Publisher / Editor Brian Harrod provides hyper local news for Yonkers, NY, that is also continually updated from thousands of sources on the Roundup Newswires Network
Now New Yorkers age 16 and older to apply for a standard, not for federal purpose, non-commercial driver license or learner permit regardless of their citizenship or lawful status in the United States
Undocumented immigrants officially have the “green light” in Yonkers – – they can now apply for a state driver’s license thanks to the Green Light Law.
The line at the Yonkers DMV wrapped around the block with hundreds of people waiting — many to obtain their license.
Many were on line for more than three hours.
However, the wait did not end once they entered the DMV, because once inside the building they had to wait another three and a half hours to apply for the driver permit/license.
Those waiting on line told News 4 they were excited to finally get their license, but some said they are afraid the right won’t last and wanted to take advantage as soon as the right rolled out.
The Democrat-led state Senate voted 33-29 in favor of the bill in June after several hours of debate and was quickly signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
However, the move has proven controversial. While advocacy groups cheered the move, some opponents think it will de-incentivize people to become citizens.
Advocates claim that he roads will now be safer for everyone since more people will have taken the test, gotten car insurance and proven they can drive safely.
The Yonkers Industrial Development Agency said recent projects mark the largest concentration of residential development in the city’s history
DEVELOPMENT BOOM: #Yonkers, has about 5,900 luxury apartments under construction, street corner artwork, and a slogan that’s a nod to the demographic it hopes will lift the sagging tax base: “Generation Yonkers.”
KEEP MOVING FORWARD: The recent talk of recession has only spurred Mayor Mike Spano to move more quickly with a revitalization project that’s already showing some early signs of success.
HOLLYWOOD ON THE HUDSON: #Lionsgate Entertainment Corp., drawn by federal tax breaks for investing in lower-income communities, is planning a $100 million-plus production facility in the heart of Yonkers Downtown/Waterfront BID.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Mayor #MikeSpano says that working to limit the impact of gentrification by creating hundreds of units that would be affordable to the local population.
Yonkers Commissioner of Planning and Development Wilson Kimball says the city is not displacing anyone, because 90% of everything that’s been built in the city of hills has been built on vacant property.
Plus there is MGM’s Billion Dollar Plus investment in the revived city of gracious living.
Progressive Computing founded by Robert Cioffi and Chief Executive Officer Ugo Chiulli, two Yonkers natives
PRESS RELEASE: #RobertCioffi, co-founder and chief operating officer of Progressive Computing, will join the Board of Directors at the Business Council of Westchester, the county’s largest and most influential business membership organization.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY: All board members are elected by The Business Council of Westchester’s membership during its recent annual meeting.
YONKERS: A longstanding member of the business council since 2002, Progressive Computing Inc. has helped foster the organization’s growth and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
QUOTE: “I am humbled by the confidence that The Business Council of Westchester has shown in me,” said Cioffi. “I expect to leverage my experience as a small business owner for the last 25 years, as well as my unique technological insights, to enhance and advance the council’s mission. A position like this fits in perfectly with my personal Go-Giver philosophy.”
“Beyond providing IT support to the council and sponsoring many of our events, Robert has served as an integral part of this organization,” said council President and CEO, Marsha Gordon.
“From moderating numerous panels and programs covering important IT and cyber security issues, to serving as a guest columnist for our publications, he has donated an incalculable amount of time to our members. We named him to our first class of Rising Stars and he continues to shine.”
Founded by Cioffi and Chief Executive Officer #UgoChiulli, two Yonkers natives, #ProgressiveComputing recently moved into new headquarters in the city.
Many prominent local politicians attended their anniversary event and issued proclamations praising their staying power and civic activities.
Progressive works closely with the STRIVE program, which helps Yonkers Public Schools students with technology job training and job placement, along with many other volunteer educational and community-building endeavors.
The company has expanded as computer technology evolved. And, they have expanded their footprint from #WestchesterCounty to across the country.
According to Cioffi, Progressive Computing grew up alongside the Business Council of Westchester.
“The council has been fertile ground for us to find many new customers because it attracts such a wealth of world class companies that are always looking to network and build their own organizations,” he said.
