Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Questions AY Modular Development At City Council Oversight Hearing
(New York, NY)— On Tuesday, January 22, 2013, at a New York City Council Housing Committee Oversight Hearing, Council Member Letitia James joined her colleagues, union-aligned contractors, and others in discussing modular building development. Modular or pre-fabricated construction refers to a building method in which building portions are constructed off-site (often in a factory). SHoP Architects have designed modular residential towers that should allow Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner (FCR) to save considerable costs.
Council Member Letitia James, representing Brooklyn’s 35th Council District which houses Barclay’s Arena and the developing Atlantic Yards site, asserted that modular development has the risk of producing low-quality construction. For a comprehensive construction such as Atlantic Yards—where the 32-story modular residential tower currently in development will stand as the nation’s largest modular development—this constitutes an experiment that may not stand the test of time.
Recent media reports have stated that the steel panels that line Barclays Arena “have occasionally dripped rusty orange blossoms onto the sidewalk,” noting that “iron workers have replaced hundreds of bolts that anchor the panels to the building’s structure. Engineers determined that weaker ones were originally installed, raising concerns about the structure’s integrity.”
Representatives of the city’s Department of Buildings and FCR testified at the hearing that there were considerable benefits to high-rise modular construction, while union representatives argued that prefabricated (off-site) construction could permit the developer to work without the supervision of licensed plumbers, electricians, and other experts.
“I am deeply concerned that we are compromising safety for the bottom line,” said Council Member Letitia James.
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Epoch Times: Prefab High Rises: Future of Construction or Imminent Failure? (http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/prefab-high-rises-future-of-construction-or-imminent-failure-338875.html)
Atlantic Yards Report: At Council hearing, Department of Buildings slammed for allowing Forest City to build modular without licensed trades; did developer get city to bend rules? (http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2013/01/at-council-hearing-department-of.html)
Monday, January 28, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
ATTENTION: CM James Joins DA Hynes and Commissioner Kelly In Sponsoring Gun Buy Back Event; 2/2; Church of the Open Door
WHEN: Saturday, February 2, 2013
10:00AM- 4:00PM
WHERE: Church of the Open Door
201 Gold Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Operable handguns may be turned in for a $200 bank card-- no questions asked. Operable rifles and shotguns may be turned-in for a $20 bank card.
The Cash for Guns program is sponsored in conjunction with Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes and NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. Rev. Mark V.C. Taylor and Church of the Open Door have graciously offered to host the gun buy-back.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
ATTENTION: Fulton Street Vision Plan Released, Includes Ideas for Enhancing Fulton St. Commercial Strip
The Fulton Area Business District (FAB Alliance) has released the FULTON STREET VISION PLAN online. The Plan includes ideas and concepts for enhancing the public spaces of the Fulton Street commercial corridor in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Comments and ideas may be submitted through completion of the Community Input Survey. Please see more here: http://faballiance.org/news/draft-vision-plan-online
Thursday, January 17, 2013
ATTENTION: CM James Hosts Property Owners Forum; 1/30; Crown Heights
On Wednesday, January 30th, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development will join Council Member Letitia James in hosting a Homeowners Forum. This is an opportunity for residential property owners to get information on issues such as property tax exemptions, foreclosure prevention, NYC Department of Building, lead/pest control, low-interest home repair loans, NYC Sanitation, and water/sewer issues.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 30, 2013
6:30PM- 8:00PM
WHERE: Public School 161 (Auditorium)
330 Crown Street
Brooklyn, NY
Friday, January 11, 2013
CM James Applauds NYS Governor for Women’s Equality Act
Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Applauds NYS Governor for Women’s Equality Act
(New York, NY)— On Wednesday, January 9, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a 10-point Women’s Equality Act. The policy will address— among other issues— pay equity, human trafficking, and reproductive choice.
