Office of Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez 

  

 Upcoming Events and Opportunities!

 

For All updates on Snow Storm Hercules or to seek storm related services, please visit: http://www1.nyc.gov/311/index.page 

 

Highbridge Park Snow Day!

Join NYC Dept. of Parks and Rec. as well as Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, State Senator Adriano Espaillat and Assembly Member Rosa for a fun filled day of snow activities and hot chocolate in Highbridge Park! NYC Parks will have a number of organized activities such as snow person making, supervised snowball fights, snow angel contests and will provide sleds for a day of fun Uptown. This is a great opportunity to check out and get familiar with one of our great parks, currently undergoing a number of improvements with more to come! There will also be complimentary hot chocolate for all who come out and participate! See here for details: http://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/snow-days 

 

Council Member Rodriguez's Office is Collecting Food for Needy Families:

In partnership with City Harvest, we will be holding a food drive for the many families who face the hardship of food insecurity during the winter months. Please help out with anything you can in the way of non-perishable foods. They can be dropped off from 9am-5pm during the work week, or 10am-8pm on Wednesdays. Our office is located at 618 W. 177th St. (Corner of 177 and Wadsworth). Thank you. 
 
New York State Unclaimed Funds
On Wednesday, January 8th, from 10:30-2:30, representatives from NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office will be present to help residents from Northern Manhattan find out if any of the over $12.5 billion in unclaimed funds belongs to them. 50% of all claims are under $100 so come find out if you have any outstanding claims.
 
FREE Computer Classes at the NYPL: at the Inwood Branch Library, 4790 Broadway, near Dyckman Street. Thursdays in January, from 3:00pm-5:00pm. Subjects include App/Vice (Jan. 9th), Cell phone buying guide/basics (Jan 16th), Exploring websites for 50+ (Jan 23rd) and FaceBook Basics (Jan 30th). All classes include hands-on computer training. RSVP strongly encouraged as classes are limited to 15 people. For more information call 212-942-2445 or visit http://www.nypl.org/locations/Inwood.
 
 NYPD Coat & Food Drive: The 34th Precinct is a designated site for the 25th Annual New York Care's Coat Drive, running through February 7th 2014. Anyone can drop off coats at the Precinct any time during the day. (Anyone is in need of a coat can call the Coat Drive Hotline: 646-801-4022.)  The 34th Precinct also is a designated site for this year's City Harvest Food Drive, running through January 10th, 2014. Anyone can drop off food items at the 34th Precinct any time during the day; the most helpful items are canned fruit, canned vegetables, peanut butter (plastic jars), packaged mac-and-cheese, packaged hot or cold cereals. The 34th Precinct is located at 4295 Broadway near W. 184th St. If you have any questions, please call the 34th Precinct Community Affairs office at 212-927-0576 or 212-927-0287.

 

SAVE THE DATE: Hearing on DoE's Capital Budget: The District 6 Community Education Council invites you to a public hearing on the Department of Education's Capital Budget Plan Amendment. Principals, teachers and parents will provide updated information on school overcrowding; the lack of science, art music and physical education rooms; and the need for repair/replacement/upgrade of electrical wiring, HVAC, plumbing, and school yards/playgrounds. Monday, January 6th; PS 48, Michael J. Buczek School, 4th Floor. Come and mobilize our community for adequate school funding!

 

Rally to Ban Fracking: Three Parks Independent Democrats, Food and Water Watch, New Yorkers Against Fracking, and environmental advocates are calling for a statewide ban on fracking and a transition to renewable energy. Wednesday, January 8th at 11:30am, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY. Click here for bus tickets.

 

Housing Workshop on Harassment: Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Goddard Riverside's SRO Law Project, and The Urban Justice Center host a monthly housing clinic. There will be a presentation, followed by a question and answer session, and an opportunity to meet with a staff attorney to provide free, bilingual legal advice on specific issues. The event is free and open to the public. At the Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Avenue (between W. 88th & W. 89th Streets), Monday, January 8th from 6pm to 8pm. For more info, call the Urban Justice Center at (646) 459-3017.

 

Intermarried, an exhibition of photographs: 

Yael Ben-Zion considered the meaning of "normal life" in her homeland of Israel, Ben-Zion now fixes her camera on another personal yet politically charged theme: intermarriage. She invited Washington Heights couples that define themselves as "mixed" to participate, leaving the definition of intermarriage open to the interpretation of the respondents. On View: January 8th - February 2nd at Boricua College's La Galleria, 3755 Broadway (@ W. 155th St.). Gallery Hours: Monday -Friday, 10am-6pm. Artist reception and book signing: January 17th, 6pm-8pm. Closing reception and artist talk moderated by the curator: February 3rd, 6pm-8pm.

