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Posillico
Become a Supporter of Smart Growth Vision Long Island prides itself on having a broad range of supporters. Become one today. A donation as small as $50 buys outreach materials to help a community build support for their vision. $500 sponsors an entire newsletter. $5,000 makes you a lead sponsor of our Smart Growth Summit, buying 10 tickets and a key branding opportunity for your organization.
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Posillico solves complex construction problems, completing all projects safely, on time, on target and on budget. Posillico is dedicated to setting the standard for excellence in the construction industry relative to: infrastructure, quality of life, and making a difference through solid relationships at all levels. We thank them for their ongoing support of Vision Long Island.
2009 Smart Growth AWards Winners AnnouncedVision Long Island is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Smart Growth Awards! To read about past winners or to find out more about the Awards, visit our website here.
SAVE THE DATE! Register Today!
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES still AVAILABLE! • Visionary package includes: Logo in materials and advertisements, prominent full-page advertisement in journal, special recognition at event and on website, banner display, table for 10 Register Now! __Visionary - $15,000 __Leader - $10,000 __Gold Sponsor - $5,000 Journal Ads Now Available for the The 2009 Smart Growth Awards are fast approaching and the Smart Growth Awards Journal is a great way to advertise your company while supporting the Awards and Vision Long Island. Ads are due by noon on Friday, June 5th. Details are as follows:
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GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES $4 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR LONG ISLAND WASTEWATER PROJECT
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Governor David A. Paterson, Congressman Tim Bishop, and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) today announced the awarding of economic recovery funds for a wastewater project on Long Island, part of the first round of economic recovery funds for wastewater projects. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has designated $4 million for the Village of Greenport to install state-of-the-art modifications in a local water treatment facility, creating or retaining an estimated 186 jobs and reducing the introduction of pollution into the Long Island Sound. The New York Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) will disburse the $4 million grant.
A new ARRA grant for over $790,000 will benefit Nassau and Suffolk Counties for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. The grant is part of $100 million nationwide. It will add to the $1.7 million already approved this year under the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for community agencies such as Bethany House, Catholic Charities, The INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network), LI Council of Churches, United Way of LI, and more. The additional funds respond to the great increases in unemployment and community need being seen by emergency providers throughout the country.
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released "The Best Stimulus for the Money: briefing papers on the economics of transportation spending," as well as a related report on "Job Impacts of Spending on Public Transportation: an update." To get out of the recession, two major goals have emerged: put people to work quickly and make investments to position the country for long term economic prosperity. Transportation investments provide a way to address both goals, but care must be taken to provide long-lasting jobs to help those most hurt by the recession. “The ultimate goal in any economic recovery plan should be to not create just any type of job, but rather to invest in and focus on areas particularly hit hard by the economic downturn,” said William W. Millar, APTA president. |
Public Hearing to be held for Pilgrim State Property: May 28
A public hearing will be held on the DGEIS, including zone change applications, on Thursday, May 28 at 6:30pm at Brentwood High School's Sonderling Center, 52 3rd Avenue in Brentwood. Comments on the DGEIS are requested and will be accepted through July 28th (mail to Islip Town Hall, 655 Main St, Islip, NY 11751). The document is available online here. To read a letter from the Town and to learn more about the project, see the Town of Islip's notice. MTA Deal Passes Senate
Transit riders will still see a 10% fare increase (Ravitch's plan called for an 8% increase), including $2.25 for a MetroCard ride, but it looks like service cuts will be largely avoided. Details are still being released on fare and service changes. Other components of the rescue plan include a 0.34% mobility tax in the 12 MTA counties, a 50 cent surcharge on taxi rides in NYC, and increases in vehicle-registration fees, license fees, and the auto-rental tax. The mobility tax, expected to raise $1.53 billion a year, will have a set aside of $400 million a year to cover the first two years of the MTA's 2010-2014 capital program. Notably missing from the equation are tolls on the East River bridges, which were politically unpopular. Tolls were supported by many transit riders as an equitable way to share the burden of commuting costs. Unfortunately, it seems almost a certainty that this plan will require more fare increases in the not-too-distant future. At a news conference, Governor Paterson said, “This has been very difficult on the commuters of the MTA region. We can assure them this evening that there will be no surprises, that there will be no further cuts or fears about fare hikes or toll increases. We have resolved that issue this evening.” In the wake of the passage of the rescue plan and according to an MTA press release, "Governor Paterson today [5/7/09] accepted the resignation of MTA Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Elliot G. Sander. Mr. Sander offered his resignation to the Governor earlier this year in anticipation of yesterday's passage of legislation that joins the Chairman and CEO positions at the MTA. Mr. Sander's resignation is effective May 22, 2009, ending a tenure that began January 1, 2007." Read more here. NYPD Rolls Out Hybrid Cars
Read more at Newsday. Opportunity for Energy Savings
Vical is assisting the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn as well as the Diocese of Rockville Centre in reducing the expenses for a number of not-for-profit organizations. In addition, Vical works with major corporations on Long Island and helps companies manage their energy budgets by aggregating and bundling the natural gas for a variety of institutions. Vical achieves tremendous savings for its clients, and between November, 2008 and April 2009, Vical’s price was lower than the energy company's supply price by over 26%. In March alone, the savings were over 35% and due to the recent market volatility, the savings opportunities are expected to continue. For additional information about the natural gas program email vicalenergy@verizon.net , or call 201-525-0066. You can also view their website here. Read more in the New York Times. |
Last month, the Town of Islip adopted the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) for the redevelopment proposal of the Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center Property, located in Brentwood at the crossing of the Long Island Expressway and the Sagtikos State Parkway. Heartland Town Square would be "a unique mixed-use development of approximately 9,130 residential units, 105,000 square feet of civic space, 1,030,000 square feet of retail space and 4,150,000 square feet of office space to be built over a 15-year period." 
