Friday, January 29, 2010

Moving Pictures: Are Now Referencing Any Dance Movie We Know

On Friday, January 29th, until February 2nd, 2010, a feature film production entitled “Black Swan” will again be loading-in at 229 Flatbush Avenue between Bergen Street & Dean Street.

APPROXIMATE TIME: 10am– 10pm
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On Monday, February 8, 2010, through Friday, February 12, 2010, and Monday, February 15, 2010 through Friday February 19, 2010, they're scheduled for rigging/de-rigging at 135 Eastern Parkway between Washington Avenue & Underhill Avenue


APPROXIMATE TIME: 7am– 7pm

ATTENTION: DOE High Schools Info Fair; 2/6, 2/7; Lower Manhattan

New High Schools Information Fair

Save the date for the NYC Department of Education's New High Schools Information Fair!

8th grade students and their families are invited to meet representatives from the new small high schools opening in September 2010.

Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7
10:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.
Emigrant Savings Bank Hall
51 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007

Directions:
Subway: 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Street; A, C to Chambers Street; J, M, Z to Chambers Street; 4, 5, 6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall; R to City Hall; E to World Trade Center

Bus: M6, M22 to Chambers Street & Broadway; M103 to Park Row

ATTENTION: Kindergarten Application Update- 2010

Kindergarten Application Update for January 29, 2010

The Kindergarten application period for the 2010-11 school year begins on Monday, February 1. Starting February 1, families may go directly to their zoned school and/or other schools for which they are eligible to apply. At the schools, parents/guardians will be asked to complete application materials and show proof of residence and proof of birth for their child.

All students must apply to attend kindergarten at New York City public school in September 2010. This includes:

-Zoned students
-Students with disabilities
-Students with siblings already enrolled in a public school
-Non-zoned students
-Students currently attending a pre-Kindergarten program

Key Dates
February 1– March 12: Families must complete application (intake) materials at school(s)
March 22: Schools notify families regarding assignment offer
April 12 – April 23: Kindergarten pre-registration period

Eligibility
Children who were born January 1, 2005– December 31, 2005 who are residents of New York City are eligible to apply and attend a New York City public school Kindergarten program in the 2010-11 school year.

Admission Priorities
The priorities for admission to Zoned Schools are:
-Zoned students with verified siblings who will be enrolled in grades K-5 in the school as of September 2010
-Zoned students without siblings applying to their zoned school
-Non-zoned students with verified siblings, who will be enrolled in grades 1-5 in the school as of September 2010:
a). Within District first, and then
b). Out of District
-Non-zoned students without siblings:
a). Within District first, and then
b). Out of District

The priorities for admission to Non-Zoned Schools are:
-Eligible students with verified siblings who will be enrolled in grades K-5 in the school as of September 2010
-Other eligible students without siblings

The NYC Department of Education looks forward to helping you throughout the admissions process! For more information, visit the Elementary Admissions Page on the DOE Website.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Moving Pictures: Examine The History of Atlantic City

On Monday, February 8, and Tuesday, February 9, 2010, the television show “Boardwalk Empire” returns to rig for scenes being shot at 285 Willoughby Avenue between Taafe Place and Kent Avenue on Friday, February 12. They will be de-rigging on Tuesday February 16.


APPROXIMATE TIME: 7am -7pm

ATTENTION: Upcoming Community Events

Representative Yvette D. Clarke will host a Special Congressional Briefing on the Temporary Protection Status for Nationals of Haiti. Come and have your questions answered by representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security- Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Thursday, January, 28, 2010
6pm- 8:30pm
SUNY- Downstate Alumni Auditorium
395 Lenox Road (btwn. New York Avenue & East 34th Street)
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11203
Call (718) 287-1142 for more info.


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"Promoting Good Health in a Challenging Economy"
The Woodhull Medical Center

The Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center's Community Advisory Board cordially invites you to attend a legislative breakfast-

Friday, February 5, 2010
10am - 12noon
Woodhull Medical Center- Auditorium
760 Broadway, 3rd level
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11206

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Meet the Lenders: Inaugural Lender and Business Matchmaking Event

Small Business Owners may meet with loan officers from SBA-participating lenders and learn about loan sources on then City, State, and Federal level. Experts from 8(a) Division and SBA resource partners- SBDCs, SCORE, WBCs, and Chamber of Commerce- will attend.

