October News: Vote Big Money Out of Politics, Ribbon Cutting on Pre-K Seats, Esplanade

As we settle into the school year and those who observed wrap up the Jewish High Holidays, we have a lot to look forward to and a lot to get done together.

On Tuesday, November 6, please turn over your ballot to vote yes to get big money out of New York City politics, along with resources and term limits for Community Boards. Pledge to vote at BenKallos.com/charter/pledge.

In September, we cut the ribbon on a new stretch of the East River Esplanade and hundreds of school seats at two new pre-kindergarten centers. As part of an effort to avoid another shortfall on school seats, legislation I authored passed the City Council to add necessary transparency to the school planning process. With school buses going missing for hours and our city's children along with them, I've introduced legislation to allow parents to keep track of their kids on the bus. You can testify at the bill's hearing on October 16.

Please join us in October at the Senior Health Fair with no-cost flu shots, the College Affordability and Excelsior Scholarship Event, Drag Queen Story Hour, and the rollout of Community Policing on the Upper East Side. Celebrate Halloween at Asphalt Green, on East 91st Street, on Roosevelt Island, or at the Halloween Howl.

Make your voice heard as we Rally Against Overdevelopment or propose your idea to reduce tax assessments at the Property Tax Reform Commission.

You've got every opportunity this month to participate in your government and make your voice heard.

Sincerely,

Ben Kallos
Council Member

SPECIAL EVENTS

Senior Health Fair
10/10, 11am–1pm

College Affordability
10/11, 5:30pm–7:30pm

Community Policing Meet and Greet
10/15, 7pm

Drag Queen Story Hour
10/27, 11am–12pm

MONTHLY EVENTS

First Friday
10/5, 8am–10am

Fresh Food Box
10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25; 3:30pm–6:30pm

Citi Bike Street Skills
10/25, 6:30pm–8pm

Mobile District Hours
10/9, 10/24, 11am–2pm

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vote to Get Big Money Out of Politics
East River Esplanade from 70th to 72nd Streets Complete
New Universal Pre-Kindergarten Ribbon Cuttings
Planning for More School Seats: Legislation Passes Council
Finding School Buses with Precious Passengers

OCTOBER EVENT INVITES

Senior Health Fair
College Affordability Event
Drag Queen Story Hour
Community Policing Coming to Upper East Side
Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit
Halloween Fun

OVERDEVELOPMENT

ERFA Town Hall
Citywide Joint Operated Playground Issue Hits Home
Citywide Rally Against Overdevelopment

GOOD GOVERNMENT

Property Tax Reform Hearing
Fighting to Improve Quality of Life for Tenants of Kushner Properties
Digitize Our Past

ECONOMY

Safe Staffing of Nurses in Our Hospitals
Supporting 10 Commercial Office Cleaners On Strike
Labor Day Parade
Construction Deaths Continue to Rise in New York City

TRANSPORTATION

Closing the Second Avenue Bike Lane Gap
Bike New York After School Program
East 72nd Street Delivery Bike Report Card: Summer 2018

PARKS

Grading Progress on the Esplanade
Touring Every Park in the District with Council Parks Committee Chair
Environmental Stewardship Day at Ruppert Park
Green Park Gardeners Volunteer Day
Thank You for Coming to September Greenmarket Events

COMMUNITY

Honoring Madeleine Albright and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association for 125 Years of Service
Honoring Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan
Town Hall Video and Thank You
Emergency Preparedness Thank You
Help the Homeless
Upcoming Pipe Work at Lexington Houses
Work Notice: East 87th Street Between Lexington & 3rd Avenues
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Medicare Part D Clinic Is Here
Friends of the Upper East Side Book Launch

OFFICE UPDATES

Legislative Corner
Fresh Food Box
Free Legal Clinics
Here to Help
Mobile District Hours
Ben in Your Building

EVENTS

Programs Funded By My Office
Community Boards
NYPD Events
Neighborhood and Tenant Associations
Community Events for Kids
Community Events for Adults

Vote to Get Big Money Out of Politics

On November 6, the city's founding document, the Charter, is on the ballot for residents like you to amend. New York City has an opportunity to improve thanks to a ballot measure that would reduce contribution limits and make small dollars more valuable by matching more of them with a greater multiplier. Increasing public money in elections from just over half to 75% will dramatically decrease the amount of big money Mayoral candidates need to raise in unmatchable contributions from $2.6 million down to just over $1 million.

This is a goal I have worked on for years, as executive director of a good government group, as a candidate, and in my first term in the City Council when I authored legislation and secured a hearing. This year I reintroduced the legislation and testified before the Mayor's Charter Revision Commission on Improving Democracy at every opportunity. The Mayor's Charter Revision Commission did extensive outreach in all five boroughs in-person, by phone, and even on Twitter. I am grateful to Mayor de Blasio and the Commission for getting around "politics as usual" to put these necessary campaign finance reforms on the ballot so the people can make lasting change.

I advocated for the following reforms which made it in whole or in part on to the ballot:

Lower Contribution Limits by More than Half - lower limits citywide from $5,100 to $2,000, boroughwide from $3,950 to $1,500 and for City Council from $2,850 to $1,000.
Make Small Dollars More Valuable - every small dollar below $250 for citywide and $175 for all other will go from being matched with public taxpayer dollars at a rate of 6 to a rate of 8.
Match More Small Dollars - only a little more than half of small dollars are matched, requiring candidates to seek millions in big dollars from special interests to fill a gap that can be smaller by matching 75%.
Improve Community Representation - Community Board members would have term limits of 8 years, expert Urban Planners, and a standardized online application and reporting on applicants and existing members.

Pledge to vote on Tuesday, November 6 in favor of getting Big Money Out of New York City Politics at BenKallos.com/charter/pledge

East River Esplanade from 70th to 72nd Streets Complete

esplanade

Much-needed repairs and upgrades were completed on the section of the East River Esplanade from 70th to 72nd Street. Last week, Hospital for Special Surgery CEO Lou Shapiro, the New York City Parks Department, Borough President Gale Brewer, and I cut the ribbon to officially open this section up to the public. The renovations were started just over one year ago and came after we formed a public-private partnership with HSS as part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) negotiations for new construction construction that was voted on and passed the City Council on July 23, 2015. As Upper East Side Patch reported, the renovations include:

Noise Barriers - Noise barriers eight-feet in height under its East Wing Building between East 70th and East 71st Street and extending underneath any new buildings.
Water Fountain and Irrigation - Water for the Esplanade at 71st Street for a water fountain and irrigation to keep plants alive.
Greening the Esplanade - Key esplanade improvements between 70th and 72nd include new planting beds and landscaping, improved lighting through repair and replacing of light fixtures, repair and repainting of railings as well as new seating and paving.
Maintenance in Perpetuity - Maintenance in perpetuity, for all improvements, provided by HSS from 70th to 72nd.

For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or watch the video

New Universal Pre-Kindergarten Ribbon Cuttings

ribbon

September was a very successful month in our community's fight for more Universal Pre-K seats here on the East Side. Earlier in the month, as Upper East Side Patch reported, we cut the ribbon on 90 seats at a brand new Pre-K facility located at 1683 3rd Avenue and East 94th Street. Later in the month, I joined Council Member Keith Powers for a ribbon cutting on 144 new seats at a facility located at 252 East 57 Street. The new seats, including the 180-seat facility where we broke ground on East 76th Street earlier this year, are part of the City’s new push to build and open more Pre-Kindergarten seats on the Upper East Side after years of public advocacy from my office and local parents to the Department of Education to fulfill the area’s need and live up to the promise of Pre-Kindergarten for all children in New York City. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or watch the video at BenKallos.com/videos.

