Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/city-island-rising-holds-teacher-appreciation-event/
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, City Island Rising partnered with Clipper Coffee and provided the teachers of PS 175 with free coffee, bagels and pastries Tuesday morning.
Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/cb-10-and-city-island-residents-want-flooding-in-pb-park-fixed/
For years flooding has plagued roadways in Pelham Bay Park, yet still the Department of Transportation has not fixed the streets.
In early 2020 before the pandemic arrived, John Doyle, president of City Island Rising, testified at an open senate hearing in the state budget about flooding on numerous roads in Pelham Bay Park and City Island. While he understands COVID-19 has wreaked havoc, this was not the first time this issue was dressed.
Three years ago, several City Island residents sent a letter to the DOT, Parks and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) addressing their concerns about the flooding. The roads referenced were: the on/off ramps off of the Hutchinson River Parkway (Exit 5) and Shore Road, City Island Road and Shore Road, Park Drive between Orchard Beach Road and City Island Road and City Island Road between Shore Road and Rodman’s Neck Circle.
“In recent years, a great deal of attention has focused on the condition and irrigation of Shore Road within Pelham Bay Park however there are also many additional drainage problems within the Park that have yet to be addressed,” they said in the letter in 2018. “These problems create dangerous roadway conditions from hydroplaning in more temperate months to dangerous ice conditions during the winter season that can lead to deadly automobile crashes. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see large and potentially perilous pools of water along the roadway after even minor rainfall.”
The entrance to Orchard Beach at Park Drive between Orchard Beach Road and City Island Road has become such a hazard that Doyle has dubbed it “Lake Orchard.” He noted that it floods often and to “fix” it the city puts cones around the water.
Will it take an accident for the city to take action, he said. This is unacceptable.
Like many things in the Bronx, this feels like something that would not be ignored in other boroughs, he stressed. In the winter the potholes get worse as they freeze over.
Doyle pointed out that the flooding must be fixed as City Island and Pelham Bay Park are listed as Zone 1 Evacuation Zones by NYC Emergency Management, which indicate both areas are at high risk in a natural disaster.
“These kinds of conditions would never be tolerated in Manhattan,” he said. “I think the roadway is poorly constructed.”
District Manager of Community Board 10 Matt Cruz shares his sentiments. Cruz said the DOT had a site visit for “Lake Orchard” in September, yet nothing has been done.
Cruz explained that typically DOT says they lack funding for this project and it would take years to repair.
“We definitely want to see it fixed,” he said. “Ponding issues are prevalent throughout the district. It seems like the city never wants to dedicate resources to it.”
A DOT spokesman said it has completed a few interim repairs of potholes and roadway defects, however a long-term solution for this flooded roadway will need to be coordinated with its partner agencies, Parks and DEP.
Original: https://bronx.news12.com/city-island-chef-non-profit-donate-christmas-meals-to-community
Dec 25, 2020, 10:05pmUpdated on Dec 25, 2020
By: News 12 Staff
A City Island chef and a non profit worked together to get over 100 meals to those in need on Christmas.
Chef Alex Pertsovsky has owned Archie’s Tap and Table for more than five years.
On friday, he and his family came together to lend a hand to others
He gave away more than a hundred meals with everything from black beans and pork to mac and cheese and banana bread.
Pertsovsky says that helping others is actually helping him through the pandemic.
“Running a restaurant is really difficult at the moment and I wanted to do something that not only was positive for other people but it felt rewarding,” he says.
The chef partnered with nonprofit ‘City Island Rising’ to get more food to more people.
Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/photos-city-island-rising-holds-community-cleanup/
On Saturday, Sept. 26, civic group City Island Rising held a cleanup along City Island Avenue. See photos from the cleanup below.
In 2019 the New York City Department of Transportation approved a speed camera installation for P.S. 175 on City Island and this summer, the agency installed the new safety measure.
Civic group City Island Rising along with elected officials Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto pushed for the camera to be placed in the school zone.
“This is one potential source to curb speeding,” said City Island Rising President John Doyle. “We’re looking to improve pedestrian safety.”
Residents spoke with the Bronx Times about the need for the camera in front of the school. P.S. 175 Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President Kevin Fisher felt that it will benefit the community.
“I am appreciative of the efforts of City Island Rising and Mr. Doyle, as traffic and speeding along City Island Avenue has been dangerous for locals and visitors alike,” Fisher said.
Fisher recalled a close call with people racing through a red light at the school to get to a nearby marina, narrowly missing neighborhood kids.
While the camera has only been installed for a little more than two months, Fisher hopes once the pandemic ends and life resumes, people will be able to fully experience its benefits.
“Irresponsible and reckless driving has nothing but downside effects,” Fisher stated. “City Island can be a great place to visit local shops, great dining and escape from the day to day pressures, but it is also a living, working community. We need to keep everyone safe. Rushing through the neighborhood isn’t good for anyone.”