Monday, February 8, 2010
10AM-2PM
76 Federal Plaza
(6th Floor Conference Room)
New York, NY 10278

Information/Register- Contact Man-Li Lin at man-li lin@sba.gov
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And tonight, President Obama presents a State of the Union [Brooklyn for Barack will host a viewing party- complete with stimulating discussion- at Moe's Bar & Lounge at 70 Lafayette Avenue], and Assembly Member Hakeem Jeffries gives his State of the District.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

FUREE Seeks Lead Organizer

FUREE (Families United for Racial and Economic Equality) is looking for an experienced organizer to lead FUREE’s organizing campaigns. They seek a dedicated, passionate, experienced person who is looking to learn and grow as an organizer and leader, and who is looking for the opportunity to work in a growing organization of local and national prominence doing cutting edge racial and economic justice organizing.

FUREE's campaigns include:
-organizing against gentrification and for community-led accountable development
-building the power of young people of color to organize for change in their communities
-and a voter engagement project in low-income and working class communities of color.

FUREE is a multi-racial, women-led membership organization in Brooklyn, New York, organizing to build a strong base to ensure that all peoples’ work is valued and everyone has the right and economic means to decide and live out their own destinies.

Responsibilities include:
1). Membership Recruitment and Leadership Development: FUREE believes that members should lead the organization, and should be given training and support in order to do the best possible work. The Lead Organizer will work with staff and members to implement systems for membership recruitment and retention, identify potential and emerging leaders from membership, and create leadership development programs and plans for current and potential leaders. They will also be responsible for recruiting members and developing leaders.

2). Campaign Strategy, Research and Development: Work with staff organizers and campaign organizing committees to plan short and long term campaign goals. Develop and support organizers’ and member-leaders’ roles in conducting research, organizing direct actions, and coordinating media work.

3). Staff Development & Supervision: Supervise organizers on strategic campaigns and organizational activities and build their capacity and skills as organizers. Additionally, the Lead Organizer will work to build FUREE’s capacity to sustain long-term growth in members and leaders.

4). Strategic Ally Work: Strengthen current and introduce new collaborations with ally organizations and individuals to increase ability to build power for members and to build a broader racial and economic justice movement.

5). Political Education: Work with FUREE staff and leaders to build and integrate a deeper political vision into on-the-ground organizing and to educate members about the political context of FUREE’s campaigns.

6). Organizational Sustainability: Work with the Executive Director and development staff to strengthen current and introduce new individual and institutional funding partners to support FUREE’s work.

Desired Qualifications:
· 4 or more years of strong community or labor organizing experience, preferably with low-income communities, with demonstrated capacity to effectively carry out the above responsibilities
· 3 or more years of strong experience supervising and training community or labor organizers
· A well developed personal framework to social justice and a strong commitment racial and economic justice as well as to FUREE's mission
· Ability to communicate, motivate and listen
· Experience with fundraising including grant writing, reporting and grassroots fundraising
· Strong writing skills
· Ability to work evenings/weekends as necessary
· Computer literate particularly Microsoft Office and data basing applications
· Bilingual English/Spanish speaking (written and verbal skills)
· Women of color, immigrants, differently-abled, and people of color from low-income New York neighborhoods are strongly encouraged to apply

. FUREE is a positive and inclusive women-led, supportive work environment
. Competitive salary DOE & full benefits.
Great opportunities for growth, development and leadership.
To respond: Send resume, cover letter and 1 personal and 3 professional references to info@furee.org, or mail to 81 Willoughby Street #701, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please type “Lead Organizer Search” in the subject heading. In your cover letter, specify why you are interested in this particular job with FUREE.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION URGES PARENTS OF FOUR-YEAR-OLDS TO SIGN UP FOR FREE UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN

The Deadline to Apply for More Than 4,000 Remaining Vacancies is Friday, January 29, 2010.

The Department of Education today urged parents to sign-up their children for free universal pre-Kindergarten (UPK) seats before the Friday, January 29 deadline. More than 4,000 UPK seats remain open at public schools, child care centers contracted by the Administration for Children’s Services, and community-based organizations across the five boroughs. All children who turned four years old between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, are eligible for UPK. Programs can be half-day (two and a half hours, AM or PM) or full-day (six hours and twenty minutes).