Planning for More School Seats: Legislation Passes Council

In September the City Council passed Int 729, legislation I authored, which will require the School Construction Authority to disclose the methodology and formulas they use to decide where and when new schools are built. Most of New York City’s middle schoolers currently attend schools that are overcrowded, yet somehow the SCA plans to build fewer schools in the coming years. This new law aims to fix the faulty methodology, assumptions, and data that have led to the current overcrowding in New York City Schools. To learn more about the bill visit BenKallos.com/Press-Releases

Finding School Buses with Precious Passengers

buses No parent should have to nervously wonder where their child is or when their child is finally getting home from a school bus ride. This is precisely the reason why I introduced legislation editorialized and supported by the New York Post that would require the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) to install GPS devices on all school buses contracted with the Department of Education. Introduction 1099 also requires OPT to provide real-time GPS location data to authorized individuals, such as parents and school administrators, and eliminate the problem of bus drivers and escorts fielding frantic and angry calls from parents and schools when they are supposed to be focused on doing their jobs safely. The legislation has the support of Speaker Corey Johnson, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Education Committee Chair Mark Treyger, and Council Member Chaim Deutsch who worked on an earlier version of the bill back in 2000 as a staffer. The legislation is also endorsed by the Advocates for Children of New York which focuses on of the well-being and development of students with disabilities. For more information on the bill, read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases.

OCTOBER EVENT INVITES

Senior Health Fair

Join me on Wednesday, October 10th from 11am-1pm for our annual Senior Fair! Come to Lenox Hill Neighborhood House for flu shots at no cost. We will have a variety of free classes, demonstrations and giveaways geared toward seniors. We will also have a raffle with prizes and much more. The event will feature speakers from different community organizations, city agencies, and offices to provide you with resources and let you know about programs available for seniors in our district and the city.

Senior Health Fair
Wednesday, October 10, 11am–1pm
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, 331 East 70th Street
RSVP at BenKallos.com/events

College Affordability Event

College Affordability and Excelsior Scholarship Forum
Thursday, October 11, 5:30pm–7:30pm
Eleanor Roosevelt High School, 411 East 76th Street

Learn about opportunities to attend college in New York State for free or reduced tuition, including the Excelsior Scholarship. Experts from the Excelsior program, SUNY, CUNY, and more will be on hand to answer your questions and present on the options that exist in New York City for paying for college.
RSVP at BenKallos.com/events

Drag Queen Story Hour

On Saturday, October 27, from 11am to 12pm, Drag Queen Story Hour will be on the Upper East Side at the East 67th Street Library.

Drag Queen Story Hour captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity in childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, and where dress-up is real. For more information visit www.dragqueenstoryhour.org

Community Policing Coming to Upper East Side

noc

On Monday, October 15, the NYPD’s 19th Precinct is inviting the public to a meet and greet at M.S. 167 Robert F. Wagner Middle School. This is an opportunity for the community come and get to know their Neighborhood Coordination Officers. The officers will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about the new policing tactics and policies. Robert F. Wagner is located at 220 East 76th Street. Please RSVP by October 8, to: Michael.Lombardi@nypd.org or Christoph.Helms@nypd.org

Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit

ANDY

On Thursday, October 11, New York City Transit will be hosting a Community Conversation Featuring President Andy Byford and MTA New York City Transit staff. The event will take place at the Herbert Cave Auditorium Mural Pavilion located at 512 Lenox Avenue New York. Doors open at 5:30pm and the program will end at 8:30pm. The event will be a Community Conversation regarding President Byford’s Fast Forward Plan to modernize New York City Transit. For more information visit Fastforward.mta.info

Halloween Fun

Every year it is my pleasure to join families in the neighborhood for the various Halloween festivities as a good way to stay up to date with the community. This October Halloween parades and events will be happening and I'll be there to join you.

Some of the events include:

My office sponsors Asphalt Green's "Asphalt Screams," on October 26th from 4:00pm-6:00pm. This is a free afternoon of tricks, treats and Halloween themed sports activities.
On October 27th there is the annual Roosevelt Island Halloween Parade and Extravaganza from 11:00am-3:00pm. Join us in a costume parade down Main Street as well as games, rides and food.
On October 28th, Friends of James Cagney Place will host a Halloween Costume Contest & Parade (pictured above). The event is 2pm-3pm on 91st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Arrive by 2pm to enter the contest with a chance to win a prize!
Also on October 28th, Carl Schurz Park Conservancy hosts the Halloween HOWL. Not to be missed! The HOWL is the Conservancy's annual dog costume event. Over 200 creatively costumed pups strut their stuff before a blue-chip fashion industry coven of judges! Join from 1pm to 3pm at Carl Schurz Park.
On Halloween Day I also invite you to come with your best costumes and join me for fun and games in the district. Carnegie Hill Neighbors is hosting a Halloween Spooktacular on October 31st, 5:00pm, at 92nd Street between Park and Madison. This includes a Halloween party filled with dancing, costumes, art projects, and of course lots of treats (for all ages).

OVERDEVELOPMENT

ERFA Town Hall

East River Fifties Alliance Presentation

The East River 50s Alliance continues to do the good work of organizing and working to get residents informed and activated in the fight against overdevelopment. I joined ERFA members this past month for their summer town hall where the latest steps in the now court battle against the planned Super Scraper in the Sutton area.

At this town hall, one of ERFA’s partner organizations, Save Central Park, presented on what a tower of this height would mean to the storied par. Now that ERFA is leading the charge with a lawsuit against the Board of Standards and Appeals following that Board's decision to allow construction of the Super Scraper, the organization needs donations and support. If you’d like to join the fight donate ERFA.nyc/Donate

Citywide Joint Operated Playground Issue Hits Home

MARX

There is no question the Upper East Side and East Harlem still need more parks and open spaces. As a neighborhood, we should consider carefully every time a playground or park is demolished to be replaced by another tall tower. As reported by Curbed, this exact scenario is playing out in the Marx Brothers Playground, located on 96th Street, at the intersection of the Upper East Side and East Harlem.

Although the project planned for this location will bring 350 affordable apartments and the developer plans to replace the playground, some members of the community are rightfully concerned about over-development taking away the few parks and open spaces available to our community.

The space is a Joint Operated Playground (JOP) under the controls and purview of New York City Schools and is not formally designated parkland. Jointly Operated Playgrounds are otherwise treated like parkland by the City, however. In fact, the Marx Brothers Playground went through New York State authorization as if it was, in fact, parkland. It appears that everyone involved, including the City and State, believe this playground was, in fact, a park.

Government must eliminate the baseless distinctions between parks in order to protect our playgrounds and green spaces from overdevelopment. Read Curbed’s coverage on the topic.

Citywide Rally Against Overdevelopment

On October 13, from 12pm to 1pm, at City Hall, the East River Fifties Alliance will hold a rally to call attention to the overdevelopment crisis facing our neighborhood and City.

The rally will let the City of New York know that super-tall towers do not solve the housing crisis.

The rally will make it clear that individual character and flavor of our neighborhoods matters. For more information and a list of sponsors visit ERFA.nyc, if you plan on attending, please RSVP.

GOOD GOVERNMENT

Property Tax Reform Hearing

Whether you rent or own, New York City's inconsistent, overly complex, and often unfair property tax system affects how much you pay for your home.

To address this outdated system, the City Council formed the New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform to evaluate all aspects of the current property tax system in New York City and recommend reforms to make it fairer, simpler, and more transparent, while ensuring that there is no reduction in revenue used to fund City services.

