Council Member James has used her position in the New York City Council to strengthen small businesses- from leading the NYCC's Contracts Committee to address the administrations Department of Education outsourcing book contracts to large out-of-state companies over local bookstores, to co-sponsoring local laws 2005/129 and 2008/067, and Resolution 1773-2009. This important legislation increased opportunities and benefits for minority-and-women-owned (MWBE) businesses, especially. Local law 129 specifically increased opportunities for certified MWBE's to bid on public contracts, increase their capacity, and effectively contribute to the City's economy. You can read more about the history of the legislation here.
Additionally, Council Member James has always offered her personal support and encouragement to small businesses in the 35th District. She has consistently encouraged local businesses to hire youth and unemployed adults in the communities they serve, and early-on supported expansion of the Brooklyn Navy Yard to create more industrial business opportunities.
In her continuing effort to build upon small business opportunities, the Council Member James has drafted a resolution in support of U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke's Congressional bill H.R. 3771, a bill that was amended and re-introduced into Congress in October 2009. This bill was designed to aid MWBE small businesses in building their capacity in the industry of construction. The bill would amend the Small Business Act to charge the United States Small Business Administration with establishing and/or expanding mentorship programs, and identifying problems and creating solutions to meet construction needs/demands. The bill was recently amended to include veteran-owned small construction companies, as well as to establish grant programs to enhance access to specialized education and resources.
Council Member James looks forward to using her position in the New York City Council and as Chairperson of the Council's Contracts Committee to strengthen business opportunities, and helping small businesses stay afloat in these harsh economic times.
Friday, November 20, 2009
CMs James and Eugene Join 77th Precinct Cmty Council and community to Announce Fund for Victims of Tragic Fire
**For Immediate Release**
November 20, 2009
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Council Member Letitia James; Council Member Mathieu Eugene; James Caldwell, President, 77th Precinct Community Council; community leaders; and residents hold press conference to announce fund for the Jean Family, who lost 2 little boys- Sebastian, 1, Fabrice, 2, and their father Myrtel Jean, 42, in a fire at their Crown Heights home on Wednesday
Emergency press event to support the Jean family– Friday, November 20, at 3 PM, in front of Hebron Church, 1256 Dean Street (between New York and Nostrand Avenues)
(Brooklyn, Nov. 20, 2009) In light of the tragic house fire which took the lives of a father and his two sons on Wednesday morning, Council Member Letitia James, community leaders, public officials, and residents will gather to support the Jean family, and to announce a fund to assist the surviving wife and mother, Rose Etienne, who lost everything.
“Once again we come together to support a family in need, who suddenly has lost dear loved ones through tragic circumstances. Sadly, a mattress was ignited accidentally, and smoke quickly filled the Crown Heights apartment claiming three beautiful lives, said Council Member Letitia James. I believe that it is the responsibility of the community to hold up their neighbors in times such as these; therefore we will do whatever we can to help the Jean family as they grieve, try to make sense of what happened, and put their lives back together.”
Donations for the family can be sent to Carver Federal Savings Bank, located at 4 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY, 11217. Please make checks payable to Monique Jean, in care of Rose Etienne Jean. Deposits can also be made at any branch, and on-line transfers are accepted. Special thanks to the entire team at Carver Federal Savings Bank for their help.
Rehabilitation Fund for the Jean Family: Bank Routing #- 226072498; Account # - 801102660
Contact Telephone Numbers: Family - Monique Jean / (917) 502-1455; Jean Pericles / (917) 902-0018
Carver Federal Savings Bank - (718) 230-2900
When: Friday, November 20 at 3pm
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Council Member Letitia James; Council Member Mathieu Eugene; James Caldwell, President, 77th Precinct Community Council; community leaders; and residents hold press conference to announce fund for the Jean Family, who lost 2 little boys- Sebastian, 1, Fabrice, 2, and their father Myrtel Jean, 42, in a fire at their Crown Heights home on Wednesday
Emergency press event to support the Jean family– Friday, November 20, at 3 PM, in front of Hebron Church, 1256 Dean Street (between New York and Nostrand Avenues)
(Brooklyn, Nov. 20, 2009) In light of the tragic house fire which took the lives of a father and his two sons on Wednesday morning, Council Member Letitia James, community leaders, public officials, and residents will gather to support the Jean family, and to announce a fund to assist the surviving wife and mother, Rose Etienne, who lost everything.