After one of the most politically drawn-out issues of the past year, the NY State Senate finally passed an MTA rescue plan this Wednesday, less than a month before doomsday fare hikes and service cuts are scheduled to go into effect. The details are, of course, somewhat different than the recommendations of the Ravitch Commission that was backed by Governor Paterson. 
The New York Police Department drank the ‘green’ KoolAid: last week, they unveiled 40 new hybrid patrol cars. The Nissan Altima hybrids are more expensive but roomier and more efficient than the existing fleet of 2,400 Crown Victorias and Chevy Impalas. About half of the 40 will be unmarked cars. They will be dispatched first to congested areas, as well as precincts that cover wide land areas such as Staten Island. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said of the hybrids in use, “We’ve had no downside.” The hybrid fleet will grow slowly, with 100 in use by the end of the year and more to follow. The vehicles are a step toward Mayor Bloomberg’s goal of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2017, and serve as a great example of local government’s ability to tackle energy efficiency goals.
Vical Consultants can save Long Islanders substantial amounts of money on natural gas. In fact, since February 1st, they have helped save 3 major Long Island hospitals over $250,000. As a no charge consulting service, Vical works with organizations and businesses alike to lower their energy expenses and to manage the RFP process to ensure the lowest commodity price.|
Island Wide Food Drive on May 9th
Shop Local with the 3/50 Project
If just half of employed Americans spent $50 at their 3 favorite local stores within a month, it would generate more that 42.6 billion dollars in revenue. Become a supporter and help keep our local economies healthy! This Place Matters: Help Build a Photo Mosaic
You can upload photos of your favorite places to add to the mosaic, which come together to look remarkably like one image. You can view a previous mosaic and upload your photo here. Click on the upper right hand of the screen to upload a photo. |
On May 9th, leave some non-perishable food items in a bag next to your mailbox and a mail carrier will bring them to Long Island soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters. This simple initiative is organized by United Way of LI, Island Harvest, LI Cares, the US Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers, and several other organizations. "Stamp out hunger" by making a food donation! You can also volunteer to help on May 9th or May 11-14th to sort and pack food. To learn more about volunteering, or for more information, see 
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is building a new mosaic image of their headquarters in Washington, D.C., and they need your help. This Place Matters showcases the diverse places that matter to all of us. People from across the country are honoring their favorite places, making a call to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to all of us.  Grand Opening of Harrison Hale Community Educational and Resource Center May 9th
The center is located at 576 Granny Road in Medford, at the corner of Granny Road and Central Parkway. Be sure to come out and celebrate an exciting day for the community! For more information, call (631) 698-8441. 2009 Environmental Equinox Awards Honor Richard kessel May 14th
The gala will take place at Venetian Yacht Club, 494 Fire Island Ave in Babylon. To download a registration form, including sponsorship rates, visit their website. 2009 Human Rights Awards Honors Dick Koubek on May 14th
To honor Koubek and the other award winners, the 2009 Human Rights Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, May 14th at 5:30pm at the Stonebridge Country Club in Hauppauge. Tickets are $55, and more information will follow soon. Y.E.S. Pasta Dinner May 16th
Keynote speaker Sergio Argueta is the Executive Director and Founder of S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, whose mission is to reduce gang violence and promote a variety of opportunities and other competencies that give youth in our community a way out; alternatives to a violent life on the streets. Mr. Arguerta's talk will parallel the teens' focus topic of the year of racism on LI. The dinner will take place at the Ethical Humanist Society of LI at 38 Old Country Road in Garden City. $10 adults and $8 students; proceeds will be split between S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth and Y.E.S. (who will use the funds to help attend next year's National Y.E.S. Conference in Washington, D.C.). Y.E.S. is a group of teenagers who are determined to make the world a better place. Free Radiology Services for Long Island's Uninsured On May 17th
