See page 9 for Co-op City Times Survey
Vol. 56 No. 28
Saturday, July 10, 2021
NYC BOE primary election update
Adams declares victory, Garcia & Wiley concede BY TORIEA McCAUSELAND
Mayoral race Eric Adams – 50.5% Kathryn Garcia – 49.5% A week after the New York City Board of Election’s unofficial results snafu, the organization released an update on votes – including Ranked Choice Voting and absentee ballots – declaring Eric Adams as the winner. With his primary finally over, Adams tweeted on Tuesday, July 6, “I grew up poor in Brooklyn & Queens. I wore a bulletproof vest to keep my neighbors safe. I served my community as a State Senator & Brooklyn Borough President. And I’m honored to be the Democratic nominee to be the mayor of the city I’ve always called home. Thank you, New York!” Eric Adams Shortly after the BOE released its updated results, major news outlets such as The New York Times and Associated Press reported Adams as the winner in the Democratic mayoral primary.
$1.25
Rep. Bowman Visits Power Plant On Friday, July 9, Congressman Jamaal Bowman and congressional staff members met with Riverbay leadership including Board President Bernie Cyclich, First Vice President Sonia Felicano and Treasurer Claudia Sampson, along with Executive General Manager Bob Klehammer , General Manager Noel Ellison and others, to get an overview of the community. The congressman said he wanted his team to see and learn about Co-op City in order to best serve his constituents in the 16th congressional district. He said, “You have to be present to really serve all communities.” The congressman and his staff toured the Riverbay’s Power Plant and visited a model apartment. --Tori McCauseland
(Continued on page 4)
Riverbay Counsel explains proposed state laws’ impact on shareholders BY JEFF BUSS
The New York State Legislature recently enacted two laws which will impose additional costs on Co-op City shareholders if they are signed into law by the Governor. The first law, known as Senate Bill S6412, would change the way Co-op City conducts elections, conducts Board meetings and utilizes community rooms. With regard to elections, the proposed law requires that shareholders vote “in-person,” with a paper ballot that can be audited, or by an “absentee ballot,” that contains the shareholder’s signature and is contained within two sealed envelopes. These requirements would require Co-op City to change the way it (Continued on page 4)
Voter participation in the 2021 Riverbay Board of Directors election BY ROZAAN BOONE
Residents of the Broun Place Townhouse cluster scored $500 in voting incentive prize money for their townhouse association by having the highest voter turnout percentage – 52.86% – in the 2021 Riverbay Board of Directors election. This year’s voting period in the annual Board election initially ran from May 3 – May 21, 2021 and a quorum of 4,998 ballots were required to validate the election, as stipulated in the Riverbay By-laws. This number – 4,998 – represented 1/3 of the total number of Co-op City shareholders of record as of March 30, 2021. To encourage shareholders to participate in the election of their representatives to the resident Board of Directors that sets policy for the Riverbay Corporation, the Riverbay Board approved a voting incentive of $200 to each of 12 shareholders who voted in the election. Names were selected in a random computer(Continued on page 9)
Power Plant Asset Manager Anthony Ligato (top, right) conducts tour with Congressman Bowman and staff. The entourage also visited a model apartment. Photos By Brandon Ortiz
Study finds Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Effective Fights against serious COVID-19 Infections and Virus Variants BY BRANDON ORTIZ
Johnson and Johnson had some encouraging news recently when the company announced the results from an ongoing clinical trial of their COVID-19 vaccine. Results from the clinical trial, specifically Phase 3 of the ENSEMBLE study, found Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine to be effective against serious COVID-19 infections and virus variants. In fact, the study found Johnson and Johnson vaccines to be 85% effective in preventing serious COVID-19 infections. The data also showed the Johnson and Johnson vaccine provides protection from the virus for at least eight months, which is the latest point in time recorded by the study so far. Equally importantly, the study found the vaccine to be competent against rising COVID-19 variants, especially the Delta variant. In total, the study enrolled 43,783 participants across eight countries including the U.S. “Current data for the eight months studied so far show that the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong neutralizing antibody response that does not wane; rather, we observe an improvement over time. In addition, we observe a persistent and particularly robust, durable cellular (Continued on page 2)
2
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
J&J
(Continued from page 1)
immune response,” said Dr. Mathai Mammen, Global Head of Janssen Research & Development at Johnson & Johnson. “With each new dataset, we build on our solid foundation of evidence that our single-shot COVID-19 vaccine plays a critical role in ending the pandemic, which continues to evolve and pose new challenges to global health.” Data from the Phase 3 Ensemble study also confirms that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine prevents milder COVID-19 infections as soon as two weeks after receiving the dose. Additionally, the vaccine can help individuals avoid a potential hospitalization or death due to COVID-19 in a little less than a month after receiving the dose. With the Johnson and Johnson vaccine being just a single dose, its clinical trial had to address questions about its effectiveness over time. Fortunately, results from the clinical trial confirmed that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine does not lose its ability to prevent COVID-19 infections over time. As for the certainty surrounding potential COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, the reality remains unclear. Not enough information is currently available to determine if COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be necessary for individuals who receive a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “The need for and timing for COVID-19 booster doses have not been established. No additional doses are recommended at this time,” the CDC says on their website. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden, echoed the CDC’s stance during an appearance last Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “You can’t get a formal recommendation when you don’t have official data based on good science and good clinical trials,” Dr. Fauci said. Individuals planning on taking the Johnson and Johnson vaccine may experience possible side-effects such as pain at the injection site, skin redness, swelling, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea and fever. Johnson and Johnson’s website also highlights the remote possibility of a severe allergic reaction due to the vaccine. A severe reaction would likely occur a few minutes to an hour following the dose and might include the following side-effects: difficulty breathing, swelling of face and throat, fast heartbeat, rash and dizziness. Vaccine providers may ask individuals to remain for observation following their vaccine to monitor any potential reactions. Currently, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is only available to individuals 18 and older.
DR. LEWIS WOLSTEIN Podiatrist — Foot Specialist
• Practicing in Co-op City since 1975 • Board Certified in Foot Surgery • ALL conditions of the foot treated • We accept most health insurance plans • Evening and Saturday appointments Se Habla Español
Call:
718.671.7226
100 DeKruif Place Building 8 • Ground Floor Section 1 • Co-op City • Bronx, NY 10475
GOT FOOT PAIN?
Following All CDC Guidelines
CO-OP CITY FOOT CARE CENTER The Premier Foot And Ankle Practice In Co-op City
••• NOW OPEN AT TWO LOCATIONS! ••• SECTION 2 SECTION 5 BUILDING 13 BUILDING 29C 100 CASALS PLACE 4240 HUTCH. RIVER PKWY E. www.footanklerestore.com
718-671-2233
OPEN MON. THRU SAT. – Available Evenings and Weekends
WE NOW HAVE A 2ND LOCATION VISIT OUR SECTION TWO LOCATION
FOR ALL YOUR FOOT CARE NEEDS 100 CASALS PLACE BUILDING 13
718-671-2233
With two locations, we are now walking distance from ANY section you live in!
“WE KEEP CO-OP CITY RUNNING”
DR. KARIM A. BADAWY, DIRECTOR DR. JAMES MILIDANTRI ALL FOOT AND ANKLE CONDITIONS TREATED
SERVICES PROVIDED ON-SITE:
Hi-Tech
LASER for Pain, • Fully Digital X-Rays Inflammation, • Hi-Tech Ultrasound Fungal Nails, • Full Range of Vascular Testing Warts • Caring and Supportive Doctors and Staff Who Listen to Your Concerns • Highly Rated Neighborhood Foot and Ankle Care
HEEL AND ARCH PAIN CENTER. COMPREHENSIVE DIABETIC FOOT CARE MANAGEMENT. HOUSE CALLS BY APPOINTMENT. Most Health Insurance Plans Accepted: 1199, Aetna, GHI, Blue Shield, Empire, Medicare, United Healthcare, HealthFirst and others. Affordable Prices Available For Patients With High Deductibles/No Insurance.
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Downloan
Co-op City Times 2nd
COMBING
Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...
Farmer’s Market
The Harvest Home Farmer’s Market is back in Co-op City every Wed., 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., now through Nov. 17, at Asch Loop and Aldrich St. next to the fire station. Vine ripened, fresh picked, naturally grown produce! Accepting Senior & WIC FMNP coupons/Health Bucks/ Debit/Credit/SNAP/EBT.
Baychester Library Teen Programs
Creative Painting: Wednesdays, July 14, 21 & 28 @ 2 p.m. Create your own masterpiece through painting and meditating. Practice artistic through expression. Urban Gardening 101: Wednesdays, August 4, 13, 20 & 27 @ 2 p.m. Participants will be provided with the necessary materials to seed a plant to take home and start your own urban garden. Learn how gardening can be soothing to your soul. Programs open to ages 12-17. First come, first served!
Stay connected Be sure to check the Riverbay Crawler daily (ch. 12 on MATV, and ch. 591 on Optimum) for updates and information. Shareholders not signed up for Phone Tree alerts are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Phone Tree alerts provide important notifications to the Co-op City community. In addition to the Co-op City Times and the Riverbay Crawler, stay tuned also to Riverybay’s official Facebook page, @co-opcityRB; and to the Co-op City Times’ and CCPD’s Twitter accounts, @coopcitytimes and @CCPDnyc, respectively, as well as the Community Relations newsletter. Be sure to also check out and follow the Co-op City Times at issuu.com/cctimes. Download the issuu app to your smart phone and mobile devices to read the newspaper on the go.
3
Front Page
Shared Access-A-Rides Have Resumed By BRANDON ORTIZ
Last week, the MTA announced the return of a service that had been on pause since March of 2020. Officially, beginning this week, Access-A-Ride started phasing in scheduled shared rides for eligible individuals. Now, Access-A-Ride customers have the option to travel with their Personal Care Assistant (PCA) and one additional guest. Access-A-Ride’s website notes that other additional guests traveling with the customer will be accommodated based on available space in the vehicle. Shared rides and the booking of guests were halted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with New York City continuing toward full reopening, the MTA felt now was the right time to bring shared rides back. The agency hopes the move will both bolster AccessA-Ride service reliability and cut down waiting time for vehicles. “We will continue to provide safe and accessible transportation for paratransit customers who rely on these services for all their travel needs,” said Craig Cipriano, MTA Senior Vice President for the Department of Buses, which oversees
Congratulations, Jaden! Congratulations and best wishes to Jaden Linen as she gets ready for high school in the Fall. Jaden recently graduated from IS 181 where she was an Honor student and maintained a GPA above 90. Among her many accomplishments were two awards – a Certificate of Completion from District 11 recognizing her dedication, passion and hard work; and an Award of Accomplishment from the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program saluting her outstanding performance and determination in middle school. Continued success in high school, Jaden. Love, ––Mom, Terriee Pope
Access-A-Ride. “We take very seriously the need for customers to be picked up promptly and reach their destination on time, and we will continue to monitor our operations closely.” Masks are still required in all Access-A-Ride vehicles regardless of vaccination status, according to the MTA. Also, Access-A-Ride vehicles will continue being disinfected daily. Access-A-Ride provides transportation for customers who are unable to use public buses or trains due to their health conditions. The 24-hour service operates seven days a week all year, and ride fares are $2.75 per trip. Individuals who would like more information on the program or wish to determine eligibility can call 877-337-2017 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or by going online to new.mta. info/accessibility/paratransit. Smartphone users can also take advantage of the MyMTA app, which allows users to book Access-A-Ride trips and even track the location of the vehicle scheduled to pick them up. The MyMTA app is available for free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Safe bicycling in New York City The NYC Department of Transportation advises that bicyclists have all the rights and are subject to all the duties applicable to drivers of motor vehicles. This includes obeying all traffic signals, regulating signs and pavement markings. Bicycle riding is permitted on arterial and local streets throughout the city even though no designated route exists. Bicycle riding is prohibited on the roadways of certain bridges, expressways and highways. Often a separate path exists on these facilities for bicycles. Shareholders of Co-op City are reminded that there are restrictions on crossing sidewalks. Bicycles should not be ridden on sidewalks unless signs allow or wheels are less than 26 inches in diameter and the rider is twelve or younger. Bicycles ridden on sidewalks may be confiscated and riders may be subject to legal sanctions.
Pfizer vaccine now offered at Dreiser Mega Vax site The city’s mega vaccination site at the Dreiser Auditorium is now offering the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 12 and older. Individuals 18 and up who prefer the single dose Johnson & Johnson shot can also be vaccinated at the Dreiser auditorium. Appointments are not required; walk-in’s are accepted throughout the day. The city has also announced that anyone 12 and older can get an appointment to be vaccinated in-home. To schedule an in-home vaccine appointment, you may visit the NYC Department of Health website at https:// www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page or call (877) VAX-4NYC/(877-829-46920. When making an in-home appointment, you can choose which vaccine you would like to receive – Moderna (2 doses), Pfizer (2 doses) or Johnson & Johnson (1 dose). The Pfizer vaccine is approved for children 12-17; those 18 and older can receive any of the three available options. Co-op City has not yet reached the 70% vaccination threshold sought by NYS. Shareholders are encouraged to get vaccinated. Protect yourself, family & neighbors. As we get closer to normalcy, stay safe, stay healthy.
Bicycles used for commercial purposes Section 10-157 of the NYC Traffic Rules and Regulations relative to Bicycle Laws, Rules & Regulations state that bicycles used for commercial purposes must be identified with the name and business identification number on the bike. The operator must wear upper body apparel with the business’ name and the operator’s number on the back. The business must provide the operator with a helmet according to A.N.S.I. or Snell standards. The operator shall wear a helmet provided by the business. The operator must carry and produce on demand a numbered ID card with the operator’s photo, name, home address and business’ name, address and phone number. The business must maintain a log book that includes the name, ID number and place of residence of each bicycle operator; as well as the date of employment and discharge. The log book must also include information on daily trips, identifying the bicycle operator’s identification number and name; and the name and place of origin and destination. And, finally, the owners of the business must file an annual report with the Police Department identifying the number of bicycles it owns and the identification number and identity of any employees.