“Once again we come together to support a family in need, who suddenly has lost dear loved ones through tragic circumstances. Sadly, a mattress was ignited accidentally, and smoke quickly filled the Crown Heights apartment claiming three beautiful lives, said Council Member Letitia James. I believe that it is the responsibility of the community to hold up their neighbors in times such as these; therefore we will do whatever we can to help the Jean family as they grieve, try to make sense of what happened, and put their lives back together.”
Donations for the family can be sent to Carver Federal Savings Bank, located at 4 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY, 11217. Please make checks payable to Monique Jean, in care of Rose Etienne Jean. Deposits can also be made at any branch, and on-line transfers are accepted. Special thanks to the entire team at Carver Federal Savings Bank for their help.
Rehabilitation Fund for the Jean Family: Bank Routing #- 226072498; Account # - 801102660
Contact Telephone Numbers: Family - Monique Jean / (917) 502-1455; Jean Pericles / (917) 902-0018
Carver Federal Savings Bank - (718) 230-2900
When: Friday, November 20 at 3pm
What: Pres Event to support the Jean Family who lost three love ones in tragic fire this week
Where: Hebron French-speaking Seventh-day Adventist Church – Pastor Roberne J. Saint-Louis
1256 Dean Street (between New York and Nostrand Avenues) - (718) 778-6454
1256 Dean Street (between New York and Nostrand Avenues) - (718) 778-6454
###
Thursday, November 19, 2009
ATTENTION: CM James and District 13 Present Middle Schools Fair; 11/30
Please join Council Member Letitia James and District 13 Middle Schools within the 35th Council District and other parents and students for a District 13 Middle School Fair!
When: Monday, November 30th from 5:30 - 8:00pm
Where: P.S. 46 - Edward C. Blum
100 Clermont Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Middle School Applications are due December 15th, so please come out to meet school representatives and learn about your Middle School choices.
For more information about the event, please contact Simone Hawkins at 212-788-7081.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
ATTENTION: DOE Creates ARIS Parent Link for Increased Student Data Access
Families are key partners in improving student achievement, and with the use of the ARIS Parent Link, parents can keep up-to-date with their child's academic information.Teachers have always had increased access to student data through ARIS. Now, the NYC Department of Education allows parents to also have increased access through ARIS Parent Link (APL)- an online tool that provides parents with detailed information about their child.
In ARIS Parent Link, you can find:
- Up-to-date academic information abut your child, available in nine languages
- Results and explanations of assessments your child has taken
- Your child's attendance record
- Contact information on file for you and your child
You can log in to ARIS Parent Link anytime, from any computer at www.arisparentlink.org. To get started, you will need a an e-mail address, your child's ID number (OSIS #), and your temporary password which you can retrieve from your child's school.
If you need further information on how to access the ARIS Parent Link, talk to the Parent Coordinator at your child's school or review the NYC DOE FAQs about ARIS Parent Link for Parents.
ATTENTION: Rep. Clarke Hosts H1N1 Tele-Town Hall Meeting; 11/19
Congresswoman Yvette D. ClarkePresents...
A Tele-Town Hall Meeting on:
THE H1N1 VIRUS: PART TWO – “HOW IS NEW YORK CITY ADDRESSING THE NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF THE H1N1 VACCINE?”
Date: Thursday November 19, 2009
Time: 6:00p.m. to 7p.m. EST
Call In Number (877) 229-8493 Pin: 13319
Special Guest- Dr. Aletha Maybank the Assitant Commissioner of New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, joins Representative Clarke to discuss how people can better access the H1N1 vaccine.