With a child who attends the second grade at P.S. 175, the camera made Fisher feel more at ease. Speeding itself is dangerous, but in front of a school, one would think people would slow down, he said.
While he isn’t a fan of a “robotic police state,” he would like to see how it works in the long run.
Beverly Jones, who has an 8-year-old son and lives a block and a half from the school, felt better knowing that there is a speed camera in front of the school. She said that hopefully, the camera actually gets people to slow down.
She has seen numerous cars fly past the school without any regard for people. Like Fisher, Jones realized it will take time to see if it really will bring change.
“It shouldn’t be so scary to cross the street for kids and family,” she said. “I think the speed camera really will help.”
Black Lives Matter protest on City Island (Ron Terner)
by John Doyle
Now that the non-existent dust has settled from the great “City Island ANTIFA riot of 2020”, the time for self-reflection is upon us. Whether or not you agree with the purpose of the #BlackLivesMatter protest or like the organizer(s) is not the issue. The fact is no one can be proud of the state of panic that beset our quaint nautical community in the week preceding this peaceful demonstration.
While I can certainly understand some level of concern, anyone who took eighth-grade social studies with Mr. McConnell should be familiar that the right to peacefully protest isn’t subject to a popularity contest. All people could have asked for is that the event would be safe and peaceful. It was quickly announced that the 45 Precinct was coordinating with the protest organizers and thus safety concerns were seemingly addressed. Yet for some reason, threats, scare tactics, division and paranoia ran high for days. Why?
It’s worth noting that nearly every year, our Island gets worked into a frenzy over an event that ultimately turns out to be a nothing burger. Remember the “J.Lo concert/invasion of 2014”? Or howa bout the nasty rumor that “Dan Treiber was going to open up the beaches!” that was coincidentally started right around the time of the Civic elections? Much of this anxiety is fueled and driven by folks who call themselves “leaders” of our community, yet their behavior over all three incidents and consistently throughout these times has been less than stellar. Each and every time a rumor campaign starts, usually with some sort of racial undertone, and quickly takes to social media. Lies are often repeated as if its gospel, the evidence is either in short supply or non-existent, and in the emotional whirlwind of the “debate” being the loudest voice in the room often trumps being right. We are told we must “act now!” or our Island will be put into “REAL DANGER!”. The event occurs and nothing happens. City Islanders quickly forget the incident. End scene and repeat. I found the whole experience eerily reminiscent of how President Trump used the immigrant “caravan” before the 2018 midterm elections that strangely disappeared as a pressing issue after Election Day.
The time has come for City Island to rise above this behavior. Leaders have to act with a sense of purpose to bring unity, rarely did I hear in the days leading up to this event: “While I may not agree with this protest, it is their right to do so. All I ask is that the event is safe”. Also, how many people were spreading rumors that they merely heard without checking with the source or someone who can answer their concerns in an official capacity? How many picked up the phone to call our elected officials (who were there), the police or the community board? Surely that would have been more productive than spreading unsubstantiated gossip for six days. Ultimately and for our own collective sanity, I must ask if people have continually supplied you with misinformation, why are you still listening to them? We still live in a great community, I was privileged to have grown up here and like many, I have chosen to return here in my adult years. That being said, there are times we fail to live up to this greatness, and the response to this protest was one of those times. Now that this nonsense is behind us, let’s use this experience as a teachable moment and move onward and upwards in a new direction for the good of all City Islanders
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WEEKDAY MAGAZINE – City Island Protests – This Is The Bronx
Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/city-island-rising-announces-two-upcoming-virtual-meetings/
By Jason Cohen Posted on May 8, 2020
As of May 6, 114 residents in City Island have tested positive for COVID-19 and in total, 364 have been tested to date.
This means 31.4 percent of those who have been tested were positive, which is relatively low compared to data about surrounding areas. It has already been reported that the most tested zip code per capita is 10464, which includes City Island and Pelham Bay.
A silver lining to this pandemic has been neighbors in the area who have been supporting one another.
“I see it every time I’m out on the Avenue, from people supporting our small businesses to delivering meals to our seniors in Pilot Cove,” said City Island Rising President John Doyle. “We must continue to keep that sense of community alive in the weeks ahead.”
In an effort to bring the community together, there will be a virtual meeting May 14, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will be held via Zoom, at https://bit.ly/CIRisingMay2020Meeting. There is also a call in number on the flyer as well.
There will also be a virtual meeting about the budget and the climate crisis. On May 18, it is hosting a town hall called “COVID-19 and the Climate Crisis” with NY Renews, Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. The meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and all those interested can RSVP here.
Additionally, after being passed over in the city’s masked distribution locations, the officials reached out to Mayor de Blasio’s office and there are now hundreds of face masks for the group to distribute on City Island.