The commission is soliciting public input by holding at least ten public hearings and will review comparable property tax systems from other cities. On October 23, the commission will be in Manhattan for a hearing where you can testify. For more information and to find out where and what time the meeting will be held visit nyc.gov/propertytaxreform

Collecting ECB Violations from Jared Kushner and Company

Back in 2016, the Mayor signed a package of bills I authored to give the City more power to collect $1.6 billion in unpaid fines owed to the City by businesses and individuals. Disappointingly as Crain's reported in September, two years after the law went into effect, the City is still owed $1.5 billion. Last year when my office became aware that the administration was not using the full powers of the law to track this money down quickly, I held a hearing and asked questions of the Department of Finance. While there are challenges to collecting these fines, the longer they go uncollected, the harder they become to collect. I am glad the city is working to make an example out of Kushner and Company, who owes $500,000 in unpaid fines. We should be doing the same for all of the shadowy LLC’s that together are responsible for most of the owed money. For more information on the legislation we passed, read Crain's or visit BenKallos.com/press-releases

Digitize Our Past

In September, legislation I introduced to the Council was discussed in the Technology Committee. The bill requires the City to improve the Open Data portal by adding historical data from municipal archives in the form of charts and graphs. The legislation is part of the City’s ongoing effort to make government data available for all in an easily accessible format. The City will decide what records will be added based on historical, research, and cultural value, clarity, and completeness, and whether the information has previously been requested for release. The Open Data Portal empowers New Yorkers with valuable information needed in order to learn about city services. It is an invaluable tool for elected officials like myself to analyze and oversee how our city delivers services promised. For more information visit Benkallos.com/Press-Releases

ECONOMY

Safe Staffing of Nurses in Our Hospitals

NURSES

Nurses in New York City are everyday heroes, especially those who work with our most vulnerable population, infants and newborns. This is precisely why when the New York Professional Nurses Union is demanding higher wages and additional staffing at Northwell Hospitals.

As Crain’s New York reported State Senator Liz Krueger and I rallied with the nurses and demanded that Northwell reevaluate priorities and not only staff up but pay their nurses what they deserve. My office and I continue to monitor negotiations and will work to support the nurses as best we can.

Supporting 10 Commercial Office Cleaners On Strike

32BJ

Nobody wants their salary cut in half and benefits slashed. Unfortunately, that is exactly what a number of workers who keep a midtown Manhattan office tower clean are going through right now.

In late September I joined these 32BJ SEIU members as they picketed outside of the APF Properties building, off Madison Avenue and 34th Street. The company recently purchased the building for $222.5 million and immediately started cutting salaries and benefits of longtime employees. Some workers who have been there for over 20 years have seen their salaries go from $25.00 per hour to $15.00.

These are middle-class stable jobs that are being taken away by a company not honoring an agreement made with union workers. Wherever I see situations such as this I will stand up for our workers and against corporate greed.

Labor Day Parade

For the 5th consecutive year, I had the honor of participating in the New York City Labor Day parade. This year I joined Parade Grand Marshal Michael Mulgrew, Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Johnson, Public Advocate James, Comptroller Stringer, and many more elected officials and union leaders in support of the workers who make New York City great. Nurses, teachers, construction workers, factory workers building workers are the lifeblood of our City and I am always proud to support them.

Construction Deaths Continue to Rise in New York City

POST

According to reporting by New York Post, construction-related deaths and injuries have increased dramatically as construction has continued to boom in New York City over the past two years. We have a better understanding of how serious the issue is thanks to Int. 1433-A, legislation I authored, which became law in 2017.

Surprisingly until this bill became law, contractors in New York City did not have a uniform way to report details including the type of injury, how long the worker has been on the job, and whether they were unionized when accidents and deaths occurred to the City, now they do. Companies that neglect to report deaths now face fines up to $25,000.

Every life, injury, and accident in construction is finally being counted. A year into the law being put into effect, we now know the number, and as a city we must ensure proper training, on the job experience, coupled with giving workers the right to say no to danger to conditions. See the report released by the Department of Buildings and the new law (PDF) on the matter.

TRANSPORTATION

Closing the Second Avenue Bike Lane Gap

When the Second Avenue Subway was completed, we were excited to get our protected bike lane going downtown along the newly resurfaced street, but cyclists have had to navigate the dangerous "Second Avenue Gap", north of the Queensboro Bridge. In September, I co-authored an Op-Ed in Our Town alongside Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul Steely White in favor of adopting the Department of Transportation’s current plan for closing the gap.

I am pleased that Community Board 8 approved the plans, and that Second Avenue will soon be safer for pedestrians and cyclist alike. Below is a brief excerpt from the Op-Ed.

"It is unacceptable to have to wait a decade for Upper East Side's transportation improvements to materialize.

Underground, it took 10 years for the Second Avenue subway construction to be completed. Now we can't wait another 10 years for a safer design of Second Avenue at street level.

Any pedestrian who has tried to cross under the Queensboro Bridge on Second Avenue knows it is not safe, and while the new subway runs in both directions, residents of the Upper East Side who travel above ground via bicycle have no safe route downtown. But we can work with the city to change this. Second Avenue needs a road diet, and the Department of Transportation is proposing just that..." Read the full Op-Ed.

Bike New York After School Program

ike New York, is offering after-school programming for New York City children. It is a free program for existing after-school groups that teaches students the mechanics of riding a bike, the rules of the road, best practices for riding in a group and on the streets, and—of course—the joy and freedom of biking. The classes are 2 hours (1 slot available per day between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM) for a period of 5 weeks, one session per week, that began on September 24 and goes through November 16th. Request a session at bike.nyc/education/programs/request-a-program/after-school

East 72nd Street Delivery Bike Report Card: Summer 2018

bike report card

For two consecutive years my office and the East 72nd Street Neighborhood Association have collaborated to put together a report card for our neighborhood's restaurants who make bicycle deliveries. Encouragingly, in the most current report for summer of 2018, three restaurants which had previously received letter grade “C” have now moved up to an “A”.

The biggest observation made in the weeks of research done by East 72nd Street Neighborhood Association is that most restaurants that deliver are now outsourcing the delivery job to companies like Seamless/GrubHub, Uber Eats, Relay, Doordash and Post Mates. The freelance delivery workers do not work for any specific restaurant establishment, but rather rely on smartphone applications and messages to direct them to the next pick-up and delivery location.

Despite who is doing the deliveries, my office continues to support the NYPD is cracking down on businesses whose delivery cyclists do not follow the law. Our District alone is responsible for 10% of the police enforcement done in New York City on this issue. Thank you to the East 72nd Street Neighborhood Association for their leadership. For more information visit E72na.com/news/2018/9/2/bike-delivery-report

PARKS

Grading Progress on the Esplanade

Congress Member Maloney and I joined forces in late September calling on the City to pick up the pace and on redoing the sections of the East River Esplanade that it has committed to renovating, due to deteriorating conditions. We have had a lot of success getting parts of the Esplanade done with the Parks Department, as well as through public-private partnerships with Rockefeller University and Hospital for Special Surgery, but there is much left to do. Some of the sections that the City is responsible for have been delayed or have not gotten started, and we are committed to doing everything we can to keep this project moving forward. Watch the press conference at BenKallos.com/videos

Touring Every Park in the District with Council Parks Committee Chair

Fellow Council Member Barry Grodenchik, chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, visited our neighborhood to tour most of the parks in District 5 with me. We inspected the East River Esplanade, Carl Schurz Park, Stanley Isaacs Playground, Ruppert Park, the Queensboro Oval, and more to ensure the Council is aware of the conditions our parks are in. We have made a lot of progress in improving and opening parks throughout the district; the tour is another step to continue this work by providing the committee chair greater context for when I ask questions of the Parks Department at hearings in the coming months. This work will allow us to continue to improve the conditions and accessibility of our community’s greenspace.

Environmental Stewardship Day at Ruppert Park

STEWARDHIP

Free family fun organized by Muslim Volunteers for New York with support from my office and the New York City Parks Department. Let's beautify Ruppert Park together! Come and plant bulbs for Spring and enjoy Refreshments and Arts & Crafts for the kids!

