Friday, October 22, 2010

NY TIMES reports - NYPD will crack down on scofflaw cyclists - a victory for CCRC, Coalition Against Rogue Riding and Nancy Gruskin



City Will Crack Down on Scofflaw Cyclists 



Thursday, October 21, 2010

CBS News Reports :NYC To Start Recording Accidents Between Bikes, Pedestrians

click this link for the full story:

NYC To Start Recording Accidents Between Bikes, Pedestrians 


The Department of Transportation can't fudge the numbers any longer thanks to the hard work of Nancy Gruskin and Jack Brown . For possibly decades now the Dept. of Transportation has relied on faulty data when reporting on the the number of accidents between bicycles and pedestrians in NYC.  It's no wonder then that bike lane and cycling advocacy groups used this faulty data, without bothering to check its legitimacy,  to further their agenda regardless of impacts to small business and resident opposition.  It's dangerous when our City government relies on dubious data, it's even more dangerous when non-profit groups use that data to install permanent changes to our City streets.

Now that actual recording of bicycle on pedestrian accidents will be kept, at least while the pressure is on, seniors, children and the disabled community can begin to see hope in reclaiming their sidewalks, crosswalks and streets from ill-informed transient zealots.


NEW YORK (CBS 2) — Pedestrians hit and injured by bicycle riders – it’s a statistic that no one kept. However, after CBS 2 exposed the gap in record-keeping, New York City is moving to fill in the blanks.
In a city where pedestrians and bike riders are clashing, some advocates say something is missing in the debate – reliable injury data.
“Hard data on incidents between bicyclists and pedestrians, it’s a real missing link,” Nancy Gruskin, of the Gruskin Family Foundation, said.
Gruskin learned that the hard way after her husband, Stuart, was fatally injured by a reckless bike rider last year in Midtown.
As CBS 2 revealed in our “Bike Bedlam” reports, New York City hasn’t been collecting data on the number of pedestrians injured by bike riders.
After CBS 2 helped Gruskin get a meeting with NYC Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, however, some progress has been made.
DOT told Gruskin the state has agreed to use motor vehicle accident forms to finally document accidents between bike riders and pedestrians.
It’s a victory for Gruskin and her bike safety foundation, but one that won’t come immediately.
The data collection won’t begin until next April, and the numbers won’t be crunched for months after that, even as the city moves forward with plans to build miles of additional dedicated bike lanes.
“I think they have an agenda, and they’re gonna push that agenda through,” Lois Carswell, of Seniors for Safety, said.
On Thursdays, the critics will call for the city to rip up the controversial bike lane on Prospect Park West. This being New York City, though, there will be a counter-protest by bike lane supporters, as the debate spins on and on.
“I’m very happy with the results of DOT’s work here,” one resident said.
While the city and state work to start collecting the injury data, bike safety advocates are working with hospitals to document the problem using emergency room reports.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

NY State DMV Changing MV-104 reports to include bike on pedestrian incidents

We just heard this great news from pedestrian safety advocate Nancy Gruskin.

Hi Everyone:

Great News!  CBS-TV's Tony Aiello will be reporting on TODAY'S  news at 5:30pm (Wed. Oct. 20th)  that the State DMV will be changing their MV-104 reports as of April 2011 to include the data collection of bike on pedestrian incidents.  This change came as a direct result of the "Bike Bedlam" series where we were able to prove that there were no accurate stats of bike on pedestrian stats in New York City.  This represents a major step forward for pedestrian safety and the goals of the Foundation!!  We are still trying to work on short-term data collection as the results won't be public for at least 2 years, but this is wonderful news for the long term...



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Entrepreneurship alive and well in Chinatown - Everything Frosted Bakery



Terri Lu and JohnWu are among the new generation of Chinese American entrepreneurs who have, despite being able to locate elsewhere in the City,  decided to plant themselves firmly in Chinatown with their new bakery Everything Frosted. "I grew up here, my mom works around the corner, I went to school here, I feel very comfortable here."says Terri.