The entire program is staffed by volunteers, including radiologists, technologists, receptionists, etc. In turn, they are encouraging patients to donate their time and effort to other volunteer organizations. "The goal is to inspire more people to help each other on Long Island. This project will give the Zwanger Pesiri volunteers a true sense of pride and public service, but more importantly give people the diagnostic imaging studies they need and cannot afford." To be eligible, patients must have a doctor's referral, live in Nassau or Suffolk County, and not have health insurance. The next Give Back Sunday will be on May 17th at 80 Maple Avenue in Smithtown. For more information, see their website. To schedule an appointment, please call the volunteer Give Back Sunday line @ 631-930-9460. Fourth Annual Energy Conference at NYIT June 5th
Visit their website for more information or contact sustainable@nyit.edu. Sponsorship information and opportunities to display at the conference are also available; please contact lschranz@nyit.edu. CNU 17 in Denver Runs June 10th-14th
Connect and collaborate with other New Urbanists, experience traditional urbanism firsthand through local tours, learn how practitioners are applying the Charter for the New Urbanism in the field, stay on the cusp of the latest New Urbanist trends, contribute your own ideas and experience to take New Urbanism to the next level, and learn about new products and the latest innovations at CNU exhibits. Denver will serve as a laboratory to explore in depth why New Urbanism is the "convenient remedy" to some of society's most pressing issues, including rising carbon emissions, unpredictable fuel costs, and a projected 50 million unit increase in demand for new residences by 2030, with demand growing fastest in walkable communities. Connect with new people, get your toughest planning questions answered, and take home specific strategies to apply these New Urban remedies. Register online and see costs here. CNU members receive significant discounts. Thursday's Child of Long Island Spring Gala set for June 17th
The gala will honor Long Islanders who have made unique contributions to Thursday's Child, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and members of the Suffolk County Legislature, Cameron Alden, Jon Cooper, Lou D'Amaro, Jack Eddington, DuWayne Gregory, and Lynne Nowick. The fund raiser will take place at Flowerfield Celebrations, 199 Mills Pond Road in St. James. Sponsorships are available and individual tickets are $75-100. Call (631) 447-5044 or see the Thursday's Child website for more info. African American Media Network Presents Strong Island Live June 24th-28th
Three performance locations in the area will air on channel 18. Bands must be live: no background CDs! To register or for more information, call 516-478-4334 or 516-503-6282, or see the website here. |
On Saturday, May 9th at 1pm, join the Gordon Heights community for an auspicious event with the Grand Opening of the Harrison Hale Community Educational and Resource Center! Bishop Harrison Hale and the Harrison Hale/Gordon Heights Community Action Center will open the doors on a new, state-of-the-art community center for the residents of the Town of Brookhaven. Services at the center will include a summer youth enrichment program, GED classes, a computer lab, ESL classes, day care, a bicycle drive, referral service, a copy and print center, and more. 
Citizens Campaign for the Environment presents the 2009 Environmental Equinox Awards, honoring Richard Kessel of NYPA for his environmental leadership. On Thursday, May 14th from 7-11pm, come to this dinner and dancing gala for a great night. The equinox is a symbol of achieving environmental and societal harmony. 
Congratulations to Vision Long Island ally and supporter Dick Koubek, who has won the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission 2009 Chairperson’s Award for Leadership in Human Rights. Dr. Koubek, who currently works with workers' rights organization Jobs With Justice, is being honored for his affordable housing advocacy work. He is also a member of LI CAN Huntington Fair Housing Committee and the Huntington Housing Coalition's Steering Committee. 
On Saturday, May 16th at 6:30pm, the LI Youth of Ethical Societies (Y.E.S.) will host its 15th annual Pasta Dinner! The pasta dinner is a chill night with tons of entertainment, speakers, and of course, pasta. Performances will include bands Spazz Logic and The Ravets, a magic act, dancing, singing, jamming, and more. 