4
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
NYC Primaries
Continued from page 1)
Brooklyn Borough President Adams, in a statement Wednesday, July 7, said, “While there are still some very small amounts of votes to be counted, the results are clear: an historic, diverse, five-borough coalition led by working-class New Yorkers has led us to victory in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York.” Kathryn Garcia, who trailed Adams by 8,426 votes, or a little more than one percentage point or 1%, conceded early Wednesday morning, congratulating Adams on his win. Garcia, former sanitation commissioner who was a favorite in the crowded Democratic race, said, “While it is only by a razor-thin margin, Eric Adams will be the winner of the Democratic primary.” Touching on the significance of a woman taking office, she said, “For 400 years, no woman has held the top seat at City Hall. This campaign has come closer than any other moment in history to breaking that glass ceiling and selecting New York City’s first female mayor. We cracked the hell out of it.” After last week’s release of votes by the BOE, Garcia gained many votes among absentee ballots, narrowing the gap between her and Adams. Maya Wiley fell from second to the third-place position, but by only 350 votes. Although she too conceded on Wednesday, she said during her concession speech, “What happened in this race is more than an election. What we did together was simply a movement.” She went on to congratulate Adams on his victory. Wiley and Garcia would have been the first woman to become mayor of NYC had they succeeded. Wiley said: “To every girl in this city, we did shatter the glass ceiling. The glass ceiling that said women would be discounted. The glass ceiling
Legislation
that said we can’t be seen as leaders and I think we demonstrated that that isn’t true.” Adams succeeded in a close race while maintaining his position as a front runner from the start of the campaign. If Adams wins the general election in November, he will be the city’s second Black Mayor. The 2021 New York City mayoral election will occur on November 2, 2021, when Democrat Eric Adams and the Republican primary winner, Curtis Sliwa, will compete for mayor of New York City. This NYC Primary election is the first to use Ranked Choice Voting, which didn’t come without its fair share of criticism, especially after last week’s mix-up that included an additional 135,000 test ballots in the results due to a counting error. BOE commissioners made it clear that Ranked Choice Voting was not the problem after the organization drew further criticism for being unprepared while implementing the new voting system. They said: “Let us be clear: RCV was not the problem, rather a human error that could have been avoided. We have implemented another layer of review and quality control before publishing information going forward.” *Below are the updated vote tallies published by the Board of Elections in the New York City Primary 2021 on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Results in these and other races are expected sometime next week. Public Advocate • Jumaane D. Williams – 69.9% • Anthony L. Herbert –21.3% Democratic nominee, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, is on his way to serving a full term in his city-wide position. During a special election in 2019, Williams won his Public Advocate seat, taking over
for New York Attorney General, Letitia James. City Comptroller • Brad Lander – 51.9% • Corey D. Johnson – 48.1% Brad Lander, a member of the City Council, declared victory on Tuesday. According to data and news reports, Lander led by 24,683 votes. In a statement, he said, “Thank you New York City! I promise to work hard every single day to build a city that is more just, more equal, and more prepared for the future.” Corey Johnson suspended his campaign shortly after the release of the BOE results. He said, “After seeing the numbers released by the Board of Elections, it’s clear that the right thing to do is to suspend my campaign for Comptroller.” He went on to congratulate Brad Lander on his victory. Bronx Borough President • Vanessa L. Gibson – 53.5% • Fernando Cabrera – 46.5% Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson continues to hold the lead over Fernando Cabrera and will potentially face-off against Republican Janelle King in the general election. If Gibson wins, she would be the first woman to serve as a Bronx Borough President and the first non-Latino Bronx Borough President in 35 years. City Council District 12 • Kevin Riley – 59.1% • Pamela A. Hamilton-Johnson – 40.9% In the 12th Council District, incumbent Councilman Kevin Riley edged out his competitors in round three of Ranked Choice Voting eliminations. Riley became councilman after winning the special election in December 2020, replacing expelled councilmember, Andy King.
Continued from page 1)
presently conducts elections. For decades, Co-op City conducted Board elections by using the “old-fashioned/levered” voting machines previously used in municipal elections. Sixty-five separate polling places were set up and staffed on election day. That process was expensive, requiring Co-op City to pay for moving trucks to transport the heavy voting machines, technicians to service the machines during the day, and the hiring of 135 poll watchers. Approximately 4 years ago, Riverbay moved into the modern era by hiring a third-party company to run an election that allows shareholders to vote electronically, (by smart phone, computer, or other electronic device), or by mail. The website set up by the third-party for this system allows candidates to post a photo, a biography and a video statement. This system has resulted in a considerable cost savings to Co-op City. Both systems did not present any of the problems which the proposed legislation seeks to correct. However, neither one of those systems would be allowed under the proposed law. The new system which employs electronic and mail voting would not comply with the “in-person” requirement. The previous system using the older voting machines does not create the newly required paper record. (The new voting machines do create a paper record, but the New York City Board of Elections has refused to allow their use by Co-op City.) The proposed legislation may exacerbate one issue that Riverbay has struggled with nearly every year – shareholder participation in Board elections. Requiring “in-person” voting may reduce the number of shareholders who can participate. With more than 15,000 shareholders, “in-person” voting at a shareholder meeting is not practical. It would be impossible in the event of another pandemic. Other laws require that one-third of shareholders vote for the election to be valid. Although unclear, the proposed law may increase the number of shareholders required to meet this one-third requirement by mandating that vacant units be counted for purposes of calculating a quorum. This is counterproductive at Co-op City which always has a number of vacant apartments undergoing renovation. The proposed legislation also requires six (6) “open board meetings” a year, the filing of all votes taken at Board meetings with New York State HCR, and the delivery to all shareholders of all notices received by Co-op City from NYS HCR which relate to regulations, finances, taxation, refinancing, or dissolution. Presently, Riverbay conducts a minimum of two open Board meetings a year and one open meeting to elect officers. That would now increase to six. Riverbay also publishes in the Co-op City Times all proposed Resolutions before Board meetings are held, and then publishes all adopted Resolutions, together with the vote, identifying how each Board member voted. The new
law would not require any change in this procedure. The proposed law provides that portions of “open board meetings” can be closed to accommodate “executive sessions,” where Board members could discuss personnel issues, legal issues, contract negotiations, and confidential matters. That has always been the law. The proposed law would also limit the ability of Co-op City to charge fees for the use of community rooms, and require Co-op City to investigate allegations that a cooperative was not occupied as the primary residence of a qualified shareholder. The second proposed law, known as Senate Bill S5105C, is an amendment of an existing statute which limits the ability of private landlords to charge tenants application fees, fees for background and credit checks, and late fees. That law also precludes private landlords from recovering legal fees and other costs in eviction proceedings against defaulting shareholders. The proposed law would remove private cooperatives from those restrictions, since the occupants of cooperative housing units are actually owners, not tenants. However, at the last minute, the version passed by the Legislature was amended to exclude Mitchell-Lama Cooperatives. As presently written, it only exempts wealthy cooperatives from these restrictions. No justification is provided for excluding affordable housing communities from the amendment. Accordingly, when an individual applies for housing at Riverbay, the cost to the applicant for a credit report, background check and a home visit will be limited to $20. Riverbay shareholders will be required to pay the balance. In addition, if a shareholder defaults in the payment of their monthly common charges, forcing Riverbay to file a Court proceeding, Riverbay will not be able to recover any of its legal expenses or late fees in that proceeding. In affordable housing cooperatives only, those costs will be shifted from the persons who created them to the shareholders the Mitchell-Lama program was designed to protect.
Be sure to subscribe to the new & official Co-op City YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/3h6CrF7. Stay informed!
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 It’s
HAPPENING in Co-op City !
An evening of R&B with the Unique Band
On Tuesday, July 6, the Unique Band NYC was featured as a part of the Co-op’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series. The performance took place virtually in Einstein Center instead of the Section 2 greenway because of the unexpected change in weather. The band performed hits ranging from Frankie Beverly to Chaka Khan. The R&B cover band even featured a guest appearance from impersonator, Lloyd Diamond, who recreated James Brown’s iconic dance moves and a variety of his songs with the band. Photos and caption by Phillip McCoy
5
6 Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can the–authenticity of•– the authors. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed – verify •be–typed. • • letters – • –must – •Co-op – City Times – • by –• – •every – •Monday – •–to350 •be–words. • –Ideally, they should All be• in the office in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, 3 p.m. considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.
Letters to the Editor
Not a Good Idea To the Editor: A director’s viewpoint published in last week’s Co-op Times described a suggestion to give vouchers to cooperators to buy their own air conditioners. I have three convectors in my one bedroom apartment so I’d need three vouchers. A three bedroom would get five. Let’s average that to four vouchers per apartment. At $100 apiece with 15,000 apartments, that comes out to about $6 million. Add in the cost to install them up to city code so they don’t fall out of the windows. What happens in the winter? They will need covers and who will cover them or are they taken out? Where would they be stored? How much will the carrying charges have to be raised to cover all that? Think about those air conditioners hanging out of every window of our complex dripping on us as we leave and enter our buildings. The wind blowing all that dripping water every which way. Now consider all the hot air they spew. We are spending millions on repairing our facades, putting up with all the noise and bridging and fencing. So will we start drilling holes in it to put support brackets to hold up all these air conditioners? What about indoor air-conditioners? Our electrical system can’t handle either. When the gas had to be shut off in Building 33 due to a gas leak, my friend had to change the time she cooked dinner. The circuit breaker would trip due to everyone using electric cooking devices at the same time. How can we expect to be able to operate 60,000 air conditioners on our limited electric circuits? Yes, there are flaws in our convector system. Yes, it needs correcting. And yes, it will be expensive, but in my opinion, individual air conditioning units is not the answer. This type of regurgitation is bad for the community. I hope the Board or Management does not entertain it. —Kelly Canzoneri
Please Remember: Articles for Co-op City building associations, clubs, churches and organizations are due on Mondays by 5 p.m. Email your articles to cctimes@riverbaycorp.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letters to the editor only from Co-op City shareholders at cctimes@riverbaycorp.com. Letters should address issues of interest to the Co-op City community. Comments should be fact-based and responsible. Letters should not personally attack others and must be written in a respectful manner. If you would like your letter to be considered for publication, it must be signed. The Co-op City Times does not publish anonymous material. Please include your address and phone number – which will be kept confidential – so authenticity and residency of the writer can be verified. Thank you for your cooperation.
Co-op City Times Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. (718) 320-3300, ext. 3375 cctimes@riverbaycorp.com
Rozaan Boone Editor-in-Chief
Toriea McCauseland
Junior Associate Editor
Jennifer Piovanetti Operations Manager
NYS Excelsior Pass Update for those Vaccinated at Dreiser Auditorium Co-op City residents who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the Dreiser Auditorium can now get a NYS Excelsior Pass to show vaccine status by visiting https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/excelsior-pass. Accept the Authorization to Disclose and input your first and last name, date of birth, zip code and phone number. You will then be taken to the “Verify Your Identity”
page where you will insert the date you were vaccinated at the Dreiser Auditorium. The second question asks for the county in which you were vaccinated. Use “New York (Manhattan)” instead of “the Bronx,” then proceed to the next question, “Which vaccine did you receive?” You will then be able to save your Excelsior Pass to your Apple Wallet, Excelsior Pass Wallet or print or screenshot your pass. To replace a lost vaccine card, you may go directly to the Dreiser Auditorium. You must bring government-issued photo identification.
Use of terraces for cooking It is illegal within the City of New York to use gas, or charcoal type B-B-Q grills in multiple dwelling buildings, such as Co-op City. Such grills create open flames which may cause fire. Only electric type grills can be used. Riverbay will strictly enforce the Fire Department regulations by requiring the removal of any propane tanks, charcoal grills and combustible material within 10 feet of the outdoor grill. Also, barbecuing is not permitted in public areas in the community. Thank you for your cooperation. —Riverbay Management
Ralph Henriquez
Production Manager
John Crow
New Media Producer The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writer and include their address and phone number, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the author. Writers will be limited to one letter per topic. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be submitted to the Co-op City Times by 3 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Email cctimes@ riverbaycorp.com or mail to 2049 Bartow Ave., Room 21, Bronx, NY 10475. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp. Advertisements and classified advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reflect an endorsement from Riverbay Corp. of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available. The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor. All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times. Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, New York 10475.
