Council Member Ruben Wills

COUNCILMAN WILLS ISSUES STATEMENT ON BATON ROUGE, ST. PAUL AND DALLAS SHOOTINGS

July 8, 2016 – South Jamaica, NY – Council Member Ruben Wills (D-South Jamaica) issued the following statement regarding these recent events:

“I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, the five murdered Dallas Police Department officers, and those who were among the wounded during yesterday’s attack in Dallas.

Yet, in the wake of these latest tragedies, through our collective grief and sorrow, we owe it to ourselves as a people to not shrink once again from the urgent need to acknowledge that fundamental racial biases have corrupted one of the core pillars of civil society: the relationship between police and community.

We live in fear of one another because we continue to lack the will to confront these social ills in a sincere way, and, in our desperation, we have resorted to perpetrating what can only be described as self-destructive acts of domestic terrorism.

The disheartening events of the last seventy-two hours are the culmination of a longstanding failure by our institutions of government to engage the citizenry in an honest dialogue about the unrelenting hostility towards Black men and women.

This is not supposition.

136 Blacks have been killed by law enforcement so far in 2016, and young Black men were nine times more likely to be killed by police last year, according to an on-going study conducted by The Guardian.

This issue, and its many facets, affects the safety of every man, woman and child in our country; and its mantle must be taken up by everyone, not just the representatives of any single movement.

When profile picture are altered by filters and major landmarks illuminated in every instance that a Black person is needlessly killed, our nation’s consciousness will begin to be awakened to the persistent racial discrimination that exists in this country.

When messages that recognize the significance and value of Black lives become as ubiquitous as corporate advertisements honoring Black History Month, we can finally begin to have a genuine conversation about the twin menaces of unconscious and systemic racism.

When that conversation acknowledges that racism continues to serve as the basis for unjust policies that have led to segregated schools, jobs that don’t pay a livable wage, and a criminal justice system that delivers grossly disproportionate and punitive sentences, only then will Blacks believe that America is ready to move forward, and deal with the by-products of its original sin.”

Via EventBrite:

MCR Development LLC, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and Turner Construction Company invite you to participate in the Flight Center Hotel MWBE Opportunity Expo!

The Expo is hosted by the Port Authority and will connect qualified companies and local businesses with the developer (MCR) and general contractor (Turner) of the TWA Flight Center Hotel Development at JFK International Airport.

Expo Date: Monday, June 06, 2016

Targeted Trades: MEP's, Fire Protection, Low Voltage, Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration & Light Refreshments

9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Project Overview

9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Meet the Procurement Teams

For questions, please contact Turner's Community & Citizenship NY team at [email protected].

WHEN
Monday, June 6, 2016 from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM (EDT)

WHERE

Port Authority Administration - Building #14, Second Floor - Conference Room - John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica , New York 11430

For more information: http://bit.ly/24j7GvB

TWA Flight Center Hotel MWBE Opportunity Expo - MEP's, Fire Protection, Low Voltage, Electrical,... MCR Development LLC, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and Turner Construction Company invite you to participate in the TWA Flight Center Hotel MWBE Opportunity Expo! The Expo is hosted by the Port Authority and will connect MWBE qualified companies and local businesses with the developer...

COUNCILMAN WILLS ISSUES STATEMENT ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SHOOTINGS

May 30, 2016 – South Jamaica, NY – Council Member Ruben Wills (D-South Jamaica) issued the following statement regarding last night’s shootings:

"A series of shootings across the city last night, including in my South Jamaica and Richmond Hill district, have bloodied a weekend in which we honor the sacrifices of our armed servicemembers, and many families enjoy the start of summer. There is simply no justification for such senseless acts of violence, and they will not be tolerated. Police Commissioner Bratton is to be commended for working with the City Council to implement policies that recognize each community's identity, but more support is needed for proven violence prevention programs that help to establish stronger partnerships between the Department and local residents, deliver at-risk youths from the despair a life in poverty can bring, and encourage positive social development. June is Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York. I ask everyone to wear orange on June 2nd to show solidarity for nationwide efforts to promote unity and peaceful alternatives to resolving conflicts. Gun-violence has finally gained long deserved recognition as a public health crisis, and improving access to mental health services is equally essential to addressing its root causes. We must value our own lives in order to value the lives of others, and be accountable for the choices we make as individuals. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of these terrible incidents. I wish them all a complete recovery."

Starting June 1st, the NYC Human Resources Administration WILL MATCH any payment of $1,000 or greater made towards child support debt that is owed to the city's Department of Social Services.

This is a limited time offer that will end on June 15th.

Don't miss out.

Reminder - and please look away from your window as you read this - was postponed yesterday out of an abundance of caution, as we expected storms for most of today.

We ask that you please join us at our event next Sat, 5/28.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Due to projections of rain for tomorrow afternoon, our event has been postponed until Saturday, May 28th.

We hope to see you then.

Join us and the NYC Commission On Human Rights tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. for a workshop.

Location: 153-01 Jamaica Ave, Suite 203
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

As of now, the weather forecast for this Saturday is calling for periods of rain later in the day.

As the weekend draws closer, should we deem it appropriate to postpone our "Commit to Be Fit" event, please note the Rain Date will be next Saturday, May 28th.

Exactly ONE WEEK from today.

I challenge you to

ALERT - Due to a weather forecast calling for 90% precipitation this afternoon and evening, including thunderstorms, tonight's "Movie Night" screening of 'Minions' has been postponed until further notice.

We invite you to attend next Friday evening's "Movie Night" screening of 'The Good Dinosaur' at P.O. Edward Byrne Park on 135th Ave and 132nd St.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

ALERT: a 2-alarm fire at the power generation plant at Rochdale Village was reported earlier, but the fire has since been put out.

There are NO reported injuries.

A partial power outage throughout most of the complex has caused the elevators to stop operating, and some residents remain stuck inside them.

NYPD and FDNY are both on-scene responding to this emergency, and FDNY is conducting a building-by-building inspection of all 121 elevators.

Once FDNY inspections have concluded, power is expected to be restored at approximately 6 PM.

Additionally, NYC Emergency Management's Watch Command has requested City DEP Hazmat and State DEC respond to a reported leak at the power plant.

We will keep you posted as the evening progresses.

Please be patient while authorities complete their inspection.

They want to make absolutely certain all of you stay safe.

Free Tax Prep for March 1st is booked solid, but there are still slots available for Sat, March 5th.

Don't wait.

Call today at (718) 206-2068, to schedule an appointment.