Yonker‘ Free Pre‘‘ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2020 - BRIAN HARROD EDITOR PUBLISHER Yonkers Fire Department Sources say that an overloaded extension cord was responsible for the Yonkers fire death An Overloaded several pets. upcoming census in January 2019 when the report they were tasked Extension Cord Yonkers Census with creating was due. So when the report finally came Caused The Funding To Be out in October, Yonkers advocates were expecting funding might not Deadly Fire On Distributed Just come out as early as they hoped. Saratoga Avenue Days Before The Those fears now appear to be be- coming reality. By BRIAN HARROD Count Is To Begin The Award for state funding to Yonkers may be approved and dis- By BRIAN HARROD tributed on March 10, just two days The death 64-year-old Yonkers before the U.S. Census Bureau starts resident Peter Lettieri was pre- to send people mail on how to re- ventable. Yonkers, NY Some local elected spond to the census. Thirty one people were injured by officials have quietly complained The census was already expected an extension cord was under a bed in about Governor Andrew Cuomo and to be a challenge in Yonkers, which a first-floor apartment. his administration for delays in dis- had a below average self-response rate Six families are still homeless fam- tributing funds for getting out the in the 2010 census. ilies count for the 2020 census. Its difficulties are expected to be The families consist of tweenty The governor appointed members amplified this year, in particular be- seven adults and seven children, plus of a state commission overseeing the cause the attempt to add a citizen- Yonkers Free Press FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2020 - BRIAN HARROD EDITOR PUBLISHER 2 ship question, even though it failed, is expected to depress responses from Yonkers’ immigrant communities. This is also the first year the cen- sus will be conducted mostly online, which presents an additional barrier, especially for seniors and impover- Only one top prize ticket was sold ished Yonkers residents without inter- for the February 25th game. net access. The state requires that 75% of the funding goes toward nonprofits or libraries creating outreach materi- als or advertising, going door-to-door and providing services guiding people through the forms, while Yonkers can Patricia hold onto the rest for their own cen- sus initiatives. McCrudden Will Lead The Yonkers For the second year running the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Parade on parade McLean Avenue will be led by a By BRIAN HARROD woman grand marshal. Yonkers Passes Plastic Straw Free At this point, Yonkers should should keep its eye on the prize of counting The McLean Avenue parade will Legislation everybody and doing the best they step off on Saturday, March 21 and By CHRISTINA GILMARTIN can with the funding that’s available. proceed along the “Emerald Mile” with Grand Marshal Patricia Dono- van McCrudden at its head. Law Bans Food & Beverage Es- Winning TAKE-5 In advance of the parade itself a tablishments from Providing Single- number of events and ceremonies are Use Plastic Straws, Starting March Ticket Sold In planned: 1st. Yonkers On March 10 at 4 p.m. there will Beginning March 1, single-use plastic straws will no longer be made By BRIAN HARROD be a flag raising at Yonkers City Hall. available at food and beverage estab- lishments located in Yonkers, unless On March 14 at 7 p.m. there will upon request by customers. be the parade dinner and a gala cele- The ban comes into effect as bration at the Castle Royale, 92 Wa- the city’s Plastic Straw Free Yonkers The New York Lottery announced verly Street. legislation recently was passed by Wednesday morning that one top- Yonkers City Council and signed by prize winning ticket was sold for the On March 16 at 11 a.m. there will Mayor Mike Spano. February 25th TAKE-5 drawing. be the painting of the Green Line on “In Yonkers, we are doing our The ticket, worth $59,388.00, was McLean Avenue near the Aisling Irish part in being stewards of the environ- purchased at Rani Enterprises, Inc. Community Center (909 McLean Av- ment and reducing the negative envi- located at 831 Nepperhan Avenue in enue). ronmental impacts resulting from the Yonkers. manufacture and disposal of single- On parade day, March 21, there use plastic,” said Mayor Spano. The five winning numbers for the will be an 11.15 a.m. Parade Mass at “These straws are most-often used TAKE 5 game are drawn from a field St. Barnabas High School Chapel on just once, but have lasting, global im- of one to 39. The TAKE 5 drawing is McLean Avenue. pacts on our waterways, wildlife and televised every day at 11:21 p.m. human health.” A Lottery draw game prize of any The parade will step off after Mass Plastic drinking straws are among amount may be claimed up to one on the “Emerald Mile” west of Bronx the top 10 contributors to ma- year from the date of the drawing. River Road at 1 p.m. rine debris pollution. Most plas- Yonkers Free Press FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2020 - BRIAN HARROD EDITOR PUBLISHER 3 tic straws are not biodegradable and ter each subsequent violation. straws in Yonkers.” instead break down over years into In 2019, Yonkers Public School March 1 also marks the first day smaller microplastics, releasing chem- students at Paideia School 15 and of New York State’s ban on single-use icals into the soil, air, and water that local Girl Scout Troop 1730 advo- plastic bags. are harmful to animals, plants, peo- cated the City to enact a law banning Residents are encouraged to pick ple, and the environment. single-use plastic straws. up their free Yonkers reusable bag at Mayor Spano added, “As many Mayor Spano and local lawmak- City Hall, 40 S. Broadway, Monday- as 500 million plastic straws are ers today visited Paideia School 15 to Friday from 9am-5pm and at any of used each year in the United States, thank the students for their advocacy the three branches of the Yonkers yet the impacts on our environment efforts and commitment to a sustain- Public Library. last for generations. Let’s rid these able Yonkers. Reports of single-use plastic straws from our roadways, streams Yonkers Councilman John Rubbo straws at local establishments may and parks and continue to make said, “As the Chairman of the En- be directed to the Yonkers Con- Yonkers a greener, cleaner place to vironmental Policy and Protection sumer Protection Bureau at Con- live.” Committee, I will always take a sumerHelp@YonkersNY.gov or (914) Approximately 540 food estab- strong stance in protecting our en- 377-3000. lishments in Yonkers have been no- vironment and as a small business tified of the new law. Once the ban owner, I have discontinued using takes effect, Yonkers Consumer Pro- single-use plastic straws in advance of tection Bureau will perform routine this law being passed. I am grateful spot checks as part of its ongoing, an- to the Girl Scout Troop at School 15 nual inspection process, as well as re- and the parent volunteers for bring- spond to any complaints. ing this issue to light. Our future Any establishment found to be in leaders spoke and we listened, and violation of the new law the first time now thanks to these young ladies our Yonkers Mayor Spano, Yonkers City will be issued a written warning, fol- community will be doing its part to Councilmembers and Yonkers lowed by increasing monetary fines af- reduce the use of single-use plastic Paideia School 15 students
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