The Governor announced that the administration would be seeking to pass State legislation with the goal of achieving pay equity, as well as putting abortion rights into law and enacting tougher penalties for sexual harassment in the workplace. In 2012, the NYS Assembly and Senate passed the Women’s Workforce Bill with bi-partisan support. This landmark bill was the first law in state history to acknowledge and present proposals to address the gender wage gap.
“As a long-time advocate for pay equity throughout New York State, I am eager to see these proposals implemented,” said Council Member Letitia James. “Women of color living in New York State experience the widest wage disparities— in one year, the average Black woman earns approximately $12,197 less than men. It is time that a comprehensive approach to pay equity is put into place— one that recognizes how poverty is often tied to other issues that affect women and families.”
The Governor also proposed an increase in the State minimum wage from the current $7.25 an hour, to $8.75 an hour, and acknowledged the disproportionate application of the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy.
###
Council Member Letitia James Applauds NYS Governor for Women’s Equality Act
(New York, NY)— On Wednesday, January 9, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a 10-point Women’s Equality Act. The policy will address— among other issues— pay equity, human trafficking, and reproductive choice.
The Governor announced that the administration would be seeking to pass State legislation with the goal of achieving pay equity, as well as putting abortion rights into law and enacting tougher penalties for sexual harassment in the workplace. In 2012, the NYS Assembly and Senate passed the Women’s Workforce Bill with bi-partisan support. This landmark bill was the first law in state history to acknowledge and present proposals to address the gender wage gap.
“As a long-time advocate for pay equity throughout New York State, I am eager to see these proposals implemented,” said Council Member Letitia James. “Women of color living in New York State experience the widest wage disparities— in one year, the average Black woman earns approximately $12,197 less than men. It is time that a comprehensive approach to pay equity is put into place— one that recognizes how poverty is often tied to other issues that affect women and families.”
The Governor also proposed an increase in the State minimum wage from the current $7.25 an hour, to $8.75 an hour, and acknowledged the disproportionate application of the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy.
###
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
ATTENTION: Crown Heights Mediation Center Hosts FREE Mammography Screening; 1/23
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WHEN: Wednesday, January 23, 2013
WHERE: Crown Heights Community Mediation Center
256 Kingston Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213
All insurance plans and accepted. Co-payments and deductibles are waived. Women should be aged 40 or older, and have been without a mammogram in the past year. Please call (800) 564-6868 to make an appointment.
Friday, December 21, 2012
CM James Comments on Gun Control In The Wake of Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
DECEMBER 20, 2012
Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Comments on Gun Control In The Wake of Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy
(New York, NY)— “In the wake of the tragic school shooting that took place at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School, claiming the lives of 27 innocents, the time has come to engage in a serious dialogue on gun control both on a local and national level.
I applaud Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other leaders who have called on President Obama to take bold action on gun control. Mayor Bloomberg, founder of “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” recently called on the President to re-introduce the assault-weapons ban bill, and order the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue those who lie on weapons background check forms.
I echo Mayor Bloomberg, and further urge the New York State Legislature to tighten restrictions on assault weapons, and pass legislation requiring gun manufacturers to use bullet microstamping technology. This technology inscribes a gun’s make and model numbers on the firing pin, imprinting those numbers on the shell casings. This would allow shell casings picked up at crime scenes to be tracked to the gun that fired it. The utilization of this technology would offer the NYPD a new tool in fighting gun crime.
I recognize the work that the NYPD has done to seize and remove illegal guns from the streets of New York. For instance, in October 2012, the NYPD seized 100 illegal guns from weapons trafficking rings, including AK-47 assault rifles. The rings were believed to be selling illegal weapons brought into New York from pawn shops in South Carolina. However, it is equally important that the NYPD re-evaluate the sale of weapon’s materials (such as shell casings) to other states and municipalities with far more lax gun laws.
In 2012, New York City sold more than 28,000 pounds of the NYPD’s spent gun shell casings to a Georgia ammunition store. As per the laws in the state of Georgia, no identification or registration is required to purchase these materials. This is a practice that needs to be re-evaluated if New York is to continue to be seen as one of the most regulated gun-control states in the nation.
