Co-op City Times 03-21-26 by Co-op City Times

Federal Judge Protects Congestion Pricing

By BRANDON ORTIZ

Federal Judge Lewis Liman ruled against an attempt to terminate the MTA’s Central Business District Tolling Program (CBDTP) on March 3.

Judge Liman ruled that President Donald Trump and his administration do not have the authority to end congestion pricing in New York City. Defendants in the case, namely the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), were looking to revoke a May 2025 temporary restraining order against the federal government that allowed congestion pricing to continue.

In his reasoning, Judge Liman argued that the CBDTP “was the product of a democratic process.” He explained that the CBDTP followed the legal steps in becoming ofﬁcial.

Finance Department to Hold Help Sessions for Paper Income A davits

By DANIELLE CRUZ

To assist shareholders with completing the paper version of the 2025 Income Afﬁdavit, the Riverbay Finance Department will be hosting three Income Afﬁdavit Help Sessions in April.

The ﬁrst session will be held on Tuesday, April 7, in the Dreiser Center, Auditorium B, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The second session will be on Tuesday, April 14, in the Einstein Center, Rm. 45, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The third will be held on Tuesday, April 21, in the Bartow Center, Rm. 31, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Shareholders interested in attending one of the help sessions should bring their 2025 Income Afﬁdavit form (which will be mailed to all shareholders), along with a photo ID, the 2025 Tax Returns for everyone required to sign the afﬁdavit, and proof of insurance. A notary will be available at each session.

“The VPPP (Value Pricing Pilot Program) was passed by Congress,” said Judge Liman. “The TMA (Trafﬁc Mobility Act) was passed by democratically elected legislators and signed by a Governor elected by the people of New York. The VPPP Agreement was authorized by a secretary nominated by a duly elected president and conﬁrmed by the Senate. The democratic process worked.”

In his decision, Judge Liman highlighted that the MTA “demonstrated a likelihood of success on their claims that the Secretary did not, among other things . . . have the

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2025 Electronic Income Aﬃdavit Going Live Soon!

Dear Shareholders,

Riverbay 2026 Board of Directors Election Committee wants to know:

All cooperators, excluding new residents who moved into Co-op City after March 31, 2026, and Section 8 recipients, are required to complete the 2025 Income Afﬁdavit form.

Are you ﬁred up and ready to go? No?!

Then watch this HCR video and get inspired. Scan the QR code to the right or visit https://bit.ly/4butCzc.

Scan or Input

Online FAQ and How To Video:

See how Riverbay manages to keep Co-op City so great!

The Can/Com/Co-op R&R Info Zoom

And watch for what’s coming up on March 30

Riverbay Corporation is pleased to announce that the 2025 Electronic Income Afﬁdavit process will ofﬁcially go live on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The system has been upgraded to make registration and submission faster, easier, and more convenient for all residents. Below are the key dates and important details to help you prepare.

2. Online FAQs.

Go-Live Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026

To learn more about the electronic income afﬁdavit process, shareholders are encouraged to visit https://bit.ly/4aw5CeP to view:

1. An online “how to” video that walks you through the entire process, from registration to submitting your completed 2025 Income Afﬁdavit

The new registration link will be available on the Riverbay portal. What You Need to Use the Electronic Income Afﬁdavit process

1. Your account number (also known as your TCODE)

2. A copy of the ﬁrst page of your current insurance policy and NYS tax return if applicable

3. First Name, Last Name, and email address for each household member 18 or older.

To ensure you can complete your registration without delay, please have the following ready:

The deadline for ﬁling the 2025 Income Afﬁdavit is April 30, 2026.

Shareholders will also have the option to ﬁle their 2025 Income Afﬁdavit electronically and can familiarize themselves with the process by watching an instructional “How To” video on the Riverbay website at https://bit.ly/4aw5CeP or by scanning the QR Code here.

A Rules and Regulations Zoom for Candidates • Committee-ers • Cooperators

Be part of what keeps Co-op City incredible. See next week’s issue for links.

All shareholders will be

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2026 Summer Rising Applications Are Live

By BRANDON ORTIZ

2026 Summer Rising applications are live and parents have until March 27 to complete an application for their child.

To ﬁll out and submit an application, visit myschools.nyc. This year’s application ofﬁcially opened on March 3, and parents can expect New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) to release results on April 21. After receiving an offer, parents have until May 5 to accept or decline.

As for a speciﬁc program timeline, Summer Rising begins on July 1 and ends on August 7 for grades six through eight and on August 14 for kindergarten through ﬁfth grade.

Summer Rising is a free program spearheaded by NYCPS and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) that aims to provide children with educational enrichment activities in the summer.

NYCPS will provide transportation for eligible students, with buses arriving at program sites by 8 a.m. and leaving at 3 p.m. Notably, NYCPS highlighted this month that eligible students who stay until 6 p.m. “will receive rideshare services to leave.” Parents can ﬁnd more speciﬁc information on transportation via their MySchools account in late June or by contacting the school administering the Summer Rising program.

Logistically, Summer Rising is broken up into several sections: grades K-5, grades 6-8, students in District 75 with IEPs, students in Districts 1-32 with IEPs and students in K-8 who are in an Autism Nest and Horizon Program.

Below is a list of each section’s timeline, daily schedule and objectives, according to NYCPS:

K-5 – Runs weekdays from July 1 until August 14 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This section focuses on “academics, social-emotional learning, and enrichment activities for six weeks,” as explained by NYCPS. The final week will include field trips led by DYCD Community Based Organizations (CBO). A typical day in the first six weeks begins with NYCPS leading learning activities in the morning, followed by enrichment

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able to access the digital income afﬁdavits on March 30

Below are some important reminders about the ﬁling process: General

Married Occupants Who Filed a Joint NYS Income Tax Return:

• The “Joint Return” column must be checked for both joint ﬁlers.

• The sum of the gross income reported for each joint ﬁler must equal the amount reported on line 19 of form IT- 201, or line 19 of form IT-203.

• If a joint ﬁler is not listed on line A 1 as “Head of Household” and is gainfully employed, his/her wages should be listed separately so the secondary wage earner’s deduction can be calculated

Medical and Dental Deductions:

• If Medical and Dental Expenses (line B4) or Taxable Social Security Beneﬁts (line B5) are claimed, they must be substantiated by a copy of a ﬁled NYS tax form. If a tax return is not submitted, the shareholder will not receive the deduction.

Tax Extension

• An income affidavit is still required by April 30 if filing a tax extension. Complete an income affidavit with estimated income and attach a copy of tax extension.

Reassessment of Income

Shareholders should also be aware that if they are assessed an income-based surcharge, the surcharge period runs from June 2026 to July 2027.

During or after the income afﬁdavit process, shareholders can request for their income to be reassessed for a reduction or removal of surcharges ONLY if the following circumstances occur:

• A shareholder or household member is placed on public assistance

• A full-time employed household member permanently leaves the apartment

• A death or retirement of a household member who had income

• Unemployment of a household member for at least three months. Shareholders must present documentation to support the reassessment request. Please note that surcharges will not be removed or reduced for any reason other than the four highlighted above. Requests should be made in a timely manner after the shareholder is assessed the surcharge. In instances other than failure, neglect, or refusal to cooperate in income determination, cooperators requesting a reduction or credit for surcharges assessed due to errors or mistakes

GOT FOOT PAIN?

reported on income afﬁdavits, must submit their request in writing immediately to the management ofﬁce upon being assessed for a surcharge to have income recalculated or reexamined.

Please note that failure to submit income affidavits on time will result in a 50% surcharge of the basic carrying charges. Shareholders will have to pay the surcharge for each month until it is finally filed. In no event will credit be given for excess surcharges already assessed because of failure, neglect or refusal of the cooperator to file the income affidavit on a timely basis. Credit will not be given for late submission of income affidavits.

Distribution of unsolicited advertisements in Co-op City

Co-op City is private property and therefore prohibits distribution of unsolicited advertising material to shareholders’ homes and/or property, including cars parked in the development’s eight garages.

If you witness anyone depositing or distributing advertising material on Coop City’s property, please call Public Safety at (718) 671-3050. Be prepared to give the location and description of the person(s) leaving the material.

All unwanted, unsolicited advertising material should be disposed of properly and not thrown on the ground causing litter.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Co-op City Times

COMBING

Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...

Blood Drive

The New York Blood Center will be hosting a blood drive today, March 21 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Bartow Center, Rm. 31. Donors are urgently needed. Scan the QR code to schedule an appointment.

Coffee with Mike

Shareholders are invited to join Assemblyman Michael Benedetto at the pizzeria in Section 5 today, March 21, 9:30-10:30 a.m., for the next “Coffee with Mike.” This is an opportunity for shareholders to meet with the Assemblyman and discuss pertinent matters of concern. All are invited.

Free Tax Preparation

The ofﬁce of Councilmember Kevin C. Riley, along with Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services and Urban Upbound, is offering free tax preparation services. Services will be provided every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Einstein Center, Rm. 44. Additionally, services will be available every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bronx NHS district ofﬁce, located at 940 East Gunhill Road. The last day of service will be Wednesday, April 8 & Friday, April 10. To book an appointment, call 718-684-5509 or scan the QR code here:

Follow Community Relations on Facebook

Want to know what’s happening around Co-op City? Be sure to follow Riverbay Corporation’s Community Relations on Facebook. Scan the QR code at left to keep up with all the latest events happening around the community!

By BRANDON ORTIZ

New York City announced changes to the enforcement of minor trafﬁc offenses involving e-Bike riders and cyclists.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on March 18 that the city will end the criminal enforcement against both e-Bike riders and cyclists, specifically for low-level traffic offenses. Instead, such violations will warrant a civil summons. This change will officially go into effect on Friday, March 27.

Under the prior NYPD policy, e-Bike riders and cyclists who committed minor trafﬁc violations such as not obeying a stop sign would be required to appear in criminal court. Failure to appear in criminal court can result in a judge issuing a bench warrant.

Mayor Mamdani also announced that his administration will work with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to implement a new training program to improve the safety standards for delivery workers. This endeavor will also entail coordination with the City Council to create legislation that holds third-party delivery apps accountable for unsafe practices that lead to riders chasing unrealistic delivery times for incentives. Mayor Mamdani’s Ofﬁce highlighted that one such legislation they are pursuing will require third-party delivery apps to disclose trip-level data and safety incidents with NYCDOT, ensuring the department can inform and ensure compliance with the new safety standards.

Summer Rising –– (Continued

from page 1)

activities in the afternoon handled by DYCD CBOs. Grades 6-8 – Runs weekdays from July 1 until August 7 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This section also focuses on “academics, social-emotional learning, and enrichment activities,” with ﬁeld trips planned to parks and other venues. A typical day for students in this section is similar to the K-5 section as the day begins with NYCPS educational activities in the morning and concludes with DYCD CBOs leading activities in the afternoon hours.

Students with IEPs(District 75) – Runs from July 6 until August 13 weekdays from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. or weekdays from 8:10 a.m. until 2:40 p.m. This section will provide students with “specialized instruction, related services, and social-emotional learning.” Notably, parents of elementary school students with 12-month IEPs will also have the option for their child to participate in extended day enrichment activities led by CBOs that run until 6 p.m. Parents interested in this extended day enrichment should use the Summer Rising application portal to apply.

Students with IEPs (Districts 1-32) Extended School Year (ESY) and Autism AIMS – Runs from July 2 until August 12, weekdays from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. This section also focuses on offering students “specialized instruction, related services, and social-emotional learning.” Elementary students in this section can also participate in extended day enrichment activities led by CBOs that run until 6 p.m. Parents can apply for extended day enrichment on the Summer Rising application portal.

Students in K-8 who are in an Autism Nest/Horizon Program – Runs from July 1 until August 6 from Monday to Thursday between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. This section is specialized for current K–8 students in Autism Nest and Horizon programs who have 12-month IEPs. Students will participate in learning activities, “speciﬁcally speech, by a trained provider, with support from trained educators focusing on social and pragmatic communication skills.” There is also extended day enrichment until August 16 for K-5 families. Parents can apply for extended day enrichment on the Summer Rising application portal.

2nd Front Page

NYC Changing Criminal Enforcement of E-Bike Riders and Cyclists

When delivering the announcement on Wednesday, Mayor Mamdani expressed conﬁdence that the new changes will provide fairer and safer standards for riders and pedestrians.

“Every New Yorker on our roads, whether driving or biking, deserves to be treated fairly,” said Mayor Mamdani. “By ending criminal summonses for low-level trafﬁc offenses, we’re ensuring cyclists and e-bike riders — including those who deliver our food and groceries — are treated like others on the road. At the same time, we’re making our streets safer for everyone. In partnership with the City Council, we’ll strengthen safety standards, hold app companies accountable and expand training for delivery riders.”

The city plans to launch the new safety training program for all e-bike and bicycle delivery workers in April. Additionally, the Mayor’s Ofﬁce will work with Lyft, the owner of Citi Bike, to upgrade bikes with new hardware that deters multiple riders from riding a single bike.

To address unsafe incentives that lead e-Bike and bicycle delivery workers to ride more dangerously, the Mayor’s Ofﬁce is speciﬁcally seeking to establish a general standard for safe delivery times that also enforces penalties on workers who violate the new guidelines and requires those violators to take safety training. Mayor Mamdani and the City Council will also work to expand the training and commercial delivery safety requirements to cover every two-wheeled mobility device, which includes mopeds and motorcycles.

The 2026 NYC School Survey Is Ofﬁcially Live

By BRANDON ORTIZ

New York City Public School (NYCPS) families can have their voice heard by ﬁlling out the 2026 NYC School Survey. Families, teachers and staff of students in grades 3K through 12 have one version of the survey and students in grades six through 12 have another. NYC School Surveys give parents, students, staff and teachers an opportunity to provide feedback on their experience, informing NYCPS of areas that need improvement. Survey data is also used among other metrics to determine the quality of each individual school. The deadline to submit the 2026 NYC School Survey is April 1.