On Saturday, October 13, 2018, from 10am to 1pm, at Ruppert Park, 1741 2nd Avenue. (Rain date: 20th Oct, Saturday. Same time)

Registration is mandatory and it's on first come first serve basis. RSVP Link:

MV4NY's Fall 2018 Environmental Stewardship Day Registration Form

Green Park Gardeners Volunteer Day

Join Green Park Gardeners NYC, Sunday, October 14 from 2pm to 5pm at Andrew Haswell Green Park for Fall Volunteer Day. As the community looks forward to next spring, join volunteer efforts to plant daffodils, tulips, and other bulbs donated by Friends of the East River Esplanade or help with end-of-season maintenance. Contact greenparkgardenersnyc@gmail.com to let organizers know you’re coming.

Thank You for Coming to September Greenmarket Events

Thank you to the scores of residents who showed up to the Shred-A-Thon fall edition. Residents were able to safely and securely shred personal documents, junk mail, bills and more for FREE! Thank you to Upper Green Side, Grow NYC and the Department of Sanitation for organizing, hosting and working the event. This month we also had residents turn out to the 82nd Street Greenmarket for Cooking with Kallos where I served up a potato salad with Shishito peppers that attendees really loved. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out when the next Shred-A-Thon is at Benkallos.com/Subscribe

COMMUNITY

Honoring Madeleine Albright and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association for 125 years of Service

It was a distinct honor to award the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association a proclamation on behalf of my office and the New York City Council. The award recognizes the organization for 125 years of cultural contributions to our city and for continuing to preserve Czech and Slovak culture in New York City. Since 1891 the BBLA has been dedicated to representing dozens of smaller organizations throughout the city that share its dedication for the Czech and Slovak people.

Former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, was the featured guest at the gala where the proclamation was given. Secretary Albright is of Czech and Slovak background and has made a difference all over the world, and it was a true honor to meet her.

Congratulations to the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association for 125 years and to the Czech and Slovak community here in New York City.

Honoring Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan

It was a pleasure and an honor meeting Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. Justice Kagan was awarded an honorary degree by Hunter University in September. At this event, I had the opportunity to chat with her and have a short conversation about the inner workings of SCOTUS. Although, in accordance with SCOTUS rules, she made sure we did not discuss any cases. Congratulations to Justice Kagan, it was a privilege meeting her at such a prestigious event.

Town Hall Video and Thank You

Thank you to all the community members who turned out for our annual town hall. Residents who attended heard presentations and updates from the New York City Parks Department, the Department of Transportation, The Department of Homeless Services, New York City Fire Department, NYC Ferry, Department of Education, Borough President Gale Brewer and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright. As always turnout was great and the event was very insightful. Watch the video at BenKallos.com/videos

Emergency Preparedness Video and Thank You

Almost 100 Upper East Siders turned out to our annual Emergency Prep Event where we gave out Free Go Bags with the help of the New York City Office of Emergency Management. Thank you to OEM Commissioner Joseph Esposito and his Deputy Christina Farrell for attending and presenting at the event. This is an event that our residents enjoy and really find useful. Thank you also to the East Sixties Neighborhood Association (ESNA) and the ESNA CERT team for helping put on the event and to Jay Schofield of ESNA CERT for presenting and taking questions. If you missed the presentation, watch the video at BenKallos.com/videos

Help the Homeless

As the temperatures get colder and the weather becomes more volatile it is important we keep in mind our fellow New Yorkers who are homeless. Homelessness continues to rise with 22,511 children, 22,613 of their family members, 4,482 single women, and 12,560 single men in our shelters, and more than 2,794 people on the streets. In 2016, I launched the Eastside Taskforce for Homeless O utreach and Services (ETHOS) with Borough President Brewer, Senator Krueger, Council Member Garodnick, Department of Social Se rvices (DSS), community and faith leaders and service organizations. At our last meeting, in September we discussed and made attendees that NewYork-Presbyterian is continuing to provide naloxone training to those who are interested upon request. We know this training will save lives.

We hope to get every unsheltered person living on the street the help they need. If you see one of our City’s most vulnerable on the street, please call 311 or use the NYC 311 App (Android/i Phone) to ask them to dispatch a “homeless outreach team.” They will ask where you saw the person, what they looked like, and offer report on whether the person accepts our city’s offer of shelter, three meals a day, health care, rehabilitation, and job training. By connecting our dedicated nonprofits and religious institutions with city services, ETHOS is really making a difference. Learn more about the coalition and our members at BenKallos.com/homeless

Upcoming Pipe Work at Lexington Houses

nycha

NYCHA is advising residents of Lexington Houses at 183 East 98th St and 1539 Lexington Avenue that major construction work to replace underground water and fire distribution piping throughout the development will be taking place the entire month of October. Once completed, the new pipes will provide better quality of service for Lexington Houses residents. For more information, call 212-711-2030 or visit nyc.gov/nycha

Work Notice: East 87th Street Between Lexington & 3rd Avenues

Con Ed

Con Edison will be upgrading the gas service in our area this month. They will be working October 6, through October 21, on East 87th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenues.

While work is ongoing, residents will experience street closures, limited street parking and noise. Weekend work is expected on Saturdays, 8:00am–6:00pm, and on Sundays, 9:00am–6:00 pm. For more information, please contact ManhattanRCA@coned.com

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Medicare Part D Clinic is Here

PARTD
You can only change Medicare Part D or Advantage Plan coverage between October 15 and December 7, 2018. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House is taking appointments to help a member of the community through the application process. Appointments will be held at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House at 331 E. 70th Street. For more information or to sign up for an appointment please call Aitan Groener at 212-218-0449.

Friends of the Upper East Side Book Launch

On November 7th, FRIENDS of the Upper East Side Historic Districts is proud to launch Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville, an illustrated history of Yorkville’s development and its immigrant roots.

The publication uncovers the compelling story of Yorkville’s immigrant past and patterns of development, and places that history against the backdrop of representative buildings remaining today where immigrants lived, worked, shopped, and prayed.

OFFICE UPDATES

Legislative Corner

This month, the City Council passed Local Law 160 of 2018 that establishes a speed camera program in school zones that will allow authorities to detect vehicles speeding in areas where children are at greater risk. Drivers going more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in a school speed zone are liable for a fine.

Fresh Food Box

The Fresh Food Box at my district office continues in October. The resident favorite which began as a pilot program between my office and GrowNYC two years ago has served hundreds of Upper East Siders looking to get locally grown farm fresh vegetables at an affordable price.

Fresh Food Box takes place at my district office on Thursdays 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, between 3:30pm and 6:30pm. The program allows you to place your order and pay just $14 (cash, credit/debit, SNAP/food stamps, greenmarket bucks) and pick up a bag of farm fresh produce the following week.

GrowNYC's Fresh Food Box Program lets customers benefit from fresh farm to table produce from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share, with the flexibility of week-to-week purchasing.

Sign-ups begin every year in June and the season runs through November. Learn more visit grownyc.org/greenmarketco/foodbox

Free Legal Clinics

Need a lawyer? Every month I sponsor legal clinics where you can get free legal advice in my District Office at 244 East 93rd Street from 3pm-6pm:

General Civil Law, 3rd Tuesday
Life Planning Clinic, 3rd Wednesday
Family Law and Domestic Violence, 1st Tuesday
Housing Clinics, Every Monday, and 1st Wednesday

Please call my office at 212-860-1950 in advance to schedule your appointment.

