Building 9 Association

Greetings, Building 9 Association family and friends. On January 4, Community Board 10 met in Co-op City to consider two applications submitted by individuals seeking the community board’s approval to operate cannabis dispensaries within the district. Both applications were defeated, including the applicant expressing interest in the 675 Co-op City Boulevard location. Please bear in mind that Community Board approval is advisory only. The New York City Council and our New York State representatives will now have the opportunity to consider your concerns. I thank Marva Malone, Matse Jenkins, Jazmin Rodriguez, Wendy Pimentel, and other Building 9 Association members, for their attendance and support.

Gratitude and recognition to our holiday lobby decorating and removal committee: Linda Holley, Rosemary Bailey, Barbara Cloud, Wanda Randall, Janet Yarrell, Evelyn Mavins, Janice Rosario, Robert Rosario, Karen Blanchette, Shirley McCann, Dinora Tirado, Shirley Johnson, Elizabeth Manning, Pam Bryant, Darlene Walker and Linda Collins for an assignment well done.

At the time of this writing, the Building 9 Association executive board is hosting our 2024 ‘New Year’ celebration this evening. Please see the posted you there. Reminder: Saturday, January 13, at 6 p.m. Building 9 Association members only.

The Building 9 Association bi-annual executive board election is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, at 7 p.m. No other business will be conducted during the election meeting. All nominations must be made in-person and all nominees must be present at the election meeting. Recap of election guidelines: board: two consecutive years of paid membership dues and attendance at three General Membership meetings in each of the membership years immediately our lobby bulletin boards prior to the election meeting. We must have a quorum in order to conduct the election. Please join us. The prerequisite 2024 election committee members are Evelyn Mavins, Karen Blanchette and Shirley McCann.

We are proud to share the accomplishment of one of our building’s own, Daren Manning, who won an Eagle Scout Award. The Eagle Scout is the highest honor from the Scout organization. Daren has also been recognized by the legislators in Westchester and he now has a “day.” Jan 10 will be “Eagle Scout Daren Manning Day” in Westchester County. Congratulations to Daren and the entire Manning family!

“A goal without a plan is just wishful thinking.”–Anonymous

––Linda Collins

Good day, shareholders.

First – Petitions are circulating in the community to try and prevent marijuana dispensaries from opening here. It appears the powers that be always want to dump drugs, guns and alcohol where we live. It is time to be proactive and do something to prevent these people from infringing upon our neighborhoods! If you want to sign the petition and you do not see me in the lobby, email us at building33association@gmail.com. This is really important, people.

Second – Are you paying a surcharge? With the maintenance constantly rising, maybe it is time to raise the income limits on our apartments. We try to get better paying jobs to keep up with the increases, then we get hit with a surcharge. What do you think about this? Email the Association with your thoughts.

Third – Environmental issues are very important to our Executive General Manager, Mr. Marvin Walton. We have been getting a lot of complaints regarding leaks in our apartments, mold, cracked walls and ceilings. I received some pictures and they are disturbing. If this issue is affecting you, email me some pictures. In the meantime, I will see about having someone from Maintenance attend our building meeting to get you some help.

Fourth – Roaches! If you have this problem, it is very easy to delete them from your life! You must get the exterminator in your apartment and let them do their job to help you. They will not disappear on their own but will multiply and travel to your neighbors as well. To get on top of this, please call Maintenance at 718-320-3300 and get rid of them! In the meantime, keep your counthinking you have to share your home with these disgusting creatures!

Fifth – Laundry room etiquette! If you are using fabric softener sheets in yours and you should dispose of them properly. They are slippery and someone can slip and injure themselves.

Lastly, remember to keep our elevators and compactor rooms clean and pick up after your dogs.

The Building 33 Association is here to help you. If you have an issue and cannot take care of it on your own, reach out and maybe we can help you. Email us at building33association@gmail.com.

Happy birthday to all our January babies, you have been blessed with another year! To our neighbors suffering from a loss or sickness, we have you in our prayers.

Have a great week, take care and walk good.

––Andrea D. Mayo

Director

1.) The first thing I’d like to see in 2024 – in e-mails and newsletters, on bus stops and Google Maps, on receipts from our own stores and on updates from the public service sector – is the name of our community spelled correctly. Who’s misspelling Co-op City? Our elected officials, bureaucrats, public servants, shopkeepers and fellow residents. Altogether now: There is no capital “O” in Co-op City!

