Message from Mayor: Correction - "Culture Shock" is TONIGHT at High School
Posted on: February 9, 2018 - 9:38am
Fellow Residents;
Winter. Well. Enough said. So I will grab the chance to focus on things that lift the darkness through ways to engage your fellow residents, as well as updates on Waterfront Rezoning and a Con Ed clarification.
Culture Shock
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There’s a local dose of tonic FRIDAY, TONIGHT to the national news and the division that rends us now. A group of students in the High School have put together what is now an annual event called “Culture Shock”. Students draw on their cultural backgrounds, putting on dances or make music that speak to their roots. It’s a celebration of the universal American truth that (almost) all of us are from somewhere else and that diversity makes us richer. The entrance fee is $10 for adults and $5 for students; there’s also food available, at $5 collected per plate. (They’re asking that you also bring a can of food which will go to the food bank of Westchester.) It’s at 7PM at the High School auditorium.
One of the beneficiaries of this fundraiser is Neighbors Link, an absolutely remarkable group that helps new immigrants. Its roots are in Mt. Kisco, but they are also opening a satellite right next to us here in Yonkers to assist the immigrant community. There’s a group of local residents who have helped Neighbors Link open their office, and if you want to salve some of the damage you feel from the news every day, reach out to them to see what you can do: Hasting’s inimitable Sue Smith can be reached at ssmith198@optimum.net and will help you sort out how you can help.
Vine Lops
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Among the variety of environmental depredations we suffer from, one of the more visible are the invasive vines that swallow and kill entire stands of trees. Hasting’s own Vine Squad goes after them with full-throated abandon throughout the winter and they invite your participation. There’s still a bunch of sessions left – they’ll tell you everything you need to know, and you’ll finally have a constructive way to attenuate some of that seasonal (or other) aggravation you may be feeling. It will be one of the more useful two hours you will spend on a Saturday morning. Info here
Among the variety of environmental depredations we suffer from, one of the more visible are the invasive vines that swallow and kill entire stands of trees. Hasting’s own Vine Squad goes after them with full-throated abandon throughout the winter and they invite your participation. There’s still a bunch of sessions left – they’ll tell you everything you need to know, and you’ll finally have a constructive way to attenuate some of that seasonal (or other) aggravation you may be feeling. It will be one of the more useful two hours you will spend on a Saturday morning. Info here
Paying it forward in Pizza
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There are a number of initiatives to help the hungry in Hastings, from the Community Center Food Pantry to Project Share (https://sharetheproject.org/) to Hastings Helps the Hungry (Box 53, HoH, NY 10706) and, of course, Family-to-Family (https://www.family-to-family.org/). Each addresses local hunger in different ways. To this, we add a new (and clever) “Sponsor a Slice” program established by several residents and run through Slices. When you order pizza (even take-out) at Slices, you can indicate at the point of sale that you want to sponsor a slice or two at $3.00 each. You get a card that you can then personalize, and it is put in a sealed box at Slices that is then collected by this group of residents, who work with the schools, the Youth Advocate and the Senior Outreach Program to get the cards out to those in need. And you get to know you’ve helped someone enjoy a slice they otherwise can’t afford.
Waterfront Rezoning Committee
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The Waterfront Rezoning Committee has kicked off their meetings for what will be a busy and engaging process over the next two years to design a master plan and zoning for the waterfront. The Committee, staffed by 9 volunteers from our community, has a mix of skills and includes several who are newer to the community as well as older hands. They will be ramping up the program, including hiring the planning consultants and support they need. We are looking to televise the proceedings and post them for later viewing. This process will unfold with substantial opportunities for public input: these will be broadcast once the planning consultant is on board and the schedule set for the unfolding process.
Your Energy Sources
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Con Edison is required to send its customers the “New York Environmental Disclosure” that reports on the mix of generation sources for the electricity it distributes to most of its customers. Hastings residents recently received the report, which details the percentage of electricity derived from hydro, coal, natural gas, nuclear, etc.. For the over 2,200 Hastings households who receive electricity via the Westchester Power CCA contract with Constellation Energy, this report does not apply to you. Under the CCA contract that was adopted for the village, our power is 100% wind-derived through purchase from renewable energy generators. To verify that, there is a “2016 Wind Power Benefit Report” found here. Westchester Power has a web page devoted to the reporting that can be found at this link.
Finally, a tip of the hat to the volunteer Fire Department for the quick stop on the fire on Farragut last week. Training and teamwork pays off for us all when the horn sounds, volunteer residents rally out the door, and the fire is put out.
Sincerely,
Peter Swiderski