Here to Help

We are here to help. My social work team can help you find out what services you are eligible for and assist you in your application. Some examples include:

Seniors: Medicare savings, Meals-on-Wheels, Access-A-Ride
Housing: searching for affordable units, free legal housing clinic at my office
Job Resources: training resources and assistance, unemployment benefits
Families: Universal Pre-K, Head Start, After-School programs
Finances: cash assistance, tax credits, home energy assistance
Nutrition: WIC, free meals for all ages

Please also call us at 212-860-1950 or email us at bkallos@benkallos.com with any unresolved 311 complaints.

Mobile District Hours

Get assistance wherever in the district you are when we bring our office to you. Please join us at monthly mobile district hours from 11am–2pm:

Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street, 2nd Tuesday
Roosevelt Island Senior Center, 546 Main Street, 4th Wednesday

Ben in Your Building

The "Ben in Your Building Program" is a chance to discuss issues of importance to you and your neighbors in person, in your home. Please consider inviting me to your cooperative or condominium annual meeting or tenants association meeting and I will be happy to join you. Over the past year, I have visited several buildings to discuss matters of importance in the neighborhood, including street furniture, road conditions, homeless outreach, sanitation issues and you name it. Please schedule a "Ben in Your Building" today by calling 212-860-1950 or email Scheduler@BenKallos.com

EVENTS

Programs Funded By My Office

Health Classes for Seniors by DOROT

On October 18 at 12 pm you can join a discussion about memory loss. This presentation will provide the opportunity to learn about Dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Some of the topics to be discussed are: normal aging vs. memory loss, the 10 early signs of dementia, things a person with Alzheimer’s disease can do, support for caregivers and much more. For more information Register by phone 1-877-819-9147 or online dorotusa.org/uww.

Volunteers of Legal Service, Elderly Project is staffing the following legal clinics
10/12 Carter Burton for the Aging
10:00am
415 East 73rd Street (bet first and York)

Volunteers of Legal Service, Elderly Project is staffing the following legal clinics
10/19 Stanley Isaacs Senior Center
10:00am
415 E 93rd Street (east of 1st Ave)

10/12 meet Chashama’s Studio Artists
6-8pm
Brooklyn Army Terminal 140 58th Street Building #4-i

Cocktails, and Surprise performances. RSVP.

For more information on VOLS Events visit VolsProbono.org

On November 7 at 6:30on FRIENDS of the Upper East Side is will launch Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville, an illustrated history of Yorkville’s development and its immigrant roots.

This original publication, researched and written by FRIENDS of the Upper East Side, uncovers the compelling story of Yorkville’s immigrant past and patterns of development, and places that history against the backdrop of representative buildings remaining today where immigrants lived, worked, shopped, and prayed. These buildings play an integral role in defining Yorkville’s character, but until now the comprehensive story of Yorkville has not been told.

Community Boards

10/1: Community Board 6 Transportation Committee Meeting
7:00pm, 433 1st Avenue (NYU School of Dentistry), Room 220

10/2: Street Life Committee
6:30pm-9:00pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center 415 E 93rd Dining Room A & B

10/2: Community Board 11 Public Safety & Transportation Committee
6:30pm-7:30pm, Bonifacio Cora Texidor Senior Center 7 East 116th Street New York

10/2: Community Board 11 Housing Committee
6:30pm-7:30pm,CB11 Board Office, 1664 Park Avenue

10/2: Community Board 6 Parks, Landmarks, & Cultural Affairs Committee Meeting
7:00pm, 211 E 43rd Street 10017 (Suite 1404)

10/3: Community Board 11 Licenses & Permits
6:00pm-7:00pm,CB11 Board Office, 1664 Park Avenue

10/3: Land Use, Landmarks and Planning Committee
6:30pm-7:30pm, Bonifacio Senior Center 7 East 116th Street

10/3: Community Board 8 Transportation Committee
6:30pm, New York Blood Center Auditorium 310 E 67th
Continued discussion on the DOT proposed Second Avenue Parking Protected/Curbside Buffered Bike Lane from 68th Street to 59th

10/4: Community Board 8 Parks and Recreation Committee
6:30pm, Hunter College Glass Cafe
Presentation by New York City Department of Parks and Recreation on Proposed Renovations to John Jay Park Fitness Area.

10/4: Community Board 11 Environmental, Open Space & Parks
6:30-7:30pm, CB11 Board Office, 1664 Park Avenue

10/9: Community Board 8 Budget Committee
6:30pm, Community Board 8 Office
Discuss the district needs statement

10/9: Community Board 11 Economic Development & Culture Committee
6:30pm-7:30pm, Bonifacio Senior Center

10/9: Community Board 11 Youth & Education Committee
6:30-7:30pm, Bonifacio Senior Center

10/10: Community Board 8 Charter Revision Task Force
6:30pm-8:30pm, Community Board 8 Office

10/10: Community Board 6 Full Board Meeting
7:00pm, 433 1st Avenue (NYU School of Dentistry), Room 220

10/11: Community Board 8 Health, Seniors, and Social Services
6:30pm-8:30pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center

10/11: Community Board 11 Executive Committee
6:30pm-7:30pm, CB11 Board Office 1664 Park Avenue, Ground floor

10/15: Community Board 6 Housing, Homeless, & Human Rights Committee Meeting
6:30pm, 211 E 43rd Street 10017 (Suite 1404)

10/15: Community Board 8 Landmarks Committee
6:30pm-9:00pm, Marymount Community College Regina Peruggi Room

10/16: Community Board 11 Full Board Meeting
6:30pm -9:30pm, Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility

10/17: Community Board 8 Full Board Meeting
6:30 pm, New York Blood Center Auditorium 310 E 67th

10/18 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee
6:30pm-8:30pm, Good Shepherd Community Center

10/22: Community Board 6 Land Use and Waterfront Committee
6:30pm, 433 1st Avenue (NYU School of Dentistry), Room 220

10/22: Community Board 8 Youth, Education, and Libraries Committee
6:30pm-8:30pm, Marymount Community College Regina Peruggi Room

10/23: Community Board 6 Health and Education Committee Meeting
6:30pm, 211 E 43rd Street 10017 (Suite 1404)

10/23: Community Board 8 197-A Queensboro Bridge Area Committee + Parks and Rec
6:30-8:30pm, New York Blood Center Conference Room 1&2

10/25: Community Board 8 Housing Committee
6:30pm-8:30pm Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center

NYPD Events

10/15: 19th Precinct Community Council
7:00pm-8:00pm, 19th Precinct Station House, 153 E 67th Street

10/24: 23rd Precinct Community Council
6:00pm-7:00pm, 23rd Precinct Station House, 64 E 102nd Street

10/30: 17th Precinct Community Council
6:00pm-7:00pm, Sutton Place Synagogue, 225 E 51st Street

Neighborhood and Tenant Associations

First Wednesday, 10/3: Lexington Houses Tenant Association
6:00pm, 1539 Lexington Avenue

First Wednesday, 10/3: Roosevelt Island Residents Association Common Council Meeting
8:00 pm-10:00 pm, Good Shepherd (Downstairs), 543 Main Street

Second Tuesday, 10/9: Stanley Isaacs Tenant Associations
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street

10/11: Carnegie Hill Neighbors Annual Meeting
6pm, Church of St Thomas More (65 east 89th street)

Third Tuesday, 10/16: Holmes Towers Tenant Association
7:00 pm, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, 415 East 93rd Street

10/22: East 86th Street Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting
6:30pm, Church of the Advent Hope, 111 East 87th

No October Meeting: East 79th Street Neighborhood Association
6:00pm-8:00 pm, Temple Shaaray Tefila, 250 East 79th Street

Events for Kids:

10/1: Preschool Storytime: Petite Picasso
4:00pm, 96th St. Library
Read aloud and messy art projects for young children. Wear your art clothes. Smocks will be provided. Limited to 24 participants.

10/6: Read to Our Therapy Dog
10:30am, Webster Library
Come read to our therapy dog Tugboat! Pre-registration is required for each 15-minute slot and opens 1 week in advance. For ages 5 and up. Available every Saturday!

