Manhattan Electeds Host Forum on Mount Sinai Health Center Proposals
Tonight, a plethora of Manhattan lawmakers will be co-sponsoring a forum on two newly proposed Mount Sinai Health System facilities.
In the past year, Mount Sinai has announced plans to construct two new facilities in Lower Manhattan. The first is a behavioral health center located at the Rivington House; the second, a new hospital at 14th Street and 2nd Avenue. The panel of lawmakers will include New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer (D), Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D) and Council Members Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) and Margaret Chin (D-Battery Park City, Chinatown), among many others.
The forum will take place tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at P.S. 20, 166 Essex St.
Brewer, Powers Co-Write Op-Ed on Improving Rockefeller Center
Yesterday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D) and Council Member Keith Powers (D-Upper East Side, Carnegie Hill) co-wrote an opinion piece for the Gotham Gazette on how to make Rockefeller Center more accessible to pedestrians.
The op-ed begins by citing the success of the 14th Street busway, calling it a “historic” development for the City. It goes on to argue that there’s still plenty of work to be done if we want to fully pedestrianize the City. We should start, it says, with one of Manhattan’s most iconic centerpieces.
“Every year, [Rockefeller Center] sees close to 1 million pedestrians during the holidays,” reads the article. “It’s the must-see destination for both New Yorkers and tourists, and one of the places where the city absolutely shines. But if you are looking anywhere other than the top of the tree, it’s a sea of people and cars competing to get a glimpse of the scene.
“If we think of Rockefeller Center with a people-first mentality, we can make streets safer and enrich public space. That’s why we have called for the City to pedestrianize the historic plaza by closing 49th and 50th Streets from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue for the holiday season.”
Read the full article here.
Espaillat Discusses New Developments in Impeachment Inquiry
Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights, Sugar Hill) appeared on Eyewitness News Up Close yesterday to talk about the latest developments in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump (R).
Last Tuesday, William Taylor, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, delivered a 15-page statement to House members leading the impeachment probe. Taylor’s testimony confirmed that U.S. aid to Ukraine was, in fact, dependent on the latter’s willingness to investigate Trump’s political enemies.
Espaillat, who was present at the hearing, called Taylor’s statement “explosive”, expressing confidence that his testimony will prove to be extremely helpful. He also rebuffed the Republican Party’s claims that the Democrats are skirting the rule of law by conducting impeachment hearings behind closed doors.
“We have to do it in a closed setting because, first and foremost, we must protect the witnesses,” said Espaillat. “And we must prevent any coordination among witnesses. So if you come in as a witness and everything you say is out there in the public, the next witness may be scared to tell the truth. So that’s why we hold it in a confined area.”
Hoylman Introduces Adult Survivors Act
Last Friday, State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea, Midtown) introduced the Adult Survivors Act, a bill designed to help adult victims of sexual abuse seek justice.
The bill would create a one-year window for the revival of time-barred civil suits based on sex crimes committed against victims who were 18 or older.
“For too long, justice has been out of reach for adult survivors of sexual crimes,” said Hoylman. “Survivors have experienced horrific trauma and abuse, and many do not immediately come forward. They deserve our support whenever they decide they are ready to pursue justice. The New York State Legislature has already made historic strides to protect survivors by passing the Child Victims Act and prospectively extending the criminal and civil statute of limitations. Now, we must stand with survivors who have been failed in the past by our state’s insufficient laws, pass the Adult Survivors Act, and give these individuals their day in court.”