“Several years ago, I was the subject matter expert for a small group of council members and landed two customers who have represented millions of dollars in business. I have been involved with the council for almost 20 years, so now it’s my turn to give back and spread the wealth, so to speak, to all of our members.”
GREEN LIGHT IN YONKERS: Undocumented Immigrants Are Lining Up Since 5;30 AM In Larkin Plaza To Get Driver’s Licenses This Morning
GETTY SQUARE: Illegal Aliens in #Yonkers are getting a big green light Monday. They are now allowed to apply for driver’s licenses
YONKERS: License applicants, in the city of hills, without a valid Social Security number are now able to submit alternative forms of ID that include valid passports and driver’s licenses issued in other countries.
Applicants must still get a permit and pass a road test to qualify for a standard driver’s license. The new law applies to New York State residents only. The New York law weathered two court challenges.
The second came Friday, just days before its enactment.
A federal district judge ruled against Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola, saying he lacked the legal capacity to bring the lawsuit.
Merola, a Republican, had argued that the state law conflicts with federal immigration law.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano Demands NYC End SOTA Program In His City
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Yonkers Files Freedom of Information Act with New York City Requesting Leasing and Payment History of Homeless Sent to Yonkers
PRESS RELEASE: In light of New York City’s announcement that it is halting its program of sending homeless people to #Newark, NJ,
YONKERS: Mayor Mike Spano today demanded that New York also stop sending homeless individuals to Yonkers.
#SOTA provides homeless individuals or families who have been in a shelter for at least 90 days with one year’s pre-paid rent into housing within New York City or another state.
#NewYorkCity sent people to dilapidated housing in Newark, leading Newark to sue New York City in federal court. New York, despite previously promising to notify Yonkers before moving people into buildings, has not disclosed any information about where, who and how many individuals have been sent to Yonkers. “New York City continues to keep Yonkers in the dark about the impact its SOTA program has on our city,” said Mayor Mike Spano.
“We repeatedly have asked New York to provide us information so we can make sure people aren’t being dumped into substandard housing or buildings with violations, but they continue to stonewall us.” Mayor Mike Spano added,
“Now that they have agreed to stop sending people to Newark, we are concerned they will simply step up the number of people they send to Yonkers. We already have a homeless population we struggle to take care of, and we need to make sure New York City isn’t adding to the problem by putting people in substandard housing then walking way, as they did in Newark.”
As part of the FOIL request, #Yonkers is asking the City’s Department of Human Resources Administration and its Department of Finance to provide all records evidencing applications for residential housing within Yonkers; all records evidencing lease agreements for residential housing units within Yonkers; and all records evidencing payments, including but not limited to rental payments, for residential housing units within Yonkers.
Mayor #MikeSpano added, “We need to ensure these families are in safe and habitable housing and their landlords are in good standing. It is also essential to know what long-term impacts these families have on our already overcapacity school district in which the local taxpayer share exceeds $10,000 per student.”
The #WestchesterCounty Department of Social Services manages the care and well-being of the county’s homeless population, who are often sent to Yonkers for overnight sheltering and daily intake services.
“While we are sympathetic to the needs of these individuals, Yonkers serves as the county’s largest city and is already overly burdened by the county’s homeless. We are asking that New York be transparent with us, from one government to another, so we can collectively work together to solve for needs of our most vulnerable population,” said Mayor Mike Spano.
Yonkers Councilman John Rubbo commented, “Yonkers is a diverse city with families from many different socioeconomic backgrounds. As a partner to the Westchester County Department of Social Services, we work hard to assist our existing homeless residents. The fact that Mayor DeBlasio wants to now transition New York’s homeless population out of its city to Yonkers and other local communities is a gross negligence of his social and moral responsibility to the homeless of New York City. As such, I will be proposing a resolution to the Yonkers City Council calling on New York City to effectively put programming in place that properly serves its homeless population, instead of shipping them out to other cities and states. These families deserve better.”
