No official announcement yet, but the 4th of July barges filled with Macy’s fireworks will anchor just south of Roosevelt Island again in 2022. We have some details, but with RIOC shrouded in secrecy, not as many as most readers would like. Especially after last year’s miserable debacle.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
The Fourth of July, Last Time
It’s not easy to forget. Last year, RIOC botched the chance for Roosevelt Islanders getting another closeup view of fireworks exploding overhead at he southern tip of the Island. Only the 1,500 FDR Four Freedoms State Park could safely allow got the chance, RIOC botched even that.
The good news is that Four Freedoms will open their gates again. Safety precautions limit visitors to 1,500, but there’s still Southpoint Park, right? Even though RIOC’s squirreling away tickets for loyal friends kept almost everyone else out of Four Freedoms, their handling of Southpoint was worse.
For reasons never disclosed, RIOC refused to allow anyone to enjoy the 4th of July in Southpoint Park.
And for 2022, Do We Hear an Echo?
No, we don’t, but that’s not reassuring because just one month out from the event, RIOC has announced nothing. Even confirmation of the East River return came from third parties.
But concerns are high because the Communications Team, responsible for last year’s screwup and praised by President/CEO Shelton J. Haynes, has since dissolved under him. Not a single person with experience in staging public events remains on staff.
Instead, multiple sources tell The Daily, Haynes handed planning over to his longtime, can-do-no-wrong friend, Assistant Vice-President Altheria Jackson, and another intense loyalist, Mary Cunneen. Those names don’t inspire confidence.
During her time with overall responsibility for operations, Jackson has overseen Sportspark, including a mysterious drowning and its coverup, as well as the embarrassing dog runs and more.
Cunneen? She fronted RIOC’s Swift Emergency Medical COVID Testing operations. That cost the community hundreds of thousands while yielding scant results, which were lied about. And piles of questionable spending are now under investigation by the Inspector General.
Neither has any experience of which we or any of our contacts are aware in events of this kind. Suspicions are that Haynes merely picked the pair from a shrinking circle of loyalists without many other options.
That’s all we know for now. Stay tuned.
Toss in a couple of bucks for The Daily’s expenses. Thanks.
more from the roosevelt island daily news
- Northern Boulevard Safety Concerns Spark Calls for Major RedesignNorthern Boulevard safety concerns have led community members and officials in Queens to demand a comprehensive redesign, citing unsafe conditions and a need for urgent action.
- Three New Schools Open in Western Queens Amid Ongoing Classroom OvercrowdingThree new schools have opened in Western Queens, giving some relief in classroom overcrowding, but families still face capacity challenges and tough implementation issues this fall.
- Certified 9/11-Related Cancer Cases Double at Northwell HealthNorthwell Health has seen a sharp increase as certified 9/11-related cancer cases double, transforming care for survivors and responders in the New York region.
- Long-Term Health Effects Linked to 9/11: 25 Years LaterThe 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks brings renewed focus to long-term health effects linked to 9/11, with ongoing needs for survivors, first responders, and affected communities.
- NYC Yellow School Bus Shortage Disrupts Back-to-School PlansA potential NYC yellow school bus shortage could affect back-to-school transportation and schedules as classes begin. Learn how families, schools, and city officials are responding.
Ten Years, or Another Temporary Fix?
Roosevelt Island was built through public investment, then expected to support itself through development. The ten-year lease extension gives RIOC a rare chance to replace short-term deals with a financial system designed to outlast the people approving them.
3 COMMENTS