The Streets Where We Live

Fort Tryon Park Quinceañera

Washington Heights Teen Featured on New Latina

Washington Heights and Inwood Youth Council President Othanya Garcia is featured in New Latina talking about education and academic success among Latino youth. Check it out.

Othanya (center) was recently accepted to Columbia University on a full scholarship.

“La educación es la mejor herencia…” was a phrase Othanya, a 17-year old high school senior, repeatedly heard from her Dominican immigrant parents.  Othanya was recently accepted to Columbia University, with a full 4-year scholarship — everything covered, including books and housing.

I sat down for lunch the other day with this amazing young lady.  I heard about her when my brother-in-law, the director of a youth program at a community center in northern Manhattan, text messaged me a question Othanya had asked him:  “Which college is best?  Columbia or Cornell?  I have a Dominican student here that got accepted into both, full scholarship.” I was immediately excited for this Latina student, and very impressed by her achievement.

Read "Education: “The Best Legacy” on at New Latina.

 

Online News Association Meets to Discuss Hyperlocal Journalism

Leela de Kretser, editorial director and publisher at my full time job DNAinfo, speak about hyperlocal journalism and its impact on the communities it serves and represents. 

Big ups to Led Black from Uptown Collective for participating as well.

Hyperlocal in Your 'Hood: Panel discussion on hyperlocal media with ONANYC from NYU Journalism on Vimeo.

Caballeros on Broadway

Via @tjdietderich on Twitter.

 

The Border: Dyckman Street

I discovered this site recently and am really enjoying the photography.

Check out all of the work on YADONTUNDERSTAND, by Yoni.

Turn Your Tree to Mulch at MulchFest This Weekend

WaHi's Monkey Room Gets Committee Approval for Liquor License Renewal

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Despite concerns there may be too much monkeying around at the Monkey Room Bar and Lounge in Hudson Heights, a Community Board 12 committee voted to recommend renewing its liquor license.

Several residents came to the board’s Economic Development committee meeting to complain the club’s patrons continue to carouse outside its location at 589 Fort Washington Avenue when the bar lets out at 4 a.m., screaming and carrying on and often getting into fights on the block.

Read more about the Monkey Room at DNAinfo.com.

Upper Manhattan Bike Lane Education Workshop Scheduled for Spring

UPPER MANHATTAN — Pedestrians, car drivers and bike riders will get a chance to debate the introduction of new bike lanes in Inwood and Washington Heights when Community Board 12 holds a workshop in the spring.

Members of the Traffic and Transportation committee decided to put off a public hearing originally slated for January, saying it wants to be inclusive of the entire community, including older members who are more likely to attend then than in the "dead of winter."

The committee has been mulling a proposal from the Inwood/Washington Heights chapter of Livable Streets that calls for several changes to the Upper Manhattan biking landscape, but has said it wants to hear more community input before recommending a plan to the Department of Transportation.

The DOT said that because the bike lanes would not be implemented until 2012 anyway, the board's delay in submitting a recommendation would not make a difference.

Read more about the bike lane discussion at DNAinfo.com. 

 

WaHi Residents Worried About Speeding Cars Despite Major Roadway Changes

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Despite radical changes made to a large intersection at the southern end of Washington Heights, residents say cars are still continue to present a hazard to pedestrians near the intersection near the southern end of Washington Heights.

Zoila Almonte, a resident of the area and member of the Mount Calvary Church on 162nd Street, presented a letter to the NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Monday, asking the department to implement new methods to reduce the speed of the cars in front of the church on 162nd Street, between St. Nicholas and Edgecombe avenues.

"Cars enter the block at such a high speed that pedestrians (seniors and children especially) are constantly at risk of being hit by one of those cars," she wrote in a letter.

Read more about the traffic issues and changes made to the intersection at DNAinfo.com.

Inwood Holiday Market Attracts Shoppers Uptown

INWOOD — Uptown shoppers kicked off the holiday gift-giving season this past weekend as they snagged deals on soaps, jewelry, clothing, tea and cupcakes at Off the Map, Inwood’s first holiday market.

The three-day holiday bazaar, which will take place again on Dec. 9 and Dec. 18, featured original, handmade gifts with a strong neighborhood feel made or designed by 15 local artists, artisans and merchants who live and work in Washington Heights and Inwood.

"It’s called Off the Map, because we’re not part of the Bronx, not Harlem, we’re part of Manhattan, no matter what cab driver you ask," said Leo Vasques of the Audubon Partnership for Economic Development, one of the sponsors that partnered with the Inwood Merchants Association.

"It’s amazing to see people coming here without bags from small, cool shops downtown, this is about keeping this economy uptown," said Vasquez, who also heads up the arts group Sound of Art.

Read more about Off the Map at DNAinfo.com.