Councilman #JohnRubbo added, “A message to Mayor DeBlasio: Be a leader and help the people of your city. Just because you can’t solve an issue does not mean you can pass the buck. As a Catholic, I want to help the less fortunate, but as an elected representative of Yonkers, my charity will start at home.”
The Netflix drama “The Irishman,” which follows the career of mob hitman Frank Sheeran and his relationship with union boss Jimmy Hoffa, racked up five golden globe nominations.
They include Best Motion Picture, Best Performance by an Actor for Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, Best Director for Martin Scorsese and Best Screenplay for Steven Zaillian.
Yonkers residents will be cheering them on in January, since it was filmed at city hall.
Inquiries from location scouts about are once again up this year in Yonkers and Yonkers Newswire Editor Brian Harrod gave a Netflix location scout an hour and a half tour of the old school 12 Building to be possibly be used as the backdrop for a police precinct.
Brian Harrod previously spent 12 hour days babysitting an independent production that used the old School 12 building in August and September of this year, for a romantic comedy that is now in post production.
Previously the old School 12 Building had been used a a backdrop for the series Gotham and other productions.
COMMUNITY VIDEO: A 15-year-old gangbanger wannabe who allegedly opened fire on a Yonkers street last month — killing an innocent teen as she tried to save her little sister — finally turned himself in to authorities.
ROUNDUP NEWSWIRES: Jamir Thompson turned himself in to police at about 1 a.m. after spending two weeks on the lam, according to the #YonkersPolice Department.
THE HARROD FILES: The suspect considered himself part of the Bloodhounds — an offshoot of the Bloods — although the shooting is not believed to be gang-related and he does not appear to be in any crew, police said.
Thompson has previously been arrested for petty larceny, assault and possession of a loaded firearm, according to cops. His lawyer, Lisa Pelosi, claimed he had no convictions.
A judge ordered Thompson held without bail Tuesday. He is charged as a juvenile offender and will appear in court on June 5. A grand jury will ultimately decide the charges he will face.
The series of events leading to Montanez’s death unfolded on April 25, after Thompson allegedly stole a gold chain from another teen.
Later in the day, Thompson and the teen got into a dispute near Lake and Morningside avenues — where the 15-year-old opened fire, according to Yonkers Police.
Thompson fled the scene, leaving the Lincoln HS junior mortally wounded, cops said. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Authorities identified Thompson as the alleged shooter through a review of surveillance footage and witness interviews.
Thompson has attended the Linde nHill School in #Hawthorne for about five months, but his attendance was sporadic, according to the head of the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls school district.
Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said Thompson will now have to answer for his despicable actions. Authorities had offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Thompson’s arrest. It was not immediately clear if anyone helped him evade authorities.
Protecting tenants should be a priority, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, as state regulations governing rent in Yonkers is set to expire at the end of June
TENANTS IN TROUBLE: Will Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins Protect Yonkers Tenants As State Regulations Governing Rent Are Set To Expire In June
ALBANY: Yonkers lawmakers Senator Shelley Mayer and Assemblymen J Gary Pretlow and Nader Sayegh are going to have to join with Majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins in the state capital in protecting and extending rent regulations in the coming weeks of the legislative sessions.
Yonkers community activists are calling on the city’s delegation to Albany to eliminate loopholes that make it easier for landlords to raise rents on tenants who are often at the mercy of their landlords.
Low Income renters in Yonkers say its time to ending the so-called vacancy bonus, which lets landlords raise an apartment’s rent as much as 20% when a tenant leaves.
Local tenants’ rights groups have been skeptical about lawmakers’ vows to address the issue, as real estate lobbyists are seen as one of the more influential groups in Albany.
Real estate lobbyists are already running ads on Westchester County media seeking to overturn tenant protection laws.
Democrats now control both the Assembly and the state Senate and Governor Forbes IrvineAndrew Cuomo said he supports reforms, which bodes well for renters.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on a public radio station today that in previous years there was a “reluctance to deal with the details of how these laws actually worked.