For more information please contact: 718-287-1142
Community Entrepreneur Ruth West Passes; Leaves Behind Legacy
**For Immediate Release**
November 18, 2009
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Entrepreneur Ruth West Passes; She Leaves Behind Restaurant Legacy in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill
(Brooklyn, Nov. 18, 2009) Ruth Collock West was born in 1934 in Bayboro, North Carolina, and passed in Brooklyn, New York on November 12, 2009.
Having spent her youth in North Carolina, Ruth found her way to Brooklyn after finishing school, and worked her way up from a waitress, to a restaurateur. Ruth worked in the food business for over 50 years; the combination of being a lover of soul food and a people person propelled Ruth forward to opening her first business in 1967, and then three decades later in 1997, she opened the infamous Ruthie’s Soul Food, which is still thriving today.
“All of us on Myrtle Avenue are deeply saddened by Ms. Ruthie’s passing. Ms. Ruthie and her family have been neighborhood fixtures for many years, and we are very grateful for the commitment and investment they have made in helping us to revitalize Myrtle Avenue,” said Michael Blaise Backer, Executive Director, Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership.
Ruth West was an inspiration. An active member of Friendship Baptist Church in Bed-Stuy for nearly 40 years, she touched many lives within the community, as well as at the two locations of Ruthie’s Soul Food Restaurant in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Brooklyn.
Deaconess Bertha Brown from Friendship Baptist Church related that Ruth Brown was the most loyal church member she knew. “Ruthie was loyal during her entire membership at Friendship Baptist Church; whenever anything needed to be done – she would roll up her sleeves. A trustee for many years, she would help out wherever and whenever needed,” she said.
Ruth’s six children, 22 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, other relatives along with numerous friends and customers will always remember her, and her delicious food with fondness. She shared her heart with all, and each evening at her restaurants closing, Ruth gave food to the homeless, who credit that meal as being their only one on many days.
“Ms. Ruthie was a jewel in the community; she spent her young adult years in Fort Greene and opened Ruthie’s during the mid-90s, which is now treasured within the community. She opened the first black and women owned restaurant in downtown Brooklyn, and was known for helping and feeding the poor and homeless over and over again. I am touched by a handwritten note posted at the Myrtle Avenue store that simply reads - thank you, from someone who is homeless,” said Council Member James.
###
November 18, 2009
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Entrepreneur Ruth West Passes; She Leaves Behind Restaurant Legacy in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill
(Brooklyn, Nov. 18, 2009) Ruth Collock West was born in 1934 in Bayboro, North Carolina, and passed in Brooklyn, New York on November 12, 2009.
Having spent her youth in North Carolina, Ruth found her way to Brooklyn after finishing school, and worked her way up from a waitress, to a restaurateur. Ruth worked in the food business for over 50 years; the combination of being a lover of soul food and a people person propelled Ruth forward to opening her first business in 1967, and then three decades later in 1997, she opened the infamous Ruthie’s Soul Food, which is still thriving today.
“All of us on Myrtle Avenue are deeply saddened by Ms. Ruthie’s passing. Ms. Ruthie and her family have been neighborhood fixtures for many years, and we are very grateful for the commitment and investment they have made in helping us to revitalize Myrtle Avenue,” said Michael Blaise Backer, Executive Director, Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership.
Ruth West was an inspiration. An active member of Friendship Baptist Church in Bed-Stuy for nearly 40 years, she touched many lives within the community, as well as at the two locations of Ruthie’s Soul Food Restaurant in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Brooklyn.
Deaconess Bertha Brown from Friendship Baptist Church related that Ruth Brown was the most loyal church member she knew. “Ruthie was loyal during her entire membership at Friendship Baptist Church; whenever anything needed to be done – she would roll up her sleeves. A trustee for many years, she would help out wherever and whenever needed,” she said.
Ruth’s six children, 22 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, other relatives along with numerous friends and customers will always remember her, and her delicious food with fondness. She shared her heart with all, and each evening at her restaurants closing, Ruth gave food to the homeless, who credit that meal as being their only one on many days.
“Ms. Ruthie was a jewel in the community; she spent her young adult years in Fort Greene and opened Ruthie’s during the mid-90s, which is now treasured within the community. She opened the first black and women owned restaurant in downtown Brooklyn, and was known for helping and feeding the poor and homeless over and over again. I am touched by a handwritten note posted at the Myrtle Avenue store that simply reads - thank you, from someone who is homeless,” said Council Member James.