To fill out the 2026 NYC School Survey, visit tinyurl. com/5syjkbcv and click on the appropriate option for students, families, teachers and staff members. Students will need their nine-digit identification number, and parents can find their child’s student identification number on their report card or student ID. Families of students in early childhood programs will have a code provided by their child’s respective program. Teachers and staff members should contact their school’s coordinator for their unique anonymous access code.

Looking at the most recent available data collected from the 2025 NYC Schools Surveys, below is a rundown on how the schools within Co-op City performed. Percent favorable refers to the percentage of respondents who chose one of the positive options for a particular question:

1. P.S. 153 Helen Keller School

• Teacher Survey – Ninety-eight percent of respondents felt the school was doing a quality job with outreach to parents, 91% said they felt the school fostered an inclusive learning environment, 89% said they felt the school acts as a safe space for learning, and 87% said the school facilities were satisfactory. On the ﬂipside, only 23% of respondents felt the school did enough to prevent bullying, 31% felt that teachers have the opportunity to provide feedback and inﬂuence school decisions, and 41% said they felt classroom behavior was conducive for a learning environment.

• Parent Survey – One hundred percent of respondents said the school did a quality job of supporting families with making school or program decisions for their child’s upcoming

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CONSUMER ALERT: New State Law Requires Stores to Accept Cash Payments

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert this week reminding New Yorkers that stores throughout the state now must allow customers to pay in cash. Under a new law going into effect on Saturday, March 21, it is illegal for a New York food store or retail establishment to refuse payment in cash for goods or services.

The new statewide law mirrors a similar New York City law that has been in effect since 2020. Attorney General James is encouraging all New Yorkers to submit a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) if they believe a store is violating the law.

“New Yorkers have a right to service no matter how they choose to pay,” said Attorney General James. “Businesses cannot deny New Yorkers access to necessities like food and clothing by refusing to take cash, or charging shoppers more for paying in cash. I will not hesitate to enforce this law to protect consumers across our state.”

Under the law, food stores and other retail establishments cannot require consumers to pay by credit card or use another cashless transaction method to complete their purchase. They also cannot charge consumers a higher price if they pay in cash. Stores that violate the new law will face maximum civil penalties of $1,000 for the first violation and $1,500 for each succeeding violation.

The new law has a few exceptions:

• Stores do not have to accept bills in denominations above twenty dollars

• Stores do not have to accept cash for orders made by telephone, mail, or internet, unless that transaction takes place at the store

• The new law also does not apply if a store provides a device on its premises to convert cash into a prepaid card. However, the store cannot charge a fee or require that the prepaid card be loaded with a minimum amount above one dollar

New Yorkers who believe a store is violating the new law should contact OAG by submitting a complaint online or by calling 1 (800) 771-7755.

Co-op City shareholders are homeowners, not tenants. Participate in community-related activities!

In Memoriam – Octavio Cruz

It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of Mr. Octavio Cruz, who departed this life on March 9, 2026. A dedicated community activist, shareholder, father, husband and friend for 43 years, and a former member of the Riverbay Board of Directors from 20042006.

Octavio touched many lives with his wisdom, humor, and unwavering spirit of perseverance.

During his tenure as Riverbay Board Treasurer, Octavio applied his accounting skills with a steadfast commitment to ethics and integrity. Working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, committee chairs, and Board directors, he served as a trusted steward, ensuring the financial well-being of the corporation. His leadership supported a $480M construction loan that funded the 40-megawatt tri-generation plant and essential improvements, including new windows, roofs, elevator repairs, and safer balconies across all buildings.

Beyond his professional contributions, Octavio was a 40-year member and Treasurer of the Spanish American Community Club, and volunteered with the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club with youth activities that gave our young kids impactful and meaningful opportunities.

A memorial service celebrating Octavio’s life will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church, located at 765 Co-op City Blvd, Bronx, NY 10475.

Octavio Cruz will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

—Sonia Feliciano

authority to terminate the VPPP Agreement, and even if he had the authority, the reasons for terminating rested on errors of law and was arbitrary and ca-

While Judge Liman’s ruling will allow congestion pricing to continue uninterrupted, the Judge also reminded the MTA that the federal government has the right to appeal his decision and did not rule out the possibility that USDOT and the other defendants can legally challenge the CBDTP in the future.

“He (President Trump) is obviously free to continue to make public statements as well as to ask the Secretary of Transportation to look into whether there are lawful means to end the CBDTP,” said Judge Liman. “And, as to the Secretary’s statements, he has a right to continue to fight his case and to take an appeal of this Court’s orders. The Secretary has not objected to the declaratory relief the Court is issuing (although he has objected to the Court’s substantive rulings supporting that relief). To date, he has provided no evidence that he will not abide by the Court’s orders including the declaratory judgment.”

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber lauded Judge Liman’s ruling.

“We’ve said it all along, and Judge Liman’s clear, detailed ruling leaves no doubt: congestion pricing is legal. It’s here to stay,” said Mr. Lieber. “And it works. Traffic is down, business is up, and we’re making crucial investments in a transit system that moves millions of people a day. Today–once again–Secretary Duffy failed and New York is winning.”

With congestion pricing extending into its second full year, the results thus far for the program have been promising. Data referenced by the Governor’s Office in January revealed the extent to which congestion pricing has influenced traffic in Manhattan’s Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), which runs from 60th Street to the southern tip of Manhattan. Compared to 2024, the first year of congestion pricing saw a reduction of 27 million fewer vehicles entering the CRZ, roughly equating to over 500,000 fewer vehicles each week. Traffic in the CRZ also decreased by 11% last year.

Congestion pricing has also helped reduce gridlock, especially at crossings into the CRZ, which the Governor’s Office highlighted has led to improved commute times for drivers of up to as much as 15 minutes both ways. Additionally, the data showed morning rush hour traffic speeds have improved by an average of approximately 23% in the last year. Local bus speeds in the CRZ have also improved moderately with an improvement of 2.3%, ending a trend from the prior two years where local bus speeds were decreasing.

academic year, 100% said the school properly supports parents with teaching their children outside the classroom, 100% said the school does a great job with helping students transition into the school year and 97% said they trusted their child’s teacher and felt included in their child’s education. The two lowest results were still solid as 87% of respondents felt favorably about school facilities and services and 81% of respondents felt the school does enough to support students with individualized education programs (IEP).

2. P.S. 160 Walt Disney School

• Teacher Survey – One hundred percent of respondents felt the school was doing a quality job with outreach to parents, 100% said they felt the school fostered an inclusive learning environment and 98% said they felt the school acts as a safe space for learning. As for the lowest favorability percentages, only 52% felt that the school was doing enough to prevent bullying, 56% felt that teachers have the opportunity to provide feedback and influence school decisions and 71% said they felt classroom behavior was conducive for a learning environment.

• Parent Survey – Ninety-four percent of parent respondents said they trusted their child’s teacher and felt included in their child’s education, 93% felt the school does a great job with parent outreach efforts, 93% felt the school involves parents in their child’s education and 92% felt satisfied with their child’s education. As for the lowest favorable responses, 60% of parent respondents felt the school did enough to support parents with making decisions for their child’s upcoming school year, 72% felt satisfied with the school’s ability to support IEPs and 86% felt satisfied with the school’s facilities and services.

3. P.S. 178 Dr. Selman Waksman School

• Teacher Survey – Ninety-one percent of respondents said they felt the school acts as a safe space for learning, 87% said they felt the school fostered an inclusive learning environment and 86% felt the school was doing a quality job with parent outreach. For the lowest favorability percentages, only 37% felt that teachers have the opportunity to provide feedback and influence school decisions, 55% felt that teachers are committed to improving the quality of the school, and 57% felt the school did enough to prevent bullying.

• Parent Survey – One hundred percent of respondents said the school properly supports parents with teaching their children outside the classroom, 100% said the school does a great job with helping students transition into the school year, 98% said they trusted their child’s teacher and felt included in their child’s education and 97% felt favorably about how the school’s leadership collaborates with parents. For the lowest result, 73% of respondents felt the school did a quality job of supporting families with making school or program decisions for their child’s upcoming academic year.

4. M.S. 180 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams School

• Student Survey – Eighty-five percent of student respondents said the school actively fosters an environment where they feel included in school decisions, 76% said they felt the school acts as a safe space for learning and 74% of respondents felt favorable about how their teachers build trust and support students. On the lower end of favorability, only 35% felt the school did enough to prevent bullying and 48% felt students treat each other with respect and 53% were satisfied with the school’s facilities and services.

• Teacher Survey – Ninety-seven percent said the school handles parent outreach well, 90% of respondents said they felt the school fostered an inclusive learning environment, and 84% of respondents felt satisfied with the school’s facilities and services. For the lowest favorable responses, only 25% felt the school did enough to prevent bullying, 53% felt student classroom behavior was conducive for learning and 58% felt that teachers have the opportunity to provide feedback and influence school decisions.

• Parent Survey – Ninety-three percent felt favorably about how the school’s leadership collaborates with parents, 92% said they trusted their child’s teacher and felt included in their child’s education, 91% of respondents felt the school properly supported their child’s IEP, and 88% felt satisfied with their child’s education and academic progress. The lowest favorable responses were still in the high 80s with 86% saying the school’s facilities and services were satisfactory and 87% of respondents saying the school did a quality job of empowering and including parents in their child’s education.

5. I.S. 181 Pablo Casals Middle School

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

• Student Survey – Ninety-one percent of student respondents said the school actively fosters an environment where they feel included in school decisions, 90% said they felt the school acts as a safe space for learning and 83% of respondents felt favorable about how their teachers build trust and support students. On the lower end of favorability, only 56% felt the school did enough to prevent bullying and 62% felt the school facilities and services were satisfactory.

• Teacher Survey – Ninety-eight percent of respondents said they felt the school fostered an inclusive learning environment, 97% said the school handles parent outreach well and 93% of respondents felt the school had a clear and unified approach to delivering their curriculums. For the lowest favorable responses, only 45% felt the school did enough to prevent bullying and 52% felt that teachers have the opportunity to provide feedback and influence school decisions.

• Parent Survey – Ninety-seven percent said they trusted their child’s teacher and felt included in their child’s education, 97% felt favorably about how the school’s leadership collaborates with parents and 96% felt satisfied with their child’s education and academic progress. The lowest favorable responses were still high as 87% felt the school’s facilities and services were satisfactory and 88% of respondents felt the school did a quality job of empowering and including parents in their child’s education.

Parents can view survey results from previous years by visiting tinyurl.com/yhd4j39v

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept conﬁdential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the authors. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be in the Co-op City Times oﬃce in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, by 3 p.m. every Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters are solely the writer’s and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.

– • Letters to the Editor • –Canine Unit

To the Editor:

Due to the proliferation of dogs in our community, Management and Public Safety, please consider forming a Canine Unit to address the illegal dogs in our community –one officer with an assigned email address for shareholders to send information to the Officer anonymously or provide their contact information for follow-up investigations. Familiarity is important in policing. The Officer would be able to identify which shareholders own which dogs just from the description of the dog, section, time of day of

observance. All of this information is critical in policing. This would save time and resources for the community, and our Public Safety Department can address other quality of life concerns.

The Ofﬁcer can provide weekly statistical information to the community in the Co-op City Times in the Blotter. It would be helpful for shareholders to know the unit is making a difference in our community. This would also encourage reporting.

—Ruth Sharma

Important Notice to Shareholders of Building 10 A, B & C

Article SIXTH of your Occupancy Agreement provides, in part, that your lease automatically renews for an additional three (3) year period. You need to do nothing if you want your lease to extend for another three (3) year period. If you will be moving out at the end of your lease, notify Riverbay, in writing, Attention: Sales Support Ofﬁce, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, ninety (90) days prior to lease expiration.

Building 10 A, B & C 100, 120 & 140 Debs Place

Current Lease Expiration Date: June 30, 2026

New 3-Year Expiration Date: June 30, 2029

Co-op City Times

Co-op City’s ofﬁcial newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. (718) 320-3300, ext. 3375 cctimes@riverbaycorp.com

Rozaan Boone Editor-in-Chief

Danielle Cruz Managing Editor

Brandi Simpson Junior Associate Editor

Ralph Henriquez Production Manager

Nathen Valadez

New Media Producer

Sheldon Green Multi-Media Advertising Manager

Brandon Ortiz Media Assistant

Writers will be limited to one letter per topic. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be submitted to the Co-op City Times by 3 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Email cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or mail to 2049 Bartow Ave., Room 21, Bronx, NY 10475.

Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.

Advertisements and classiﬁed advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reﬂect an endorsement from Riverbay Corp. of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available.

The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor.

All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times. Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, NY 10475.

State Launches EXPRESS NY

By BRANDON ORTIZ

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new statewide effort earlier this year that will gather feedback and ideas from citizens on how the state government can improve services and access to resources.

Called the Expediting Processes and Regulations to Enable Streamlined Services, or EXPRESS NY for short, a key part of this process is identifying state government regulations and policies that are outdated or unnecessary directly from citizens. To submit feedback to the state, visit tinyurl.com/38ry2484. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, April 3.

After navigating to the website, click on one of the two options at the bottom of the page to get started. New Yorkers can submit either single or multiple recommendations using the online form. Respondents with multiple recommendations for the state can submit an attachment while adhering to the template provided by the state.