10/13: Harvest Festival
11am, Carl Schurz Park
Enjoy our pumpkin patch in the city on the Mayor's Lawn at East End Avenue and East 88th Street. Pick your own pumpkin and decorate it. While supplies last. Meet our live action scarecrow Ms. Penny and feel free to get some festive fall photos. Playdate Puppets will be running continuous shows 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on the Flagpole Lawn. Get your face painted with Face Art by Melissa's team and get a twisty balloon 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. along the walk to the playground.

10/21,22: OTOYOTOY!
10am and 11:15am Carnegie Hall, 154 West 57th Street
Young children and their caregivers participate in this immersive music theater piece. Children play in a world where sounds and words are shared, mimicked, and transformed, with performers and audience members delighting in the joy of making music together. Free Event. Recommended for children ages 0-2. Admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis for the first 50 children and their parents or guardians.

10/26: Asphalt Screams
4:00pm-6:00pm, 555 E 90th Street (At York Avenue)
Wear your best costume and join us for an afternoon of tricks, treats, and active Halloween games. Free and open to the public, Asphalt Screams will feature trick or treating and sports-related activities, including a Spooktacular Soccer Shootout.This is a free event but donations are welcome and will benefit our free community programs and scholarships serving nearly 50,000 New Yorkers!

10/27: Halloween Parade & Extravaganza
11:00am-3:00pm, Roosevelt Island
Costume parade down Main Street, including a marching band and floats from local community groups, businesses, and officials. Followed by a carnival, including games, rides, giveaways, food, and more!

10/31: Halloween Spooktacular
5:00pm, 92nd Street btw Park and Madison
Since 2011, Carnegie Hill Neighbors has thrown a most popular Halloween street party with a costume procession, art projects, candy treats for all, and dancing in the streets led by a lively DJ. Trophies and prizes are awarded for best costumes by age, family and pet, and for best decorated neighborhood townhouses and storefronts.

Events for Adults:

10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29: Quiet Study Rooms (Mondays)
12:00-5:00pm, 67th St. Library
No talking, no cell phone, and no noise are required in our quiet study room. This room is open thanks to our volunteers, and is subject to their availability.

10/1: Mystery Mondays: Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent
4:00pm, 67th St. Library
Book groups are hosted at libraries throughout the city and facilitated by The New York Public Library staff. Our book groups are open to everyone.

10/1: Friends of the Upper East Side Presents the 15th Annual Ambassador to the UES Award
6:30pm, The Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60th Street
Award presented to Arete Warren.

10/2: How the Languages We Speak Shape the Ways We Think
4:00pm, Rockefeller University
Do people who speak different languages think differently? Dr. Boroditsky will discuss research conducted around the world and focus on how language shapes the way people think about color, space, time, causality, and agency.

Every Tuesday: Community Supported Agriculture Boxes From GrowNYC
3:30-6:30pm, Center @ Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Year-round at the Center @ Lenox Hill Neighborhood House you can pick up your own Community Supported Agriculture box of high quality, farm fresh produce at below retail prices! For only $15, receive $20-$30 worth of fresh greens & fruit every week. CSA shares must be purchased a week in advance. For more information, please email Site Coordinator Abby Lee at alee@grownyc.org.

10/2, 10/9, 10/23, 10/30: Yoga for Sleep
6:00pm, 1429 First Avenue at East 74th Street
Open to all patients who are receiving treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Registration for this workshop is required. To register and learn more about mind-body medicine, contact the Integrative Medicine Service, 646-888-0800. There is a $150 class fee for six weeks of coaching.

Every Tuesday: Amazing Aeneid Reading Group
4:00pm, Roosevelt Island Library
Learn about Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid in a six-part course. We'll discuss issues such as war, nationalism and the epic tradition.

Every Wednesday: SNAP Assistance Clinics
10:00am - 1:00pm, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | 331 East 70th Street
Recent changes have expanded SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) eligibility in New York City, so more individuals and families are eligible for SNAP benefits than ever before. If you are interested in determining whether you are eligible for SNAP benefits, come to our Snap Assistance Clinics.

10/3: Here One Day: A Film by Kathy Leichter
8:00pm, 416 East 76th Street
Join us at Gracide Square for a free movie screening and discussion with filmmaker Kathy Leichter who will speak about her personal experience with her mother's suicide

10/4: Film: The Man Who Laughs (1928)
2:00pm, 96th St. Library

The Man Who Laughs (1928) 110 min., b&w, silent, Paul Leni, Dir. Starring Mary Philbin, Conrad Veidt, Julius Molnar. A proud nobleman, who refuses to kiss the hand of the king, is put to death and his son surgically disfigured with a perpetual smile. ADMISSION FREE

10/4: Prostate Cancer Support Group
12:00pm, 430 East 67th Street
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.

10/4, Every Tuesday and Thursday: CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga
9:00am, Carl Schurz Park
Come out and get active in your neighborhood park! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free tennis lessons, yoga and fitness walking in 16 neighborhood parks across the city. Activities in this six-week Seniors Fitness program take place twice a week and all equipment is provided.

10/4, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26: Computer Tutoring
5:30pm, 67th St. Library
Join us for a one-on-one tutoring session! Stop by the branch to sign up for one of our help sessions and get a personal tutor at your service! This program will run every Thursday and Saturday. Space is limited.

10/4: RIOC hosting a follow-up meeting to discuss the recent water test results of various drinking fountains.
1:30pm, RIOC offices at 680 Main Street near the warehouse and bus garage

10/4: OMS F2018 Osteoarthritis Management Seminar
3:00-5:30pm, Hospital for Special Surgery, 2nd Fl. Conf. Ctr.
This is a collaborative program presented by the Arthritis Foundation and the Education Institute
Register online at hss.edu/pped

Every Thursday: Knitting Circle
11:00am, Roosevelt Island Library
Meets at Carter Burden Roosevelt Island Senior Center.

10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26: Quiet Study Rooms (Fridays)
10:00am-3:00pm, 67th St Library
No talking, no cell phone, and no noise are required in our quiet study room. This room is open thanks to our volunteers and is subject to their availability.

10/5: A Tech Literacy Course for older adults
10:30am – 12pm, Roosevelt Island Senior Ctr, 546 Main St
You already know how to use a computer and get on the internet. Wish you knew more? Learn how technology influences your daily life and how you can become a better digital citizen.
To Sign up for the Information Session Contact: Jane Swanson at 646-220-1505
Jane.Swanson@cornell.edu or Lisa Fernandez 212-980-1888 fernandezl@carterburdennetwork.org

10/5: Learn to Play Chess
3:00pm, Webster Library
Whether you're a chess master or just starting out, come join us for some board time Fridays at 3 p.m. All materials will be provided, and an experienced instructor Timothy Mobley will lead the group.

10/5: Not On My Watch: Combating Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence
6:00-9:00pm, Metropolitan College 463 E. 149th Street
Training is Free! Participants will attend a 3-day certificate training learning about human trafficking and domestic violence on a global and local level. Each day will cover a different topic culminating with issuance of certificate at graduation. Know the signs, language, your action steps, your resources, how to protect our children, and what part you can play in helping to combat these atrocities. Be a part of the thriving Not On My Watch Network! CLICK HERE FOR FREE REGISTRATION

10/6 & 10/7: Centennial Heritage Festival
TO PURCHASE ALL SINGLE SHOW TICKETS (Single show tickets range from $19 to $11) AND FESTIVAL PASSES (ONE-DAY PASS FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6: all events $28 general audiences, $20 students & seniors, ONE-DAY PASS FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7: all events $32 general audiences, $22 students & seniors, TWO DAY PASS FOR OCTOBER 6 & 7: all events $38 general audiences, $26 students & seniors)
Go tohttp://gohproductions.org/centennial-heritage-festival or call 800-838-3006 (Brown Paper Tickets).