 

Treecycle / MulchFest in January! 

Once again, the NYC Parks will host the annual MulchFest the second weekend in January at locations citywide. Bring your holiday tree to one of over 80 designated parks to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city or your own garden! This year, be one of thousands of New York households to help the environment and the community by bringing your tree to our nearest collection site. There will be 36 chipping sites and 45 drop-off sites throughout the five boroughs. Free mulch available at the chipping sites! And this year, you can bring your tree to a drop-off site beginning Saturday, January 4th, through the 12th. The Department of Sanitation also will be having special curbside collections beginning December 30th. Remember to remove all lights and decorations before dropping off your tree. MulchFest drop-off sites in our district include Bennett, Highbridge, Inwood Hill, J. Hood Wrights and Jackie Robinson Parks. Chipping locations include Morningside and Sherman Creek Parks. Saturday, January 11th & Sunday, January 12th, 10am-2pm. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov and search for "MulchFest 2014."

 

Second annual "Mitzvah" Day: 

 Two uptown congregations, Beth Am, The People's Temple and the Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights are organizing various community service projects, including making brown bagged lunches for Inwood's Love Kitchen, making get-well cards for kids at NY Presbyterian's Children's Hospital, writing letters with Amnesty International to support prisoners of conscience, assembling toiletry kits for homeless LGBT youth, and knitting/crocheting scarves and hats for homeless LGBT youth. 551 Ft. Washington Ave. @ W. 185th St., Sunday January 12th, 10am-2pm. (If you'd like some yarn and a hook or needles to get started on a hat or scarf, please call 212-568-8304.) 

 

 

The Muppets Are Coming, the Muppets are coming!! The United Palace Theatre screens "the Muppets Take New York" as its first in a monthly (through June) series of classic New York movies that kicks off our "Sunday Movies at the Palace with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel introduces the film with a special "Muppalicious" presentation; the movie will be followed by a raffle. Sunday, January 12th at 3:30pm (doors open at 3; film rolls at 4) at the United Palace, 4140 Broadway at W. 175th St. Tickets are $10 online; $14 at the box office, $5 for kids <12.

 

Free English Classes through the New York Public Library: The New York Public Library is beginning a new session of English classes in January. Choose from 28 locations in Manhattan, the Bronx & Staten Island, including the Harlem, Inwood & Riverside Branch Libraries. New students MUST come to an informational session first. The closest one to our district is the Harlem Branch NYPL at 9 W. 124th St. There are two sessions, both on Wednesday, January 15th, at 1pm sharp and at 6pm, sharp. Space is limited; you must pre-register. For more information, visit www.nypl.org/english or call 212-369-2714.

 

What can New Yorkers expect if high-volume hydrofracking is permitted here? This forum, organized by the Sane Energy Project and moderated by Prof. Anthony Ingraffea, will include presentations by Chip Northrup, Brian Brock, Jerry Acton, Lou Allstadt, and is co-sponsored by Senator Espaillat. Thursday, January 16th from 6:30pm-9pm (doors open at 6pm) at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street. Suggested donation of $5-10. RSVP on Facebook for additional information.

 

***NEWS, INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES & ONGOING EVENTS***

 

Uptown Games: Sen. Espaillat, in partnership with Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Assembly Member Gabriela Rosa, the Armory Track & Field Center and the New York Road Runners, is pleased to announce the date for this season's UPTOWN GAMES, a day of FREE fun and fitness at the Armory for elementary- and middle-school aged children. ***SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, March 29, 2014*** If you can't wait 'til then, there are many meets and events upcoming at the Armory; including. 

  • 1/06 - Armory Middle School Championships
  • 12/17 - Armory Youth Classic
  • 3/09 - Armory Youth Championships

 For more information about the Armory's programs, visit http://www.armorytrack.com/Calendar/Armory, email tfulton@armorytrack.com, or call 212-923-1803.

 

Arts Stroll Poster Contest Deadline **EXTENDED**: Show us what will make the 11th Stroll a special one. NEW deadline: Friday, January 10th @ 5pm. For more information go to: http://www.nomaanyc.org/2013/11/call-for-submissions-2014-uptown-arts-stroll-poster-contest/.