— IN THE PAST WEEK —

Vallone and DSNY Commissioner Announce Expansion of E-Waste Pickup to Northeast Queens

Council Member Vallone and New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Garcia announced Wednesday that the curbside electronics collection has expanded to the Bronx and eastern Queens. Residents can make an appointment for curbside collection of unwanted electronics items covered under the New York State electronics disposal ban.

“Expanding the Department’s e-waste curbside collection program will provide Northeast Queens residents with a convenient avenue to recycle their unwanted electronics and keep toxins out of New York landfills," said Council Member Paul Vallone. "This is an important change for my District's senior and homebound residents, who, until now, were faced with the challenge of transporting these items to disposal events and drop-off sites. I thank Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia for her attention to this issue and I look forward to continued partnership with the Department in improving quality of life for all.”

To request an appointment, residents can call 311 or go to nyc.gov/electronics starting Monday, September 30th. Pickups will take place Monday through Friday, except city holidays. Items must be placed at the curb; Sanitation Workers cannot enter private property. After collection by Sanitation, Veolia Environmental Services and ERI remove the e-waste for proper and safe recycling.

Not all items with a plug are considered covered e-waste. Covered items include:

• Televisions (including cathode ray tubes)

• Computer peripherals, including any permanently attached cable or wiring

• Monitors, laptops

• Electronic keyboards

• Electronic mice and other pointing devices

• Fax machines, document scanners, and printers that are meant for use with a computer and weigh less than 100 lbs.

• TV peripherals, including any permanently attached cable or wiring

• VCRs

• Digital video recorders

• DVD players

• Digital converter boxes

• Cable or satellite receivers

• Electronic or video game consoles

• Small-scale servers

• Portable devices, including any permanently attached cable or wiring

• Portable digital music players

Read Coverage:

Queens Courier

Flushing Post

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Vallone Hosts Korean Health Care Forum with

Local Medical Leaders

On Tuesday afternoon, Council Member Paul A. Vallone hosted with New York-Presbyterian Queens Community Health Initiatives and the Northwell Health Asian Business Employee Resource Group a Korean Health Care Forum at the Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS) Headquarters in Bayside. Attendees discussed healthcare accessibility and utilization issues with New York City’s Korean-American community and focused on a plan to together develop a medical directory that would combat these long-standing issues.

Korean-Americans, particularly new immigrants, face vulnerabilities in the healthcare system due to factors including limited English proficiency, poverty, significant uninsured rate, inadequate access and unfamiliarity with the way the healthcare system works, reported Dr. Jin Young Seo, a professor at the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing. Koreans in the United States have disproportionately high rates of stroke, gallbladder, lung and stomach cancer, high cholesterol and diabetes. In addition, over the last two decades, prostate and breast cancer rates have increased among Korean Americans by 71 and 67 percent, respectively.

Attendees highlighted the need for streamlined access to a culturally competent, comprehensive medical directory that lists local physicians, specialists and health screenings. Due to an alarming trend where non-health professionals target Korean immigrants seeking healthcare on the internet, the directory should also be disseminated on the web and social media to make sure the information gets to those who need it most, attendees said.

Tuesday’s panel is Council Member Vallone’s “Four Year Plan” in action. Announced in 2017, the plan involves a series of roundtable discussions, panels and community events with the goal of advancing the welfare of and empowering the Korean-American community.

“As we continue building on our Four Year Plan, these discussions will be an integral part of developing solutions for healthcare related concerns within the Korean-American community," said Council Member Vallone. “The combined knowledge, experience, and passion expressed by all of the leaders present today will benefit not just the Korean American community, but the entire borough. I look forward to continuing our work together to develop the solutions and communication systems that will improve healthcare system access and utilization within the Korean-American community.”

The group will meet again in the new year to continue to collaborate and begin to develop the directory.

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— MORE NEWS —

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Marching in the Annual NYC Korean Parade!

On Saturday afternoon, I was proud to walk as a Grand Marshall in KAAGNY's 2019 Korean Parade! Honored to be a part of this exciting NYC tradition and celebration of Korean culture!

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Afternoon of Family Fun in Whitestone

The 6th Annual Whitestone Family Fun Day at beautiful Francis Lewis Park was a success! Happy to stop by the festivities Saturday and take a moment to honor the hardworking 109th Precinct Community Council for their longstanding committment to bettering our community!

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Silent March Against Domestic Violence

Proud Friday evening to march in Flushing with KAFSCNY to break the silence, end the violence. No person should be subjected to abuse by an intimate partner.

It's time to come together against domestic violence.

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Night Out at Douglaston Plaza

Beautiful night for dinner and a movie in Douglaston on Friday!

Thanks to the Douglaston LDC for putting on this great community event!

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Recognizing Our Borough's Leaders in Construction and Design

Great night at the Queens Chamber of Commerce's 2019 Buildings Awards Gala at the beautiful TWA Hotel! Always great to see our Department of Buildings Commissioner Melanie LaRocca and Chamber President Tom Grech!

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Showcasing Our District 25 High Schools!

It was a pleasure speaking at Wednesday night's District 25 High School Showcase, where students and parents got a glimpse of all the great classes and programs our local high schools have to offer!

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Join Us For Our Final Outdoor Movie Night of the Year!