This part of EXPRESS NY’s process is about gathering as much feedback from New Yorkers as possible, with a particular focus in three areas. First, the state is looking for ways to improve the housing and infrastructure development process with an eye on speeding up affordable housing projects in addition to key public projects such as building parks and community centers. Also, the state wants to hear from small business owners about ways the government can provide better support or amend policies that hinder the ability for a small business to grow. In an area that affects all New Yorkers, the state wants feedback on how to deliver their services and programs in a more streamlined way that improves access to resources.

Governor Hochul discussed her ambitions for EXPRESS NY and steps her team was taking to improve the efﬁciency of the state government.

“New Yorkers navigate regulations in ways big and small, from small businesses trying to get off the ground to local leaders trying to build needed housing and infrastructure; today, it is clear that it is often too hard and takes too long to navigate red tape and get approvals,” said Governor Hochul. “I’ve charged my team to slash excessive red tape, and by asking the people who interact with bureaucracy every day for their ideas, we can deliver a more responsive and effective government that supports the dreams and ambitions of New Yorkers and takes this state to the next level.”

Prior to seeking feedback from residents, New York directed a similar process in October internally by requesting state agencies to provide feedback on how the government can amend current policies or regulations. After the internal effort, those agencies collectively identiﬁed roughly 100 policies and regulations that need modiﬁcation or termination in some cases. For example, state agencies recommended removing certain unnecessary small business fees, modernizing paper-based processes and speeding up the license renewal process for occupational workers, to name a few.

Public Safety Blotter

March 8, 2026 – March 14, 2026

March 08, 2026

691 Co-op City Boulevard

– A cooperator reported returning to their vehicle and observing that their front license plate had been removed from the vehicle by an unknown suspect without their permission.

140 Elgar Place – CCPD observed a non-resident male on the 33rd ﬂoor with no legitimate reason for being there. The male was issued a Criminal Court Summons for Trespass and released.

March 09, 2026

2047 Bartow Avenue – A cooperator knowingly and unlawfully remained inside of a store after being told in the past not to enter the establishment. The cooperator was placed under arrest by CCPD for Trespass and issued a Community Complaint for Anti-Social Behavior.

March 10, 2026

113 Dreiser Loop – A cooperator

was observed by CCPD consuming an alcoholic beverage in public view. The cooperator was issued a Criminal Court Summons for Consumption Of Alcohol .

March 13, 2026

4120 Hutchinson River Parkway – CCPD observed a cooperator in the 11th ﬂoor staircase with no lawful reason to be there. The cooperator, who did not reside in that building, was issued a Criminal Court summons for Trespass and Community Complaints for Loitering and AntiSocial Behavior.

March 14, 2026

140 Elgar Place – While conducting a Post Condition check of the building, CCPD observed a suspect sitting on the steps on the 33rd ﬂoor with no reason to be therein. The suspect was issued a Criminal Court summons for Trespass and released.

A Message from the Parking Department:

Please SLOW DOWN and heed trafﬁc signs within the garages. Driving fast in these areas is dangerous and can cause damage to your vehicle, damage to other vehicles or injury to pedestrians.

Please use caution!

SPEED LIMIT 5 mph

For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbaycorp.com; and Anatoliy Budnitskiy at abudnitskiy@riverbaycorp.com. Please note: emails should be sent to both parties. Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see below for speciﬁc directions.

There are no contract opportunities to list this week. Please check back.

www.Indeed.com https://indeedhi.re/

www.Glassdoor.com https://bit.ly/3SgI9Go

www.ZipRecruiter.com

https://bit.ly/3Se8bdw

Director’s Viewpoint Mary Pearson, Assistant Secretary

Spring Talk

Happy Spring! Two weeks ago, I gave a shout out to daylight saving time for that extra hour of sunshine spread out just where we wanted it. This week, Mother Nature gets her kudos.

When Mother Nature locks us in the freezer, she never fails to leave the refrigerator lightbulb lit a little longer every day. It’s a promise that this too shall pass. And so it has! She and the angle of the sun have been slowly adding a little more daylight each day since winter dropped and now day and night are pretty much an Even Steven 12 hours of daytime and 12 hours of nighttime thanks to the spring equinox.

“Not so fast!” says my good friend AI. Yes, yesterday, March 20th, was ofﬁcially the Spring Equinox but the day that came closest to being an even 12/12 split came to Co-op City on March 17th. That day, the sun rose at 7:03 a.m. and set at 7:04 p.m. That occurrence is called the equilux. Regardless, the shout-out goes to Mother Nature and astronomy and the people who ﬁddle with the clocks for bringing us those extra hours of sunlight.

And now, more well-deserved shout-outs.

Big thanks for already pushing the Riverbay 2026 election along go out to: the CCTimes’ people for so prominently placing the eye-catching election notices; to several current Board members for getting the ball rolling, spurring on potential candidates, or sharing past election wisdom; to Hattie Overman, writing on behalf of the Section 5 Association; and to Ann Purnell of AARP Chapter #4997 who wrote, “Cooperators, please let’s get to quorum on the 1st ballot this year!”

And the biggest thanks go out to the Board Election Committee Members, committed to doing just that: doing their darnedest to get to quorum on the 1st

ballot because, after all, 2026 has been dubbed The Year of the Quick Quorum

To all of the above, I not only say thanks, I say more please. I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it weekly, it takes a village to push our city within a city over the election ﬁnish line.

Of course, anything written in these pages is as good as singing to the choir. Same goes for the robocalls. How many Please Vote robocalls go out each year before you cast your ballot? I’m guessing minus one. Henceforth, at least through 2026, I’m promising you’ll get no more than one a week, on a Friday late afternoon, always with the latest tally, congratulating the community on reaching a quorum (hopefully on the ﬁrst try), or asking you to go on out, or, in most cases, go on down to your lobby, and badger your neighbors to vote, Vote, VOTE.

But not yet. Voting won’t start for two whole months. That’s plenty of time to get those pom poms ready to cheerlead for your favorite community. Let’s get our annual springtime election to actually ﬁnish before spring does this time. In the meantime, here’s something that might interest you.

HCR, the organization that oversees Co-op City, has put together a video that details how our type of Mitchell-Lama co-op runs. A few years ago, HCR made it a requirement that every sitting Mitchell-Lama Board member watch this video each year. Engaged cooperators will find it informative. Aspiring Board candidates will find it vital. Interested? You’ll find the QR code link on the front page of this issue. The video’s really quite good except for one little, but really important, thing – according to me. They spell co-op wrong. They spell co-op wrong? OMG.

And now for something besides election talk.

NAACP

The NAACP marches to defend democracy and combat racism and discrimination in communities across the country. Located in the Einstein Community Center, Rm. 36, we meet on the fourth Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. The ofﬁce hours are Monday & Wednesday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

NAACP Co-op City Branch General Meeting: Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. located at 135 Einstein Loop Community Center, Rm. 36.

Women’s History Month: The 2026 Women’s History Month theme is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.

The NAACP Co-op City Branch is pleased to present two special guest speakers. Congressman George Latimer will attend and give us information on the state of Medicare and Social Security. We welcome his acceptance of our invitation. Don’t miss out, all are welcome and bring a guest. Our doors are open—lite refreshments.

Special congratulations to Councilman Kevin R. Riley on his appointment as chairman of the Committee on Land Use. It was a pleasure meeting the newly elected speaker of the NYC Council, Mrs. Julie Menim, at Councilman Riley’s appointment in a Bronx location he helped come to fruition. As always, it is an honor to have our speaker of the New York State Assembly (and Speaker of Assembly District 83, Bronx) present at these occasions.

Pre-paid t-shirts and hoodies are ready for pick up and 50th anniversary pins are available for $20. Memberships will be collected.

Looking to make an even greater impact? Become a champion for change and join us to keep advancing. Annual membership: Adult: $30, Youth: $10, Silver Life: $1000. Make ck/mo. payable to: NAACP Co-op City. Mailing address: NAACP Co-op City, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 36, Bronx, NY 10475. To become a member online, go to: www.naacp.org membership. Select Co-op City (2210) and join. To leave a message, call the ofﬁce phone at: 718-320-

MTA Mobile Sales Vehicles. We’ve been getting steady service from those MTA Mobile Sales Vehicles at Bartow Ave. on ﬁrst and third Thursdays, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., so far this year. The mobile sales bus has been replaced by a second OMNY van, but we’re still being served … over there in the middle. But are the fairly steady visits to Einstein and Dreiser a thing of the past?

Assemblyman Michael Benedetto got the outer area service semi-restored post-Covid, providing four or five visits a year for a year, maybe two, on the last Friday of the month on the months that had a fifth Friday. Through all of 2025, we received the more frequent ten times a year service delivered to our outer sections on assorted fifth work-week days. But since then, nada, zilch, bupkis, diddly-squat.

The MTA has been aggressively pushing OMNY on their biggest holdout demographic – seniors. By disappearing the MetroCard and not allowing cash sales on mobile sales vehicles for OMNY reﬁlls, they’re disadvantaging many cash-only Co-op City cooperators. Or are they?

OMNY advertising has been bragging about how many reﬁll machines take cash. But what about the traveling sales buses? The website notes, “Mobile sales buses and vans are making credit card transactions for OMNY only.” That site also directs you to call 511 before you visit a mobile van, but when you call 511, the robot tells you it the sales buses do take cash.

I’ve often complained how the MTA doesn’t talk to the DOT about their critically intertwined projects. Now, it seems, the MTA doesn’t even talk to the MTA.

Have a good one, neighbors; MPearson@RiverbayBoard.com/718-219-2211.

3210 or email: naacpccity2210@gmail.com.

—Leslie Peterson

Downsizing Program for Seniors and DRIE-Qualiﬁed Shareholders

By DANIELLE CRUZ

The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (HCR), the supervisory agency for Mitchell-Lama developments, has approved a ﬁve-year extension of the apartment downsizing program open to Co-op City senior and DRIE-eligible shareholders.

Through this program, eligible shareholders can downsize to smaller sized apartment without paying the current equity price for the new apartment and without paying the three months of carrying charges for their old apartment.

The downsizing program was first approved by HCR in 2019 and it was the very first time that the agency had approved an apartment downsizing waiver to a Mitchell-Lama housing corporation. The approval came after more than six years of advocacy for the program, which began to take shape officially in 2014 when the Riverbay Board passed a resolution asking Management to bring back a plan to be presented to HCR. In April 2019, the Board unanimously passed Resolution 19-18 requesting HCR review and approval of Riverbay’s waiver request. And so, after years of petitioning – which included calling on local elected officials and the governor’s office to support Riverbay’s request, and years-long negotiations with HCR, Coop City’s mortgage holder Wells Fargo, and other stakeholders, to iron out mutually agreed upon details of the program – HCR granted the waiver.

The goal of the program is to allow senior shareholders who have since raised their families and no longer require a large unit, and who wish to age in place, to downsize to a smaller unit without the added ﬁnancial burden of paying the current and higher equity for the new, smaller unit and the three months of carrying charges for the old apartment, as required by HCR regulations, a cost prohibitive undertaking for some seniors living on ﬁxed incomes. Under the program, transferring seniors and those who are DRIE-eligible would pay only for damages to the old unit beyond normal wear and tear. By accommodating senior and disabled shareholders who qualify for the waiver, this program also frees up the corporation’s stock of larger

apartments.

Eligibility for the apartment downsizing waiver is limited to:

• Shareholders who are 62 years or older.

• Shareholders who are considered handicapped for eligibility purposes under the New York City Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) Program.

• Shareholders whose annual income does not exceed $59,000, as reported on their most recently submitted Income Afﬁdavit.

• Shareholders who are not currently paying a surcharge.

• Shareholders who are not in arrears.

To apply for the downsizing program, eligible shareholders must submit a completed Co-op City Downsizing Transfer Application to the Riverbay Residential Sales department. The transfer application can be picked up at the Sales ofﬁce located at 2057-A Bartow Avenue.

All household members on the transfer application must be documented as living in the current unit and anyone being added as a co-owner of the new unit is required to have a minimum 650 credit score and submit $24.99 for a credit check. Those 18 years or older are also required to submit their most recent tax returns.

Anyone 18 years and older being added to the transfer application who was not listed on the applicant’s original application must undergo a criminal background check and Home Visit, consistent with Riverbay’s Residential Sales application procedures and requirements.

Shareholders interested in downsizing should note that there are additional fees associated with these requirements. The Criminal Investigation fee is $172.03 and the Home Visit fee is $87.10. There is also a non-refundable administrative fee of $75, which must

be paid to Riverbay Corporation by certiﬁed or bank check or money order; personal checks and cash payments are not accepted.

For DRIE-qualiﬁed applicants, documentation of the shareholder’s handicap must also be submitted. This includes proof of award of federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or US Department of Veterans Affairs disability pension or compensation or Disability-related Medicaid, if the shareholder received either SSI or SSDI in the past.

After an application is approved, the total equity for the shareholder’s current apartment will be transferred to the new apartment.

At closing for the new apartment, the shareholder will also pay the ﬁrst month’s carrying charges in advance. The shareholder will then be billed the pro-rated amount based upon the scheduled movein date for the new apartment.

Shareholders wishing to downsize should also be aware that Riverbay does not warrant or represent that shareholders will remain eligible for the same SCRIE or DRIE benefits after downsizing to a smaller apartment. Shareholders should confirm their continuing eligibility for benefits with SCRIE and/or DRIE.

For more information about the downsizing program, shareholders can reach out to the Sales department at 718-320-3300 and select option 6.

To ﬁll out a Transfer application, please visit the Apply page, click on “Residential Sales” and scroll to “Transfer Application” at the bottom of the page.

Blocking Fire Hydrants

Shareholders and other Co-op City drivers are reminded that it is illegal to park within 15 feet on either side of a ﬁre hydrant. This rule is always in effect, no matter the time of day or day of the week.