2.) I’d like to see the MTA Metro-North railroad station planners finally admit that there’s solid ground on the south side of the tracks, not marshland. Nothing new is happening on the north side of the tracks (the Erskine Pl., Co-op City side of the tracks) but there’s sure a lot of action on the south side. Twelve foot pilings are being driven into the ground. That’s solid ground, not marshland

3.) I’d like to see better bus accommodation for the forgotten sections. People are still asking for the return of the Bx29 but if that’s an impossibility, let the Bx23 dip into the shopping mall, fer jiminy-sakes! Returning the defunct Applebee’s stop would especially benefit senior shoppers and would be welcomed by many Section 3 (Asch Loop) and Section 5 riders. That, of course, does not address the loss of the additional bus to the 6-train. A bi-directional, rush hour Q-50 would serve that purpose.

4.) I’d also like to see the bus-related issue of a more equitable sharing of the MetroCard mobile sales bus resource. Bartow gets two four-hour visits per month (1st and 3rd Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.). Dreiser and Einstein get one two-hour visit every two or three months, depending on the secret formula, which is so secret, even the dispatchers at 311 don’t know about it. That big secret – until OMNY is fully incorporated into the system and the MetroCard goes the way of the token – is a scheduled sales bus visit to the Dreiser and Einstein locations on the 5th Friday of any month that has five Fridays. When I started pressing the issue of how unfair it was for people in Dreiser and Einstein to have to pay a fare to refill their MetroCard, I had suggested that the 1st and 3rd Thursdays be divided between Bartow and Dreiser on one Thursday and Bartow and Einstein on the other Thursday. Somehow that was deemed unreasonable even though this new 5th Friday alternative implementation does nearly the same exact thing. Work with us, MTA!!

5.) I’d like to see greater voter turnout for all elections: both civil elections and Riverbay Board of Director elections. In the most local of the civil elections – not counting judgeships – voters choose their City Council member. The population of each of the 51 districts must stay within a 5% margin, which is quite a juggling feat what with all the birthing, dying and moving people tend to do. In the 2023 general election, of the eight City Council Districts fully within the borough of the Bronx, only three (including our CCD12 race) brought in more than 10,000 votes. The other five had final tallies of slightly more than 4000 to just under 7000. On all levels – city, state, and federal – politicians really love seeing big numbers. And fewer votes really does equal less clout.

6.) I’d like to see more cooperators taking part in the Riverbay elections, too. And I’d also like to see changes in our election process by codifying the election rules.

Let’s have each year’s volunteer Election Committee stick to its job as described in our bylaws – period – namely: supervision of election campaigns, the preparation, printing and distribution of the ballots and notices; the posting of notice; and the supervision of orderly voting.

Changing the rules every year is confusing.

Last year, voting for zero candidates disqualified the ballot. Other years, a returned ballot still counted toward a quorum (approximately 5000 votes). Was the elimination of that choice the reason quorum wasn’t reached within the six weeks of voting in 2023?

The length of the voting period changes year to year as well. The initial, pre-extension 2021 election was scheduled to run 19 days; in 2022, the ini-

The NAACP Co-op City Branch #2210 would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere condolences on the loss of our member Mercy “Stan” Stanford, a supportive member of the NAACP Co-op City Branch. Mr. Stanford left a substantial donation to this Branch. We thank his family who fulfilled his request. We appreciate his kindness and generosity. This donation will support our branch activities in the areas of Youth, Education, Health, Civic Engagement, Criminal Justice and Economic Sustainability.

Branch T-shirt Fundraiser began January 2024. T-shirts available in navy and gold. Hooded sweatshirt available in navy. Fundraiser link is: https://www. customink.com/fundraising/we-are-proud-members-of-the-naacp-and-our-coop-city-branch-lets-represent-our-community-4060 tial scheduling was for 21 days; in 2023 – 26 days.

Digital Billboards with Flashing Lights: Thank you, State Sen. Jamaal Bailey and Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, both of whom represent Coop City, for co-sponsoring the new law that “prohibits digital billboards or signs using flashing, intermittent, or moving lights within fifteen hundred feet of Mitchell-Lama housing with no fewer than ten thousand units in cities with a population of one million or more.” The new law, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Dec. 22, 2023, will go into effect 60 days from the date it was signed.

Councilmember Kevin Riley, who also represents Co-op City, brought a resolution in September in support of the bill. This is a State Legislation Resolution, where the Council makes an official request of the New York State Legislature to pass a special law affecting New York City.