If the Co-op City Times Was Not Delivered: Call 347-697-6381 on Saturdays only, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
7
CCPD takes action against persons caught throwing objects out windows
Public Safety Report
BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO
Throwing objects out of the windows of Co-op City apartments is a violation of the lease and is illegal. Public Safety takes complaints of this nature very seriously. Throwing objects out of a window creates a substantial risk of serious injury or death. Persons caught throwing objects out of the windows of Co-op City buildings are subject to penalties. Fireworks thrown from windows or terraces are extremely hazardous and enforcement is stepped up this time of the year. Co-op City has several construction projects, which require scaffolding. Scaffolding, also known as sidewalk sheds, creates an additional risk as it pertains to objects out the window. It is illegal to throw anything on top of construction scaffolding as it creates a fire hazard. There have been incidents of lit cigarettes igniting rubbish thrown on the top of scaffolding. Shareholders are criminally or financially liable for damage or injuries caused by throwing items on top of construction scaffolding. A person identified as throwing a dangerous object out of a window is subject to arrest for Reckless Endangerment. Reckless Endangerment occurs when a person engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person. Reckless Endangerment and Assault are serious charges. As in all cases where a Co-op City resident is arrested for actions within the confines of Co-op City, a Community Complaint is also issued. The Community Complaint carries a monetary fine and is attached to the monthly carrying charges. Repeated violations may result in eviction. Public Safety can take action against the shareholder of the apartment when an object is observed being thrown from the window of their apartment. Even if the specific person throwing the object out of the window cannot be identified, Public Safety can still take action. Throwing objects out of windows is a lease violation, therefore, the shareholder of record can receive a Community Complaint when their apartment is identified as the location an object came from. The shareholder is responsible for the actions of all family members and guests. Therefore, a Community Complaint can be issued without the need to identify the specific offender. Repeated violations result in escalating fines and can result in eviction. It is important that parents instruct children and teens that throwing objects out the windows is a serious matter. Parents need to make certain that young children and toddlers do not have access to open windows. Be certain that window guards are installed in any apartment where children under 10 years of age live or visit. Call Riverbay Corporation at (718) 320-3300 if you would like to have window guards installed. Smaller items can still fit out windows with window guards in place, so young children should not be left unsupervised near windows that are even open just a little bit. This is another situation where the Public Safety Department asks for the help of the public in identifying violators. Try to pinpoint the exact apartment and notify the Department of Public Safety if you observe objects coming from a window. Use a specific-colored curtain or shade as a landmark. The responding Public Safety Officer can use a floor plan map and identify the exact apartment. Public Safety will not reveal your information to the violator. Even if you cannot specifically identify the exact apartment, it is still a good idea to call Public Safety for informational purposes. Always remember, if you see something, say something. Call 911 and the Department of Public Safety at (718) 671-3050. Callers may remain anonymous when giving information. Fireworks on the ground are also a violation of the law and a violation of your Occupancy Agreement. New York City has seen a recent surge of complaints of illegal fireworks throughout the five boroughs. It is illegal to use or purchase fireworks within the five boroughs of New York City even though it is legal in other counties in upstate New York. Even though you may see fireworks for sale in New York State’s upstate counties, do not be tempted to buy them and bring them into New York City. New York City put in effect a Zero Tolerance policy regarding the sale or use of illegal fireworks within the limits of New York City. Here in Co-op City, both the New York City Police Department as well as the Co-op City Department of Public Safety enforce the Zero Tolerance laws. Residents are reminded that barbequing is not permitted on any of the public areas of Co-op City. Strict guidelines set forth by the New York City Fire Department do not permit barbecuing within 10 feet of any residential building. Propane tanks are strictly prohibited by the New York City Fire Department in any multiple family dwellings. Residents are also reminded that Bike Riding is not permitted near buildings, in shopping malls or anywhere else signs prohib-
Co-op City Department of Public Safety (718) 671-3050 • www.ccpd.us • @CCPDnyc If you SEE something, SAY something!
Public Safety Blotter June 27, 2021 – July 3, 2021
June 28 – 2063 Bartow Avenue CCPD units were dispatched to this location after a group of individuals entered the store and proceeded to steal items from the store. An investigation is ensuing to try and dissuade future store thefts. 120 Co-op City Blvd CCPD officers responding to a complaint of someone feeding pigeons observed a person committing said violation after arriving to the building. A community complaint was issued to the violator after the CCPD officer actually witnessed the violation as it occurred. June 25 – 99 Carver Loop As a complainant was exiting Garage 3, another vehicle struck his car damaging it. The vehicle, occupied by four males, then remained incapacitated at the scene, while the four males abandoned the car and fled on foot. June 30 – 120 Aldrich Street A report was filed with CCPD after a cooperator went to retrieve their vehicle but could not find it. After a short period of searching, it was determined to have been stolen since no one else has keys and permission was not granted to anyone to use the vehicle. July 01 – 2059 Bartow Avenue A male known to have a special needs history entered a store and began giving staff a hard time. When the male was instructed to leave, he refused compliance then began to act in a violent and tumultuous manner. Numerous officers were summoned to restrain and subdue the male who was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. iting bicycle riding are posted. If consuming alcoholic beverages is in your plans, be sure to designate a driver who will not drink. Phone a friend or a ride share service, if necessary. Never operate a motor vehicle if you have consumed any amount of alcoholic beverages. Buzzed driving counts as drunk driving. The consequences of drunk driving are extremely severe. Legislation in New York State increases the charges and penalties for driving while intoxicated if there is a child in the vehicle. The Co-op City Department of Public Safety would like to thank all persons who have called in suspicious activity. Your actions are a helpful step in keeping this community safe. Co-op City is a diverse community with people of all ages, abilities and characteristics. All persons should remember to respect each other and embrace their differences. Do not forget to say hello to your neighbors when you pass each (Continued on page 23)
OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbaycorp.com; and Anatoliy Budnitskiy at abudnitskiy@riverbaycorp.com. Please note: emails should be sent to both parties. Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see below for specific directions.
CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES There are no contract opportunities to list this week. Please check back. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
For employment opportunities, please search “Riverbay Corporation” at the following sites: www.Indeed.com www.Glassdoor.com Candidates may review full position descriptions and apply directly at either site. Current Riverbay employees should submit a transfer request and resumé directly to the HR department. Thank you for your interest in working for Riverbay Corporation.
8
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Claudia Sampson, Treasurer
Director’s Viewpoint –
Sensible, well-thought out practices keep our costs down First, let me congratulate all the candidates who sought election to be seated on the Riverbay Board of Directors. Regardless of the final results, each of you exhibited the traits of a community that is welcoming, diverse and inclusive. For that, you were all winners who should be praised for your courage and persistence to reach the finish line. Kudos for your willingness to serve your community. Please continue the work you started by joining a committee of interest in the fall. We can most certainly use your energy and passion. There will be information printed in the Co-op City Times and on the crawler with details about the process. So stay tuned! In President Bernie Cylich’s Report in this past Saturday, July 3rd issue of the Co-op City Times, there was reference made to a brief but important demonstration I made at our first Board Business meeting on Tuesday, June 29. I presented several devices I’ve installed in my apartment to alert me of convector leaks while I’m at home as well as away. One uses WiFi and is connected to an app on my phone, the other simply sets off an alarm or ringer when there’s moisture in the receptacle placed under each convector. Needless to say, it works! Just one day after my demonstration, at approximately 10:38 p.m., we heard the sensor in the bedroom and saw that there was water in the pan under the convector. By the morning, the pan was 2/3 full and we emptied it as well as called Maintenance to report the convector leak. Our quick thinking and steps to
mitigate the problem afforded us the opportunity to prove that this simple and inexpensive leak detection method not only saved us a flooded bedroom but also avoided having to have our lovely wood floor replaced over a lengthy and disruptive period of time; and unlike what it would cost to install separate air conditioners in each room at a cost of approximately $500 with a voucher from Riverbay Corporation resulting in an estimated price tag of $38,500,000. Since there are about 77,000 convectors in our 35 buildings, my interim recommendation would simply require shareholders to purchase their own sensors and plastic trays for approximately $60. With Wifi, the cost might increase since there is a small additional cost for the hub. But, not everyone needs to install a hub and download an app on their phone, but if you travel away from home for business or pleasure, I highly recommend the app. It’s worth the extra expense. By no means am I suggesting that Management endorse my idea or any specific product but it’s far more economical than issuing credits to shareholders to purchase and install air conditioners in their apartments. Think of the spike in energy consumption as shareholders decide to use their units throughout the year especially when they feel the need. Is this a good use of the limited resources available to us especially when we’re looking to keep carrying charges down? I dare say no. One last and most important thing, we, as shareholders, have long enjoyed the beautiful wood floors Co-op City is known for, but the cost of
replacing them, not to mention the inane asbestos removal practice, is prohibitive. Why not consider installing luxury vinyl in the newly restored apartments? These floors are not only water proof but they arealso quite good looking. I have seen them in model homes and businesses. We need to start doing things more efficiently and smarter. Perhaps then, Co-op City can truly become the Smart City others can admire and imitate. Last but not least, I’d like to congratulate the Grounds crew especially landscaper/gardener Elroy who assiduously tends the gardens near Asch Loop & Co-op City. His work is impeccable and puts a smile on my face as I peer from my window or walk by. Please, I beg of you, respect the work of our hard working Grounds crew and don’t pick the beautiful flowers that are there for everyone’s enjoyment. I would also like to remind everyone that we will be hosting a special pre-Labor Day Fireworks event on Saturday, September 4, courtesy of the Riverbay Fund, to honor our essential workers. What a fitting tribute. More details will follow once we have completed our plans for our very special celebration. Wishing you all a very safe and healthy summer. Be well and get vaccinated if you’ve not yet done so. The new highly contagious COVID variant is causing dangerous spikes around the country. Visit the Dreiser vaccination site to get your shots! Thank you! I can be reached via email at casampson@riverbayboard.com.
Voter turnout ized drawing – two from each of six sections that residential buildings were divided into to ensure a more equitable chance of winning: • Section 1 composed of Building 1-8 • Section 2 – Buildings 9-14 • Section 3 – Buildings 15-19, plus Adler, Asch, Broun, Cooper, Debs & DeFoe Place townhouses • Section 4 – Buildings 20-25 • Section 5A – Buildings 26-28, plus Earhart Lane townhouses, and • Section 5B – Buildings 29-35 During this period also, the usual three Election Supplements where candidates express their views and explain their platforms were published in the Co-op City Times. The three Candidates’ Forums normally held one in each community center were presented virtually this year because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and broadcast on the in-house tv channel (channel 12 on MATV and 591 on Optimum) for shareholders to watch the candidates debate issues. The election rules also allowed for candidates and their supporters to drop campaign material at their neighbors’ door in the residential buildings and to campaign while social distancing on the grounds. Further, reminders about the election and the importance of voting for a representative Board were also posted on the in-house tv channel, in residential buildings, and publicized weekly in the Co-op Times. Yet, by the end of the voting time frame, 9 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021, less than the required 33.33% of shareholders had cast their ballots to validate the election, prompting the Election Committee to extend voting by two weeks to Friday, June 4. An additional voting incentive offer of $500 was extended to the building or townhouse cluster with the highest voter participation. By June 4, while the quorum was met with 34.57% of shareholders voting in the election, overall, it was hardly a stellar example of a majority of shareholders exercising their democratic right to choose their resident Board representatives. Shareholder who read the Co-op City Times regularly may recognize Broun Place as one of the residential hubs with an active shareholder association. Eva Lazaar, president of the townhouse association, said that, generally, association meetings are held bimonthly and at least 15-20 shareholders attend on a regular basis. Each week, she also writes the townhouse association articles that are published weekly in this newspaper to keep residents abreast of the goings-on around the cluster, often offering frank observations on shareholder behavior to improve quality of life around the community and reminding shareholders of their civic responsibility. Asked about the townhouse association’s role in getting more than 50% of the cluster’s 72 units – though not all were occupied at the time of the election – to vote, Mrs. Lazaar said: “I went around and every cooperator that I met, I asked if they had voted.” She also praised the executive committee members of the Broun Place Townhouse Association who did likewise. “We have a great team and I asked them to do the same, confirm with people they meet, who live above them, and others they know, if they voted. The executive committee was very involved and shareholders were receptive,” she said. Other top contenders for the $500 prize were Debs Place townhouses which has 68 units and realized 47.76% voter turnout; followed by Building 9A, a chevron building with 207 units, with 45.50%; Building 10B, a triple core B building with 150 units, and 44.90%; and the DeFoe Place Townhouse cluster with 52 units and 44.23% voter turnout. At the other end of the spectrum, Buildings 35, 11B, 19, 3B and 33 registered turnout in the 20% range. Building 35 saw a 29.68% rate; Bldg. 11B, 29.17%; Bldg. 19, 28.99%; Bldg. 3B, 28.78% and Bldg. 33, 27.20%. However, in fairness, it should be pointed out that Buildings 19, 33 and 35 are tower buildings with 384 units each; 11B is a triple core B building with 150 units; 3B is a chevron with 207 units, all with many more apartments than a townhouse cluster. The majority of the remaining buildings saw voter participation in the 30% range, a couple (Buildings 11, 12 & 13) coming close to 39%. The Riverbay Board election is an annual elec-
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
9
(Continued from page 1)
tion. Omitting 2020 when the Board election was suspended because of the pandemic, and 2016 when the quorum was met, the election had to be extended in 2015, 2017-2019 and this year, 2021, because not enough shareholders voted. Why are shareholders not participating in the election of their Board representatives in greater numbers? We’d like to hear from you. The survey below is open to all Co-op City shareholders and it takes less than 3 minutes to complete the 10 questions. The survey will remain open until Friday, July 30, 2021. Remember to include your address at the bottom
of the survey for verification purposes. Only one response per unit. Failure to add your address may disqualify your response. The goal is to hear specifically from Co-op City shareholders. Completed surveys can be submitted by email to cctimes@riverbaycorp.com, or mailed/delivered to Co-op City Times, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Rm. 21, Bronx, NY 10475. The survey will also soon be made available electronically. Please keep checking the Riverbay Crawler for details, channel 12 (MATV) and channel 591 (Optimum) as well as next Saturday’s Co-op City Times.