The 15-feet rule is in place to protect public safety. Fireﬁghters must be able to access ﬁre hydrants in case of an emergency. Any delay can be catastrophic and result in life and death outcomes.

The standard fine for parking too close or blocking a fire hydrant in all five boroughs of New York City is $115. Additional penalties can include towing and impoundment fees, increased insurance rates and additional legal consequences for repeat offenders.

MARCH 2026 | FREE Programs

Director’s Viewpoint Daryl Johnson

Mall Takeover Youths Are Now Facing Serious Charges

Lots of youths reacted to messages on social media to takeover and cause mayhem inside of several malls. Thereafter, some of these young adults were arrested. And, now, they’re facing some serious charges.

Youths on a Rampage

On February 16, 2026, lots of youths received messages on social media about a “takeover” of the Bay Plaza Mall. Then, they made a choice to go to this mall and other nearby areas to participate in this so-called takeover.

A report stated that there was a video showing someone allegedly throwing a “plastic crate” at a window belonging to Munchies Deli. Then, they tried to get into this store. But, the employees closed the door and called 911.

Several youths then went to the McDonald’s restaurant across the street. Then, they destroyed a large window. Next, a security ofﬁcer at the Five Below store stated that he had to keep the doors locked to keep a group of youths out. But, can you believe that this group was so bad that an employee allegedly heard these youths screaming while they were trying to break inside?

Court Actions

According to a report, the police arrested 17 youths for allegedly participating in the takeover of the Bay Plaza Mall. And, now, can you believe that they’re facing some serious charges? A report also indicated that some of the main charges against these youths could possibly include “riot and unlawful assembly.” Then, depending on the evidence, they could possibly face other charges.

The cases for minors could possibly go to Family Court. Then, the penalties could possibly include: “probation, community service, court supervision, or even juvenile detention.”

The parents can also face a civil action under the Parental Responsibility Law. So, the maximum penalty could be $5,000 in damages plus court costs for children over 10 and under 18. Also, depending on the circumstances, the organizers of these takeover events can possibly face

felony charges.

Youths Being Led Astray

Some folks might not believe in the power of social media? And, they might not believe that some online inﬂuencers can get lots of youths to abandon their family values to engage in illegal and harmful acts. But, now, do you think that it’s time to possibly reevaluate those thoughts?

Well, let’s look at some possible plans that the inﬂuencers probably developed to pull off that so-called takeover. First, they developed several plans about their target audience. Who? Youths. Could youths follow and react to a suggested message about a takeover of a mall?

If yes, could youths take this concept and expand it to include: 1. Acting out and getting into violent ﬁghts? 2. Breaking into stores to steal and to destroy property? 3. Disregarding and disrespecting lawful commands from the police? 4. Not worrying about going to jail? In fact, be proud that you joined the crowd.

Now, here is the biggest question that needs to be considered: Was it their intent to inﬂuence lots of youths to act out in a horribly bad manner, destroy a good community, and then get locked up? Devious? Absolutely!

So, as a parent, do you think that it might be good to seriously think about these points? Thereafter, do you think that you should have a discussion with your family? Of course! Youths need lots of family love, lots of encouragement, proper discipline, positive role models that can teach good morals and values to them, and lots of good guidance. So, please do your best to help them.

Bottom line: Can you imagine receiving a call that your son or daughter was arrested for participating in an extremely foolish takeover scheme? Will we allow this nonsense to go on in our community? Never!!!

Family Time

Some youths may have drifted away from their parents for a variety of reasons. And, now, they’re probably more interested in the information that’s presented on social media. But, as you can see,

Building 33 Association

March is Women’s History Month, and the Building 33 Association recognizes two women whose leadership helped shape our building community: Ms. Pat and her daughter Andrea, both former presidents of the Building 33 Association.

Ms. Pat served as president for many years and was known throughout the building as someone who truly cared about residents and the community. When I moved to Co-op City in 2012, she was already leading the association and encouraging residents to step forward and get involved. She believed strongly in bringing in the next generation to continue building community.

After I expressed interest in helping, she welcomed me in and asked me to serve as vice president for a time. That opportunity gave me an early understanding of the dedication it takes to support a building community.

After Ms. Pat passed away, her daughter, Andrea, stepped forward and served as president of the Building 33 Association, continuing the same commitment to residents.

Andrea passed away last year, leaving behind a legacy of service to Building 33.Their leadership and dedication left a lasting impact on our building.

Their story reﬂects something seen across many community organizations. Women are often the ones who organize, volunteer, and keep communities

there’s a lot of information on social media that’s probably not good for them.

Therefore, as a parent, is it possible that you can take some time out of your schedule to see if you can have a nice conversation with them? If yes, then, can that conversation be based on making improvements in your relationship with them? On a positive note, can you draw them out in a helpful way?

Tension? Negativity? Yes, you might ﬁnd that your children are dealing with peer pressure and other negative issues. So, their grades and other matters may have suffered. But, can you imagine how they will feel when they have you, a responsible and loving parent, to offer good and positive encouragement to them?

Bottom line: Do not give up! So, please stay strong and continue to love and help your children. Close

God is good. Therefore, I want the best for you and your family. So, please, let’s do our best to help the youths in our community. Thank you.

Contact Information

Please send a letter to: Board Director Daryl Johnson, Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. Currently, here is my email address: djohnson@riverbayboard.com I will never ask for or accept money from anyone. Therefore, please do not respond to any message with my name on it that requests money, money transfers, gift cards, personal information, or anything from you. And, please do not ever send money or anything to anyone because you saw my name on any type of message.

Also, please call me ONLY at 718-671-4544 if you would like to have a brief discussion with me. And, please hang up your phone immediately if someone calls you and says that they’re Daryl Johnson or is associated with me and asks you for money or anything else. Please stay strong and do not fall for any type of scam.

Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.

moving forward. In associations and community groups throughout Co-op City, women continue to play a major role in bringing neighbors together and strengthening the community.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we thank Ms. Pat, Andrea, and the many women whose time, energy, and leadership help make Co-op City a better place to live.

Safety Meeting

On March 12, the Building 33 Association hosted a Building Safety Meeting with representatives from the Co-op City Public Safety Department, including Chief Andre Waring and members of the Community Affairs Unit. Residents had the opportunity to hear updates and ask questions about recent safety concerns. During the meeting, CCPD conﬁrmed that an order of protection is in effect preventing the individual involved in the February 20 incident from coming within 100 feet of the building. Residents were advised to contact CCPD immediately if the individual is seen in or around the building and not to engage directly.

Public Safety also announced increased patrols and building sweeps, including stairwells and common areas. Ofﬁcers from the Community Affairs Unit will also be assigned to Section 5 buildings to strengthen communication with residents.

A more detailed recap is on the association website.

Upcoming Meeting

The next Building 33 Association General Meeting will take place on Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m., and residents are encouraged to attend. For updates and additional info, residents can visit www.wearebuilding33.org or contact the Building 33 Association at contact@wearebuilding33.org.

Tobias Garcia

ID Required For Community Center Rentals

Shareholders are reminded that a government-issued photo ID which also shows their Co-op City address is required when renting community center rooms. Thank you for your cooperation. ––Commercial Leasing Dept.

Women’s History Salute: Pat Bonaparte (left) and Andrea Mayo, former presidents of Building 33 Association.

National Council of Negro Women

Social Justice Committee – On Friday, March 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., we will be joining with NCNW North Bronx Section and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Eta Omega Omega Chapter at an “Immigration Forum.” The forum will take place at Community Board 12, 4101 White Plains Road, Bronx, NY 10466. Everyone is welcome!

Women Represent – On Saturday, April 25, to celebrate Women’s History Month (March) and National Poetry Month (April), we will be presenting a production of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,” the choreopoem by Ntozake Shange. With music and dance movements, it tells the story of seven women who have suffered oppression in our society. For this reason, it is recommended for an audience of only those 17+ years of age. The piece is a series of separate poems choreographed to music, that weaves interconnected stories of love, empowerment, struggle and loss into a complex representation of sisterhood. The play when it opened in 1976 on Broadway, was only the second play by a Black woman to reach Broadway. In 1976, it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and in 2022, the Broadway production was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Come join us in the Dreiser Community Center, Rm. 4, at 2 p.m. for a thrilling adaptation of a play that was adapted as a book, a television ﬁlm and a

theatrical ﬁlm. You won’t have to pay Broadway prices—it’s free! Bethune-Height Recognition Program (BHRP) – Our 52nd annual BHRP Program will be held on Saturday, May 16, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Leonard’s Palazzo, 555 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY 11021. The price of the luncheon is $125. At this program each year, all 18 of the NCNW sections from New York State and New York State Afﬁliates gather to honor outstanding women in our communities, welcome new Life Members, Legacy Life Members and Achievers, all to raise funds for the maintenance of our national headquarters that is located at 633 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. This program that is presented by sections all over the United States is named after our Founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and our National President for forty years, Dr. Dorothy I. Height. This year, the theme is “Raise Our Voice and Act with Purpose.”

Social Media – In honor ofWomen’s HER-Story Month, our NCNW section is spotlighting one of our esteemed members each week. The ﬁrst member in our spotlight is Denise Gerraldwho is currently serving as our Assistant Recording Secretary and co-chair for our Health Committee. Remember you can ﬁnd us on our website: www.ncnwcoopcitysection.com; on Instagram: NCNW Co-op City and email: ncnwco. opcity@gmail.com.

—Joyce Howard

NYPD’s Enforcement of Angle Parking Regulations

The NYPD strictly enforces parking regulations pertaining to angle parking spaces. Shareholders should be aware that vehicles in angle parking spaces on streets such as Asch Loop, Einstein Loop and Hutchinson River Parkway East, must be parked within the marked lines or they may be summonsed.

HER-Story Month spotlight: Denise Gerrald

When Lobby Theft Crosses a Line No Community Should Accept

Greetings, shareholders, neighbors, and friends.

From time to time, certain Viewpoint topics return—not because we enjoy repeating them, but because the problem itself refuses to go away.

Recently, I was approached and asked to write about lobby package theft again. I hesitated. After all, this issue has been discussed before. But sometimes a familiar topic must be revisited precisely because the behavior continues—and the consequences are becoming more serious.

What happened recently reminded me why we must keep talking about it.

When Theft Becomes Familiar, We All Lose

The conversation was not dramatic. It wasn’t loud or angry. It was quiet, tired, and heavy in the way only repeated disappointment can be.

A shareholder stopped me to share that her packages—items she ordered, paid for, and anticipated—had been stolen from the lobby of her building. Not once. Not twice. Often enough that it no longer felt shocking.

It felt expected.

That is the part that should concern us all.

Package theft has been reported in this building and others across our campus. But what has become truly dangerous is not only the act itself, but also the slow normalization of it. The shrug. The sigh. The resigned statement: “It happens.” It should not happen! Let us be clear: people who engage in criminal behavior do not gain permission simply because they do so repeatedly. Repetition does not create acceptance. Familiarity does not

make wrongdoing acceptable.

An example of this: both frustrating and heartbreaking

Recently, I was told a story that moved this issue from frustrating to heartbreaking. What happened next should give every one of us pause. A shareholder experienced a traumatic incident in our lobby. Once again, it involved package theft—but this time the circumstances were profoundly painful. The shareholder had recently lost their father. The family chose cremation, and the ashes were mailed here to Co-op, so that their loved one could ﬁnally be laid to rest. But that moment of closure never came.

The package containing the ashes was delivered and left in the lobby, instead of being brought to the apartment door. Somewhere between delivery and retrieval, a thief took the parcel.

As if that were not devastating enough, the story becomes even more disturbing. The grieving shareholder later discovered the empty box—opened and discarded in the lobby. Imagine that.

A neighbor already carrying the weight of loss—now forced to endure the additional pain of knowing that the ﬁnal remains of their loved one were taken and discarded as if they meant nothing.

At that point, we must ask ourselves a difﬁcult question:

What kind of community allows something like this to become just another story?

When Shared Spaces Are Violated Morality Erodes

Our lobbies are not storage areas for opportunists. They are shared spaces meant to welcome us home—not serve as hunting grounds for theft. When packages are stolen, the loss is not only ﬁnancial. It is emotional. It erodes trust and weakens our sense of safety and belonging.

single public report, complaints of package theft have been raised repeatedly—through shareholder conversations, building leadership discussions, and reports to management—across multiple buildings on our campus. The consistency of these stories matters. Even without precise numbers, the pattern is clear: this is not an isolated problem. It is recurring—and recurring problems demand attention, not quiet acceptance.

We Cannot Shrug This Away Communities—especially large ones—sometimes grow numb to persistent problems. We adapt. We adjust. We lower expectations. But we cannot afford to do that here. Accepting theft as “part of the landscape” sends the wrong message—to residents, to Management, and to those committing these acts. It suggests we have quietly agreed to live with disorder. And disorder, left unchecked, always grows.

Responsibility Is Shared

Addressing this issue is not about pointing ﬁngers; it is about pulling together.

Management must continue evaluating security measures—lighting, cameras, signage, and package protocols. Residents must also remain vigilant: reporting suspicious behavior, retrieving packages promptly when possible, and looking out for one another. Kudos to David, a shareholder in my building who, on Christmas Day, watched the lobby camera, gathered packages left by various carriers, and personally delivered them to each apartment. How do I know? I was one of the grateful recipients. Acts like that remind us what community looks like.

A Call for Awareness and Action

For seniors, parents, people with mobility challenges, and residents who rely on deliveries for necessities, this is not a small inconvenience. It is a real hardship. And for all of us, it signals that something fundamental—respect for one another—is being chipped away.

What We Know

Campus-Wide

While not all incidents are formally tracked in a

If you experience theft, report it. If you see something that does not feel right, say something. Not because it will solve the problem overnight, but because documentation matters. Patterns matter. Accountability matters. Most importantly, let us refuse to normalize behavior that undermines our shared quality of life.