Youth Scholarship: The Bronx Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has published their 2024 Youth Scholarship. Applications must be postmarked by February 23, 2024. Please share this with anyone you know who may need it. You can find out more by contacting scholarship@dstbx.org.

2024 NAACP 55th Image Awards will broadcast live in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16, at 8:00 p.m. Nominees will be announced Thursday, January 25, 2024.

2024 NAACP 115th National Convention – July 13-17th will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas.

Voting: This election season, we hold the most powerful tool to make democracy work for Black Americans: our vote. The issues that affect our community will make or break how we continue to thrive in this country. We can fix America’s broken democracy, vote For more information on the NAACP’s work to mobilize Black voters, visit naacp.org/vote.

The number of extensions and the implementation of those extensions also changes from one year to the next making the process not only confusing but contentious.

Additionally, coordination between CCTimes election coverage, Candidates’ Forums, and the voting period is not consistent and rarely ideal.

Before the addition of nine early voting days, NYS elections were a one-day-only event. I suggest we stay roughly within those parameters. That’s time enough to receive, misplace, replace and post any mislaid, brightly colored piece of Riverbay election mail.

And let’s try tracking the results daily and sending out robocall scolding and praise, accordingly.

But let’s try something! Two months of every year should not be devoted to an election, taking focus from the Board’s prime directive of serving the community.

7.) Finally, I’d like to see certain miscellaneous on-campus items addressed in 2024 that I’ve been championing for years. A.) We need a Bartow elevator. It would be a convenience for so many anytime but especially useful in June. Early voting in Bartow could potentially send two full weekends of June brides off to our beautiful Dreiser Auditorium: a much more lucrative prospect than servicing the Board of Elections for a pittance. B.) Section 5 loves its little park. Let’s emulate that effort (inhouse) and expose more of our valuable resource: our enviable waterside view. C.) The Einstein Community Center needs the second floor bathroom renovations included in the very next budget. Section 5 has waited its turn. Naturally, Dreiser’s bathrooms needed renovating first, logically Bartow was next, but for the staff and Board bathroom at Bartow to be renovated before Section 5’s? No, no, no, no. Let’s rectify that misstep, ASAP, please.

What would you like to see? Tell me, via: MPearson@RiverbayBoard.com or 718-219-2211. Thanks.

NAACP Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m.-noon. Commemorative pins and journals available to purchase.

Follow us on Facebook: Co-op City NAACP. Become a member, gift a membership or upgrade your membership. Membership is the lifeblood of the organization. Join the NAACP to help us do the work. We march to defend democracy. Take your advocacy further by joining in the fight for our sacred right to vote. Annual Adult, $30, and Youth, $10, or Silver Life, $750. Make check/money order payable to: NAACP Co-op City. Mail to: NAACP Co-op City, 135 Einstein Loop, Room 36, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. To leave a message, call the office phone at: 718-320-3210 or email: naacpccity2210@gmail.com or naacpcoopbb@yahoo.com

Brenda Brown

The Building 19 Association will be holding two upcoming meetings this month. The committee meeting, originally scheduled for this past Tuesday, was -

This event will include holding the election for the positions on the executive board. These positions, excluding the one for president, are president-elect, treasurer, assistant treasurer, and secretary. As of the time of this article, all positions, except president-elect, has one candidate who was nominated at the Asfor the aforementioned positions, you can make it known during this coming

In February, the Association will be collecting annual dues for 2024. The fee place in the lobby. So please be on the look out for the announcement this month. I look forward to see you next Tuesday at the committee meeting and our —Leon Tulton

Emergency Food Pantry

920 Baychester Ave., Bldg. 1A (basketball court). The pantry is open on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m., for grocery distribution. Guests are eligible to pick up food once a month. Look at the last date on your pantry card. The next pick up would be one month from the last pick up or after. It is a 30/31-day rotation, on average. Black Forum will text registered guests if items outside of regular distribution become available.

All guests must present a pantry card to receive food. Remember to bring at least 4-6 clean shopping bags with a handle and a shopping cart. Please do not bring black shopping bags, since they pose a health hazard. We require guests to wear masks when visiting.

Section 5 guests should visit Co-op City United Methodist Church at 2350 Palmer Avenue to pick up groceries on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Reliis now open through April 2024. Guests must be 18 years or older to apply or recertify. only include the number of household members who are able to show up in perat the 920 Baychester Avenue location. Those living in Section 5 will register or recertify at the 2350 Palmer Avenue location on Thursdays.