11:30am, Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73rd Street

Water Goblin and Other Czech & Slovak Tales, one-man show by Vít Hořejš and folk marionettes.
1:00 pm, Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73rd Street

Strings! Camera! Akce! (Action!) Films about Czech and Slovak Puppet Theatre including "Faust on a String," an award-winning documentary about Czechoslovak marionettes discovered at the Jan Hus Church, and "Will We Have Hope," a film about the life, work and art of Slovak puppeteer Bohuslav Anderle.
2:00 pm 10/6, Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73rd Street

Traditional modrotisk (indigo) textile printing presentation and hands-on workshop by Petra Valentova-Gupta
2:30 pm, 10/7 Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73 Street

Duke Oldřich & Božena: The True Story. A non-traditional staging of a 374-year-old marionette play based on the story of love at first sight of the 11th century Duke Oldrich, who braved stout opposition for friend and foe alike to marry the exquisitely fair washerwoman Bozena, but forgot to mention some details of his own marital status to his beloved. The two legendary lovers are truthfully represented by fine hand-carved marionettes and life-like mechanicals fashioned expertly two centuries ago from the choicest linden wood; their manipulators in period costumes are artfully composed in flesh and blood.
7:00 pm, 10/6 Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73 Street

Duke Oldřich & Božena: The True Story. A non-traditional staging of a 374-year-old marionette play based on the story of love at first sight of the 11th century Duke Oldrich, who braved stout opposition for friend and foe alike to marry the exquisitely fair washerwoman Bozena, but forgot to mention some details of his own marital status to his beloved. The two legendary lovers are truthfully represented by fine hand-carved marionettes and life-like mechanicals fashioned expertly two centuries ago from the choicest linden wood; their manipulators in period costumes are artfully composed in flesh and blood.
4:00 pm 10/6, Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73rd Street

Folk music medley and sing-along with Roma songs by Petra Gelbart, Rusyn songs by the Aria Lem Joy Trio and Czech songs by children. Folk fashion kroje presented by their owners. James Warhola introduces recordings of Andy Warhol’s mother singing. Moderated by Milada Melli-Jones.
7:00 pm, 10/7 Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73 Street

“TRIBUTE TO THE ART OF THE FOLK SONG” with: Ladi Smigura (violin), Gabriela Mikova (fusion), Katarina Vizina (cabaret), Klara Zikova (soprano), Karel Smekal (piano) and Pavlina Horakova (opera), and others

“BEATA BOCEK IN CONCERT” US debut of Czech Polish multilingual and multitalented folk singer and musician (vocals, guitar, flute, accordion)

10/6 & 10/13: Not On My Watch: Combating Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence
10:00am-4:00pm, Metropolitan College 463 E. 149th Street
Training is Free! Participants will attend a 3-day certificate training learning about human trafficking and domestic violence on a global and local level. Each day will cover a different topic culminating with issuance of certificate at graduation. Know the signs, language, your action steps, your resources, how to protect our children, and what part you can play in helping to combat these atrocities. Be a part of the thriving Not On My Watch Network! CLICK HERE FOR FREE REGISTRATION

Every Friday: SNAP Assistance Clinics
9:00am-3:00pm, Bellevue Hospital Ambulatory Care Pavilion 4th Floor Module B
Recent changes have expanded SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) eligibility in New York City, so more individuals and families are eligible for SNAP benefits than ever before. If you are interested in determining whether you are eligible for SNAP benefits, come to our Snap Assistance Clinics.

10/6: Capture Your Freedom'
5-7pm,527 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York
A photography exhibition presented by Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, United Photo Industries, and Gallery RIVAA

10/6: Fall For Arts Festival
11:00am-5:00pm, Southpoint Park, FDR Four Freedoms State Park, Rivercross Lawn
An annual Roosevelt Island tradition celebrating art and the start of the fall season. Free

10/6: How to Start a Business and How SBA Can Help You
2:00pm, Yorkville Library
In this program, Man-Li Lin, an Economic Development Specialist with the SBA, will present how to start your own business and explain the resources that the SBA can provide to assist you.

10/6: Fall For Arts Festival
11:00am-5pm FDR Four Freedoms Park
An annual Roosevelt Island tradition celebrating art and the start of the fall season. Admission is free.

10/9: Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancers Discussion Group: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
5:00pm, 205 E 64th Street
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.

10/9: IA F2018 Eye Concerns in Inflammatory Arthritis
6:00pm-7:30pm, Hospital for Special Surgery, 2nd Fl. Conf. Ctr.
This is a collaborative program presented by the Arthritis Foundation, Education Institute, Division of Rheumatology, and the Department of Social Work Programs.
Register online at hss.edu/pped

10/9: Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series: Diabetes
5:30pm, 96th St. Library
Join us for a talk exploring diabetes and its current and future treatments during the Weill Cornell Medicine Wellness Series at the 96th Street Library!

10/9: SP F2018 Stroke Prevention
10:30-11:30am, Hospital for Special Surgery, 2nd Fl. Conf. Ctr.
Register online at hss.edu/pped

10/10: AWD2 F2018 Aging with Dignity
10:00-11:00am, Hospital for Special Surgery, 2nd Fl. Conf. Ctr.
Register online at hss.edu/pped

10/11: Dear Mama Coffee Adoption Event
6:00pm, 308 E. 109th St.
Join the Animal Care and Control of NYC for an adoption event meant to combine two great joys: Coffee and Pets

10/11: Annual Meeting
6:00pm, 1326 Madison Ave, Garden Level
Our annual meeting is a legal requirement, but members attending always enjoy refreshments and a social time, before and after a presentation given by a noted author, historian, or representative of another preservation or parks organization. Topics presented are always pertinent to Carnegie Hill, such as a famous architect or nearby Central Park projects.

10/11: Behind the Scenes at Peter Pennoyer Architects
6:00pm, Peter Pennoyer Architects, 136 Madison Avenue
Free for current members of FRIENDS of the Upper East Side.
Advance registration is required.
To verify your current membership status, please call 212-535-2526 or email us atinfo@friends-ues.org.

10/11: FM F2018 Beyond Medications: Alternative Approaches to Pain and Stress Management
2:30-4:30pm, Hospital for Special Surgery, 2nd Fl. Conf. Ctr
Register online at hss.edu/pped

10/11, 10/12, 10/17, 10/18, 10/19, 10/24, 10/25, 10/26: Centennial Heritage Festival
TO PURCHASE ALL SINGLE SHOW TICKETS (Single show tickets range from $19 to $11) AND FESTIVAL PASSES (ONE-DAY PASS FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6: all events $28 general audiences, $20 students & seniors, ONE-DAY PASS FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7: all events $32 general audiences, $22 students & seniors, TWO DAY PASS FOR OCTOBER 6 & 7: all events $38 general audiences, $26 students & seniors)
Go tohttp://gohproductions.org/centennial-heritage-festival or call 800-838-3006 (Brown Paper Tickets).
7:00 pm, 351 E 74th Street

Duke Oldřich & Božena: the True Story. A non-traditional staging of a 374-year-old marionette play based on the story of love at first sight of the 11th century Duke Oldrich, who braved stout opposition for friend and foe alike to marry the exquisitely fair washerwoman Bozena, but forgot to mention some details of his own marital status to his beloved. The two legendary lovers are truthfully represented by fine hand-carved marionettes and life-like mechanicals fashioned expertly two centuries ago from the choicest linden wood; their manipulators in period costumes are artfully composed in flesh and blood. For Tickets https://camtbohemianhall.brownpapertickets.com https://camtjanhus.brownpapertickets.com

10/13: It’s My Park at Ruppert Park
10:00am-1:00pm, Ruppert Park
This It's My Park season, volunteer with Muslim Volunteers For New York to plant new bulbs, rake, weed, spread mulch, and clean up the grounds at Ruppert Park. We look forward to cleaning up the park with you!

