It was a hustle all the way. In office only four days, City Council Member Julie Menin got assurance of available KN95 face masks on Tuesday. After pulling together a distribution schedule and notifying the media, her team delivered the masks on time on Wednsday.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Thursday’s Face Mask Giveaway in Good Shepherd Plaza
Everything about the face mask giveaway was “just in time” with little to spare. Governments are not known for speed, quick turnarounds or hustle. That crossed my mind while waiting for Menin’s promised KN95 face masks to show up in Good Shepherd Plaza.
As late afternoon light faded, a small crowd waited, social distancing around holiday decorations. It was 4:30, the promised handout time, but there was no sign of Menin’s team. I emailed her office, attaching a photo. That was in vain though as staffer Cameron Koffman hustled in and began opening boxes by 4:32, better than average for an event, especially one so rushed.
A team member, expected to help, got stuck in traffic, and like a man with more arms than seems possible, Koffman handed out best quality face masks while simultaneously giving out driving directions on his cellphone. Remarkably, both went smoothly.
Community members kept filling the line and Koffman kept tearing open boxes until the last minute.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- Queens Subway and Far Rockaway Stabbings Spur Police InvestigationsQueens subway and Far Rockaway stabbings on September 30 prompted separate police investigations and community response after two fatal incidents disrupted daily routines.
- Fatal Stabbing on J Train at Woodhaven Boulevard Spurs Subway Safety Concerns in QueensA fatal stabbing on J train at Woodhaven Boulevard raises fresh subway safety concerns in Queens, as NYPD investigates and riders reflect on recent incidents.
- J and M Train Weekend Service Changes: What Riders Need to KnowJ and M train weekend service changes will impact riders for five weekends as crews replace elevated track switches. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare for modified schedules across Brooklyn and Queens.
- Coastal Flooding Disrupts Southeast Queens Streets and TransitCoastal flooding disrupted streets and transit across Southeast Queens as a fall nor’easter brought heavy rain and renewed calls for resilience and improved drainage.
- Nor’easter Brings Slow Streets and Transit Delays Across Queens and NYCAfter the nor’easter, slow streets and transit delays across Queens and NYC greeted commuters. Utility crews continued repairs as normal routines resumed Monday.
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Stack Work Advances While Answers Do Not
On June 17 and 18, HPD told the first meeting of the Roosevelt Island Steam Plant Demolition Community Advisory Group that smokestack demolition had no projected start date. Residents and the CAG would receive at least five business days’ advance notice once a date was set. Scaffolding around the stacks could not proceed until soil removal and backfill were complete and the area stabilized.
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