10
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 Director’s Viewpoint –
Francine Reva Jones,
Assistant Secretary
New Board President – Recent Board Meeting Congratulations to Bernard Cylich on being elected Board President. Regrettably, I could not attend the swearing-in meeting on June 16, but participated by phone. For several decades, President Cylich has been involved in the leadership of this community. Most significantly, in my opinion, it was under Cleve Taylor’s administration, when the Board successfully ridded Coop City of the former management company. For several years, President Cylich has headed the Construction, Power Plant and Restoration Committee, which is among the most important of all the Coop City committees. He is a dedicated and focused director and I believe that President Cylich is the Board leader who is needed in order to preserve and continue the progress we’ve been steadily making. I was elected assistant secretary, but, due to an oversight, I must step down. Officers can only serve in the same position for three consecutive years and, having been assistant secretary in 2017, 2018 and 2019, my time ended. At our next Board meeting, a different Board director will be elected to this position. There were many important issues covered at the June 29th Board meeting. The standard Board meeting agenda begins with a message from the Board President and then the Riverbay Corporation Executive General Manager. One of the highlights of President Cylich’s message was a focus on the convector back-ups and floods in our apartments which cooperators experience during air conditioning season. Director Claudia Sampson discussed two sensor devices that would alert the cooperator when water leaks into a pan positioned beneath the convector. I would imagine that many cooperators have experienced convector leaks, flooding and floor replacements since living here. They are disruptive, damaging and are a major inconvenience. Cooperators have been dealing with this problem since Co-op City’s inception and there have been many discussions as to what should be done. Some cooperators are purchasing these devices. On the other hand, Management is looking into exploring how the entire
air conditioning system can be reconstructed. Stay tuned! In the meantime, Management should provide enough maintenance personnel at this time of the year in order to cover leaks and flooding on an emergency basis. A schematic design was later requested in order for Directors to understand exactly where the problems lie. The management report was next: Bob Klehammer discussed a fault that exists in the Power Plant. The repair cost is in the range of $2.5 million. A portion of the cost is covered by insurance. Nevertheless, this repair must be made. The Local Law 11 update: The reason that NYC has Local Law 11 is so that what happened to the 12-story condo building in Surfside, Florida, will not happen in NYC. It is my understanding that the defects in that building were allowed to exist for many years and that months before the building’s collapse, a condo official warned that damage had gotten significantly worse. Local Law 11 is a building façade repair process where all NYC buildings that are six stories high or more must be inspected and repaired every five years. There have been several cooperator complaints about what seems like an excessive amount of bridging and fencing. Management has increased and corrected the signage around these buildings and, although it might be an inconvenience for cooperators, it is work that must be done for our safety. Mitchell-Lama Rules: The NYS Legislature is proposing changes to the Mitchell-Lama Rules, some of which are: That there be at least six open Board meetings per year. That Board elections be held using only paper ballots. That the collection of certain fees should be prohibited. However, according to Management, other co-ops can make fee collections and the Mitchell-Lama developments should be able to as well. Management intends to comment on the bill. There was discussion regarding the Dreiser commercial leasing status. The Dreiser diner and the lower level former Montefiore sites are large spaces that have been vacant for several years. In addition, during the Covid pandemic, the Dreiser hair salon
shut down. We were informed that progress is being made on renting the diner while rental of the other spaces is in the works. Management advertises on the web for the rental of these vacancies. These properties should be rented as soon as possible in order to relieve the shareholders of the burden. Nevertheless, the Riverbay manager is doing a fine job with the rental and maintenance of the garages, hall closets and basement storage spaces. Next was discussion about the coming MetroNorth station. It is expected that the Co-op City station will attract many cooperators as well as residents north of Co-op City. Will there be sufficient street parking for those who want to park and board the train? What about a drop-off area? Can another garage be built in Section 5 to accommodate these riders? Is air space available to build above the station? Although MTA’s Penn Access Project’s environmental impact regarding comments on construction, noise, air quality, natural resources, etc., ended on July 3, MTA developers will have discussions with the community in the upcoming weeks and months. Stay tuned! The Board meeting proceeded with Resolution 21-26 regarding townhouse façade restoration. While buildings six stories and above must be inspected and repaired every five years under Local Law 11, I know of no similar laws for townhouses. Over the years, deterioration of the structures has occurred and repairs are warranted. This resolution passed for $4,960,160.20, plus a 15% contingency. Resolution 21-23 discussed the Riverbay applicant screening process under contract 3606 with Landlord Guard Inc. for two years. Their responsibility is to take photos at the homes of potential shareholders and interview everyone on the application. This resolution passed to perform: Credit checks, criminal investigations and home visits for the applicants’ fee of $278.33. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” –Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I hope you are enjoying the summer. I can be reached at: 718-671-5957 or fjones@riverbaycorp.com.
REMEMBER: We are shareholders, not tenants! There are many ways to become involved in the community... Join a Board committee, attend your building association meetings, participate in community groups!
Deepest Condolences With sadness, we announce the sudden passing on Sunday, July 4, 2021 of Mr. Robert (Bobby) Summers, a long time Riverbay Grounds employee of more than 45 years until his retirement last April. Mr. Summers was a heavy equipment operator and drove Bobcat tractors Bobby Summers around the development as the Grounds crew did their job. He was one of the main operators responsible for snow removal. Mike Ambo, director of Grounds, remembers Mr. Summers as a mentor. “He taught me everything I know about these machines when I started working here, how to operate and troubleshoot them. The King Bobcats. We miss him and extend our deepest sympathy to his family,” said Mr. Ambo. Funeral Service for the late Robert Summers will be held on Tuesday, July 13, at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, 1682 Morris Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457. Viewing will take place from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and service from 12 p.m.-2 p.m.
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
National Council of Negro Women Health Committee – Please save the date for our Annual Health and Wellness Fair scheduled for Sat., Sept. 25, in Bartow Community Center, Rm. 31, 2049 Bartow Ave., from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Stay tuned, more information to follow! Youth Section – We are seeking young girls ages 12-18 to join our Co-op City Youth Section to be officially chartered in the future. The goal of our Youth Section is to provide a communi- Above: Family Fun Day Youth Section Inty-based group that will prepare our young ladies Below: formational for leadership roles in school and the community. There will be workshops to develop a strong sense of self, improve life-skills and social skills. The Youth Section will meet monthly to foster a bond and have discussions on topics relevant to our young ladies. Thank you to all of the young ladies who joined our informational meeting. The next virtual meeting will take place on Saturday, September 11, from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Stay tuned for more information! If you have questions or are interested in membership, please email us at ncnwcoopcityyouth@ gmail.com. Membership – Co-op City Section members enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of fellowship at the Section 2 Family Fun Day Celebration on Saturday, June 26. We decorated our table and distributed flyers to girls 12-18 who were present and spoke to them about our Co-op City Youth Section. Paint & Sip – Special thanks to Melinda Hunter, vendor from Handcrafted by MHM, for facilitating our spectacular Juneteenth weekend virtual Paint & Sip Event. Everyone in attendance had a beautiful time being creative and exploring our artistic side. We learned how to blend primary colors to form additional colors for our individual paintings. Voices of Black Women on Freedom – Last weekend, we celebrated July 4th, known as Independence Day, in our country. Here are the words of African American women who spoke about and were in the struggle for freedom: “I want to be remembered as someone who used herself and anything she could touch to work for justice and freedom…I want to be remembered as one who tried.” ––Dr. Dorothy Irene Height “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” ––Rosa Parks “We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.” ––Ella Baker Social Media – Remember you can find us on Facebook: NCNWCoopcityBethune; Twitter: @NCNWCoop City; Instagram: NCNW Co-op City and email: www.ncnwco.opcity@gmail.com. ––Joyce Howard
Velocity Track Club Velocity Track Club is truly blessed! We were invited to attend the NHAGTC Youth Series #2 at New Haven, CT. Some of the best teams from New York and Connecticut were in attendance. The following events were contested: 100 meters, 200, 400, 800, 1500, and 3000 meters, 4x100 meter relay, 1500-meter race walk, shot put, high jump, javelin, triple jump, Velocity Track Club at the and long jump. Velocity had 25 athletes NHAGTC Youth Series Meet compete. The weather was not pleasant, it was chilly and raining, which makes it hard for athletes to break their PR (personal record) but that did not stop our athletes from performing at their best. We had 28 first place finishers, 15 second place and 15 third place finishers. But more importantly, we had 21 athletes break their PR. The following athletes finished in the top 3: Lyon, Hannah, Talia, Kenese, Olyvia, Steven, Zuriel, Xoan, Julian, Brianna, Romel, Kenia, Adonijah, Saniah, Candice, Pierce, Shyenne, Savannah M, Dakota, Madison, Savannah B, Matthiaus and Drea. If this was a basketball game, the coach would give the game ball to an athlete who was the MVP of the game. However, we had many MVPs, but if it was a basketball game, the game ball would be split among four athletes – 9 year old Lyon Achigbu who won the 100, 200- & 400-meter races; 9 year old Romel Barrett who won the 400, 800 and 1500 meter races; 12 year old Shyenne Blake who won the 80-meter hurdles, long jump and was on the 4x100 meter relay first place team; and 15 year old Kenia Irish Bramble who won the 800, 1500, 400 meters hurdles and took second in the 400 meters. Congratulations. Athletes who PR’ed despite the nasty weather were Madison, Talia (3 events), Royanna, Matthiaus, Steven, Zuriel, Xoan, Julian, Candice, Sania, Brianna, Pierce, Shyenne, Savannah M., Hannah, Dakota, Saniah, Kenese, Drea and Savannah B. Congratulations to all athletes! Our next meets are on Sunday, July 10, ShopRite Nutmeg State Games at New Britain, CT, and on July 14 - 17, the 2021 AAU Club National Championship at Brevard County, Florida. Come out to see your future Olympians! Velocity Track Club New York is a 501c3 not-for profit. One hundred percent of your donation will go towards helping our children. Support our youth so they can continue to do great things! For additional information, please go to our website, Velocitytrack.org, or contact me, Coach Winston Dinkins, at 914-441-6196, or email me WATCLT@AOL.COM. Thank you! ––Coach Winston Dinkins
11
African American Association AAACC Election results! Greetings, AAACC members and “members to be!” We promised to bring you the results of our election, well here it is! The 2021 elections were held on Wednesday, June 30, 2021: Michelle Marbury, president; Cheryl Jenkins, 1st vice president; Adeyemi LaCrown Oloruntoba, 2nd vice president; Cynthia Dixon, treasurer; Lavern Hugine, assistant treasurer; Francine Reva Jones, secretary; Marita Taylor, assistant treasurer. Thanks to all who Zoomed-in with us. What you missed… This was the final AAACC meeting before summer break. Our theme was Black Music Month and its origins. Famed Baritone, Whitley Phipps sang the Black National Anthem, former Riverbay Board President Linda Berk spoke on her years as manager of Grammy Award winning singer songwriter, Ashanti, who recently earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other guests included Dyana Williams, known as the Mother and Architect of Black Music Month who was instrumental in bringing the idea and importance of Black Music Month Dyana Williams and, in inset, to President Jimmy Carter and then lobbied for AAACC Sec. Francine Jones legislation and a proclamation that was signed by President Bill Clinton years later. We also took a look at the African-American Music Museum in Nashville which opened in January of this year. We had a great time. Wish you were there. This is your invitation to join us…Membership is only $15/year for a single membership and $25/year for your household. Email: aaaccpower@gmail. com or call: 929-430-3255. The African American Association of Co-op City, P.O. Box 702, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475. Kindly send a check or money order only. The African-American Association sponsors the following programs: Belly Dance Classes with Xonia Wilson – Contact: Xonia, 646-301-9438 Evening Line Dance Classes with Cynthia Dixon – Contact: Cynthia, 917903-7073 Salsa Class with Keith Witherspoon – Contact: Keith, 917-561-6211 Yoga & Pilates Classes with Meena Sharpe-Hicks – Contact: Meena at 917863-1507 Each one of us divided by all of us equals a force for good. ––Michelle Marbury
12
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Celebration of Life Family Day at Rivers Run Community Garden
Section 2 Pop-up Picnic
Fun Pop Up Picnic: The Section 2 Committee, winners of the best decorated table, Name That Tune winners and fantastic fun events and participation from community members, family and friends. Thanks to all. Photos by Leslie Peterson
Celebrating our family and friends with food, good company and music. The Rivers Run Community Garden community came together to honor our past, our present and our future July 4th weekend with intergenerational games and events. Photos by Deborah Levine
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
13
Co-op Insurance
The Wright Agency: Serving Co-op City for 40 Years!
Riverbay Requires Current Co-op Shareholders to Obtain Coverage!
Your Co-op is an Investment Worth Protecting! Protection To Cover Your Belongings Against: • Fire & Smoke • Water damage from plumbing
We Offer:
• Guest medical protection • Certain personal liabilities
• Theft Coverage • And so much more!
Other Lines of Insurance:
• Low Premiums • Protective Device Discounts • Auto-Home Discounts
• Auto • Homeowners • Life
Low Rates For The Entire Year!
Licensed Staff
Anthony Wright Agency Owner
WE ARE HIRING LIFE INSURANCE AGENTS! Nichola Ferguson Licensed Insurance Agent
Lawrence Newkirk Life Insurance Specialist
Albert Issifu Licensed Insurance Agent / Office Manager
PLEASE CALL FOR INFORMATION.
Not Pictured: Polly Heckstall Sr. Account Representative; Sandra Goldsmith Licensed Insurance Agent
COURTEOUS STAFF!
The Wright Agency
COVID COMPLIANT!
We Are Conveniently Located Only Blocks From Co-op City!
(near Eastchester Road)
New Office Hours: Mon. – Thurs.: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday by appointment only.
1435 East Gun Hill Road Call Us Today!
718-671-8000
FREE NOTARY SERVICE FOR ALL CO-OP CITY RESIDENTS!