Upcoming Trips (Price changes)

We have updates to the schedule of events for 2024. The Wind Creek Casino- cepted in the following forms: cash, personal checks, and only postal money

All trip proceeds, through the Black Forum of Co-op City organization, fund thirty years. We truly value your unwavering assistance.

Contact Us: coopcityblackforum@gmail.com.

—D. Illis

Wholistic Health Fair

Resort World Casino

Zelle

Goose Island Valentine Party

Mohegan Sun

Wind Creek Casino

Sight and Sound Daniel

Sight and Sound Daniel

Villa Roma – Tribute to Diana Ross and Gladys Knight

Zelle

Tribute to Whitney Houston on bus. Balance due: June 5.

2024 Norwegian Cruise

2024 Las Vegas Trip

Notary

Bingo ments.

Game Day

To all Members:

Sick and Shut-in address is goose.island@optonline.net

Good health to all.

––Stephen Roberts Sr.

Zelle

Greetings, retirees and friends.

Membership Committee

Carnival Cruise 2024 additional information. Happy Birthday

Good and Welfare deaths.

Condolences

General Meeting

––Georgianna Rodriguez

Bartow OAC Food Shopping Trips

– BJ’s/ShopRite, Fri., Jan. 19; Stew Leonard’s, Wed., Jan. 24; and Costco, Fri., Jan. 26. All trips are $6. Please pay at the Bartow Center only. Pick up place/ time will be given when paying.ing a Jewelry Making Class on Wed., Jan. 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m. held in the back

Common Pantry scheduled for Tues., Jan. 23, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The state still has a freeze and we will not be taking any new participants at this time.

Agatha House Foundation – National Diabetes Prevention Program (Zoom class). Weekly Diabetes Prevention, 6-9 month program. For more info. or to reg-

Mon., Jan. 15

Tues., Jan. 16

Wed., Jan. 17

Thurs., Jan. 18

Fri., Jan. 19

Sat., Jan. 20

Bartow OAC – BHM Arts/Crafts Sat., Feb. 10, in Rm. 31 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (FREE).

Tue., Feb. 23, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tickets on sale in Bartow OAC only. Price: $3. Einstein OAC Trip to see the musical, Moulin Rouge!

Tickets: $40. Payment due by Feb. 2. Bus departs from Einstein at 11:30 a.m. and return stops at approximately 6 p.m. at Einstein, Bartow and Dreiser. Call Einstein

Memory Matters: Coping w/Memory and Cognitive Changes. Presented by: Alzheimer’s Assoc. in partnership w/JASA. Meeting weekly on Fridays for nine weeks. Feb. 9 is Education and Ori-

,

Discussions from 1-2:30 p.m. in JASA rrkersey@alz.org. Request a pre-registration interview. Please allow two business days for a response.

Caringkind – The Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving representative will be Mon. of the month, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for Alzheimer and Dementia Consultation/ Health Care Proxy, Power of Attorney Consultation and other services.

Steel Drum Classes – JASA NORC

Medicare Information – Thurs., 9

Notary

JASA CLOSED IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. DAY

Walk w/Odessa, On Break

Until Spring 2024

Blood Pressure, 12-1 p.m. (1st & 3rd Tues.)

Health & Wellness w/Ann 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Adult coloring, 12-1 p.m.

Smart Phone & Tablet Class w/Julesa, 1:45-2:45 p.m.

Dinner Hour: 3-4:30 p.m.

Stay Well Exercise w/Odessa 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Bereavement Hour w/Dorine (1st Wednesday only per month) 12-1 p.m.

Line Dancing w/Cynthia Wed. & Fri., 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Dominoes w/Jose, 1-2:30 p.m.

Dinner Hour: 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Arthritis Exercise w/Damion, 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

Visual Arts w/Laura via Zoom 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Knitting/Crocheting with Lynne and Betty, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Card Games with Frankie, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner Hour, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-noon

Manicure, 10:30 a.m-noon

Line Dance with Cynthia 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

Dinner Hour, 3-4:30 p.m.

Drama Club w/Dazee Windley 3-4 p.m., in the back of the JASA NORC Office

Intergenerational Arts & Crafts w/Denise, 10 a.m.-noon

Salsa with Rasheed 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Word Games 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Bingo on Saturdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the back of the JASA NORC Of fce.