To find programs with vacancies, parents can call 311 and ask for “UPK programs in my neighborhood,” or follow the link below to find schools that may have available pre-K seats:
Brooklyn public schools that may have seats available

Parents can also contact Community-Based Organization programs directly to find out about seat availability.

CM James Appointed Chair of NYC Council's Sanitation Committee

**For Immediate Release**

January 25, 2010

Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis at (212) 788-7081

Council Member Letitia James accepts new Chair appointment of Council’s Sanitation Committee; she leaves her post as Chair of Contracts Committee with satisfaction

“At the Stated Council meeting this past Thursday, January 21, the City Council voted 47-1 to appoint committee chairs to over forty committees and subcommittees. During this re-shuffling, I was named chair of the Council’s Sanitation Committee, having formerly chaired the Contracts Committee.

During my tenure as chair of the Contracts Committee, my overall goal was to strengthen the power of small businesses to do business and contract with the City. In that regard, I consider one of the most important bills to ever come before the Contracts Committee during my time at the New York City Council to be Local Law 129, (signed by Mayor Bloomberg in 2005). This law established the City’s goal to buy more goods and services from certified minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). This represented more opportunities for certified MWBEs to bid on public contracts, increase their capacity, and effectively contribute to the City's economy.

Additionally, under my chairmanship, the Contracts Committee held hearings on compliance with and expansion of MWBE programs; the outsourcing of public services to the private sector, especially as it affected both service workers throughout the City of New York, as well as the City costs for potentially unnecessary private labor; the effectiveness of HRA back-to-work programs; and the City’s contracts in regards to the procurement of public educational materials. Most recently, the Contracts Committee held a hearing regarding the Office of Payroll Administration’s CityTime contracts, a payroll system that has been criticized as being overly costly and difficult to manage.

My plans are to apply the same kind of intense focus in my position as Chair of the Council’s Sanitation Committee. I look forward to developing a better understanding of the issues regarding sanitation throughout the City of New York, as well as working with the administration and sanitation experts to concentrate on new and innovation ideas regarding Citywide sanitation, and improving upon quality of life issues for constituents.

It continues to be my pleasure to serve as the 35th District Council Member in the New York City Council, for Brooklyn residents, and for every person residing in the five boroughs that my office is able to help.”

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke Hosts FREE Small Business Legal Clinic

If you are a small business owner or are thinking about starting your own business, this is a great opportunity to meet one-on-one with an attorney and learn more about the legalities of owning and operating a business in NYC.

When: Monday, February 1, 2010 5:00 - 7:00pm

Where: Office of Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke
123 Linden Boulevard, 1st Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11226

Come and have your questions answered by volunteer Lawyers of the Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project.

This event is open to the public and free of charge, however RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED as availability is limited. Please call (212) 382-6633 to RSVP.

For more info, please call 718-287-1152 or email latrice.walker@mail.house.gov

Monday, January 25, 2010

ATTENTION: Community Notice- Construction on AY Project Begins 2/1

COMMUNITY NOTICE

Please be advised that construction is about to begin on the Atlantic Yards Project on or about Feb. 1, 2010. There will be closures of sections of Fifth Avenue and Pacific Street, directional changes and bus route changes [removal of the Cobble Hill B63 bus stop on 5th Avenue, between Pacific Street & Atlantic Avenue. Passengers can use the existing bus stops on 5th Avenue (at Bergen Street) and on Atlantic Avenue (at 4th Avenue)].

Please click the image on the side to read the complete community notice. Feel free to print out this notice, or make additional copies. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Office of Council Member James at (212) 788-7081.
Construction delays for the project may make some temporary conditions last longer. Some examples:

-It's possible the 78th Precinct will be given twenty-four temporary surface parking spaces in two places in the second phase footprint. They will become permanent underground spaces when and if building #15 is built.

-Norman Oder reported earlier this month that DOT says the Carlton Avenue bridge is anticipated to be reopened just before the arena in 2012. The bridge closure will necessitate Carlton Avenue between Pacific and 6th Streets being turned into a 2-way and will include the temporary loss of street side parking there as well as the routing of Pacific Street traffic on to Carlton Avenue and Dean Street.
We'll post more (and more definitive) information as we receive it.