###
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
ATTENTION: LIFT SPONSORS FREE GRANDPARENTS SUPPORT GROUP
FREE GRANDPARENTS SUPPORT GROUP!A support group especially for grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relative caregivers with Family Court experiences.
- Support while navigating through the Family Court system.
- Share your thoughts on the joys and challenges of parenting a second time.
- Learn tips for coping with changing family dynamics.
- Learn effective ways to negotiate with outside systems.
When: Every other Monday at 11:30 a.m.
First three meetings: November 16th, November 30th, December 14th
Pizza will be served Metro cards will be provided.
Where: Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)
New York, NY 10013
For more information about the group or other LIFT programs:
212-343-1122
Or
FLC@LIFTonline.org
Monday, November 16, 2009
Moving Pictures: Is Just Like The Channel Four News Team
On Thursday November 19, 2009 the television show “GOOD MORNING JAPAN” is scheduled to shoot interior scenes at 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension between Dekalb Avenue & Fulton Street.APPROXIMATE TIME: 10am – 7pm
Moving Pictures: The One Where Matt Bomer Could Possibly Be On My Block
On Tuesday November 17, 2009 the television show “WHITE COLLAR” returns to shoot interior and exterior scenes at Cambridge Place between Gates Avenue & Fulton Street.
APPROXIMATE TIME: 3pm – 12am
APPROXIMATE TIME: 3pm – 12am
Friday, November 13, 2009
ATTENTION: Upcoming Events
Council Member Letitia James, in collaboration with Watchful Eye, Community Youth, Inc., and Serum Music, presents...
"A Celebration of Praise & Thanksgiving"
at...the "Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at the Walt Whitman Theatre"
Location: 2900 Campus Road @ Hillel Place
1 block west of "The Junction" Intersection of Hillel Place and Nostrand & Flatbush Avenues
1 block west of "The Junction" Intersection of Hillel Place and Nostrand & Flatbush Avenues
When: Sunday, November 15, 2009 @ 4:30PM
Please call the office of CM James at (718) 260-9191 for more information.
___________________________________
The Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center's Division of Chemical Dependency cordially invites you to an Open House-
When: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
12 noon- 3pm
Where: 100 North Portland Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
When: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
12 noon- 3pm
Where: 100 North Portland Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
For more information, contact (718) 260-7806. Refreshments will be served.
_____________________________________________________
Economic Recovery & Business Stimulus Conference
Join the Black Church Means Business on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at the Riverside Church in New York City to meet, network, and begin to do business with hundreds of small business owners, more than 400 clergy and church leaders, corporate executives, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
There is a small fee to register. For more information you may call (718) 638-6397.
_____________________________________________________
Join the Black Church Means Business on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at the Riverside Church in New York City to meet, network, and begin to do business with hundreds of small business owners, more than 400 clergy and church leaders, corporate executives, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
There is a small fee to register. For more information you may call (718) 638-6397.
_____________________________________________________
In recognition of the Thanksgiving Holiday and the current economic crisis affecting so many,
join the 57th Assembly District Democratic Organization, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator Eric Adams and 57th A.D. Democratic Organization & District Committeeperson Olanike Alabi in a canned food drive and reception to benefit the Child Development Support Corporation's (CDSC) food pantry which serves residents in Central Brooklyn. WE ENCOURAGE ALL WHO WILL ATTEND TO BRING 5 CANS OF FOOD.
join the 57th Assembly District Democratic Organization, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator Eric Adams and 57th A.D. Democratic Organization & District Committeeperson Olanike Alabi in a canned food drive and reception to benefit the Child Development Support Corporation's (CDSC) food pantry which serves residents in Central Brooklyn. WE ENCOURAGE ALL WHO WILL ATTEND TO BRING 5 CANS OF FOOD. When: Thursday, November 19, 2009
6pm- 8pm
Where: Teen Challenge Center
444 Clinton Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y 11238
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