Hoylman Issues L Train Update
State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, UWS, Midtown/East Midtown, Columbus Circle, Times Square, LES) yesterday issued an L-train update as the MTA began work on the Canarsie Tunnel between Manhattan and Brooklyn as part of the long-awaited L Train Slowdown. Here’s what you need to know:
- L service will continue as normal on weekdays from 5 AM to 8 PM
- On weeknights, regular L service will begin to slow down at 8 PM
- On weeknights, L trains will arrive once every 20 minutes from 10 PM to 1:30 AM, with regular nighttime service returning from 1:30 AM until 5:00 AM
- On weekends, L trains will run once every 20 minutes from 6:00 AM until 1:30 AM with regular L train service returning on Monday morning
“I urge anyone who relies on the L train to sign up for MTA text alerts which provide live updates to service changes here: https://www.mymtaalerts.com/LoginC.aspx. You can customize your alerts for specific routes to avoid unnecessary notifications,” said Hoylman in in e-newsletter.
“I will continue to advocate on your behalf as this critical repair work is underway.
If you have any questions or concerns about changes to L service, please call my office at 212-633-8052 or send an email to hoylman@nysenate.gov and I or a staff member will be happy to assist,” he added.
Schumer Pushes For More Funding To Fight Foodborne Bacteria
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is calling for critical strengthening with robust federal investments into the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) food safety program that can help the agency better inspect, detect and do away with bad foods before they wind up on store shelves or kitchen tables.
The call comes just days after the FDA unveiled a major study showing serious foodborne bacteria was found in ice cream production plants across 32 states, including New York. Schumer is pushing for a plan to better protect meats, vegetables, and even ice cream from serious bacteria, germs and diseases like Salmonella, Listeria, E. Coli and other pathogens.
Specifically, Schumer’s plan hones in on former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s budget request for millions in federal funds to “improve food safety” and reduce the risks of foodborne illnesses. Over the weekend, Schumer announced his intention to push for an increase of at least $32 million in federal dollars in the 2020 budget in order to give the FDA additional resources to invest in the latest tools and technology it says it needs to prevent the spread of foodborne illness and beat back an uptick in pathogen spread. Schumer is pushing to include this level of federal spending in the upcoming final budget he is negotiating with Congressional leadership.
According to reports, the FDA spent 2016 and 2017 inspecting and taking environmental samples from 89 ice cream plants in 32 states, spurred by two foodborne illness facts: There were 16 ice cream product recalls for pathogens from 2013 through 2016, and three people died in the 2015 Blue Bell Ice Cream listeria outbreak.
“We see the headlines, almost daily, of another foodborne illness outbreak. And the fact is: we should do more to prevent these outbreaks, because they sicken hundreds a year and too many people succumb to far worse. While ice cream calls attention to the issue, the cold, hard truth is that this is about all foods and all consumers. Prior to his departure, Commissioner Gottlieb announced that the FDA needed to act, and now Congress has got to follow through and make it happen,” said Schumer.
Krueger To Host Joint Legislative Hearing On The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act
State Senator LIz Krueger (D-Upper East Side, Lenox Hill) alongside Assembly member Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) will host a joint legislative hearing to discuss the issue of divesting the New York State Common Retirement Fund from fossil fuels as outlined in the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act, S.2126/A.1536
The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act, S.2126/A.1536, would require the State Comptroller to divest the New York State Common Retirement Fund from all holdings in the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies, as defined by carbon content in the companies’ proven oil, gas, and coal reserves (the CU 200).
Divestment from coal companies would be completed within one year; divestment from all other fossil fuel companies would be completed within five years. This hearing will be an opportunity to discuss fossil fuel divestment and this legislation specifically from a variety of perspectives.
The hearing is slated for 10 a.m., today, April 29, at the Legislative Office Building, Van Buren Hearing Room A, 2nd Floor in Albany.
