborhood. There is a limit of 15 children and their caregivers. Tickets are given out the morning of the program on a first come, first serve basis. Times of the programs are approximate.
   
5/13: Art Buffet
4:00pm, Webster Library
Let your imagination run wild! Join us for an hour of uninterrupted, creative fun. Pick and choose from our craft supplies to make a masterpiece to take home. For children of all ages.
 
5/14, 5/21, 5/28: Free Play
4:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
Join us on Tuesday afternoons for a fun chance to socialize with other kids from the community! Toys are provided. Please note: This program is for both caregiver and child. It is not a structured program.*Take care to supervise children at all times.
 
5/18: Family Day at Carl Schurz
1:00pm, Carl Schurz Park, East 86th Street &, East End Ave
Public event with activities for families.
 
5/19: Divine Design: Religious Architecture and Community in Yorkville
11:00am, Location to be decided
The Upper East Side is home to an extraordinary array of divine designs. In conjunction with the New York Landmarks Conservancy 9th Annual Sacred Sites Open House, architectural historian and preservation consultant Gregory Dietrich will lead us through some of the area’s most eclectic ecclesiastical architecture! In partnership with the New York Landmarks Conservancy Sacred Sites Open House. Meeting point provided upon registration. Registration will begin on May 3, 2019, through sacredsitesopenhouse.org/.
 
5/20: Read to Murphy, our New York Therapy Dog!
4:00pm, Yorkville Library Children’s Room
Come read to our therapy dog, Murphy! These licensed therapy dogs and their owners can't wait for you to come read them a story. Enjoy one-on-one, no-pressure reading time with a furry friend! Pre-registration is required for each 15-minute slot and opens 1 week in advance. For ages 5 and up.
 
5/20: DIY Terrarium Workshop
4:00pm, Webster Library
Create your own little jungle in the city. All supplies will be provided, possible mess with dirt and water, please dress accordingly. Limited to 20 participants. Registration will be on Monday, May 20th at 3pm in person. Ages 7 and up.
 
5/20: Kid Flicks
4:00pm, Yorkville Library Meeting Room
Join us in our community room for our children's film showing. Watch short films based on popular picture books. The perfect way to meet up with friends and end a busy day. All films subject to last-minute substitutions.
 
5/30: Wild About Reading: Storybook Safari
4:00pm, Webster Library Auditorium
The animal characters from some of our favorite books will come alive in this fun-filled program! We will compare the real animals to their storybook counterparts as LIVE animals' guests such as a little red hen, slow tortoise, wide-mouthed frog and a silly rabbit visit with us. We will create our own animal-themed storybook to take home. Puppets, multi-sensory activities and creative movement round out this unique experience! Best for ages 3 to 7 years old (adult must stay with their child). Maximum to 25 children only.
 
5/31: Discovering Dinosaurs
10:30am, Webster Library Auditorium
How is a Tyrannosaurus Rex different from a Triceratops? Is it just in their physical characteristics or is it also what they ate and when they lived? In Discovering Dinosaurs, your little paleontologists will explore what dinosaurs ate and when they lived while constructing their very own dinosaur model out of DUPLO® blocks. Through stories, building, and games, your little learners will be busy exploring the prehistoric world while gaining critical social and developmental skills without even realizing it!
Copyright © 2019 City Council Member Ben Kallos, All rights reserved.


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