Feel free to email City Island Rising at cityislandrising@gmail.com,by sending a message on its Facebook or Twitter platforms or calling 917-765-7968.
Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/45058-2/
A non-profit environmental group is working with City Island to curb flooding by having citizens document images to help professionals identify the problem areas.
On Thursday, March 12, Helen Cheng of the Community Flood Watch Project, which is part of the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay- New York Sea Grant spoke at the City Island Rising meeting about the work her organization is doing to benefit City Island.
“We are trying to utilize your knowledge,” Cheng said to the attendees. “You guys are here 24/7 and know where those hot spots are.”
The project uses citizen science to report flooding events in the Jamaica Bay watershed. By using photographs and reports collected by community members, researchers can visualize how high tides might look in the future due to sea level rise, as well as improve the science and computer models of flooding.
Cheng explained that flooding doesn’t just occur during a storm, but can take place on a beautiful clear blue and sunny day or due to tides or offshore winds. She said that since most people today have smart phones, capturing the flooding should be easy.
“We know that climate change is here and one of the aspects of climate change is sea level rising,” Cheng stated.
According to the New York Sea Grant, the national annual frequency of high tide flooding reached five days in 2018, tying a historic record set in 2015 and by 2030, long-term projections show a national frequency of seven to 14 days of high tide flooding.
The partnership with City Island Rising began in December and they are slowly collecting data and determining what parts of the community need help.
“We’ve been able to see some of the City Island photos through the help of John Doyle, the president of City Island Rising and everyone else and help them verify their numbers if it’s related to a storm,” Cheng said.
She noted the documentation has helped the national weather service as well.
“It’s really exciting to see their work getting used,” she said. “It’s really a great exchange between scientist experts and the community.”
Cheng also praised the members of City Island Rising.
“The project is really growing and wouldn’t have been possible without working with community partners like City Island Rising,” she commented. “The more people that we recruit and participate the more robust information we find out there.”
Doyle noted that communities that have-well documented information of where flooding takes place would likely receive more funding than those who don’t.
“Having everybody become data collectors and using our friends in the media here is going to be a tremendous source,” Doyle said. “We will be documenting these things day in, and day out. Knowing who the real smart people are and bringing them the documentation makes it really well represented when this goes forward. This is a tremendous partnership for advocacy.”
Original: https://www.bxtimes.com/biaggi-and-actviists-discuss-polluted-long-island-sound/
A group of activists recently got together with elected officials to discuss the heavily polluted Hutchinson River, which flows into City Island and the Bronx.
On Thursday, February 19, Senator Alessandra Biaggi held a meeting with Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, the Hutchinson River Restoration Project, City Island Oyster Reef Project, City Island Rising and Save the Sound to talk about the Hutchinson River that flows into Pelham Bay Park and identity solutions.
In June 2018 the federal government sued Mount Vernon for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act by failing to comply with environmental rules meant to stop raw sewage from polluting local waterways.
Patterson-Howard, who began his term in January, is quickly addressing the pollution problem. The senator expressed gratitude that Patterson-Howard held the meeting.
“My constituents from civic and environmental groups on City Island, with an interest in protecting Eastchester Bay, the Long Island Sound and other waterways, expressed concerns about sewage spillage from Mount Vernon into the Hutchinson River and Eastchester Bay,” the senator said.
Biaggi explained that Mount Vernon’s aging sewer infrastructure and residential pollution in the Bronx and surrounding areas are contributing factors to the pollution of the Eastchester Bay. Patterson-Howard stressed that Mount Vernon is committed to taking all possible measures to repair the city’s aging infrastructure and welcomes support for the city’s efforts.
Biaggi told the Bronx Times that the consensus at the meeting was that the concerned parties would like to see an ongoing line of communication between her, Patterson-Howard and City Island residents so that everyone is able to share information and resources.
Looking to the future, Patterson-Howard is meeting with the Mount Vernon Public Works Department and reaching out to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The Mount Vernon Law Department is also continuing to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding the ongoing federal lawsuit.
City Island Rising members John Doyle and David Diaz attended the meeting. Both stressed how concerned they are about the water pollution and while the problem originates in Mount Vernon, it affects their community.
Doyle feels the meeting was productive and everyone left in agreement.
“Everyone kind of agreed something must be done,” Doyle said. “The water quality affects us all. We have to step up and do better. People don’t want to look out and see their water is polluted.”
Diaz echoed Doyle’s sentiments. He noted that companies that dump chemicals into the water are a huge part of the problem.
“This is an issue that we have been dealing with for some time,” Diaz said. “It really hasn’t gotten any better. The Hutchinson River is just so bad. The pollution has to stop. There’s got to be a better way to facilitate the waste.”
Original: https://brooklyn.news12.com/heavy-rain-leads-to-flooding-in-city-island-41611294
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Black Lives Matter protest on City Island (Ron Terner)