I again offer my deepest condolences to the families of those who were affected by this national tragedy.”
Council Member Letitia James introduced Int. 955-2012 into the Council, which would require the administration to report on the disposal of ammunition shell casings.
###
DECEMBER 20, 2012
Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Comments on Gun Control In The Wake of Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy
(New York, NY)— “In the wake of the tragic school shooting that took place at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School, claiming the lives of 27 innocents, the time has come to engage in a serious dialogue on gun control both on a local and national level.
I applaud Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other leaders who have called on President Obama to take bold action on gun control. Mayor Bloomberg, founder of “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” recently called on the President to re-introduce the assault-weapons ban bill, and order the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue those who lie on weapons background check forms.
I echo Mayor Bloomberg, and further urge the New York State Legislature to tighten restrictions on assault weapons, and pass legislation requiring gun manufacturers to use bullet microstamping technology. This technology inscribes a gun’s make and model numbers on the firing pin, imprinting those numbers on the shell casings. This would allow shell casings picked up at crime scenes to be tracked to the gun that fired it. The utilization of this technology would offer the NYPD a new tool in fighting gun crime.
I recognize the work that the NYPD has done to seize and remove illegal guns from the streets of New York. For instance, in October 2012, the NYPD seized 100 illegal guns from weapons trafficking rings, including AK-47 assault rifles. The rings were believed to be selling illegal weapons brought into New York from pawn shops in South Carolina. However, it is equally important that the NYPD re-evaluate the sale of weapon’s materials (such as shell casings) to other states and municipalities with far more lax gun laws.
In 2012, New York City sold more than 28,000 pounds of the NYPD’s spent gun shell casings to a Georgia ammunition store. As per the laws in the state of Georgia, no identification or registration is required to purchase these materials. This is a practice that needs to be re-evaluated if New York is to continue to be seen as one of the most regulated gun-control states in the nation.
I again offer my deepest condolences to the families of those who were affected by this national tragedy.”
Council Member Letitia James introduced Int. 955-2012 into the Council, which would require the administration to report on the disposal of ammunition shell casings.
###
Monday, December 17, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
CM JAMES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS JOIN YOUNG ROCK SOCCER ACADEMY TO PROMOTE HEALTH & WELLNESS
**Media Advisory**
It’s Parents vs. Kids at Annual Soccer Challenge!
CM JAMES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS JOIN YOUNG ROCK SOCCER ACADEMY & LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TEAM UP TO PROMOTE HEALTH & WELLNESS
(Brooklyn, NY) December 13, 2012 – Young Rock Soccer Academy and several Brooklyn organizations will announce a boost to their active, healthy living programming on Saturday, December 15th at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus in conjunction with the Coca-Cola Foundation’s active, healthy living grant initiative.
Young Rock Soccer parents and youth will challenge each other to a game of soccer on Saturday morning at Schwartz Gym at LIU’s Brooklyn Campus. The event will kick off with brief remarks by Borough President Marty Markowitz and New York City Council Members, Letitia “Tish” James and Diana Reyna.
The grant donation to Young Rock Soccer Academy will provide soccer lessons for kids ages 4 through 16, and continue programming that aims to develop discipline, character and achievement for local area youth.
The following organizations are also grant recipients and will participate in the event: Body Sculpt, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, El Puente, Seeds in the Middle, and Woodhull Kids Ride Club.
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. The grant is part of the Company’s initiative to aid local organizations in their quest to promote health and wellness, advance education, and spark environmental stewardship.
WHO: Magnus Mukoro, Co-Director, Young Rock Soccer Academy
Diana Reyna, New York City Council Member (District 34)
Letitia “Tish” James, New York City Council Member (District 35)
Donna Cirolia, VP, Public Affairs, Coca-Cola Refreshments
Representatives from Body Sculpt, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services,
El Puente, Seeds in the Middle, and Woodhull Kids Ride Club.