14
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 Director’s Viewpoint –
Daryl Johnson
Big Changes For Mitchell-Lama Developments Apparently, a lot of people that live in Mitchell-Lama housing developments are fed up with the way that their board is presiding over their community. So, new legislation has been proposed to place limits on the amount of power that boards can exert over their community. Shareholders – Fed Up The Mitchell-Lama program has been tremendously successful because it has enabled more than 100,000 people to get an affordable apartment. However, can you believe that lots of Mitchell-Lama shareholders all over NYS have complained that their board is not treating them in a proper manner? So, an assemblywoman named Linda Rosenthal and a senator named Brian Kavanagh worked with a large group of resident advocates, Cooperators United for Mitchell-Lama, Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition, Brooklyn Mitchell-Lama Task Force, and Mitchell-Lama United to find out what was wrong with the way that boards were dealing with their community. And, they concluded that some boards were treating their shareholders as though they were second class residents. Moreover, some boards were even accused of pursuing their own limited agendas. So, surprisingly, these two politicians wrote legislation that’s beneficial to shareholders. And, if approved, that legislation is going to force Mitchell-Lama board members to conduct their business in a far different manner. New Changes for Board Business Board meetings? Some Mitchell-Lama board members across NYS feel that they can conduct business in a secretive manner. So, most of their board meetings will not be open to the public and to their own shareholders. But, think, how is this nonsense possible when these board members were elected by their own shareholders? Furthermore, how is this nonsense possible when these shareholders can call a ‘shareholder’ meeting just to get rid of their entire board? According to the new legislation, co-ops in the Mitchell-Lama program will now be forced to conduct at least six open board meetings a year. So, this
nonsense of hiding behind closed doors and passing outrageous resolutions should now be exposed for everyone to see. Another big change involves the way that shareholders can vote. In one Long Island co-op, some directors had been on the board for years. Then, they were challenged by a group of young candidates during an election just a few years ago. However, a lot of shareholders simply didn’t attend the annual meeting. So, these shareholders decided to vote via a proxy document. Thereafter, it seemed like the longer serving directors held the majority lead. However, one director noticed something strange with the proxy votes. So, he wanted to look at the proxy documents. However, the co-op attorney allegedly told him that he would have to go to court to see the documents. Thereafter, he went to court. Then, he noticed that the majority of the proxy documents were allegedly signed by the same person. So, two of the long serving directors were removed from the board. Then, the board had to pay for the legal fees and all of the costs involved in this litigation. Now, this case is just one example that involved allegations of election misconduct. However, there are similar cases in other Mitchell-Lama housing developments. So, now, this process of proxy voting will be replaced with an absentee ballot system. In other words, you vote early, with your signature, and one party does not handle your ballot. Another aspect of this new legislation is that housing developments will have to get 80 percent of the occupied units to vote yes to leave the Mitchell-Lama program. Less than 80 percent? The housing development will have to wait for five years before they can take another vote to get out of the Mitchell-Lama program. Bottom line: Can board members look out for their own interests once they are behind closed doors? No. Can personal business about other shareholders and other sensitive matters be discussed before a community? No. On the other hand, do you think that the neighbors that you elected to be board members should be conducting most of their business before
everyone in a community? Yes. The above-cited legislation is a good tool to make sure that shareholders get treated in a better manner. However, some shareholders across NYS need to step up and start calling for ‘shareholder’ meetings when their board members get out of line from their community. Thereafter, the shareholders can remove and replace some board members or the entire board if they want. Dreiser Diner Store – For Rent Back in 2018, an unfortunate fire caused some damage to the former diner in Dreiser. Thereafter, other problems surfaced and that space remained closed. Previously, there was talk about a soul food restaurant taking over the space. However, that deal and other deals didn’t happen. So, now, a huge ‘For Rent’ sign appears on the rear window. Plus, there is talk that a few businesses are possibly interested in this space. Dangerous Fireworks – Extreme Injuries Some adults are still playing with fireworks and are suffering from extreme injuries. For instance, a 24-yearold man in Illinois recently lit some fireworks. Thereafter, he wondered why the fireworks didn’t go off. So, he leaned over in front of the fireworks to see what happened. Now, take a guess what happened to this man. Well, the fireworks blew up—in his face. So, he lost an eye and he suffered horrific facial injuries. Now, look, please do not associate with anyone that wants you to light up some fireworks. They are not your friend. Plus, you will be sorry forever when you get injured. Close Please tell your family to never play with fireworks. Thank you. Contact Information Please do not send a letter to me at this time. However, you can send an email to me at: djohnson@riverbayboard.com. Also, please call me ONLY at 718-671-4544 if you would like to have a brief discussion with me. Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.
BOTTLE RETURN
co-op city
ON H CA$ POT! S E H T
ALL B ACC RANDS EPTE D!
NO L
IMIT !
NG IT I R B YOU IT! T N U WE CO
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Donizetti Building Four Association Congratulations, we have finally emerged from our state of hibernation. We are now ready to reclaim most of what we have sacrificed for more than a year. Both indoor and outdoor activities can resume for NYC. However, the honor system has been implemented for all those individuals who have not been vaccinated. They are required to wear face masks when appropriate. The Tuesday Concert Series has begun officially this month. All scheduled performances will be posted on your building lobby bulletin boards. Building Four will be sponsoring its annual Ice Cream Social on July 17 from 2 p.m. until quantities last. We extend our congratulations to all our 2021 graduates. We wish them the very best in all their future endeavors. Covid-19 vaccines will continue to be administered at the Dreiser Community Center for both adults and children 12 years of age and older. We encourage all those who have not received their shots to take full advantage of the opportunity to do so. Continue to check on your sick, elderly and shut-in neighbors. Stay safe, alert and follow all Covid protocols wherever you travel or visit. If you see something, say something. Remember, it takes a “village.” However, we are a “city.” Enjoy your summer! ––Dawn Mitchell
Building 25 Association We would like to convey our sincerest condolences to the families, friends and community of the residential building collapse in Surfside, Florida. We wish all neighbors born in July a Happy Birthday; for those of you who are under the weather, we hope you get better soon. Latest update on our building association room meetings, Riverbay has given permission to resume meeting in our association room. That being said, in Fall 2021, our next regular scheduled association room meeting will be held Tuesday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m. Lookout for posted notice near elevators should there be any changes. Remember, residents of Building 25 can always address any comments or concerns by logging onto our building email address at building25ca@ gmail.com. If anyone has problems accessing the building email address, please let us know. Closing with the following: Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” ––Irish Headstone ––Wanda Bailey
Balcony Visitor
A lone falcon has a bird’s eye view of the terrain perched atop a shareholder’s balcony where he takes in the scenery. Photo by José Verschaffel
15
16
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 Director’s Viewpoint –
Mary Pearson
The “N” in SNAFU Stands for Normal So, what do we know at this point? Regarding the NYC election mishap, we know way too little. My head’s spinning and my hair’s on fire, but it’s not the pending results of the mayor’s race that has me so crazed. I’m not so much anxiously awaiting my favorite candidate to be pronounced – any of the top three or even the top eight, and maybe more, could do the job. Why anyone would actually want to do the job, is a mystery. No amount of love nor money. I have my favorite, of course, but that’s not the issue. The issue is the … NYC Board of Elections. We’ve heard the NYC BOE being described as incompetent so often, the word’s become attached to the name. It’s practically a “What have you done this time, Lucy?” affair with this agency. The BOE’s ability to institute the Ranked Choice Voting system, the tried, but not tried in NYC or in any other sizable municipality, is so questionable that an election scholar wrote in 2020, “I don’t know quite how to put this politely, but the New York City elections board has trouble tying its shoes.” We’ve seen the BOE’s chronic incompetence first-hand, right here in Co-op City, just this latest go ‘round… TWICE. First, they sent out thousands of election day mailers – complete with cards and Fast Pass Tags – with totally wrong information to all of the party-affiliated registered voters living in 6,560 of our apartments. Then, after being shown another error on both the mailer and the website, they refused to correct the misdirection of sending the mobility-challenged straight into not one but two staircases on their way to the poll site. But they’ve outdone even themselves this time. This time the SNAFU was so severe that Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called the mess “a national embarrassment.” Harsh words? Not nearly harsh enough. In the land of “Don’t tell ME how to do my job!” this lot has pushed our city voters to the brink with the blunder of blunders. Ignoring the repeated offer of assis-
tance from the maker of the ballot scanners, these people forgot to remove 135,000 test ballots before counting the valid ones. Once the BOE caught up with Twitter in noticing the numbers were way off, the front runner, Eric Adams said he “looked forward to the release of an accurate, updated simulation, and the timely conclusion of this critical process.” Exactly. A calm thoughtful voice asking for something almost no one else seemed to seek: an explanation. Of course, that was before his lead shrank from 9.6% to 2.2% Then the mayor made a statement about the RCV first elimination round results: “There must be an immediate, complete recanvass of the BOE’s vote count and a clear explanation of what went wrong.” But that was it. Maybe I missed the part where the NYC media rose-up-as-one demanding a fuller explanation than: “Oops, our bad, all fixed, nothing to see here.” One hundred and thirty-five thousand (135,000) unexplained dummy ballots floating around. HOW?!? How could that happen? We knew the test ballots existed but nothing else. Were they phantom images or actual scanned paper? If actual scanned paper, were they actual ballots or samples with a huge “S A M P L E” banner splattered across them. We need these details made transparent to assure nothing nefarious had taken place. So how remains unanswered, but we sure know who. The NYC blundering BOE has quite a history. Let’s recap: * 2014-2016 – 200,000 voters were illegally purged from the rolls. * 2016 – BOE turned down $20 million to pull itself into the 21st century. * 2018 – Scanning machines jammed by damp ballots kept voters in line for hours. Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted: “Bad weather and high turnout are no excuse when we have forecasts for both.” * 2020 – Major absentee ballot non-delivery or delays in June. In September, 100,000 absentee bal-
Iglesia Evangelica MU de Co-op City Co-op City United Methodist Church Open Doors, Open Hearts and Open Mind
“If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” –Psalm 91:91.1 UMCC is a Bible-centered congregation with spirit-filled worship and we offer a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship, and service to God and our community. We are a multi-ethnic, multicultural and bilingual congregation – all are welcome! We are changing with the times and now offer online service. We are located at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across from Building 30 (entrance on Boller Ave.). Parking is available on Palmer Ave. Our pastor is Rev. Arnaldo Sánchez-Orta. For more information about our services, please contact our administrative secretary, Marta Medina, by phone: 917-740-0256, or by email: coopcityevangelicalumc@gmail.com. Remote Schedule for Sundays – Come and receive a blessing. We would love for you to join us on Sundays. We are currently sharing our services online through our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/UMCofCoopCity/. We are also holding services via Zoom. For more information, visit our website at www.coopcityumc.com. In-person, 10 a.m. bilingual Sunday Service at the church starting July 4th. Also viewed via Facebook and Zoom. Tuesday, 12 p.m. (Spanish), and 7 p.m. (English), Pray and Reflection Service Sunday School, 8 a.m. (English) Food Pantry: The Food Pantry distribution center at our church serves Section 5. Ongoing registration and distribution of food are on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Those registering must present one of the following government-issued up-todate ID’s showing a 10475 zip code: Driver, Non-Driver, or NYC ID. Anyone 18+ of age can register. Only one participant per household may register. Blessings, —Marta Medina
lots containing misaddressed return addressed envelopes, and the whole 700,000 arrived missing the slash between Absentee and Military, making many think they’d been sent the wrong ballot. (The printing company had been awarded a no-bid contract.) In December 2020 absentee ballots for the City Council special election race came with an extra special something – a sticker broadcasting DEM or REP was attached to all three envelopes: the package sent to the voter, the return envelope, and the oath envelope. Adding to the raging November screams of voter fraud!, along comes the NYC BOE to fan the flames. Here’s hoping they’ll rethink plastering that party affiliation tidbit of information on the absentee ballot packet envelopes before the next time – the October/November General Election. But holler all we want, NYC has very little influence over the NYC BOE. Only the state legislature can try to fix this mess of an agency. Have at ‘em! Unfortunately, some candidates and their supporters are pointing accusatory fingers at the wrong thing. They see RCV as the mechanism that might strip away their advantage. Many are plotting to throw out – or at least plant seeds of doubt about – Ranked Choice Voting. If accomplished, that would not only be a shame, it would be shameful. Fix the BOE and let RCV be. We still need to know the process that led to the 135,000 test-ballot blunder. How were the test ballots prepared? Were actual candidates’ names used? (Which is supposedly never done.) Were randomly chosen filled-in ovals used with fake names, or no names, to indicate position-only in the RCV reallocation? How were they differentiated from the valid ballots? How were they removed? This 800-pound error has shaken faith in our entire voting process and made the new ranking system vulnerable. Thanks to Ranked Choice Voting, our new mayor should be the “condorcet winner” – the candidate preferred by more voters than any other candidate. But we still just don’t know. I can be reached by voice or text at 718-219-2211 or by email at mpearson@riverbayboard.com.
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Building 22A & 22B Association Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. I want to thank everyone for getting their vaccination which will allow us to enjoy this summer’s activities. If you haven’t gotten yours, the site is open at Dreiser Mega vax site. Check Co-op City Times for more information. Continue to wear your mask when in the buildings, keep a safe distance. Laundry Room Etiquette: Please continue to remove your clothes on time, be a good neighbor. Compactor Rooms: Keep the room clean, take all shipping cartons, boxes, etc., to basement. Wash out bottles and cans, we don’t want little bugs invading our apartments. Our prayers to all who lost loved ones. Check on the elderly, sick and shutins. Happy birthday to all this month. If you see something, say something. My love to all. ––Betty Leak
NAACP
Mission Statement: Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. On July 7, Mayor de Blasio honored our essential workers with a parade and ceremony which departed from Manhattan’s Battery Park. The parade showed appreciation to all essential workers who bought New York City through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and featured 14 different floats, making it one of the largest ticker tape parades in the city’s history. The NAACP Co-op City Branch #2210 wants to again thank all of the workers but especially give thanks to the many essential workers from our community. May you have continued blessings throughout your life for the care, assistance, dedication, commitment and assurance you provided during this horrific time in the history of our country. Branch T-shirt Fundraiser: June 14 – 30. Thank you to all of the proud members of the NAACP and our Co-op City Branch. Our event ended on June 30, and your shirts should arrive two weeks after that close date. Again, thank you for your participation. 112th NAACP Virtual National Convention: “This year, we’re Fighting Forward. From July 7-14, change makers from across the country will gather online to dive into pivotal conversations that empower us to be better advocates, organizers, policy-makers, and leaders on behalf of our communities. While we know substantial progress has happened, there is tremendous work still left to accomplish. Through tangible and engaging workshops and actionable takeaways, we will address ongoing issues of police brutality, racism, and student-debt. You can also participate in thought-provoking discussions on small-business ownership, developing economic empowerment.” –NAACP.org. “…While we may no longer be bound by the physical constraints of colonization or chattel slavery, we know all too well that African Americans are not granted equal rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this country. The lasting effects of our subjugation have continued to cripple us, generations after generation,…I want to spread the message of hope. Not hope that our oppressors will suddenly grant us our freedom, but hope in the truth that WE ourselves are strategically coalescing, organizing, and advocating our way into real liberation.” ––Fighting Forward, Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP To follow NAACP’s Trending Topics, go to: NAACP.org. To become a member or gift a membership: Adult, $30; youth, $10. Make check/money order payable to: NAACP Co-op City #2210 and Mail to: N.A.A.C.P. Co-op City, Einstein Station, P.O. Box 75-3111, Bronx, NY 10475. (Life Membership checks can be mailed in also.) We appreciate your continued support and if you would like to make a financial contribution in any amount, we thank you in advance for helping the NAACP advocate for a more just and equal America. Have a great & safe summer. ––Brenda Brown
DIVORCE - BANKRUPTCY • ABSOLUTE LOWEST FEES • EVENING APPTS. AVAILABLE • IMMEDIATE FILING
• FREE CONSULTATION • FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS
“COURTEOUS AND PROMPT SERVICE AT AN AFFORDABLE FEE”
633 Lydig Ave • Bronx, NY
1 block from Pelham Parkway & White Plains Road Accessible by #2 & #5 trains • #12, #22 & #39 buses
DAVID BRODMAN,Esq.
