Constantinides To Hold Oversight Hearing Con Ed Outages
City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, part of Long Island City, Woodside) is among four city council members today holding a oversight hearing on the Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) power outages that hit New York City over the Summer of 2019.
Constantinides chairs the Environmental Protection Committee. Joining him at heading the hearing are City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) and City Council Members Rafael Espinal (D-Brooklyn, chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee and Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) chair of the Resiliency & Waterfronts Committee.
The Council will hear testimony from representatives from Con Ed, the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM), advocates and members of the public to examine Con Ed’s and the city’s responses to the outages, and the long-term sustainability of the city of New York’s power system.
The hearing is slated for 10 a.m., today, Sept. 4 at City Hall in LOwer Manhattan.
Gianaris Grills Con Ed CEO During Senate Hearing
Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Woodhaven) yesterday grilled Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) President Timothy Cawley during a state legislative hearing.
The hearing follows several major blackouts occurring over the summer affecting thousands of New Yorkers.
“New Yorkers yearn for more accountability, lower rates, and better performance from Con Ed,” said Gianaris. “The time has come for a real conversation about the structure of our utilities and whether a private company is best suited to this public role.”
The hearing was a joint hearing between the Senate and Assembly committees on energy and corporations.
Koo Supports Free Little Library In Queens Botanical Garden
City Council Member Peter Koo (D-Bayside, College Point, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows, Whitestone) today will lend his support to the Queens Botanical Garden partnering with local school teacher Andy Yung of P.S. 244Q The Active Learning Elementary School to get a Free Little Library up and running at the Botanical Garden.
A Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” free book exchange. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. There is an understanding that real people are sharing their favorite books with their community. The goals of the Little Free Library are to build community, spark creativity, inspire readers.
The ribbon-cutting for the library is slated for 3:30 p.m., today, Sept. 4 at the Queens Botanical Garden, Pebble Yard at the Education Building, 43-50 Main Street in Flushing.