JASA CLOSED IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. DAY

Never Too Old to Learn Spanish, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 35

Bridge to Care Arthritis Exercise, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 45

Creative Arts & Painting, 1-2 p.m., Room 35

Go Easy on us Computers 2:30-3:30 p.m., Rm. 40

Hair Care 4U, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Appointments Only

Spring in Your Step Stretch & Tone w/Ola, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 45

Action Bodies In Motion 11 a.m.-noon, Room 45

Prize Bingo & Board Games 1 p.m.-2 p.m., Rm. 49A

Visual Arts, 10 a.m.-noon

Salsa Dancing, 11 a.m.-noon

Walk With Ease, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Coloring for Calmness 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m

Chess Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Blood Pressure Screening 10:30 a.m.-noon

Let’s Get It on Zumba 1-2 p.m.

JASA CLOSED IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. DAY

Movie Theatre Trip – The Color Purple. Showtime TBD. Art w/Lovie, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. (Twice a month)

Zumba w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., Auditorium A

Computer & Tablet Class w/Ralph 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Dial in number: 347-893-2966

Meeting ID: 854 2963 5300

Passcode: Dreiser23

Arthritis Exercise w/Damion 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 2

NY State Emergency Preparedness Training Presentation, Room 7, 1-2 p.m.

Afternoon Crafts w/Ines & Julesa 1:15-3 p.m.

Drama Club 1:30-3:30 p.m., Rm. 4

Cross County Mall Trip, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Manicure Services for Seniors, 2-3 p.m. (Twice a month)

Sewing Class w/Joy, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 2

Knitting & Crocheting w/Loretta 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Alert & Alive w/Cathy and Essie 10-11 a.m., Rm. 4

Line Dance w/Sassy, 1-2 p.m., Aud. A

Bingo w/Gay, 1:20 p.m.-2:50 p.m., Rm. 4

Menu Fee for lunch is $2 & $5 for guest. ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk. Menu subject to change without notice. For information, please call: (718) 320-2066. Schedule subject to change without notice.

9 a.m.-12 p.m. & 2 p.m.-4 p.m. only

9-10:30 a.m.; Weds. and Thurs., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. By appointment.

Technology Class -

Line Dance with Bartow Swingers

– Wed. and Fri. from 12-1 p.m., Dreiser Loop, Aud. A.

Notary – Einstein OAC. Until Feb. 2024 Notary appointments only on Thurs., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Starting Feb. 2024, will be on Tues. and Thurs. for

Please call Einstein OAC

Hair Styling, first and third Wed. of the month, 9-11 a.m., braids, haircuts, shape-ups, twists, ponytails, curls and more. Facials and Manicure, every Mon., 1-3 p.m. Call for appointments.

Alternate Kosher Meals are available

JASA CLOSED IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. DAY

NO DINNER SERVED

LUNCH : KOSHER: Pot Roast, Boiled Potatoes, Peas and Carrots

NON KOSHER: Spanish Style Roast Pork, Sweet Baked Yams, Normandy Blend

Vegetables

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER : Beef Pot Roast, Roasted Potatoes, Beet Salad, Pear. NON-KOSHER: Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry, Yellow Rice,

LUNCH: KOSHER: Mao Poi Tofu, Brown Rice, Steamed Carrots

NON-KOSHER: Baked Fish w/Rustic Tomato Sauce, Pasta, Vegetable Mix

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Brown Rice, Tossed Salad w/Dressing, Banana. NON-KOSHER: Spanish-style Roasted Pork, Sweet Baked Yams, Normandy Blend Vegetables

LUNCH: KOSHER: Roast Turkey, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted String Beans

NON-KOSHER: Tuna Fish Salad, Classic Macaroni Salad, Cucumber Chickpea Salad

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Roasted Turkey Breast, Mashed

NON-KOSHER: Baked Fish w/Rustic Tomato Sauce, Pasta, Mixed Vegetables, Apple

LUNCH : KOSHER : Roast Chicken, Potato Kugel, Ratatouille

NON-KOSHER : Italian Stew, Perfect White Rice, Steamed Spinach

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Roasted Chicken Legs, Potato Kugel, Cold Slaw

NON-KOSHER: Tuna Fish Salad, Classic Macaroni Salad Cucumber Chickpea Salad, Banana

Saturday: Lunch served at 12:30 p.m. : BARTOW ONLY

BARTOW OAC LUNCH

KOSHER: Filet of Sole Florentine, Rice Pilaf, Normandy Blend Vegetables, Apple

KOSHER: Moroccan Style Roasted Beans, Plum

NON-KOSHER: Soft Taco w/Vegetables., Rice Pilaf, Baby Carrots w/Parsley, Banana

NON-KOSHER: Italian Stew (Kidney Beans w/Vegetables, Perfect Rice, Orange