718.239.7110
17
St. Joseph's Episcopal Anglican Church St. Joseph's is located at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level, Co-op City, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Greetings! Due to the ongoing pandemic, St. Joseph's Church has suspended services until further notice. However, we continue to worship via teleconference on Sundays, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Father Johnson also conducts daily weekday services at 12 p.m. You are invited to participate in these services by calling 1-425-436-6344, access code: 509 898, followed by the # sign. Grace and peace. ––M. Chambers
Coalition of African-American Churches & Community Organizations Greetings to our members and friends. We hope that this message finds everyone safe and healthy. Covid-19 has prevented our organization from conducting regular meetings and events. However, we were able to sponsor a Juneteenth commemoration, via Zoom, on Saturday, June 19, in partnership with the African-American Association and the Riverbay Fund. It was a truly uplifting presentation, featuring a great performance of the life of Sojourner Truth by C. Imani Parker and vocalist Debbie Carter. We extend our deepest appreciation to them. We also thank Reva Jones, Michelle Marbury and Kevin Lambright for coordinating the event. Thanks to Congressman Jamaal Bowman, and Commander Toba LaCrown for their participation. We wish to acknowledge the participation of our youth presenters, Alliyah Carter and Malcolm Nembhard, who did a great job of reciting the history of Juneteenth and Jubilee Day. The recitations were written by Joan Murrell. It was Joan who brought the importance of recognizing the meaning of this historical occasion to Co-op City, when she wrote, produced and presented a play for the community. Juneteenth is now a national holiday in the United States. Kudos to Joan Murrell! We anxiously await her next production. We hope everyone had a safe, healthy and happy Fourth of July. ––Virginia Stewart
Broun Place Townhouse Association Hi, neighbors, Broun Place is right off the Greenway and suffers the noise of the illegal fireworks like no other cluster, except maybe Earhart Lane in Section 5. What happened to the campaign against illegal fireworks? These people must be animal haters. They certainly don’t stand for the nation’s celebration of July 4th. After one year, we are back to the movie theatre and thoroughly enjoyed, “Summer of Soul.” This is a documentary created from video found in a basement from a 1969 music festival held in Mt. Morris Park in Harlem, NYC. The festival had music artists from Gospel to Motown, Latin Jazz, plus blues and Rock and Roll. Questlove strung it together and helped produce it. Congratulations to Mr. Bernie Cylich on becoming the next Riverbay Corporation Board President and good luck to him as he faces new challenges. We welcome our new neighbors to Broun Place and sincerely hope they enjoy life in Broun Place. We look forward to their joining our townhouse association. Broun Place is proud of being number one in the tally of highest number of voters in the Riverbay Board Election. Suggestions to celebrate this great accomplishment are welcome. Juneteenth has finally become a national holiday. This wouldn’t have happened without people like Ms. Opal Lee who has been determined to get this day recognized. However, so much still needs to be done. High on the list is honest school textbooks telling history truthfully, the good, bad and ugly. Congratulations to several community organizations for organizing the Zoom celebration honoring the Juneteenth occasion. To shareholders, currently, the biggest problem is the litter. You live here, hold your bottles, masks, gloves, wrappers and containers for a pedestrian garbage pail. Curb appeal is very important. But the garbage along the curbs of Co-op City Blvd. and Bellamy Loop make our middle-income co-op look terrible. Our Grounds have become filthy and have resulted in a horrible mess on Co-op City Blvd. Co-op City has been called a disintegrating project. We are neglecting getting tough with stopping litterbugs. Something needs to be done. Here are some tips as we recover from COVID-19. If you are inoculated, outdoors, part of a small inoculated group, you can go without a mask; enter a crowded, close contact environment and wear it. Read and listen to CDC guidelines, especially regarding variants. Call restaurants to get their up-todate business guidelines. Register with the Riverbay RUOK Emergency contact programs. This is important for those living alone with a chronic condition. Information is stored confidentially, available for an emergency situation. For up-to-date information on vaccines, visit: nyc.gov/covidvaccine or call 311. The following is a help site for all your questions on COVID-19: https:// www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.Html. Neighbors, thank you for renewing your membership and joining the townhouse association. Dues are just $12 annually. Special congratulations to all our community graduates. Success and their future belongs to them. Keep dancing and better days are ahead! Wakanda forever! ––Eva Kindaichi-Lazaar
18
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Caregivers Outreach Mentorship Empowerment Protecting your loved one against financial abuse Scammers can take advantage of seniors with memory loss via telephone, e-mail, and in-person scams. Block scammers from calling. Add your parents’ home and mobile phone numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry. Sign your parents up for free credit reports. Federal law requires each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to give you a free credit report every 12 months if you ask for it. Help set up automatic payments. Work with your parents to have their utility bills, mortgage payments, and credit card payments taken care of automatically. Get a Durable Power of Attorney (POA) by talking with an Elder Law Attorney. A durable POA can act on a person’s behalf financially and legally when they are no longer able to do so. It can help people with dementia and their family avoid court actions that could remove control of a parents’ assets Con artists can be very convincing. They know how to apply pressure to get seniors to act quickly. It’s not uncommon for seniors to give their credit card information over the phone to someone pretending to be a grandchild in need. Sometimes, the person committing elder financial abuse is a family member or “friend” taking advantage of a senior’s diminishing cognitive ability. Be alert for: Strange-looking signatures on checks or legal documents, talk or evidence of unexplained money transfers, sudden changes in your parents’ will, changes to the mortgage, loans, or other major financial agreements, missing jewelry or cash, newly established lines of credit, high numbers of phone
solicitations or telemarketers, repeated calls from unknown numbers at the same times of day, written threats of extortion, non-FDA approved medical devices, unnecessary home or auto repairs such as for hail damage or driveway surfacing, unusual requests for sizeable charitable donations. If you think your parent has been the victim of a scam, you should take action quickly. You can notify the police, your state consumer protection office, and your area Agency on Aging office. Please join us for our monthly 45 mins informational session on Tuesday, July 20, 7 p.m. Do you know of a youth assisting an ill, disabled, or elderly person? Meet some youths who are making a difference. Learn about resources available for Youth Caregivers. Get information about our Youth Caregivers Initiative Program, SHARKS (Students Helping and Assisting Relatives with Knowledge and Skills). Invite a youth to attend. Please RSVP online at www. comeoutreach.org. Caregivers Outreach Mentorship Empowerment & AARP Peachtree Chapter 4997 Summer Youth Technology Intergenerational Program have provided one-on-one training to seniors and the community for the past five years. The program is held at 177 Dreiser Loop, Rm. 0, for six weeks from July to mid-August. Unfortunately, it will not take place this year. Wishing you all a pleasant and safe summer. See you all next year. C.O.M.E. is here for you. You are not alone. Contact us with any questions or concerns, 718-379-3159. ––Diane Cooper
Thank you to those who came to the Sight & Sound TV showing of “Noah.” The story always strengthens my faith in God. Seminar – July 17th at 11 a.m., the Spanish American Club and the Goose Island Seniors present Lawyers talking about Living Wills, Power of Attorney and more. All are welcome by appointment only; 60 people max. Must be vaccinated to enter Rm. 39, 135 Einstein Loop. Mask also required. Call Alfonso at 347-249-3403 for appointment. Sight & Sound TV “Ruth” – Friday, August 6. Every first Friday at 8 p.m. come and watch Sight and Sound TV. All are welcome. First 60 people only. Must be vaccinated; mask required. $5 donation per person. Resorts Casino – Thursday, August 12, in Atlantic City, NJ. Price: $40, bonus $20 slot play. Bus leaving from our three usual bus stops: 8 a.m., Einstein (pizza shop), 8:10 a.m., Asch Loop (library) and 8:20 a.m., Dreiser Loop (hardware store). Also, enjoy the beach, boardwalk and shopping. Reserve your seat, $40. Make checks to Goose Island Seniors. Trip to Villa Roma – Tuesday, September 14, 7:30 a.m., The Cameos, a Doo-Wop group featuring Joey and Doreen Arminio, luncheon and a day of fun, all for $92. A choice of entrées: pot roast, chicken Francese or fillet of Cod, all served with chef’s choice starch and vegetables; $40 deposit, your choice of entrée and your bus seat selection required when making reservations. Must show proof of vaccination. Balance due by September 1. Call: 347-847-1941. Make checks to Goose Island Seniors. Bingo – Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1:15 p.m. Admission: $5 for 3 cards, 12 games and Jackpot. Extra cards are $0.25 each, for up to three cards. Refreshments. Proof of vaccination and mask required. Temperature taken at entrance. Members only. Become a member: $20/yr. Sunday bingo. July 25. 2022, 50th Anniversary Trip to Villa Roma – Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. Doo-Wop show, luncheon and a day of fun, all for $92. For reservation, call: 347-847-1941. Make checks to Goose Island Seniors. To all members: Happy Birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of July: Carman Ponce, Iris Delgado, Regina S. Usher, Miri-
am Kravitz, Thomas Gordon, Annie Perez, Audrey Chambers, Lennox Hosein, Rosa Copeland, Craig Harrison (Motor Coach) and Richardine Sullivan. Sick and Shut-in – Edna Trujillo, we miss you and cannot wait until you return to bingo. Mary Pilla former Goose Island president, misses everyone and sends her love to all. She would love to hear from you, (718) 753-1816. Our club is at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 39, Bronx, NY 10475; phone number is (718) 379-9613. We are open. You may call (mornings) Mon. – Fri., 10 a.m. 12 p.m. (evenings); Tues. & Thurs., 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., and Mon., Wed. and Fri., 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., or call/text Stephen, (347) 847-1941. Our email address is goose. island@optonline.net. ––Stephen Roberts, Sr.
Goose Island Seniors
AARP Chapter #4997 From President Mickens: We are now officially in the Summer of 2021! Schools are closed for general education purposes, family vacations started with the July 4th weekend, summer activities are opening as of July 6th, summer jobs are being filled and the new Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is becoming more visible in all 50 states. New York State has reduced many restrictions that were in place during the pandemic and 70% of New Yorkers are now vaccinated. This is great news. However, in our community, Co-op City, we do not have 70% vaccinated and this could put us at risk for illness. From the beginning, our community leaders and administrator, have gone above and beyond to make the vaccines available to all who were eligible or desired to have the vaccine. It is now proven that the best defense against becoming seriously ill and hospitalized is to be vaccinated. We are being urged to do more due diligence and research about the vaccine, ask questions of educated medical representatives and make the decision to open your mind to change. We are meeting outside with friends and neighbors, children are attending sports activities and summer trips, like to pools and amusement parks, and mask wearing is optional in some places. Dreiser Auditorium is still open, fully staffed and accepts walk-ins on a daily basis. Children 12 and older can also get vaccinated at home. Pfizer vaccine is available at Dreiser Auditorium and if you select in-home vaccination, you may choose from the three vaccines. AARP #4997 wants to wish all readers a pleasant and enjoyable summer season. Remember to wear a mask for your own protection and the safety of others. We have concluded voting in the current elections. Due to Ranked Choice Voting, we still do not know which Democrat has won and since there have been errors made in counting, we may not know for a few more weeks than expected. AARP #4997 is now on leave for the summer and our next meeting, September 2021, will be on Zoom. Our Executive Board wishes happy and healthy summer activities for all our constituents, neighbors and members. Feel free to contact Ms. Stella Baker for new memberships/renewals. She can be reached at 718-652-2906. We sincerely look forward to as many new members as possible when we come together in September. From our Good and Welfare contact, Mrs. Frances Wilson, we have no sad news and continued prayers and blessings for those in the recovery stage of life. Mrs. Wilson can be contacted at 718-671-5493 with any updates during the summer months. I can be reached at 718-379-3742 for any questions and updates on general topics. Even though I speak a lot about the virus, I ask that you, open-mindedly, consider the pros and cons of making this very personal decision. Thank you. ––Ann Purnell
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Bartow
Arthritis Exercise Class w/ Damion every Tues., 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/ Meeting ID: 982 8183 3325; Passcode: 582148; Call in: 1-929-2056099
No Activities
Einstein
Thurs., July 15
Arts with Laura 10 a.m.-12 p.m. via Zoom and phone
(NORC) Aerobic Classes every Fri., 11 a.m.-12 p.m., https:// zoom.us/ Meeting ID: 986 8235 8691, Passcode: 849150, Mobile: 929-205-6099
MENU
Dreiser
Room 49 unless otherwise noted
Alternate Kosher Meals are also available
Room 7 unless otherwise noted
Kosher No Activities
Chair Yoga w/ Charles Tyler 10-11 a.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/, Dial-in: 1-646-876-9923, Meeting ID: 995 6534 1173, Passcode: 855423
Baked Turkey Breast Chinese style spaghetti Oriental Blend
Orange Juice Tuna Salad Wrap Pasta Salad Cucumber Salad Fresh fruit
Weight Mgt. Support Group w/Gigi – 2nd Wed. of the month, 1-2 p.m. Conference call: Orange Pineapple 929-299-1045, Passcode: 1386 Juice Virtual Game Day – Every Wed., 1-2 p.m.,w/ Mediterranean Ms. Margaret Kempe and her fellow Pay it Forward Engineers at Scarsdale HS. Different Flounder games played each week including Bingo. Cous Cous Please call 718-320-1345 to register and reSteamed green ceive Zoom information. beans Computer learning w/Ralph, Wed., 11 a.m.Whole wheat 12 p.m. To register, please call the JASA office bread with your name, email address Fresh fruit & phone number; https://zoom.us/ Dial in: 929-205-6609, Meeting ID: 936 8132 9040, Passcode: 259554
Chicken Caccciatore Orzo Steamed broccoli
No Activities Line Dance w/Ellie coming back soon! Outdoors Class
Apple Juice Tofu Stir Fry Brown Rice Stir Fry Vegetables Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit
Stewed Beef Baked Red Potato Wedges Roasted Zucchini
Acceptance Meditation with Paola Friday, July 23, 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. https://zoom.us/j/4421366695 Meeting ID: 442 136 6695 One tap mobile: 929-205-6099
Orange Pineapple Juice Cheese Blintzes Creamy Spinach Challah Bread Fresh fruit
Curried chicken salad Pasta salad Lemony cucumber & tomato salad
Arthritis Exercise Class w/ Smartphone/Tablet Class w/ Damion, every Thurs., 1-2 Ralph, 1-2 p.m. Call Main Of- p.m. Zoom meeting ID: 986 fice, 718-320-2066, to regis- 0021 6442, Passcode: 573762 ter. Please give your phone # & email address ZUMBA with Ola 1-2 p.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/ Meeting ID: 967 1196 0602 Passcode: 526096 Dial-in #: 1-929-205-6099
Non-Kosher
Apple Juice Veggie Burger Lasagna Roasted Butternut Vegetable Baby Carrots Squash, California w/Parsley Blend Vegetables Collard greens Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit
Arts with Laura, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Zumba w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., https:// via Zoom and phone zoom.us/j/99231696108, Meeting ID: 992 3169 6108, Passcode: Must call or email 503637; Call in: 1-929-205-6099 to register: 929-399-1387
Smartphone/Tablets Zoom Meeting w/Ralph, 1-2 p.m., https://zoom.us/ To register, call JASA office with your name, email address & phone #; Meeting ID: 295955247, Passcode: Bereavement Group, 1st & 3rd 259554, Dial in: 1-929-205-6609 Bodies in Motion w/ Ola, 11a.m.-12 Wednesdays of the month p.m. Zoom https://zoom.us/, Meeting 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. ID: 912 6304 7892, Passcode: 237257, One Tap Mobile: +1-929-205-6099 Must call or email to Game Day, 1-2 p.m., register: 929-399-1387 https://scarsdaleschools.zoom.us/ Meeting ID: 910 4221 6993 Passcode: 7A5RaD; Mobile: 1-929-205-6099; Passcode/password: 59849
Fri., July 16
Wed., July 14
Tues., July 13
Mon., July 12
Room 31 unless otherwise noted
19
For information, please call: (718) 320-2066
(Schedule subject to change without notice) Payments for trips @ the Bartow office can be made Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., & 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. only Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, The NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation.
Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest
ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk
*Menu subject to change without notice. Alternate Kosher Meals are also available Bartow Center (929) 399-1394 Dreiser Center (718) 320-1345 • Einstein Center (718) 671-5161
Upcoming Events
JASA Co-op City NORC Program invites you for their Upcoming Virtual Activities Staff will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer all Grab and Go questions. Bartow, please call 929-399-1394, and Einstein, 929-399-1376. Dreiser Loop Grab & Go pick-up from 12-1 p.m. Beginning Tuesday, July 13, Notary Services available by APPOINTMENT ONLY. Call 718-320-2066. Every Tues. Yoga classes with Adira Polite – 9:30-10:30 a.m. https://zoom. us/, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 984 0464 7097, Passcode: 952022. Every Wed. Arthritis Exercise/Dance class w/ Damion – 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Zoom meeting, https://zoom.us/, Meeting ID: 967 0893 1492, Passcode: 491268, Dial-in: 1-929-205-6099. Every Wed. Painting classes – 9 - 11 a.m. https://zoom.us/, Dial-in number: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 920 9563 1147, Passcode: 024057. Every Wed. Tai Chi classes w/Adira Polite – 1 a.m.-12 p.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 952 6744 7198, Password: 455576. Meditation Class, GPC (Grandparents) – 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Third Thurs. of every month, https://bit.ly/35VESDV. Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 991 1390 5105, Passcode: 170462. Emergency Preparedness Presentation – Thursday, July 8, 1 p.m. https://nycem-nyc.zoom.us/, Dial-in: 646-558-8656, Meeting ID: 835 6707 4733, Passcode: 687407.
New – Every Thurs. Tablet class w/Ralph – 2:30-3:30 p.m. https://zoom. us/, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 969 3895 8487, Passcode: 405723. Every Fri. Aerobics class w/Adira Polite – 11 a.m.-12 p.m. https://zoom. us/, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 986 8235 8691, Passcode: 849150. Every Saturday Zumba classes – 1-2 p.m. Zoom meeting, https://zoom.us/, Meeting ID: 929 2810 9097, Passcode: 374977, Dial-in: 929-205-6099. Every Sunday starting July 11 – Senior Safety Class, 1-2 p.m. Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 988 6710 0439, Passcode: 252733. JASA activities – If interested in knowing, we will email the information to you. Call 718-320-2066 and give us your email address. The New York Public Library has reopened all available branches. As of July 6, the Baychester location offers nearly full service, including general library use and seating, unlimited browsing, computer access and more. In-person programs and classes will return over the coming months. Masks are still required for all persons in NYPL locations. See you at the library! Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sun.- Closed. Learn more about our open locations and plan your visit at NYPL.org.
20
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
Church of the New Vision The Church of the New Vision and its pastors, Kenneth and Deborah Hodge, welcome you to worship with us. By the all-Sufficient Grace of God, we announce the reopening of the Church on Sunday, July 11, 2021. There will be one service at 11:00 a.m. Sunday School will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Masks are required and temperature will be taken. Welcome back. Our Wednesday Night Prayer Service and Bible Study starts at 7 p.m. on our Conference Line Number: (646) 769-9909, Access Code: 3099388. Once prayer has begun, please MUTE your phone so all can hear with clarity. As we celebrate Jesus Christ, the very demonstration of God’s Love towards humanity (John 3:16), let’s continue to be thankful and grateful. Let us as the Body of Christ remain steadfast,
immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. Our verse of focus this year is: 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: My strength is made perfect in weakness.” The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, be with you all. Amen. –Pastors Kenneth & Deborah Hodge Sunday, July 4 – Worship Service theme: “The Gift of God is Something We Must Remember” Scripture: Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:20; Genesis 2:17; Ephesians 1:2; John 1:12) Thanks for your contributions, Malachi 3:10. Mailing address: Church of New Vision, P.O. Box 75-3037, Einstein Station, Bronx, NY 10475. ––Brenda Brown
Community Protestant Church The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Owens and the Community Protestant Church family continue to lift up our community, city, state, nation and the world in prayer, especially all those affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Our regular church schedule has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the virus. However, our members and friends are invited to join us via the Telephone Conference Call Line at (712) 432-3900; at the prompt, enter access code 343284, followed by the # sign. Summer Schedule Adult Sunday School is now in session via conference call every Sunday at 9 a.m. Call (712) 4323900, access code: 343284, followed by the # sign Sunday Worship Service begins at 11 a.m. via Conference Call Line. Noon Day Prayer at CPC … On Wednesdays at 12 p.m., you are cordially invited to call in for an hour of Power, Prayer, Praise and Testimony. Last Sunday, Pastor Owens used the Benediction at the end of Jude, vv.24-25, for his scriptural text: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.” His topic was “Keeping your footing in a crumbling society.” He noted that while many feel they are doing well, the handwriting is on the wall. People lose their footing at the point of success. Remember,
Building 27 Association Hello, neighbors, things are getting somewhat better. Continue to wear your masks and respect the request of vendors and places you visit to wear the mask if asked. We pray that the children, students, parents, and school staffing will enjoy their summer. They earned it. Bronx Community Board 10 Today, Bronx Community Board 10 will provide the shredder truck in Section 5 near 120 Erskine Place in the Circle. Rain or shine. Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon. You may shred up to three 13 gallon bags of paper only. No binders or clips. Thank you, District Manager Matthew Cruz. Happy Birthday to those celebrating this month. Condolences to our Co-op City families who lost a loved one. We continue to pray for one another. Contact Lydia Rondon at 718-583-3040 to share information of illness, someone deceased or in a nursing home. Pray for the world, things are looking better. Stay prayerful and be kind, thoughtful, and thankful. There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about. –Margaret J. Wheatley ––H. Overman
all gifts and talents come from God. Jude reminded Christians that they were not to shrivel from opposition but to contend for the faith. We are living in a crumbling society. We see it everywhere: socially, economically, morally and spiritually – disturbing signs of decay and deterioration. One needs spiritual stamina. The only way we are going to keep our footing in this decaying society is through faith in God through Jesus Christ. Unless we turn to God in repentance and faith, our society is on a downward slope. God is our rock and our salvation. The scripture is the key to keeping our footing. As noted in Psalm 46:1-2, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, will not we fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Keep your hands in God’s hand. Reminder: COVID-19 vaccines are now available. Practice social distancing. Continue to wear masks. Until we meet again, Pastor Owens and our church family pray that God will be merciful unto us and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; that His way may be known upon earth, and His saving health among all nations. ––Evan G. Mitchell
Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City
Saturday morning services will start at 10 a.m. This change was made at the request of some of our members. The synagogue will be serving a hot Kiddush meal after Sabbath morning services. The requirement for wearing a mask and social distancing will be strictly enforced during all synagogue services. General Information The Traditional Synagogue located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor of Building 27B, it is handicap accessible, no steps. Phone #: 718-379-6920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. Please call the office before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message. The synagogue has Services on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. After Services, we always have a kiddush. The synagogue has a Facebook page, Traditional Synagogue. The Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City. The synagogue needs donations. Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help. The synagogue needs men to help make a minyan. There are a lot of Jewish men who live in Co-op City who do not come to services. Please come by 10 a.m. so we can take out the Torah. Sabbath ends on Saturday, July 10, at 9:20 p.m. Candle Lighting for Friday, July 16, at 8:04 p.m. Good and Welfare We sell tree certificates in honor or memory of a loved one. The cost is only $15 per tree. If you want to buy a tree, call (347) 449-5005. Mazel Tov to all having simchas. If you’re ill, wishing you good health. If you asked the Rabbi to say prayers for a sick person, you should make your donation to the synagogue. To All members Happy Birthday all members who will celebrate their birthday in July. For all those members celebrating their birthday/anniversary in July, please send me your names and I will add them to the list. Fun and Games After services and kiddush, members play games. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated. Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health. ––Bruce Gitelson
Family Owned and Operated • Large Chapel on premises
• Pre-need counseling • Out of town services
• Ample Parking on premises
• Cremations
• Casket Showroom on premises
A dignified funeral every family can afford. All areas are handicapped accessible
Amid ongoing concerns about the Coronavirus COVID-19, McCall’s Bronxwood Funeral Home is closely monitoring the latest reports from the CDC and is fully committed to providing the funeral and memorial services you expect without interruption, in a clean and hygenic environment.
Personalized & Professional Care • 55 Years Serving Our Community Worldwide Shipping including Caribbean, Africa & South America
718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours
Fax: 718-231-7665 LIVE STREAMING WORLDWIDE.
www.mccalls.net • director@mccalls.net 4035 Bronxwood Avenue, Bronx, N.Y.
Serving all cultures & faiths
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
21
Pentecostal Tabernacle The Pentecostal Tabernacle welcomes everyone to attend worship service at 100 Co-op City Blvd., Building 22A, Bronx, NY 10475. All Services are held online until further notice. Call in #: 720-740-9746, Access code: 8876631. Worship Service will be held every Sunday morning at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning prayer and fasting service start at 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Bible study and prayer meeting will also be held every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Friday night Praise and worship service starts at 7:30 p.m. Focus: The Home – A Center of Worship, Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Now these are the commandments, the statues, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2. That thou mightiest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. 5. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and, and with all thy might.
6. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Our time with our little ones is short, but we can make it really count by giving them true heroes from the Word of God. Stories read or told on their level of comprehension are usually our first building tools as we build a house of faith and worship. Home is where we learn by examples and practice to be doers of the word and not hearer only. Although we hear the word of God regularly at church, home is where the Bible is lived daily. Therefore, it is important that we teach our children at home the word of God that they will know what God requires of them. Hear, O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22; Tel. 718-324-0334. ––Rev. R. Sibblies
Co-op City Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us for Worship Service tomorrow at 11 a.m. using the following Zoom information: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9623430102, or Zoom Telephone Conference Line, (646) 568-7788, Conference ID: 962 343 0102, Password: 788175#. Tomorrow, Sunday, July 11, at our 11 a.m. service, we will celebrate Christian Education Day. We invite all to attend. Next Sunday, July 18, at our 11 a.m. service, the Pastoral Lay Shepherds' Ministry will celebrate their 11th Anniversary. We welcome all to attend. The Wednesday Noon Day Bible Study class is on hiatus for the summer and will resume on Wednesday, September 8. Thursday Prayer Warriors is on hiatus for the summer and will resume in September. Friday Prayer held at 10 a.m. will continue through the summer. You can join using the Free Conference Call.com Line: 563-999-2090, PIN #: 660065. Friday Evening Prayer is on hiatus for the summer and will resume in September.