10/13, 10/20, 10/27: Centennial Heritage Festival
To Purchase All Single Show Tickets (Single Show Tickets Range From $19 To $11) And Festival Passes (One-day Pass For Saturday, October 6: All Events $28 General Audiences, $20 Students & Seniors, One-day Pass For Sunday, October 7: All Events $32 General Audiences, $22 Students & Seniors, Two Day Pass For October 6 & 7: All Events $38 General Audiences, $26 Students & Seniors)
Go tohttp://gohproductions.org/centennial-heritage-festival or call 800-838-3006 (Brown Paper Tickets).
11:30 am, 351 E 74th Street
Water Goblin and other Czech & Slovak Tales, one-man show by Vit Horejs and folk marionettes.
2:30pm, 351 E 74th Street
Duke Oldřich & Božena: the True Story. A non-traditional staging of a 374-year-old marionette play based on the story of love at first sight of the 11th century Duke Oldrich, who braved stout opposition for friend and foe alike to marry the exquisitely fair washerwoman Bozena, but forgot to mention some details of his own marital status to his beloved. The two legendary lovers are truthfully represented by fine hand-carved marionettes and life-like mechanicals fashioned expertly two centuries ago from the choicest linden wood; their manipulators in period costumes are artfully composed in flesh and blood.

10/13: Hatmaking & Ornamentation Workshop
1pm, The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum, 421 East 61st Street
In centuries past, milliners were considered disreputable, and millinery shops places of ”female scheming and collusion.” Of course, this is not true today, but you can still get together to collude with the highly respectable and celebrated milliner Lisa McFadden. Bring your baubles, bangles, beads, and stray earrings as we provide feathers, foundations, fabrics, and trims to repurpose into fine period finery. McFadden is a noted New York hat designer and editor-in-chief of the Milliner's Guild newsletter. Her hats have been featured in Women's Wear Daily, National Geographic, CBSnews.com and on Cake Boss. For tickets and information, click here.www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3622691

10/13, 10/20, 10/27: English Conversation Group
11:00am, 67th St. Library
Talk with native speakers and other language learners about current events, New York City, family life, holidays, and much more. For adults 16 years old or older.

10/14: It’s My Park at East River Esplanade
12:00pm-4:00pm, 96th Street and FDR Drive
This It's My Park season, volunteer with Upper Green Side for a fall cleanup and bulb planting at the 96th Street East River Esplanade. We look forward to cleaning up the park with you!

10/14: Kleindeutschland in the East Village: A Walking Tour
1:00pm,East Village meeting point will be provided upon registration
The Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts is holding a tour exploring the Lower East Side which was formerly known as “Little Germany”. The tour will also include a private tour to the former St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. The tour is $15 for members and $25 for non-members.

10/15: Breast Cancer Support Group
2:30pm, 300 East 66th Street (Room 243-A)
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.

10/15: Career Coaching with Kate White
5:30pm, 96th St. Library
How to Ace a Job Interview Monday, October 15, 5:30-6:30 PM. In this one-hour workshop, Kate will offer three essential success strategies that don’t get as much play as they should but can help you step up your game.

10/16: Medical Debt: Advice for Cancer Patients and Survivors
5:30pm, 417 East 68th Street (Room ZRC- 105)
This talk will focus on the rights of patients with medical debt. A lawyer will offer advice on how to negotiate with hospitals and doctors. This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.

10/18: Celebrating the World War I Centennial & the Sgt. York Film at the Lycée Francis
6:30pm -9pm, 505 East 75th Street, Lycée Francais
East Side WWI Centennial Committee Presents Free Admission to Sgt. York Film screening
If you did not already know, York Avenue was actually named after Sergeant York, a medal of honor winner in WWI. To commemorate this the East Side WWI Centennial Committee Presents a screening of the famous Sergeant York film about our victory in WWI.
For more information call 212-288-4607 or visit Eastsidewwicentennial.org

10/18, 10/25: Financial Empowerment Workshops
6:00-8:00pm, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | 331 East 70th Street
Learn how to take control of your finances at our free Financial Empowerment Workshop! You will be able to see and learn how to read your Credit Report, meet one-on-one with a financial adviser for individualized advice, open a free savings account and more.

Thursdays 10/18-11/8: Getting Ahead: Financial Empowerment Workshop
6:00-8:00pm, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | 331 East 70th Street
Learn how to take control of your finances at our free Financial Empowerment Workshop!

10/20, 10/26, 10/27: The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum
6:15 and 7:30pm, 421 East 61st Street , Halloween Murder Mystery
All new for 2018! In this fictional mystery game, loosely based on a historic newspaper account, an unidentified skeleton has been discovered at the Mount Vernon Hotel. Explore the Museum by candlelight, and collect clues to unravel the mystery and solve the case. Appropriate for adults and families with children 10+. Reservations required.

10/20: Celebrate Autumn at the Alice Aycock Pavillion
1:00pm-4:00pm, 60th Street and the East River Water Esplanade
Free Music, Kids Activities, Featuring art activities from The Craft Studio, free ice cream sandwiches from melt bakery, face painting, live music, and more!

10/20: FDR Four Freedoms Park, Louis Kahn, and the Democratization of Public Space
11:00am-12:00pm, FDR Four Freedoms Park
This tour will discuss the challenges of creating public spaces today, giving the story of the Park’s design, the sudden death of its architect, the near-bankruptcy of the city, and the effort that brought it to fruition. Free; registration required.

10/20 & 10/21: Uni Project
11:00am-4:00pm, FDR Four Freedoms Park
At the Uni Project, our pop-up reading room, come sit outside, read, draw, enjoy the view, and explore a curated collection of books and hands-on materials.

10/21: Halloween Howl and Healthy Hound Fair
12:00pm, John Finley Walk
Not to be missed! The HOWL is the Conservancy's annual dog costume event. Over 200 creatively costumed pups strut their stuff before a blue-chip fashion industry coven of judges!

10/23: Word For Beginners
3:00pm, 96th St. Library
Learn the basic features of Microsoft Word 2010, a word processing program you can use to create documents. This is a comprehensive course, so please make sure you can attend all sessions. Call 212-289-0908 to register.

10/25: Bladder Cancer Support Group
2:00pm, 430 East 67th Street
This program is for people who have been treated for cancer. No observers, please, without prior approval.

10/27: Celebrate Autumn at the Alice Aycock Pavillion
1:00pm-4:00pm, 60th Street and the East River Water Esplanade
Free Music, Kids Activities, Featuring art activities from The Craft Studio, free ice cream sandwiches from melt bakery, face painting, live music, and more!

10/28: Find Your Fido & Friends Adoption Event
1:00pm - 5:00pm, Central Park, East Drive (enter at 5^th Ave. & E 60^th St.)
In collaboration with NYPD and ASPCA/ACC. For more information visit www.nycacc.org/adoptionevents.

10/29: How to Write a Condolence Letter with Amy Cunningham
3:00pm, 67th St. Library
Join funeral director and Green-Wood Cemetery educator, Amy Cunningham, for this workshop on how to write a condolence letter. Join funeral director Amy Cunningham and other willing participants in the reading of letters by famous writers of both Victorian and contemporary times.

10/29: Meditation for Inner Peace During Turbulent Times
5:30pm, Yorkville Library
Incorporating meditation in our lives can be the change that can make a big difference in our lives and the lives of others. By tapping into the power of Meditation we can learn a powerful technique that is life-changing.

October News: Vote Big Money Out of Politics, Ribbon Cutting on Pre-K Seats, Esplanade

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