WHAT: Young Soccer Academy Annual Parent vs. Children Soccer Game
WHEN: Saturday, December 15, 2012, 10 am-12 pm Remarks – 10:15 am, Soccer game to follow WHERE: Long Island University – Schwartz Gymnasium
1 University Plaza (corner of DeKalb and Flatbush Avenues)
# # #
It’s Parents vs. Kids at Annual Soccer Challenge!
CM JAMES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS JOIN YOUNG ROCK SOCCER ACADEMY & LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TEAM UP TO PROMOTE HEALTH & WELLNESS
(Brooklyn, NY) December 13, 2012 – Young Rock Soccer Academy and several Brooklyn organizations will announce a boost to their active, healthy living programming on Saturday, December 15th at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus in conjunction with the Coca-Cola Foundation’s active, healthy living grant initiative.
Young Rock Soccer parents and youth will challenge each other to a game of soccer on Saturday morning at Schwartz Gym at LIU’s Brooklyn Campus. The event will kick off with brief remarks by Borough President Marty Markowitz and New York City Council Members, Letitia “Tish” James and Diana Reyna.
The grant donation to Young Rock Soccer Academy will provide soccer lessons for kids ages 4 through 16, and continue programming that aims to develop discipline, character and achievement for local area youth.
The following organizations are also grant recipients and will participate in the event: Body Sculpt, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, El Puente, Seeds in the Middle, and Woodhull Kids Ride Club.
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. The grant is part of the Company’s initiative to aid local organizations in their quest to promote health and wellness, advance education, and spark environmental stewardship.
WHO: Magnus Mukoro, Co-Director, Young Rock Soccer Academy
Diana Reyna, New York City Council Member (District 34)
Letitia “Tish” James, New York City Council Member (District 35)
Donna Cirolia, VP, Public Affairs, Coca-Cola Refreshments
Representatives from Body Sculpt, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services,
El Puente, Seeds in the Middle, and Woodhull Kids Ride Club.
WHAT: Young Soccer Academy Annual Parent vs. Children Soccer Game
WHEN: Saturday, December 15, 2012, 10 am-12 pm Remarks – 10:15 am, Soccer game to follow WHERE: Long Island University – Schwartz Gymnasium
1 University Plaza (corner of DeKalb and Flatbush Avenues)
# # #
CM James Comments On DSK Civil Settlement
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
DECEMBER 10, 2012
Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Comments On DSK Civil Settlement
(New York, NY)— On Monday, December 10, 2012, former IMF-head and French Diplomat Dominique Strauss-Kahn signed a settlement agreement regarding his civil suit with Nafissatou Diallo, a Guinean housekeeper who charged him with sexually assaulting her.
“As a strong advocate for victim’s rights, I am relieved that on some level justice has been served,” said Council Member Letitia James. “I hope this sends a strong message to those who would think that power and influence affords them the right to violate the rights of woman.”
The criminal case against Strauss-Kahn provoked harsh media scrutiny into the life and personal history of Ms. Diallo, who at one point was falsely labeled as a prostitute. In August 2011, Council Member James held a press conference with women’s advocacy organizations calling for a fair criminal trial for Ms. Diallo, and an end to personal attacks.
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DECEMBER 10, 2012
Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081
Council Member Letitia James Comments On DSK Civil Settlement
(New York, NY)— On Monday, December 10, 2012, former IMF-head and French Diplomat Dominique Strauss-Kahn signed a settlement agreement regarding his civil suit with Nafissatou Diallo, a Guinean housekeeper who charged him with sexually assaulting her.
“As a strong advocate for victim’s rights, I am relieved that on some level justice has been served,” said Council Member Letitia James. “I hope this sends a strong message to those who would think that power and influence affords them the right to violate the rights of woman.”
The criminal case against Strauss-Kahn provoked harsh media scrutiny into the life and personal history of Ms. Diallo, who at one point was falsely labeled as a prostitute. In August 2011, Council Member James held a press conference with women’s advocacy organizations calling for a fair criminal trial for Ms. Diallo, and an end to personal attacks.
###
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