Adult Sunday School is held at 9 a.m. and will continue in July and August using the Free Conference Call line shown above. Sunday School for children and youth is on hiatus and will resume in September. COVID-19 vaccination is available for those 12 and older. If you are a Montefiore patient, you can schedule an appointment at www.montefiore.org. Montefiore also has a COVID-19 Hotline, which can be reached at 844-4442819. Appointments are not required at the Dreiser Mega Vaccine site. Please keep each other in prayer and be wise in your decisions. Continue to wear your masks, practice social distancing and stay safe!!!! GOD will strengthen us as we travel through this storm. GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a living community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, Bible study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the church through ministry. ––Hattie L. Lucas
Open Door Ministries The Great Provider
(Full sermon at opendoorministries.net) “Aim at Heaven and you get Earth 'thrown in': aim at Earth and you will get neither.” –C. S. Lewis Luke 23:43 Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Christ here demonstrates the divine doctrine of salvation – the man could do nothing to be saved, except call on Jesus – All who call on his name will be saved. Christ provides heaven – no opportunity for baptism, to memorize scripture, to prove devotion to God. No opportunity to evangelize, to do good works, to pay tithes. His salvation was absolutely dependent on Jesus – as is ours. John 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Christ provides earth – even while dying Jesus is not negligent of his duties as first-born son. He leaves his mother in safe hands. He calls her woman, not mother, not out of any disrespect to her, but because mother would have been a cutting word to her that was already wounded to the heart with grief. – Matthew Henry Christ as a dutiful son calls on his disciple to care for his mother. He does not call on any of his brothers but on someone that he mentored and taught – Christ does not leave orphaned parents. Mark 15:34 My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Christ must suffer to provide both – Jesus gives Paradise to the repentant thief and an earthly home to his mother, yet he had no one to comfort him in his death. Christ – the man of sorrows – forsaken of God – had to suffer to deliver salvation and to teach men to love beyond themselves. He was betrayed by Judas, abandoned by his disciples, put on trial, flogged, ridiculed, mocked, humiliated, embarrassed, his clothes taken, a crown of thorns placed upon his head, and his hands and feet nailed to a cross. Many had gathered to watch, jeer, sneer, and mock. Others watched with horror as the one who had healed them, taught them, who had laughed with them, the
one who had fed them, the one who had miraculous powers to cast out demons, heal the sick, and calm the storms was taken from them. They were powerless to do anything. As Jesus neared death on the cross, God caused the world to be cast in darkness, perhaps as the shadow of God’s grief, as his only Son died. And as the world looked up and asked, “Where is the sun?” God responded, “Look up at the cross… “Where is my Son?” –Lisa Toney Contact Pastor Luis by text, 917-334-4407, or email opendoorministries.net. Blessings in Christ. ––Pastor Luis Ramos
22
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
CLASSIFIEDS 718-320-3300 x3384 • cctimes@riverbaycorp.com
Receptionist/medical assistant for Co-op City podiatry office. Exp. preferred, willing to train. Bilingual English/ Spanish. F/T, P/T. Email resume to: Lnmnwolstein@gmail.com or fax 718 671-7708. Please see page 7 for information on how to apply for employment opportunities at Riverbay Corporation. SERVICES - SERVICES - SERVICES
Breathe Easy
Grout & Carpet Cleaning Co-op City Resident Specials
Elim in Bugsate
7/31
Licensed and Bonded
20% Off Any Lock Job!
718.792.2655
Medeco • MultiLock • Wilson High Quality Labor, Low Price! 10/30
Casino Specials Atlantic City, NJ Foxwoods, CT Empire, Yonkers Resorts, Queens
Re-installation of any types of Blinds.
Repair Closet Doors and Sell New Bi-Fold Doors! Serving Co-op City for over 25 years.
Call Mike at: 718-974-1290
CLEANING SERVICES 7/31
Advertise in the Co-op City Times! Call for rates! Ads starting at $8/week! 718-320-3300 x3384
Call Wesley 212.996.7347 or 917.325.5334
NORMAN AND RUEBEN PAINTING & RESTORATION Living Room – $140 Dining Room – $90 Kitchen Small – $80 Kitchen Large – $140 Bathroom – $80
Bedroom Small – $120 Bedroom Large – $140 Hallway Small – $120 Hallway Large – $140 Foyer S $70; M $90; L $140
Professional Floor Waxing
Five coats of thermoplastic industrial high-gloss, long lasting wax, detergent resisting, non-slip, nonsmell and fast drying! Living Room – $200 Hallway Small – $125 Dining Room – $150 Hallway Large – $200 Kitchen Large – $250 Bedroom – $150
Call Norman: 917-945-4892 Call Rueben: 917-736-0114
7/10
REUPHOLSTERY
FREE VALANCE & INSTALLATION
“When you see me, You’ll know me.” Call Anytime • Seven Days A Week
9/25
Top Quality Work - Painting, Plastering, Tiles, Walls & Floors, Floor Sanding, Refinishing, Waxing.
NEW STYLE BLINDS All Colors • Vertical • Minis • Woods • 2 in. Regulars • Wash, Tape, Cord Blinds
CAR SERVICE
FATHER & SON
7/10
Also: Sanding, Sealing, Priming and Polyurethane; Removal of Carpet, Panel Glue, Wallpaper Paste and Grease.
HIGH SECURITY LOCKS
Fully Insured
Toll Free: 855-369-9936 ExecutiveExoticLimo.com ExecutiveSecurityProtection.com
7/24
One Coat – You Supply the Paint – 2nd Coat 1/2 price if needed
FAMILY LOCKSMITH AND BLINDS
Family Owned & Operated Since 1954 NYC License #1233497
• Basic Cleaning $100 • Deep Cleaning $150 • Non-Medical Senior Care $90 • 4 Hour Min. + 8.88% tax • Bonded • 7 Days • Cash, Pay-Pal www.spoonercleaning.com 11/27 (718) 320-5112
• ALL HANDYMAN SERVICES • RANGE HOODS We BEAT • VERTICAL & MINI BLINDS • LIGHT FIXTURES Any • SINK VANITIES • KITCHEN CABINETS • SPACE SAVERS • CABINET REFACING Quote! • MATCHING HAMPERS • COUNTERTOPS • BATHTUB ENCLOSURES • CUSTOM CLOSET MIRROR DOORS • CLIP-ON MIRROR FRAMES • CUSTOM WALL MIRRORS
LOCKSMITH
• Stoves • Washers • Dryers •Lamps • Dishwashers • Refrigerators • Bags • Hoses • Belts • Vacuum Cleaners
DOMESTIC SERVICE
CO-OP SALES - JASON LASH
Don’t Pay More At Your Local Hardware Store!
• All Makes & Models
2951 Middletown Road, Bronx, NY 10461 (Near Pelham Bay Station)
Cassandra Watson-Gabbidon, Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. Website: www.marykay.com/cwatson-gabbidon. Phone: 954-861-0475. Mention this ad when you call.
PAINTING
www.co-opsales.info
L & L APPLIANCE REPAIR
SPOONER
1-800-479-2667
Vertical, Mini, Wood, Pleats
Emergency Service
•Proms •Sports Events •Weddings •Funerals •Tours •Sweet 16 •Special Occasions •Airports •Casinos Office: 212-531-3792 Mobile: 917-560-6838
8/21
CO-OP SALES BLINDS!
APPLIANCE REPAIR
Executive Exotic Limo
JB Ryan Computer Repair & Upgrade
Repair – Upgrade – Data Recovery – Virus Removal – Laptop Overheats – Cracked Screen – Broken Power Jack – Transfer your cassette tape music to CDs. Call James 646-281-4475, 718-324-4332.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HELP WANTED
MARY KAY CONSULTANT
COMPUTER CONSULTANT, SALES & REPAIR
REUPHOLSTERING 718.881.7691
Custom Craftsmen – 40 yrs. experience. Sofas & Chairs upholstered; Slipcovers - Fabric & Plastic; Kitchen Chairs - $8.99 & up. Caning; Venetian Blinds; Drapes - Custom made, Refinishing, Touch Up & Polishing of Furniture.
STYLISH DECORATORS 7/31
3314 White Plains Rd., Bronx, NY 10467
CLASSIFIEDS
718-320-3300 x3384 • cctimes@riverbaycorp.com
Distribution of unsolicited advertisements in Co-op City
WHISTLEBLOWER ANONYMOUS HOTLINE
Co-op City is private property and therefore prohibits distribution of unsolicited advertising material to shareholders’ homes and/ or property, including cars parked in the development’s eight garages. If you witness anyone depositing or distributing advertising material on Co-op City’s property, please call Public Safety at (718) 671-3050. Be prepared to give the location and description of the person(s) leaving the material. All unwanted, unsolicited advertising material should be disposed of properly and not thrown on the ground causing litter. Thank you for your cooperation.
7/31
If you have knowledge or a concern of possible violations of law, accounting irregularities, or other suspected wrongdoing affecting Riverbay, you are encouraged to report it to law enforcement, or you may report it through an anonymous hotline by the following methods: Go to an independent website, www.lighthouse-services/riverbaycorp, to complete an online disclosure form; Call the following independent third party whistleblower hotline at 1-833-290-0009 (English); or 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish); Send an e-mail to: reports@lighthouse-services.com (the email must include “Riverbay” in the subject); or Send a fax to (215) 689-3885 (the fax must include “Riverbay” in the subject of the report).
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021 23
Public Safety
(Continued from page 7)
other in the hallway or in the street. Maintain social distancing and follow the current recommendations from New York City Board of Health and the CDC. Co-op City strives to accommodate all persons. Avoid getting into confrontations with neighbors regarding the wearing of masks or vaccination status. Be responsible for yourself, your family and your guests. Although Covid-19 rates are decreasing throughout the city and state, it is still important to take steps to keep yourself and your family safe. Our actions in the coming weeks and months will determine the future impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world. Taking precautions now will decrease the lasting effects of the pandemic. Getting a vaccination or wearing a mask is a good idea if your doctor recommends it. Both New York State and the CDC announced changes to the mask wearing mandates. Unvaccinated persons are still required to wear masks in many situations, especially indoors and crowded areas. Vaccinated persons are still required to wear masks in certain situations. Check the NYS Health website and the CDC website for the latest updates. Contact your doctor and see if a Covid-19 vaccination is right for you. When in doubt, wear a mask especially indoors when social distancing is not possible. Do not forget about hand washing, the use of hand sanitizer and not touching your face. Good health practices are always good at preventing illness of all types. Be a good cooperator and be Co-op City Strong.
If You See Something, Say Something!
Working Together To Keep Co-op City Safe! • Report any unusual or suspicious persons or activity to CCPD. • Do not allow strangers access to your building by holding the door. • Be aware of work being done in your building and when contractors are allowed to be on the premises. • Never leave your car or apartment door unlocked. • Do not leave packages or electronics in your car where they are visible. • Remember: You can make anonymous calls to CCPD.
Emergency: 718-671-3050 or 9-1-1 Non-Emergency: 718-320-3330 www.ccpd.us • @CCPDnyc
Fire safety Co-op City buildings are fire-proof. If there is a fire, stay inside your apartment unless instructed to do otherwise by fire personnel. To keep smoke out, use towels and masking tape and open windows only if the fire is above you since smoke rises. You may also go out onto your balcony, if it is safe to do so, until help comes. If the fire is inside your apartment, leave immediately, and alert your neighbors. Close the door behind you but do not lock it. Call 9-1-1 immediately. Co-op City shareholders are mailed their fire safety plan at the beginning of each year, per city code. Please read this information and be prepared. Also, discuss fire safety and meeting points with your family members in the event you have to evacuate.
COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES
Face Covering
Eye Covering
Face Shield
Gloves
All face coverings and other personal protective equipment must be properly stored and discarded.
“Move your ladder to avoid reaching”
24
Co-op City Times / July 10, 2021
(718)994-9600 3525 CONNER ST | BRONX, NY 10475 www.co-opcitytire.com Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm
BE READY FOR SUMMER ROAD TRIPS!
Need A/C Service?
SUMMER CAR CARE SPECIAL
WE CAN HELP YOU KEEP
YOUR COOL!
49
$
95
Shopping for Tires?
Great Deals Available on Top Brands Such as Goodyear & MICHELIN
Lube, oil change & new filter (up to 5 quarts major brand oil)
Top off fluids under the hood Complete tire rotation Adjust tire pressure to manufacturer’s specs Check tread depth on all 4 tires Inspect brake pads
5
We Perform All These Automotive Services Axle, CV Joint & Mufflers & Exhaust Driveshaft Repair Nitrogen Inflation Belts & Hoses Preventive Maintenance Brake Repair Starting, Charging & Batteries Climate Control Systems Steering & Suspension Systems Cooling System Repair Tire Pressure Diesel Engine Repair Monitoring System Differential Repair Tire Services Electrical Systems Transmission Repair Engine Diagnostics Wheel Alignment Four Wheel DriveSystem Wheel Services Lube, Oil & Filter Vehicle Inspection
10
$ OFF
Most cars & light trucks. No other discounts apply. Must present coupon to get this price. Vehicles requiring synthetic or diesel oil & filter may be extra. Additional charge for shop supplies and disposal fee may be added. Offer expires 8/31/2021.
$
REGULAR PRICE
OFF
REGULAR PRICE
FRONT DISC
ANY OIL CHANGE
BRAKE SPECIAL FREE BRAKE CHECK WITH COUPON
Most cars & light trucks. No other discounts apply. Must present coupon to get this price. Vehicles requiring synthetic or diesel oil & filter may be extra. Additional charge for shop supplies and disposal fee may be added. Offer expires 8/31/2021.
Most cars & light trucks. No other discounts apply. Must present coupon to get this price. Offer expires 8/31/2021.
Stop In Now For Great Tire & Service Offers!
Cohen’s Gentle Dental 100 Alcott Place 718-585-4400 Bronx, NY 10475 COME IN AND EXPERIENCE NATURAL TOOTH RESTORATION & VENEERS
$100
New Patient Special!
Check-up • X Rays • Cleaning Expires 12/2021
SAME DAY DENTURES
WE SPEAK ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
$999
WITH THIS AD COHEN’S GENTLE DENTAL WHY PAY $1500 ELSEWHERE?
REGULARLY $1800
NOW
$1500
Expires 12/2021
PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE.
DENTAL CROWNS
SINGLE IMPLANTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES!
VALPLAST FLEXIBLE PARTIALS REGULARLY $2000
NOW
$1800
Expires 12/2021
No More Slipping, Sliding, Dentures That Don’t Fit!
4 IMPLANTS OVERDENTURE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES!
Additional Locations: 2169 White Plains Road, Bronx, NY 10462 718-597-6314
1 East Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10468 718-365-0990
183 West 231 Street, Bronx, NY 10463 718-543-1123