John has a similar relationship to the area "When I first came to Chinatown I lived on Bayard St. , then I moved around, but always in this area. Most of my life has been spent here in Chinatown."
"Being close to home was actually important to us because of the amount of hours we knew we'd be investing" said Terri. Chinatown, only minutes from where they live, was the best of both worlds in terms of being close to their community, and finding inspiration from native ingredients. Both partners knew early on in their careers that they would be bringing their talents back to the neighborhood they loved as kids.

  Terri's background as a professional event planner for a midtown business laid some of the groundwork for Everything Frosted. "At my last job we had a primarily Jewish clientèle, we did a lot of Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, and some corporate events as well. After my career with that company I was inspired to do events for the Asian community because there are so many more traditions that I wanted to explore. Even though I know a lot about my own culture, I found that there was more to learn about what the Chinese community wants in an event." said Terri.

John's career began in a Chinese bakery. It was there that he thought to explore the larger repertoire of baking, after exposure to the various flavors native to the Chinese culture.


He wanted to eventually bring his knowledge and experience back to the Chinese community to see what they would think about combining his newfound techniques with traditional and familiar ingredients such as red bean, green tea, and jasmineOver a decade later, and apprenticeships with two French masters, he has achieved his goal. 

Looking back John recalls one of his teachers who spoke only French. "It was very challenging, but I picked up enough French from him, at least what he needed to teach me. I learned a lot from him. He tried so hard to teach me, that I put my entire heart into it. Within a short time he left that restaurant and called me to join him at a new place. That is how I met Bill, (the Whitehouse Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses.)  The two chefs were friends, and I started working for Bill at Joseph. (Joseph Gurrera, owner of Citarella)"   said John. Yosses who joined the Whitehouse in 2006 worked shoulder to shoulder with John prior to landing his prestigious position at the Whitehouse.
Whitehouse Executive Chef  Bill Yosses and John Wu


John continued "I like Asian desserts and I love tea. What I learned from Bill is that I have to create my own flavors.


"I like to use Asian ingredients and come out with things people have never tried."


"You don't see a lot of bakeries with black sesame frosting. Over the summer we had a lychee frosting that was very popular."

John introduced jasmin, lychee, black sesame and red bean to many of his non-Asian customers who are often on a lunch break. 90% of  the flavor combinations of cupcakes, which are appetizingly displayed at eye level,  can be adapted to wedding or birthday cakes, jasmin cake with green tea frosting for example.

In the nine months since they have opened Terri and John's "hidden gem" of a business has reached beyond their professional Asian clientèle. With recent press and very active word of mouth advertising they are enjoying a comfortable level of success in their first year in Chinatown.


Everything Frosted is a full service bakery providing wedding cakes, birthday cakes, mini cheesecakes, cupcakes, mousse, and even tiramisu and banana pudding. John's desserts are based on traditional French techniques.105 Mosco St New York, NY 10013-4322 (212) 227-9828

Monday, October 4, 2010

Film presentation - Gentrification - Lower East Side and Harlem - Museum of the City of New York - hosting



NOTE: This image is NOT affiliated with the Museum of the City of New York, or this program.





Tuesday, October 5, 6:30 PM

In Danger of Extinction: Gentrification in East Harlem and on the Lower East Side
Residents of these two diverse, vibrant neighborhoods have long dealt with the pressures of gentrification and have struggled for affordability.  Their story is told in two recent documentaries.  

Join the filmmakers for a screening and discussion of The Lower East Side: An Endangered Placeby Robert Weber and Whose Barrio? by Ed Morales and Laura Rivera, with opening remarks by The Honorable Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York City Council, District 8.

Co-sponsored by the office of the New York City Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito and East Harlem Preservation.  This program is presented as part of the ongoing series The Urban Forum: New York Neighborhoods, Preservation and Development



Special consideration when you mention The Civic Center Residents Coalition
thanks to the Museum of the City of NY and Tom Reynolds.

Reservations required: 917-492-3395 or programs@mcny.org
$6 Museum members; $8 seniors and students; $12 non-members
$6 when you mention the Civic Center Residents Coalition NYC

Museum of the City of New York

1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street
New York, NY  10029