Co-op City is more than buildings and lobbies. It is a community built on dignity, respect, and mutual care. That idea is worth protecting. We should not have to accept loss as the cost of coming home. Thank you for your eyes on my Viewpoint

Thank you for caring enough about our community to read, reﬂect, and respond. I can be reached at mmarbury@riverbayboard.com.

What we tolerate shapes what we become. If we refuse to normalize theft, refuse to accept disregard, and refuse to remain silent, we afﬁrm something far more powerful: that Co-op City remains a place where shared responsibility matters, where dignity is defended, and where community is not just a word we use—but a standard we live by.

American Legion Post 1871

Honoring Legacy and Leadership of Our Women Vets

This March, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, our Post recognizes the profound impact of women who have transitioned from the front lines of military service to the heart of our community leadership. Two recent events highlight the reverence and advocacy these women bring to the Bronx.

On March 13, the solemn echoes of “Taps” ﬁlled the James J. Peters VA Medical Center during the Last Roll Call ritual. This ceremonial interval honors fallen comrades and provided solace to their grieving families. Our own Service Ofﬁcer (SO), Army Colonel (Retired) Davis, and DVA/VA/ Marine Corps Veteran, Walter Rivera, stood at the forefront, posting the colors.

The service was a poignant blend of military tradition and clinical compassion. Families received musical and poetic tributes, while the Interim Medical Director, Chief Nurse, and Hospice teams offered words of comfort. After a wreath-laying by the administrative staff, the program reached its emotional peak: a roll call for twelve fallen heroes, each honored by the strike of a gong. The ceremony conclud-

Building 6 Association

Happy Saturday, neighbors. I hope when you read this it ﬁnds you in good standing. Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Happy Passover.

“Passover is our tradition... it’s nice for us to celebrate that every year by going through their struggles.” —Marsha Cohen

ed with a moment of silence led by Chaplain Christopher Johnson and the soulful sounding of “Taps” by Rivera.

The momentum continued on March 14 with the ofﬁcial launch of the National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS) All-Women NYC Chapter, as led by their Commander Kevin Meggett. Commander Codrington and Service Ofﬁcer Davis attended as invited guests to witness this historic milestone. The chapter is named in honor of Charity Adams, the legendary leader of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black WAC unit to serve overseas during WWII.

During the launch, Citations of Merit were bestowed by Milicent Matos from the Ofﬁce of the Borough President (pictured left). The event brought together a powerhouse of leadership, including new members Colby Jenkins and the Honorable Yadhira Gonzales-Taylor, as well as a Theo Korony, Post 253 Legionnaire. Under the guidance of President Donee Smalls and Vice President Cynthia Turner, this new chapter is charged with upholding Lincoln’s promise: to care for those who have borne the battle, and their families.

Through these acts of remembrance and organization, our women veterans prove that their service never truly ends. They are the guardians of our history and the architects of our community’s future.

Join Us Today!

Wellness Workshop, 135 Einstein Loop East, 2nd ﬂoor, Section 5, Rm. 41, 2-3 p.m.

American Legion Post 1871, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 41, Bronx, NY 10475. Phone: 718-320-8165. Email: americanlegion@post1871.org. Website: https: www.legion.org/post1871.

—Antonio Codrington

We would like to give a ginormous shout-out to Riverbay Directors Ms. Vanessa Aldea, Mr. Won Kim, and Mr. Toma Kastrati. The association room had a severe ﬂood, and the room was repaired, restored, sanitized, mopped, and buffed in record time. We were able to have the Women’s Herstory Pamper Party this past Saturday. A time was had by everyone in attendance. Everyone enjoyed the free facials, hand massages, skin care, and wellness tips by Ms. Evelyn Santiago while nibbling on a charcuterie board and pastries. Every attendee left with a wellness bag ﬁlled with goodies. Three of our lovely women received a loaded gift basket with roses, mugs, and specialty teas. NYS Senator Jamaal T. Bailey sent his constituent liaison, Ms. Unique Groom, to lend a hand. This week’s Women’s Herstory Month icons are all women who continue to forge forward, surpassing all expectations for the betterment of humanity. They are raising children, being a sister, a wife, a friend, a mentor, a boss, and a community leader. There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish, so ladies we salute you divine beings.

Neighbors, please continue to keep up the good housekeeping in the compactor and laundry rooms. Pet parents continue to curb your animal. All dogs should be leashed at all times in common areas; having your dog run unleashed is unacceptable. What may be cute to you may be a nuisance to others, so let’s all be respectful.

The 2nd Annual Easter Basket giveaway date will be changed from March 28 to April 4. Riverbay and Congressman George Latimer are facilitating an event in Dreiser. We want our Co-op City children to experience everything.

If anyone in your household is experiencing a mental health crisis, please dial 988. As the saying goes, if you see something, say something. Call CCPD at 718-671-3050 or dial NYPD at 911. Neighbors, CCPD is our ﬁrst line of defense against criminal activity and unsavory things. So, if you see a CCPD ofﬁcer in the building, simply say thank you; they are at your service.

As always, we pray for safety over all.

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women,” —Maya Angelou

—Lauren K. Lassiter

For more information, visit optimum.com/pawpatrol

SO Davis stands with posted colors.

Photos from #####

Bronx Borough President Gibson’s office presented Citations of Merit during the launch of NABVETS.

Greetings, fellow cooperators.

New Cooperators – Welcome, all new cooperators. We look forward to seeing you at the next general membership meeting.

Bingo Night – Thank you to everyone who came out for Bingo Night. A great time was had by all.

Special General Membership Meeting – On March 24 at 7 p.m., there will be a special general membership meeting with representatives from Optimum. See the flyer in the bulletin board in the lobby for more information. The meeting will be held in the association room located in the rear of Building 10B. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. We are looking forward to seeing everyone. Light refreshments will be served.

General Membership Meeting – Our next general membership meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 26, at 7 p.m. in the association room located in the rear of Building 10B. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Mr. Edgar Perez, director of Restoration for the Riverbay Corporation. All questions must be submitted by 7 p.m. on the date of the meeting. Paper and pens will be available. We are looking forward to seeing everyone. Light refreshments will be served.

Reminder of the Week: Mattress and Boxspring Disposal – Mattresses and boxsprings must be sealed in a plastic bag before taking to the Ash Cart area in the basement for disposal. Plastic bags can be purchased at department stores, home improvement stores and moving supply centers.

If You See Something, Say Something – For emergencies, call Co-op City Public Safety at 718671-3050 and NYPD at 911. For non-emergencies, call 311. You can also contact CCPD at their anonymous tips hotline: 718-879-6311.

Suicide Prevention – If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or in emotional distress, the number to call for help is 988; you can call

Shareholders are urged to contactupdate info.

Riverbay Cooperator Services Office (CSO) reminds shareholders that if there have been any changes in their contact information, they should update their files with Riverbay Corporation as soon as possible so that if there is a need to contact them in an emergency, the information on record with Riverbay will be the most current and accurate.

To update your contact information, two important steps are involved.

First, the shareholder of the unit is required to go in person to the Emergency Maintenance Office (located in the lower level of the Dreiser Mall) with photo identification and update the “Key Card.”

Secondly, shareholders should request an Emergency Contact form from their respective Cooperator Service Office (CSO). This form must be completed by the shareholder and returned in person to their respective CSO, along with photo identification. Their new contact information will then be updated in the Maintenance system and forwarded to the shareholder’s file.

Once the information is updated at the Emergency Maintenance Office and Cooperator Service Office, the new information will then be relayed by CSO to Public Safety to be added to that department’s database.

Building 10 Association

or text. Someone is available 24 hours a day. Questions, Comments and Suggestions – You can contact the Building 10 Association via email at

Building10Assoc@gmail.com or drop a note in the suggestion box in the laundry. Please note all sub-

mitted questions and comments will be answered at the monthly association meeting. We are also on Facebook, “Building 10 ABC Association.” Like our page and get notified of all the happenings in and around Building 10.

We would like to wish all who are born this month an incredibly happy birthday.

Celebrating an anniversary this month? Happy Anniversary!

To the homebound and sick, we wish you a speedy recovery.

To all who have lost a loved one recently, we offer our deepest condolences.

“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that’s in us.” —Angela Bassett

Have a great week.

—Jewel Crawford-Duncan

Goose Island Seniors

Once again, we have lost a dear member and friend, Sandra Harvell. Our condolences to her family.

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Octavio Cruz. Memorial Mass on Sat., March 28, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church.

With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Carol Pope. Her Celebration of Life is on Sun., March 29, at Maestro’s, 1703 Bronxdale Ave. RSVP required. Call: 347-247-5636.

Sight and Sound, “Joshua” – Thurs., March 26, in Lancaster, PA. Price: $215. Lunch at Golden Corral and then 3 p.m. show. Bus arriving at Einstein Loop at 8:45 a.m., Asch Loop at 9:10 a.m., and Dreiser Loop at 9:20 a.m.

Wind Creek Casino – Bethlehem, PA. Date changed to Mon., April 6. Price: $70; bonus, $25 for play. Call: 646-579-1701.

Resort World Casino – Monticello, NY, Tues., April 14. Price: $70; bonus $25 slot play and $15 food voucher. Balance due: March 25. Bus arriving at Einstein Loop at 8:15 a.m., Asch Loop at 8:40 a.m., and Dreiser Loop at 8:50 a.m.

Sight and Sound “Joshua” – Pre-Mother’s Day, Sat., May 9, in Lancaster, PA. Lunch at Millers Smorgasbord, then show at 3 p.m. Price: $245. Orchestra seats. Call: 646-579-1701.

Resorts Atlantic City – May 14. Adults only. Price: $70; bonus, $18 slot play. Bus arriving at Einstein Loop at 8:15 a.m., Asch Loop at 8:40 a.m., and Dreiser Loop at 8:50 a.m. Balance due: April 13.

Goose Island Seniors Indoor Picnic Party – Fri., June 5, at 1 p.m. in our club, Rm. 39. Members only. Covered dish. Bring something or $20 at door. Members with birthdays in June enter for free.

Tropicana Atlantic City – Date change to June 18. Adults only. Price: $70; bonus, $10 slot play. Bus arriving at Einstein Loop at 8:15 a.m., Asch Loop at 8:40 a.m., and Dreiser Loop at 8:50 a.m. Balance due: May 18.

Notary – with Yvonne Menefee, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Bingo – Mon., Wed., and Fri., from 1:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Members only. Admission: $5 for 3 cards; $0.25 each additional card. Twelve games and jackpot. Refreshments.

Game Day – Tues. and Thurs. between 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Dominoes, movies, socializing and more. Members only. Refreshments.

Building 26 Association

Spring Into Community, Connection & Fun

Spring is bringing fresh energy to Building 26, and our association is excited to welcome shareholders to a series of events designed to connect, support, and celebrate our community. From important meetings to family-friendly activities and wellness initiatives, there’s something for everyone to look forward to in the coming weeks.

We begin with our General Meeting on Thursday, March 26, at 7 p.m. in the Building 26B Association room, where shareholders will have the opportunity to stay informed, ask questions, and engage directly with updates impacting our building and the broader community. Your voice matters, and these meetings are a great way to stay connected and involved.

Our popular Yummy & Healthy Produce Distribution continues to serve families across the community. Upcoming distribution dates are March 28, April 11, and April 25, with pick up beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. These distributions provide fresh produce to support healthier lifestyles while easing grocery costs for many households. As always, we encourage everyone to bring reusable bags or carts; let’s continue doing our part to care for both our families and the environment.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4. This will be a rain or shine event, with time and location to be announced soon. Families can look forward to a festive day filled with fun activities, treats, and community spirit. Be sure to stay tuned for more details as we finalize plans for what promises to be a joyful experience for our children.

By popular demand, we are thrilled to bring back one of our most talked-about events:

“Level Up: Building 26 Game Night Tournament”

Taking place on Friday, April 10, this exciting evening is returning bigger and better than before. Many shareholders have asked for another Game Night, and we listened! The event will be held in the Building 26 Association room, with the exact time to be announced.

This year, we are proud to include a Sensory-Friendly Hour prior to the main tournament. During this time, lights will remain on, volume will be lowered, and the environment will be adjusted to create a calm, welcoming space for individuals with sensory sensitivities or special abilities to fully participate and enjoy the experience.

Registration will be required to participate, and details will be shared soon. The event is free, and there will be prizes and food provided, so bring your game face and get ready for some friendly competition!

Building 26 continues to grow as a hub for inclusive, engaging, and meaningful community programming. Whether you’re attending a meeting, picking up fresh produce, or joining us for a fun-filled event, we look forward to seeing you there. As always, we welcome anyone interested in being part of our volunteer team, email us at CoopcityTA26@gmail.com.

Let’s continue building community together.

—Tanya Cruz-Cooke

Building 29 Association

Dear shareholders,

Here are the minutes from our most recent meeting held on March 11, as follows:

(The meeting in February was cancelled due to a heating issue.)

The agenda included holding elections for all positions in September after the summer break.

After many years, membership dues have been increased to $10 a year. Three more meetings are scheduled for April, May, and June, before the summer break.

A Potluck celebration is planned for April 25 (Saturday) where attendees are encouraged to bring a dish or beverages. Come meet friends and neighbors and have a lot of fun.

A fitness class led by Kathy Wood will take place on March 28 at 10 a.m. in the association room, covering various aspects of fitness—strength, flexibility, and balance. Chair exercises are also included, and we will end with some cardio.

Finally, future events such as Bingo Night and a Movie Night in May will be discussed at our next session.

Peace to all.