Once a month, Zwanger Pesiri Radiology is offering free radiological services to the uninsured. The Give Back Sunday program recognizes that countless Long Islanders do not have health insurance, and the recent economic downturn is putting even more people's health in jeopardy. On April 19th, Zwanger Pesiri Radiology launched the first Give Back Sunday: one Sunday per month, they are opening their office to provide services at no charge to disadvantaged and uninsured Long Island residents. They offer a full array of exams using the most advanced imaging equipment, including MRI, MRA, Breast MRI, CTA, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Digital X-Ray, Digital Mammography, Barium Enema, Upper GI Series, Bone Density, Ultrasound, and Biopsy.
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is hosting the fourth annual energy conference “Innovative Technologies and Green Collar Careers.” The conference will be on Friday, June 5 from 8:30am – 4:00pm at de Seversky Center on the Old Westbury Campus of NYIT. Speakers include representatives from Noresco, The Rocky Mountain Institute, Clean Edge, Global Insight, and The Albanese Organization. Sessions include An Energy Services Company's Role in the Green Economy; Clean Tech: A Pathway to a New Era of Job Growth and Opportunity; Energy and Comfort in Existing Buildings, Campuses, and Communities; Current and Potential Green Jobs by Metropolitan Area; and Innovative Technologies Put into Practice- A Developer's Perspective. A panel discussion on Green Energy Programs from the Developer's Perspective will feature Russell Albanese of the Albanese Organization, Michael Watt of LI Builders Institute, and Albert Harsch of Eastern Energy Systems. The final panel on Green Energy Programs from the Municipal Perspective will include Lisanne Altmann of LIPA, Supervisor Kate Murray of the Town of Hempstead, Energy Director Dorian Dale of the Town of Babylon, and Gary Krieger of National Grid.
Each year, the Congress for the New Urbanism hosts a multi-day conference on New Urbanism and Smart Growth. This year, CNU 17: "Experiencing The New Urbanism: The Convenient Remedy" will take place in Denver, Colorado from June 10-14. The weekend's expected attendees include 1,500 leaders from diverse fields who will participate in breakout sessions, lectures, tours of Denver, and great social and networking experiences. 
On Wednesday, June 17th from 6:30-9:30pm, Thursday's Child of Long Island presents their Spring Champagne Gala to benefit their new children's summer program, "A Day of Fun in the Sun at the Long Island Game Farm," part of an initiative called Safety Net Project which provides an array of family services designed to maintain medical care and personal dignity for HIV/AIDS patients. Thursday's Child is an HIV/AIDS community service charity that reaches out and provides assistance to hundreds of Long Island families each year who are living with this disease. This event celebrates 20 years of service to the community. 
The Long Island based African American Media Network will be hosting "Strong Island Live" music festival from June 24-28. Several days of live music performances will include gospel, rock, rap, R&B, jazz, blues, reggae, and salsa. These genres will compete for prizes including studio time, a music video, and cash. |
Vision Long Island Seeking Summer Interns
Individuals and universities interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter. Please put "Internships for 2009" in the subject heading. |
Vision is excited to announce that we are looking for unpaid interns for Summer 2009! Our staff likes to say we "wear many hats," and interns will have to do the same. Interns will assist with planning, design, outreach, event planning, writing, research, attending meetings, reporting, photography, and more. Bring your unique skill set to the table! We are looking for energetic and conscientious individuals with an interest in planning from a bottom-up perspective. This is a valuable opportunity to work with great people and learn about the issues impacting Long Island.|
Eat Near LIRR Stations This Weekend
Check out the map, hop on the train, and visit a new downtown this weekend!
Free Outdoor Events from Friends of Edgewood Preserve
For more info on this event, including rain cancellations, call Mary Beth at (631) 838-4801 or email mbtomko@friendsofedgewoodpreserve.org. Later, at 11am, NYS DEC Education staff will lead a Family Woodland Hike. The hike will explore Edgewood's Pine Barrens habitat, looking at the variety of plants and animals that can be found there. Learn how forests recover from fire, as you explore an area of the woods that burned in April 2006. This lengthy hike is recommended for kids over age 7 and their parents. Sturdy shoes and long pants are recommended. You are encouraged to register for this event by calling Ron Gelardi at (631) 444-0347 or emailing pburkhart@friendsofedgewoodpreserve.org. |
Newsday's Exploreli.com has released an easy-to-use interactive map that locates restaurants within walking distance of LIRR stations. 
This Saturday, May 9th, Friends of Edgewood Preserve will host some free outdoor events, located at the Edgewood Preserve on Commack Road in Deer Park (meet at the kiosk in parking areas) First, at 9am, celebrate International Migratory Bird Day by walking through various sections of the preserve to see which birds are visiting, and which feathered friends have come home to roost. |
Today's closing words come from Newsday:
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SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.
For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.visionlongisland.org or contact us at: |
