In a Manhattan Minute
The Tumblr of Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer
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On 9/11/2001 thousands of lives were lost, but thousands of heroes were born: EMTs; members of the FDNY, NYPD, and Coast Guard; ironworkers; machinists; engineers and electricians rescued victims, removed debris and salvaged steel. It’s my honor to shake the hands of many of these brave workers this evening.
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What’s a Blueway Anyway?:
The East River Blueway is a game-changer for people living on the East Side of Manhattan and around NYC. Of course, you might have some questions, like:
What’s a blueway, and what’s one doing on the East River?
A blueway is a trail that allows access to a body of water. And the East River Blueway is going to do just that: give New Yorkers new opportunities to enjoy the waterfront along the East Side of Manhattan. The East River Blueway, once completed, will provide a continuous path along the shorefront from the Brooklyn Bridge to 38th Street.
So do you want to help improve access to the East River waterfront? If you do, I hope you’ll come to an East River Blueway community meeting and tell me your ideas for how we can link our neighborhoods and the riverside.
Upcoming meetings include:
- May 30th, 6:30-8:30pm, Two Bridges Tower, 82 Rutgers Slip, to discuss Brooklyn Bridge to Jackson St.
- June 7th, 6:00-8:00pm, Hamilton Fish Library, 415 East Houston St. (near Ave. D), to discuss Jackson St. to 14th St.
If you’re interested in attending, you can RSVP at info@eastriverblueway.org. I hope you’ll join me at a meeting or email me your suggestions, and help us bring the river to the people.
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Sign the Repeal DOMA petition:
I’m proud to support Senator Gillibrand and Attorney General Schneiderman in the fight against the Defense of Marriage Act. Sign the Repeal DOMA petition and help us defeat it, once and for all.
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Join me Wednesday evening for my Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration. I’m honoring Chhaya CDC, the Korean American Community Foundation and the Organization of Chinese Americans New York Chapter.
Check out the above flyer to learn more. Hope to see you Wednesday!
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Want to know how we can keep guns off our streets without resorting to hundreds of thousands of police stops each year, most of which are ineffective and unconstitutional? Join me, National Action Network Executive Vice President and General Counsel Michael Hardy, John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor David Kennedy, New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman, and First Corinthian Baptist Church Senior Pastor Reverend Michael Walrond Jr. for a panel, Moving Beyond Stop and Frisk, to find out.
This great event is going to be Wednesday evening from 6:30–8:00pm at Touro College, 231 West 124th Street. Check out our flyer to learn more.
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Like so many other people, today I’m mourning the passing of Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of “Where the Wild Things Are” and many other children’s books.
“Chicken Soup with Rice” and “Alligators All Around” are some of Elyse and my favorite books to read to Max, and we’re looking forward to reading him “Where the Wild Things Are” when he’s old enough.
Reading the Times obituary today was a reminder that Maurice was a true New Yorker, literally (he was born and raised in Brooklyn) and spiritually (anyone who saw his recent interview on the Colbert Show knows he’s more than a little opinionated). Mostly though, he was an inspiration to generations of kids from around the world, and their parents.
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Making Life Easier for Seniors and Disabled People Who Have a Metrocard Lost or Stolen:
Losing a reduced-fare Metrocard is an inconvenience and expense for all straphangers, but it creates a special hardship for seniors and people with disabilities and forces them to navigate a ridiculous maze. That’s why I stood with seniors, people with disabilities, Rep. Nadler, Assemblymember Rosenthal and Council Member Brewer yesterday to demand the MTA fix this problem.
Reduced-fare MetroCard holders face formidable obstacles if their cards are lost or stolen. When they call MTA to request a replacement the wait for a new card can frequently take up to three months. In the meantime, those who want to ride a bus at reduced-fare must present evidence of their age to bus drivers and come up with exact change of $1.10. To ride the subway, they first have to find a station agent—not the easiest task these days. Next, seniors or disabled get a one-trip MetroCard and a paper voucher that’s about as useful as an old token—it only works if they can find another subway station agent to take the voucher on their return trip.
However, there’s a simple solution to this problem: provide temporary MetroCards to seniors and disabled riders whose reduced-fare cards have been lost or stolen, a courtesy the MTA already grants to riders whose reduced-fare cards are defective. There’s no reason the MTA shouldn’t extend this same seamless service to seniors or disabled whose cards are lost or stolen.
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Standing with IPN Tenants, Standing Up for Affordable Housing:
Proud to stand with residents, Rep. Nadler, Sen. Squadron, Sen. Duane, and Council Member Chin to call on the Court of Appeals to overturn a decision that would make rent regulation optional for J-51 landlords. IPN is one of the last bastions of affordable housing in Tribeca and we’re not going to stand by and lose the affordability of these apartments without a vigorous fight.
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New Video on the Model Block Project:
Check out this great video from Fourth Arts Block on the Model Block initiative, a collaboration between my office, Fourth Arts Block, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Solar One and Go Green Lower East Side to comprehensively green a whole city block. We’re working with residents, businesses, and community groups to implement a bottom-up approach to local sustainability.
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Want to really see NYC? Follow these great New York City Instagrammers: @instagramnyc @newyorkcity @anthonyquintano @takinyerphoto @instagrits @gothamist @bridif. For more great pictures, follow me too, at @scottmstringer!
PS - Yes, that’s really me with Mets legend Doc Gooden.