—Katharine Wood

To All Members: Happy Birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of March: Gay Brown, Hattie Lucas, Stephen Roberts, Minerva Gordian, Averill Clayton, Billy Murphy, Nuris Mota, Vivian Werner, Lourdes Lopez, Michelle Rosenthal, Diane Rodriguez, Liz Pelaez, Benjamin Carter, Joeann Mattison, Pearl Applewhite and Kerrie A. Perry. Birthday Cake celebration on Wed., March 18, at 2:15 p.m. during Bingo break; 30 mins. Sick and Shut-in – Sandy Roque, Sandra Cortez-Johnson, and Greta. Mary Pilla, our former president, sends her love to everyone. Call her at 718-7531816.

Our club is located at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 39, Bronx, NY 10475, in the Section 5 Community Center. Phone: 718-379-9613. Stephen's cell: 347-8471941 (Zelle available). Our email address is goose.island@optonline.net. Cash App: $StephenCarlSr. Membership dues are $30 annually.

Good health to all.

—Stephen Roberts, Sr.

Retirees of Dreiser Loop

Greetings, members and friends. Happy Spring to all!

Please Note: The bus pick up location for all RODL trips will be in Dreiser Loop in front of H&R Block. The contact person for trips is Serita Greyson 347-564-5722. The theater contact person is Francine Jones, 718-671-5957.

Theater Committee – Seats are still available for “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” on Broadway on Wednesday, May 20, at 2 p.m. These are side mezzanine seats; ticket price is $100. There is no elevator, you must walk up steps. Ticket price includes transportation to and from the theater via the RODL’s van. Van pick-up time is 11:30 a.m. and will leave promptly at 12 p.m.

Wind Creek Casino – March 26, 2026. Cancelled

Brownstone – Tuesday, April 7, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a tribute to Gladys Knight. Price is $110 and includes family-style lunch and one complimentary drink. Full payment is due by March 24. Bus pick up time is 8:30 a.m. and will leave promptly at 9 a.m.

Scholarship Committee – Applications are now available in Rm. 19. Completed applications must be submitted no later than May 15. Questions can be addressed to JoAnn Harris at 718-710-9082.

Sight and Sound “Joshua” – Seats are still available. Tuesday, June 2. Show at 11 a.m. and lunch to follow at 2:30 p.m. at Miller’s Smorgasbord. Ticket price is $225. Bus pick up time is 6:30 a.m. and will depart promptly at 7 a.m. A deposit of $50 is due now to reserve a seat. Final payments are due on or before May 6. Serita will be available in Rm. 19 on Tuesday, April 21, from 1-3 p.m., to accept payments.

June Luncheon – Wednesday, June 10, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the Marina del Rey. Ticket price is $130 and tickets are now on sale. Contact Daisy Young at 917-292-7010, Ted Byrd at 917-797-9230 or Lillian Odom at 347-678-0745. Happy Birthday – Cheers to all our March birthday celebrants. Best wishes for the addition of another candle on your birthday cake. We wish you a happy birthday with peace, love, and happiness throughout the year.

Condolences – Please continue to keep all our bereaved members in your thoughts and prayers.

Good and Welfare – Virginia Stewart sends her heartfelt thank you to all for your kind expressions of sympathy on the loss of her grandson. Your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated. Get well wishes to Serita Grayson, Francine Jones, Jesse Birth, and James Stanton. Please continue to keep Jay McKenzie and Leonard Murrel in prayer. We continue to pray for all our members who are sick or shut in. Please notify Lorraine Parker at 718-671-6403 of any member illnesses or deaths.

Membership Committee – Annual membership dues are $25. Questions may be addressed to Mary at 718-655-9170.

General Meeting – Our next general membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 1, at 1 p.m., in the Dreiser Center, Auditorium C. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

—Georgianna Rodriguez

Director’s Viewpoint Leslie Peterson

Decisions and Responses

many import-

Spring is right around the corner, which means many important religious dates are coming up. In 2026, Passover and Easter will overlap. Passover (Pesach) (in Hebrew, Pesach – which means “skipping” or passing over) begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 1, and ends at nightfall on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026, falling within the eight days of Passover.

In 2026, Good Friday is on Friday, April 3rd, and Easter Monday is on Monday, April 6th, following Easter Sunday on April 5th. Christians are currently practicing Lent, a 40-day period during which participants practice reﬂection, prayer and penance, leading up to Easter Sunday. Passover commemorates the Exodus – the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, the miracle that occurred during the 10th Plague when the Angel of Death saw the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts of the houses of Israel; “skipped over” them and did not kill their ﬁrstborn. In advance, I wish everyone good health, hope, blessings and goodwill to all mankind.

Octavio Cruz: A few years back, I had the honor of being the 2nd Vice President of the Spanish American Community Club of Co-op City. During that juncture, I had the pleasure of meeting a former Riverbay Board Director, a digniﬁed, poised, serious, wonderful gentleman by the name of Octavio Cruz, and his equally astonishing wife, Rosauda Cruz, a very lovely couple. He was integrity personiﬁed. He served as the Co-op City club’s treasurer. He was a quiet gentle soul. I was deeply saddened to learn of his transition and offer condolences to his family. He will truly be missed by all.

Optimum: Recently, I had a meeting with shareholders and Optimum to discuss the recent and upcoming changes, notably the introduction of free Wi-Fi and TV services in all laundry rooms, and to clarify the company's branding (now "Optimum," not "Altice"). They indicated new signage will be posted in laundry rooms with Wi-Fi credentials for residents' use. They stated recent upgrades have included a complimentary boost in internet speeds for many residents

Over the past few years, the Drammeh Institute has welcomed women leaders to celebrate achievements, with international, high-level female representation present. Such gatherings emphasize global progress in women’s leadership and reinforce collaborative efforts in advancing gender equality and strengthening societal roles for women.

Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez Mina, was ofﬁcially honored in 2025 with the Global African Woman of Distinction Award in recognition of her legacy-long dedication to social justice and her tireless advocacy for land rights and the protection and empowerment of Afro-Colombians and Indigenous communities.

The award was presented by

(up to 1Gbps at no additional cost). The Community Outreach representatives advised the group that Co-op City now has a dedicated Optimum customer service number (866-218-2975), for resident inquiries, billing issues, and support.

They stated all buildings are now fully ﬁber-enabled, with options for residents to upgrade to ﬁber internet and new "stream boxes" (notably, these new boxes do not have the popular digital clock display).

Questions & Issues Raised by Residents: Multiple residents complained about rising bills, lack of senior discounts, promotional pricing that reverts after a short period, and difﬁculty communicating with general customer service lines.

Speciﬁc technical issues raised: missing caller ID on TV with new devices, buffering and service interruptions, need for Wi-Fi extenders in apartments with thick walls, and questions about compatibility with latest Wi-Fi standards (Wi-Fi 6, 6e, 7).

Residents were advised to only use ofﬁcial contact numbers and never respond to unsolicited requests for payment or personal data.

Decisions & Responses: Optimum acknowledged strong feedback on the lack of senior discounts and will escalate this to corporate management for consideration. They also said they will suggest technicians remove old coaxial cables upon resident request, except for the master antenna cable, which must remain. Residents were asked to report wiring/molding issues in public spaces via their association president, with photos, when possible.

Afﬁdavit Letters: Recently, some shareholders received a letter informing them that the NYS Homes and Community Renewal was reviewing the 2021 information from the Occupants’ Afﬁdavit of Household Income with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance using a computer matching program. What does that mean??

What are they questioning? Is it a missing Social Security number, a missing letter in a name, too many letters in a name, incorrect or transposed dollar amount. Instead of guessing, they want you to complete a form answering certain questions and get a cer-

co-Conveners of Global African Women’s Day led by the Drammeh Institute, an NGO in Consultative Status with ECOSOC of the UN and internationally recognized commission dedicated to advancing equity and human rights for people of African Descent.

This year, instead of holding our usual gala, we have produced a retrospect video of all honorees that can be viewed online including Youtube and Facebook. Finally, we want to express our deep appreciation to those who have supported this event and wish a happy Women’s History month to all cooperators. Global African Women’s Day is held each year on the 16th of March.

—Elise Edwards

tiﬁed accounting from the Department of Taxation. So contrary to what I have heard and read, it is not through any wrongdoing on the part of Riverbay. In fact, when it happened to me several years in a row, I investigated and found out the computer wasn’t able to match all the letters in my last name with my Social Security number. They told me to shorten the hyphenated spelling. I did not have a problem after that. Yes, sometimes technical issues get in the way but in the end, it is for the better.

Co-op City is private property and therefore prohibits distribution of unsolicited advertising material. There is a proper way to advertise your product in our community, refer them to the management ofﬁce at Bartow for additional information. All unwanted, unsolicited advertising material should be disposed of properly and not thrown on the ground causing litter.

5 Laws Every NYC Dog Lover Must Know –Let’s get it Right

1. Every dog needs a license

When out in public, a dog must display its license tag with an expiration sticker on its collar

2. Rabies vaccinations are mandatory

All dogs must receive a rabies vaccine by four months of age, with periodic boosters after that.

3. Dogs must be kept on a leash no more than six feet long

Ignoring the leash law can result in hefty ﬁnes.

4. Don’t tether your dog

In 2011, the New York City Council passed a tethering bill outlawing tying or chaining a dog for more than three hours in a 12-hour period. The bill also prohibits any tethering using heavy chains, or choke or pinch collars.

5. Scoop that poop!

Always a vanguard, New York was the ﬁrst major city to enact a canine waste law.

Quote: “When you have decided what you believe, what you feel must be done, have the courage to stand alone and be counted.” –Eleanor Roosevelt I am pleased to be of service to the community. I can be reached by email at lpeterson@riverbayboard.com.

Iman Drammeh (left) and VP Francia Márquez Mina (right).

Cooperator Julesa Grimes (far left) and cooperator Linda Collins (far right) of the Drammeh Institute.

Drammeh Center

Black Forum

Emergency Food Pantry – 920 Baychester Ave., Bldg. 1A (opposite basketball court). The pantry is open on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for grocery distribution. Guests are eligible to pick up food once a month. All guests must present a pantry card, at least 4-6 clean shopping bags with handles and a shopping cart to receive food. We will not place food in black bags because they pose a safety hazard. Section 5 guests should visit the Co-op City United Methodist Church at 2350 Palmer Avenue to pick up groceries. This distribution site is open on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The groceries are supplied by and distributed by Black Forum. Religious affiliation is not required. For the safety of our staff and other guests, mask-wearing is required when picking up food.

To ensure the well-being of our staff, volunteers, and all guests, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who engages in disruptive or aggressive behavior. We will also cease service if an individual poses a risk to the safety of our staff or other guests.

New Client Registration & Re-Certification For Returners – New client registration and returning client re-certification will reopen January 8 through April 2026. To register or re-certify, individuals must be 18 years or older and present a valid IDNYC card, NY State Driver’s License, or NY State Non-Driver’s License ONLY. All household members must be present with valid identification and reside within the 10475 zip code. The intake forms will only include the number of household members who are able to show up in person at

Building 13 Association

Women’s History Month

To the incredible women of Building 13 who give so generously of their time, energy, and compassion to support our Building Association, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. In honor of Women’s History Month, we celebrate not only your strength and resilience, but also the kindness, leadership, and sense of community you bring to our building each and every day.

Your willingness to step up, help out, and look out for your neighbors makes Building 13 more than just a place to live, it makes it a home. Today we honor you, appreciate you, and celebrate the important role you play in making our community stronger. You (we) are all amazing.

Today! Arts, Crafts and Chat: We have posted the flyers for our adult arts and crafts session hosted by Valerie and Denise to be held on Saturday, March 21, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.in the association room. This is a free event where you will learn how to work with stencils. Space is limited so to reserve a space, please send an email to building13assoc@yahoo.com. Many of the beautiful stencils celebrate Women’s History Month.

Summer Fun Day: It’s time for Co-op City to have a dance of their own. Something we will all know how to do at any event we attend. If you love to dance and are creative, get your dancing shoes together and show us what you’ve got. Calling anyone who resides in Co-op City, any building group, or anyone who belongs to a shareholder association or organization, or if you and your friends just want to put something together, come and show us your Co-op City slide/line dance. The winning group will be awarded $200 and will be required to teach us the dance on Saturday, June 27, at the Section 2 Summer Fun Day. This opportunity is open to all, from 12 to 212. Join in the fun. Win some cash. Scan the QR code on the flyer or contact Ms. Tamira King, Community Relations, or any Section 2 Building President to audition your dance.

Section 2 Summer Fun Day will be held on June 27 from 12-5 p.m. near Carver Loop and Casals Place. Thus far, we have received additional sponsorships.

FYI: Our building is a non-profit 501c3, and we are thankful for the consideration of Councilman Kevin Riley and the NYC Council’s supportempowering local groups to meet crucial needsand offercultural programs.

The success of our association depends on active participation from residents.

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” —Coretta Scott King

Visit our Facebook page at: “Building 13 Association Inc. Co-op City” or e-mail us at building13assoc@yahoo.com.

Contacts: Leslie Peterson, president, at 718-320-1370, or Wendell Mattison, VP, at 917-330-1380. Thank you for supporting our team.

—Leslie Peterson

the office. Please bring a mid-sized to large shopping cart and clean shopping bags for grocery pickup. All current pantry guests must re-certify to continue receiving food assistance. New guests and those who previously registered but did not re-certify in 2025 are also welcome to register.

Those living in Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 should register or re-certify at 920 Baychester Avenue. Section 5 residents should go to 2350 Palmer Avenue. Call 311 to apply for a free IDNYC card. ALL guests must join the line to receive any information. Please do not approach the entrance door. A staff member will come to you.

Fundraisers & Fun!

Support our community with a fun day out! Your participation in our events help cover the rent, insurance, and supplies needed to provide the community with free nutritious food and household supplies. For trip interest only, please call 917-209-5334 or 929-464-5520.

