april color-page124

112 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Electronics Next for Recycling Anyone who throws an old computer, printer or other electronic gadget into the trash could be fined $100, according to a bill overwhelm- ingly approved by the City Council, despite strong objections from manufacturers and Mayor Bloomberg. Recycling the electronic waste will become mandatory, and manufacturers will be required to take back their own products as well as those made by companies that have gone out of business. The Council estimated that New Yorkers purchase more than 90,000 tons of electronic products every year. The gadgets contain hazards like lead and mercury, and most end up in the trash. The new recycling programs would be run by Sony, Dell and other manufacturers. Those efforts could include curbside pickups, returns by mail and in stores, and neighborhood collections. Manufacturers could pick the type of recycling program they prefer, said Councilman Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn, who, with Councilman Michael McMahon of Staten Island, was a prime sponsor of the bill. Ten states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, have already adopted similar measures. Under New York’s proposed law, manufacturers would start collecting electronics for recycling in 2009. Starting in 2010, city residents could be fined if they threw out a piece of electronic equip- ment. Victory on “Granny’s Law” Violent criminals who prey upon and viciously attack senior citizens will face tougher penalties, according to new legislation passed by the State Assembly Majority. Senators Serphin Maltese and Martin Golden, cospon- sors of the initiative, said recently in a statement: “The bottom line is that we cannot allow seniors to be targeted and assaulted simply because they are not physically able to defend themselves. While we are pleased that the Assembly Majority now agrees with us, it’s both outrageous and unfortu- nate that it took them so long to take action on behalf of our seniors.” The Senators have said that it took a year of news conferences, public rallies and newspaper articles to cajole the Assembly into action. Last month, newspa- pers carried the story of one of New York’s seniors, an 87-year-old Bronx woman, being attacked by two men in their late teens. The two Senators led the effort to develop and pass legislation during last year’s legislative ses- sion to toughen penalties for attacks such as this. Hikind Unkind to Obama’s Friends Assemblyman Dov Hikind predicted that Jewish voters would make “a mass movement toward Sen. McCain” if Barack Obama wins the Democratic presidential primaries, according to a recent report in The New York Post. Hikind, an Orthodox Jew whose Borough Park district includes the largest Hasidic bloc in the United States, blasted Obama for what he called his half-hearted support of Israel and his ties to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., who has repeatedly praised anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has endorsed Obama. Hikind, a Democrat, said Obama had not satisfactorily distanced himself from Wright, his Chicago- based personal pastor, noting, “This is a man who thinks Farrakhan is a great guy and Gd’s gift to the world.” Hikind’s warning on Jewish concerns over Obama are being widely but privately voiced among top New York Democrats. While Obama has pushed Wright into the background of his campaign, Obama remains a member of his church. School Learning = More Cell Phone Minutes Kids at Brooklyn’s IS 349 and four charter schools are learning the three Rs, but they’re also learning that if they finish their schoolwork and have good behavior, they can earn free cellphone minutes. The new incentive affects some 2,500 students, who received high-tech cell phones in an unprecedented program designed to make learning attractive. The pilot project encourages students to earn minutes, ring tones and text-mes- saging options by demonstrating good behavior and good grades. The phones also will serve as receptors of inspira- tional messages, homework reminders and motivation from mentors. *Alternate Side Parking: For snow and other emergencies call 311 to get an update of parking rules for a particular day **Garbage: Residents who are normally scheduled for collection on the day of a holiday should place their trash out at curbside on the holiday evening for collection. Some residents will experience a disruption of on-time household collection service. Recycling : Residents who are normally scheduled for recycling collection on the day of the holiday will not receive service that week. They should place their recyclables out at curbside the following week on their regular day of service. New York City Municipal Schedule Occasion Day Date Alternate* Side Parking Garbage** Collection Parking Rules Banks & Government Passover: First/Second Days Sun- Mon April 20-21 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Thurs April 24 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Fri April 25 Suspended Normal Normal Open Passover: Seventh/ Eighth Days Sat-Sun April 26-27 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Thurs May 1 Suspended Normal Normal Open Memorial Day Mon May 26 Suspended Suspended Holiday Closed