“And we now have three months to focus just on these laws because we got so much done in the budget,” Andrew Cuomo while being interviewed on WNYC
PUBLIC NOTICE: The City of Yonkers‘ YonkersI ndustrial Development Agency (#YIDA) PUBLIC HEARINGS: Will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 For the following: DAYSPRING COMMONS LP at 5:30 p.m. ERIN CONSTRUCTION and DEVELOPMENT CO. INC at 5:50 p.m. Hearings will be held: yonkers IDA Office Conference Room – 470 Nepperhan Avenue, Suite 200 Yonkers, New York 10701
Yonkers, NY The board of directors of the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency (IDA) have approved resolutions of intent to provide financial incentives for four residential projects.
The developments, which represent a total private investment of $108.3 million, are estimated to create 100 housing units and retain 311 units; create 156 construction jobs and create and retain 57 full- and part-time jobs.
Parkledge Preservation, LLC received final approval of financial incentives for its plan to acquire and renovate the Parkledge Apartments located on a 4.32-acre site at 220-250 Yonkers Avenue.
The high-rise apartment building is comprised of 311 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments which are affordable to low-income families.
All of the apartments are income restricted and subsidized through the Mitchell-Lama HUD Section 236 program.
The $56.9 million project will include replacing roofing and insulation; repairs to the facades; upgrades to the elevator cabs; water-saving and energy efficiency measures and security upgrades throughout the property. The renovations are expected to take approximately 12 months.
No tenants will be displaced during the construction period. The project is expected to create 55 construction jobs and retain 13 full-time jobs.
The IDA gave preliminary approval of financial incentives for Westhab Inc.’s $43.4 million Dayspring Commons and Dayspring Community Center projects in the Nodine Hill neighborhood in southwest Yonkers.
Dayspring Commons, which is located at 227 Elm Street, is a 63-unit supportive/affordable residential rental development. The six-story building will feature 5 one-bedroom units, 55 two-bedroom units and 3 three-bedroom units. Twenty-five of the units will be affordable to households earning no more than 50% of AMI.
There will also be a two-story parking garage with 55 parking spaces. Building amenities will include a social services office, community room, laundry room 24/7security, landscaped yard and free covered parking.
Westhab also received preliminary approval of incentives to renovate and repurpose a rundown former church property into the Dayspring Community Center, an approximately 20,000-square-foot facility that offers housing, employment and counseling services as well as an emergency food pantry and computer use for job and housing searches.
The Center, which is located at 320 Walnut Street, currently serves 250 youth ranging in age from kindergarten to young adults. Residents of Dayspring Commons will have access to the Dayspring Community Center.
The two projects are estimated to create 80 construction jobs and create and retain 28 full- and part-time jobs. Dayspring Commons and Dayspring Community Center, which represent the most significant investment in Nodine Hill in a generation, will create a new epicenter of community life and neighborhood transformation.
Westhab is the leading community developer and largest provider of low-income, affordable housing and related services in Westchester County.
A third project receiving preliminary approval for IDA incentives was a $6.5 million, mixed-use development at 9-11 Riverdale Avenue.
Erin Construction & Development Co. plans to build a 9-story residential and commercial building on a vacant lot along a prime corridor of the Getty Square neighborhood.
The building will feature 29 rental apartments and approximately 2,150 square feet of ground-level commercial space.
There will be 6 studios, 21 one-bedroom units and 2 two-bedroom units. The building will also feature a rooftop terrace and 700 square feet of common area for storage and bike racks.
Ten percent of the units will be set aside as affordable to 80%AMI.
The project is located in the city’s DM-X Mixed Use District which is a high concentration of commercial, residential and institutional developments in the downtown which encourages ground floor commercial use to activate the street-level environment.
The project is expected to create 14 full- and part-time jobs and six construction jobs.
A fourth project receiving preliminary approval was a gut rehabilitation of an abandoned property located at 78-80 Morningside Avenue.
The $1.5 million project will create 8-units of workforce housing. The two-bedroom units are anticipated to rent for $1,800 a month.
The developer, 78-80 Morningside LLC, plans to finance the project with the Community Preservation Corporation, a community-based lender.
The property is in an Opportunity Zone. Opportunity Zones were created by the federal government to spur development in underdeveloped or distressed areas.
The project, which has been approved by the City of Yonkers, is projected to create 15 construction jobs.