Atlantic City Tropicana Casino – Saturday, June 27. Total: $70. Casino Rebate: $20. We’re accepting payments now through April 30. No refunds. Sight & Sound’s Joshua & Shady Maple Smorgasbord – Friday, August 21. The $225 total covers a full day of inspiration and dining. With only a few seats left, secure your spot now. Final payments are due on or before April 18, 2026. All bookings are non-refundable.

D. Illis

African-American Association

General Membership Meeting

The monthly general meeting of the association was held in-person on Sunday, March 15, at 3 p.m. at the Dreiser Community Center. The meeting was called to order by President Toba, who welcomed all attendees. An opening prayer was offered, followed by the singing of the Black National Anthem,“Lift Every Voice and Sing.”President Toba acknowledged and honored the women in attendance in recognition of Women’s History Month, paying tribute to the contributions and achievements of women. He thanked all members for their participation and support of the AAACC Black History Gala and Awards Ceremony that was held on Friday, February 27, at the Eastwood Manor in celebration of 100 years of Black History Month.

Upcoming Events

President Toba used the occasion to highlight the upcoming events of the association and pleaded with members to always show up to support every activity of the group. The following events will be happening in the upcoming months: Wholistic & Wellness Fair, which will be anchored by Reva Jones and her committee, is slated forApril 11 at the Dreiser Community Center. In the following month, the 22ndannualSpelling Bee will be held onMay 16. This is an event that is tailored around middle schoolers, and we encouragethe parents to allow their children to be part of this program. The event is getting better every year. It will also be in one of the auditoriums in the Dreiser Community Center. Flyers with detailed information will be out as soon as possible for the community to save the date.

Juneteenth Celebration

In June, the last month before we go on recess for the summer, especially during the celebration of Juneteenth, the Education Committee, under the leadership of the second vice president, Shanah Montgomery, will organize a local entrepreneur fair. The event will be on June 19in celebration of Juneteenth, and it will be at a place that will be made known to the public as soon as the planning is finalized. After the entrepreneur fair, the association, in partnership with other associations in Co-op City under the umbrella organization, the Coalition, will embark on a two-day overnight bus trip to the National Museum of African History and Culture in Washington, DC, on Saturday, June 20,through Sunday, June 21. The bus pricing is as detailed below: One person per room – $430; two persons per room – $325 per person; three persons per room – $315 per person; four persons per room – $295 per person.

The Conversation – Community Discussion Forum

The association has concluded arrangements to initiate a recurring community discussion, “The Conversation,” which will be held every second Saturday of the month at 12 p.m. in Rm. 15 of the Dreiser Community Center. This is open to members of the public and will give the community an opportunity to deliberate on everyday topical issues for better living. Topics will be announced ahead of time, and a flyer will be provided.

—Toba Adeyemi LaCrown

Fire Safety Tip –– Avoid Overloading Outlets

Overloaded electrical outlets are among the leading causes of fatal residential fires. Avoid overloading by never plugging more than two appliances into an outlet at once or “piggybacking” extra appliances on extension cords or wall outlets. Also, avoid using counterfeit UL-certified products that can be purchased at many discount stores. Be Smart, Be Safe!

Traditional Synagogue

The synagogue would appreciate donations to keep our shul open. If you would like to help, go to www.Gofundme.com/Traditional-Synagogue-of-Co-op-City to donate, or mail to the Traditional Synagogue located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place, in the rear lobby of 27B.

The synagogue has services on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. After service, we serve a hot/cold kiddush meal. Entrance to our synagogue for Saturday services is on the side door of Building 27B.

General Information: The Traditional Synagogue located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place, in the rear lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor of Building 27B and it is handicap accessible, no steps. Phone #: 718-379-6920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Please call the office before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message. The synagogue has a Facebook page, “Traditional Synagogue.”

The synagogue needs donations. Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help. The synagogue needs men to help make a minyan. There are a lot of Jewish men who live in Co-op City who do not come to services. Please come by 10 a.m. so we can take out the Torah.

The Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City.

Sabbath Ends on Saturday, March 21, at 8:01 p.m.

Candle Lighting for Friday, March 27, at 6:55 p.m.

Good and Welfare: The congregation welcomes donations in honor or memory of a loved one. Any amount is greatly appreciated. For information about the congregation and its services please call 646-285-1206.

To All Members: Happy Birthday to Samuel Grynewize and all our members who will be celebrating their birthday in March. Please send me your name and I will add it to the list.

Fun and Games: After services and kiddush, members play games. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated. Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health.

—Bruce Gitelson

Hammering after 6 p.m., vacuuming after 9 p.m., music or TVs played very loudly at any hour, doors slamming at all hours... these are just a few examples of what can disturb the peace of fellow cooperators. Noise complaints may lead to a ﬁne. Please, let’s work together to make Co-op City a peaceful community. —CSO Department

The Church of St. Thomas The Apostle

177 Dreiser Loop, second ﬂoor, Rm. 2.

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The congregation and clergy of St. Thomas invite you to worship with us. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20)

The Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 22, 2026

• 11 a.m. Communion Service

• Fellowship with light refreshments following the service

Bible Lessons:

• Ezekiel 37:1-14

• Psalm 130

• Romans 8:6-11

• John 11:1-45

Prayer: God of wilderness and water, your Son was baptized and tempted as we are. Guide us through this season, that we may not avoid struggle, but open ourselves to blessing, through the cleansing depths of repentance and the heaven-rending words of the Spirit. Amen.

—Rev. Dorian Miceli

Co-op City Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us for Worship Service tomorrow at 8 a.m., in-person only, and at 11 a.m., in-person and on Zoom or YouTube. Sunday School classes for all ages is held at 9:30 a.m. We are located at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 50 (lower level), Bronx, NY 10475. Telephone: 718-320-3774. Email: ccbc135@optimum.net or coopcitybc@gmail.com. Website: www. coopcitybaptistchurch.org Masks are optional.

Zoom information: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9623430102 or Zoom Telephone Conference Line: 646-568-7788; Meeting ID: 962 343 0102#; Password: 788175#. Or go to YouTube, search for “Co-op City Baptist Church” and watch us there.

The church’s free conference call line dial-in number is 857-357-0254, Access Code is 660065#.

This Week’s Events: Wednesday Bible Study Class at 1 p.m. is on Zoom Prayer Warriors Prayer Service on Thursday at 12 p.m. is on the church conference call line. On Thursday at 2 p.m., the Circle of Grace Knit and Crochet Ministry will meet in-person at the church in Rm. 51. The Friday Mid-Morning Prayer Service is at 10 a.m. and the Friday Evening Prayer Service is at 7:30 p.m., both are on the church conference call line.

Our next food giveaway will be distributed on Friday, March 27, from 2-5 p.m., at 135 Einstein Loop. Please remember to bring your own bag, and perhaps a cart. Some products can be heavy. Everyone is welcome.

Our Maundy Thursday Service with Community Protestant Church will be held on Thursday, April 2, at 6 p.m. at the Co-op City Baptist Church. Everyone is invited.

Save the Dates: Our church’s 55th Anniversary will be celebrated starting with a service on Friday night, November 13, a banquet on Saturday, November 14, and ending with services at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 15. More details to follow. Everyone is invited to share this special weekend with us. Thank you.

“GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a living community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, Bible Study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the Church through ministry.

—Marilyn C. Williams

WHISTLEBLOWER ANONYMOUS HOTLINE

If you have knowledge or a concern of possible violations of law, accounting irregularities, or other suspected wrongdoing affecting Riverbay, you are encouraged to report it to law enforcement, or you may report it through an anonymous hotline by the following methods: Go to an independent website, www.lighthouse-services.com/riverbaycorp to complete an online disclosure form; Call the following independent third party whistleblower hotline at 1-833-290-0009 (English); or 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish); Email: reports@lighthouse-services. com; or Send a fax to (215) 6893885 (the email or fax must include “Riverbay” in the subject of the report).

Newsong Church

What Will You Do With Jesus?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

In Gospel of John 5:10-47, the healing at the pool of Bethesda quickly becomes a controversy. Instead of rejoicing that a man had been healed, the religious leaders focused on the fact that he carried his mat on the Sabbath. Their attention to rules caused them to miss the plot: the greater work of God happening before them

When confronted, Jesus reveals a deeper truth: He is the Son of God, sent by the Father, and the source of eternal life. Jesus tells the leaders that although they search the Scriptures diligently, they refuse to come to Him, the very One the Scriptures testify about.

The passage reveals a sobering reality: it is possible to know about God yet miss the Son who gives life. Miracles, Scripture, and testimony all pointed to Jesus, but many still rejected Him.

The question raised in this passage still echoes today: What will you do with Jesus?

About Us: Newsong Church is a life-giving church right here in Co-op City! We believe that every person can know God, ﬁnd freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference in this world! No matter what you’ve been through or where you come from, you are welcome here. Join us for Sunday worship and see why God’s family is no ordinary family. Check us out, we’re located at 135 Einstein Loop!

Sunday Worship Experience – Every Sunday at 11 a.m.Our Sunday worship experience starts with celebration. We make music to please God and to build others up. Colossians 3:16 says, “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” We sing to bring glory and honor to God and celebrate who He is and what He’s doing in our church!

Newsong Deaf Church, Rm. 35 – Our deaf worship experience is in ASL so that our deaf and hearing impaired can worship and fellowship in their own language!

Kidsong. Rm. 49 – We’ve created a place where children can have fun and learn about Jesus on their own level!

Against The Flow – Every Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Rm. 42.ATF is Newsong’s student ministry. Today’s middle and high school students will lead the next generation of the church and change the world. At ATF, our goal is to graduate students into a lifetime of following Jesus.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s a God in heaven who loves you and has a purpose and plan for your life! Do you live outside of Section 5? Remember, a church alive is worth the drive! Come and find hope. Come and find healing. Come and find freedom. Contact Us

Mailing Address: 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 42

Phone: 917-342-2559

Email: CentralTeam@newsongchurchnyc.org

Prayer Request Line: Text “Prayer” to 877-899-7323

Website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org

Social Media: Facebook/IG/X: @newsongchurchbx; YouTube: Newsong Church NYC

—Pastor Mike Tolone

Paz de Dios sea con ustedes.

Pentecostal Tabernacle

The Pentecostal Tabernacle is located at 100 Co-op City, Building 22A, Bronx, NY 10475.

You are warmly invited to participate in our weekly services and gatherings. Please ﬁnd the schedule below:

Sunday:

Sunday School for all age groups begins at 10:30 a.m.

Worship Service commences at 11:45 a.m.

Wednesday:

Prayer and Fasting Service is held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Bible Study and Prayer Meeting take place in the evening at 7:30 p.m.

Friday:

Worship Service starts at 7:30 p.m.

All Night Service:

This service will be held online. To join, please call 727-731-4156. Weekly Spiritual Focus: A Transformed Life

Each week, we center our hearts and minds on the theme: A Transformed Life. The believer’s life is transformed by the power of God into a conquering lifestyle through Christ Jesus, as emphasized in Romans 12:1-2 and 10-18. Scripture Passage: Romans 12:1-2, 10-18

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacriﬁce, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honoring preferring one another. Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another, mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil, provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Applying God’s Truth to Our Lives

The plan of God for mankind’s salvation is eternal, purchased by the blood of Jesus, and provides everyone the opportunity for a new beginning. Paul elaborates on these truths in the Book of Romans, describing humanity’s hopelessness in sin, the miracle of deliverance, and the promise of restoration. In Romans 12, Paul gives practical advice for living out these truths daily. Understanding foundational doctrines like faith, justiﬁcation, and divine guidance is essential, but Scripture also calls us to apply them in everyday life. This life-changing gospel motivates us to commit ourselves fully, inﬂuencing how we live and interact with others.

Living Out the Gospel Daily

We are encouraged to study and meditate on the Bible every day, ﬁnding grace, strength, joy, and peace to overcome life’s challenges. God’s grace is always sufﬁcient to sustain us. Our responsibility is to remain faithful wherever God has called us to serve, dedicating both our bodies and minds to Him daily. Paul urges us to surrender ourselves to God, living a life of holiness as our reasonable service.

—Rev R. Sibblies

Iglesia Cristiana Marcos 16:15

Isaías 65:17 “He aquí, yo crearé nuevos cielos y una nueva tierra. Las cosas pasadas no serán recordadas, ni vendrán a la memoria.”

La profecía de Isaías apunta hacia una realidad futura en la que el orden actual de la existencia se transforma.

¿Acaso no desearías formar parte de esa nueva creación, donde puedas vivir en paz y gozo, y tener una vida nueva —un cuerpo nuevo— libre de sufrimiento y muerte? Entrega tu vida a Jesús, arrepintiéndote de tus pecados, y acéptalo como tu Señor y Salvador. Ven y únete a nosotras en este viaje. Te digo esto con amor: deja de decirte a ti mismo que lo harás mañana, pues el mañana no está garantizado.

Nuestra iglesia está ubicada en el Centro Comunitario Einstein Loop 135, segundo piso, salon 33. También ofrecemos nuestro culto los domingos en vivo a través de nuestra página de Facebook a las 11:30 a.m. Esperamos verlos los domingos.

Servicios Ofrecidos

Lunes: Estudios Bíblicos telefónico, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Código: 696248)

Martes/Viernes: Estudios Bíblicos Zoom, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Código: 3jEJ2W)

Jueves: Estudios Bíblicos Ingles telefónico, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Código: 696248)

Domingos: Culto de Adoración, 11:30 a.m.

La Santa Cena es el 1er Domingo del mes.

Que Dios le bendiga y recuerda que Cristo te ama May the peace of God be with you.

Isaiah 65:17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

Isaiah’s prophecy points to a future reality where the current order of exis-

tence is transformed. Wouldn’t you want to be part of that new creation where you can live in peace and joy, and have a new life, a new body with the absence of suffering and death? Give your life to Jesus by repenting of your sins and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Come join us in this journey. I say this out of love, stop telling yourself you’ll do it tomorrow for tomorrow is not promised.

Our church is located at 135 Einstein Loop Community Center, 2nd Floor, Rm. 33. We also have live Sunday service via our Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. We hope to see you on Sundays.

Services Offered

Monday: Telephone Spanish Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248)

Tuesday/Friday: Zoom Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Code: 3jEJ2W)

Thursday: Telephone English Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248)

Sundays: Worship Service, 11:30 a.m.

Holy Communion is the ﬁrst Sunday of the month.

God bless you and remember, Jesus loves you —Blanca Santana

IMPORTANT!

For up-to-date communication from Riverbay Corporation, read the Co-op City Times, delivered to your building lobby and the community centers on Saturdays, tune in to the Crawler on your home TVs and lobby monitors, and register for Phone Tree notifications.

Church of the New Vision

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Church of the New Vision and Pastors Kenneth and Deborah Hodge welcome you to worship with us at 115 Einstein Loop North, Bronx, New York 10475. Church phone: 718-671-8746 and Pastor’s phone: 914-522-5039.

Our Scripture of Meditation for 2026 is:Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Come Fellowship With Us: Sunday School for adults and youths begins at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday morning worship service is 11 a.m. All are welcome. Fasting, prayer and meditation is the last Wednesday of each month.

Daily Noon Day Prayer Line: 12-12:30 p.m. Monday–Friday. Wednesday Night Bible Study and Prayer from 7-8 p.m. The conference call line number is 646-769-9900; Access Code: 3099088#. Please mute your phone.

Worship Message: “You Can Change my Name; But You Can’t Change my Mind.”

Scripture Lesson: Daniel 3:16-18 KJV “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, ‘O nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’”

Thank you, Pastor Michael Adolphus, for the bringing the message.

March 7 Worship Message: “It’s All by God’s Grace.”

Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthian 15:1-10 KJV.

Save the Dates

Wednesday, February 18 – 40 days fast begins, ends on Resurrection Sunday.

Wednesday, August 12 – Sight & Sound Theatre, “Joshua,” includes R/T Transportation, all you can eat smorgasbord at Shady Maple Farm Market. Deposit $50 to secure your seat.

Women’s Fellowship: Women’s Retreat – Spruce Lake Retreat & Conference Center, PA, Thursday, Sept. 24-26, 2026. Standard Rooms: PP Double: $500, Triple: $440, Single: $680; includes two nights/three-day accommodations (double occupancy), six meals, R/T motor-coach transportation, retreat materials. Secure your reservation with a non-refundable deposit of $50. Double/$100. Single due February 8. Second deposit is $150 and is due April 19. Final payment is due August 16. For further information, contact: Sis. L. Scott at 718-671-2623, Sis. S. James at 917-667-4229 or Sis. H. Smith at 718-708-5035.

We continue to pray for speedy recovery for the sick and shut-in; grace, mercy, strength, comfort, healing, and condolences to families who lost loved ones and good health and wellness for all.

Please mail contributions, tithes, and offerings to: Church of the New vision, P.O. Box 75-3037, Einstein Station, Bronx, New York 10475. Thank you.

—Brenda Brown

Community Protestant Church

Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens and the Community Protestant Church family welcome you to worship with us. We are located at 2053 Asch Loop, Bronx, NY 10475. You may contact us by phone: 718-862-9172, fax: 718-671-4416 or email: Administration@thecpcchurch.org.

Worship Schedule

In-person Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.; Sunday School at 9:15 a.m. Every Wednesday – “Hour of Power Noon Day Prayer” at 12 p.m. on the Conference Call Line: 712-432-3900; Access Code: 343284# Every Wednesday – 7 p.m. Bible Study online via Zoom. Log in on Zoom. com or dial One Tap Mobile: 646-931-3860 or 929-205-6099; Meeting ID: 886 1355 3980.

Save The Date

Saturday, March 28 – Shepherd’s Ministry Prayer & Praise Brunch. Tickets: $40

Thursday, April 2 – 6 p.m., Maundy Thursday Service with Co-op City Baptist Church, 135 Einstein Loop Friday, April 3 – 12 p.m. Good Friday Service, The Seven Last Words The Year Of Jubilee

Pre Anniversary Service:

Sunday, April 19, 11 a.m. – Rev. Helena Tyson, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, Bronx

Opening 50th Anniversary Services:

Sunday, November 1

11 a.m. – Rev. Audrey Jones, Friendly Baptist Church, Bronx

3:30 p.m. – Rev. Carl L. Washington III, Pilgrim Baptist Church, Nyack

Closing 50th Anniversary Services:

Sunday, November 8

11 a.m. – Rev. Dr. Edgar Howard, Manhattan Baptist Church, NYC

3:30 p.m. – Rev. Dr. Theresa Lloyd, White Rock Baptist Church, NYC

“A 50th Jubilee Celebration of Pastoral Leadership.” The Community Protestant Church family is proud to announce that Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens is celebrating his 60th year in ministry and his 50th year as our Pastor. We are so excited that we are hailing this milestone as “The Year of Jubilee.” You are hereby invited to be our special guest at one or all of the pre-anniversary services and events planned in his honor.

Praising and praying! Deacon Sybil Whinstanley prayed a prayer that touched each of us before we recited Psalm 23 as one. In his sermon, “Walk in The Light,” 1 John 1:5-7, Pastor Owens preached that we were created to worship Him. He said let us worship and walk in the light together, let the brilliance of the Lord lead us. Amen! The CPC Choir sang and Rev. Karen prayed comfort during Altar Call. In our moment in Women’s History TIT Synii Mann saluted her Proverbs 31 shero, Deaconess Sarita Tidball. Worship with us. Hear the good news of Jesus and experience all the new possibilities at Community Protestant, a church of love and understanding.

We extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to those in a season of mourning. To our sick and homebound members, please know we are praying for your healing. It was good to see the Phillips family and Sister Hazel Johnson in service. Happy Birthday! to everyone celebrating their special day this month.

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14

—Lexa M.

Mingo

Reminder –Feeding Animals

Shareholders are reminded that it is a violation of your lease to place food out for animals to eat. A Community Complaint for littering may be issued to anyone who puts food out for any reason. Well intentioned cooperators may think they are putting food out for stray cats or birds, but the food ends up attracting rats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes or other animals that can be a threat to residents.

Feeding wildlife, such as geese, also tends to change the migration pattern of these animals as they end up not flying south for the winter. This was the case several winters ago in the New York area where many geese were found starved to death when they did not fly south for the winter and their normal food source was c overed by deep snow. Food placed out for animals is often lacking in the nutrition needed by the animals and serves to upset their ecological balance. Please resist the urge to place food out for animals in Co-op City or elsewhere.

Thank you for your cooperation.

JASA Co-op City NORC Program Invites You for These In-Person & Virtual Activities

JASA Bartow OAC Mother’s Day Show at the Timber Point Country Club in Great River, NY, on May 7. Dancing, DJ, and time at the Tanger outlet. Cost: $155.

Caesar Resort and Casino Atlantic City:

Date: June 6; Cost: $65 ($10 slot play back); Deposit: $30 to sign up.

Och Apple Orchard, Warwick, NY:

Date: June 27; Cost: $45 (includes lunch); Deposit: $20 to sign up.

Bartow OAC March Shopping Trips:

Trader Joe’s: 3/25, $6. Costco: 3/27, $6. Wegmans: 3/31, $12.

Walk Group at NORC office on every Tues. at 10 a.m.

In-Person Computer Class – Wed., from 4-5 p.m. at the Bartow NORC office.

Accupuncture Session – April 1, at 11 a.m. at

BARTOW CENTER

CLOSED

Walk w/Odessa (On Winter Break)

Blood Pressure w/Gertie & Phyllis, 12-1 p.m. (1st & 3rd Tues.)

Health & Wellness w/Ann, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Smart/phone & Tablet Class w/Julesa, 1:45-2:45 p.m.

Stay Well Exercise w/Odessa, 10-11 a.m.

Line Dancing w/Cynthia, Wed. & Fri., 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Arthritis exercise w/Damien, 1011:15 a.m.

Visual Arts w/Laura via Zoom, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Knitting/Crocheting w/Lynne & Betty, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Computer Learning Class, 1:302:30 p.m. (Starts April 7)

Card Games w/Frankie, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

the NORC office.

Spanish Classes – Thurs., 2-3 p.m. at the NORC office.

Painting Classes at the NORC office starting Mon., March 23, at 10:30 a.m.

JASA provides comprehensive emotional wellness support for older adults ages 60+ residing in Co-op City. Our services include individual, family, and group therapy, as well as medication management, delivered both in person and via telehealth. We offer on-site care at the NORC office, Einstein office and within the OACs.

Free Tax Preparation for seniors in the JASA NORC office, 2049 Bartow Ave. starting 2/2/26. Income limit up to $66,000. Mondays only from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Call: 718- 320-2066 for an appt. NORC Annual Health Fair – May 13 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Music, BP screenings, raffles, and

Trip: Walmart, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mindful Mornings Tai-Chi, 9-10 a.m.

Line Dance, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Dr. Castro’s Prsentation, 1-3 p.m.

Movies w/Dennis,1-3 p.m.

Never Too Old to Learn Spanish, 10-11 a.m.

Bridge to Care Arthritis Exercise w/Damien, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Weekend Recap Discussion, 9-10 a.m.

giveaways. To order lunch, call 718-320-1345 by 5/1/26.

Caringkind: The Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving Rep. will be in the Bartow main office every third Mon. of the month, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., for Alzheimer & Dementia Consultation/Health Care Proxy & Power of Attorney Consultation & other services. Please call 646-744-2921 for an appt. Technology Class – Thurs., 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dial in number: 929-205-6099; Meeting ID: 862 5043 9695; Passcode: 896989.

Line Dance with Bartow Swingers – Wed. & Fri., 12-1 p.m., 177 Dreiser Loop, Aud. A. Notary JASA NORC Office – Weds. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 718-320-2066 for an appt.

Notary Dreiser OAC – Weds., 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Rm. 7. Call 718-320-1345 for an appt.

LUNCH & DINNER MENUS

Alternate Kosher Meals are available

Hair Care 4 U, 9-11 a.m. (appt. only)

Stretch & Tone w/Ola, 10-11 a.m.

Aqua Aerobics, 12-3 p.m.

Board Games, 1-2 p.m.

Technology w/ Jimmy, 1-2 p.m.

Nutrition Workshop w/Tiana 1-2 p.m.

Visual Arts, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Salsa Dance w/George, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Chit & Chat, 1-2 p.m.

Fit For Life Exercise w/Gail, 1-2 p.m.

Stay Well Exercise w/Dennis, 10-11 a.m., Aud. A

Piano Sing Along Class w/ Seth, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 2 (twice a month)

Movie Afternoon, 1:15-4 p.m.

Adt Class Trip to Museum of Art and Design, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (no in-person)

Current Events, 10-11 a.m.

Leisure Games w/Clara, 1-3:30 p.m., Rm. 2

Zumba w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., Aud. A Crafts w/Roselen, 1-2 p.m. Tai Chi w/Jimmy, 2-3 p.m., Aud. A Computer & Tablet class w/Ralph, 6:307:30 p.m. (virtual)

Arthritis Exercise w/ Damion, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Bead & Jewelry w/Brenda, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 4

Technology Class w/Steve, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Drama Club w/Amelia, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Rm. 2

Trip: Amy Ruth’s Harlem, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Morning News Discussions, 10-11

a.m.

Cardio Exercise w/Gail, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Body in Motion w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., Aud. A Leisure Games w/Clara, 1-3:30 p.m., Rm. 2 Leisure TV, 2-4 p.m.

LUNCH: KOSHER:( Plant Based) Tuna Salad, Cucumber Salad, Carrot Salad; NONKOSHER: Pork Spare Ribs, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Collard Greens

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: No Dinner Served

NON-KOSHER: No Dinner Served

LUNCH: KOSHER Chicken Salad, Potato Latkes, Garden Salad; NON-KOSHER: (Plant Based) Latin Sweet Potato & Red Bean, Chili, White Rice, Steamed Cauliflower

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Cheese Blintz w/ Potato Latkes & Fresh Garden Salad; NON-KOSHER: Pork Spare Ribs, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Collard Greens, Apple

LUNCH: KOSHER: Lemon Salmon, Sweet Potato, Zucchini; NON-KOSHER (Plant Based): Jumbo Stuffed Shells w/Meat Sauce, Vegetables Mix

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Tuna Fish Salad w/ Cucumber Salad & Carrot Salad; NON-KOSHER: Latin Sweet Potato & Red Chili, White Rice, Steamed Cauliflower, Orange

LUNCH : KOSHER: Pot Roast, Mashed Potato, Steamed Carrots; NON-KOSHER: Baked Asian Style Honey Chicken, White Rice & Quinoa, Steamed Broccoli

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER : Jan., Feb., & March Birthday Celebration

NON-KOSHER : Jan., Feb., & March Birthday Celebration

Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Manicure, 10:30 a.m-12 p.m.

Manicure, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Line Dance with Cynthia, 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

Line Dance w/Cynthia, 12:301:45 p.m.

Drama Club w/Dazee Windley

Drama Club w/Dazee Windley, 2-4:30 p.m., Bartow OAC, Rm. 31

2 p.m.-4:30 p.m., in Bartow OAC, Rm. 31

Dinner Hour, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Intergenerational Arts & Crafts w/Denise, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Salsa with Rasheem, 10 a.m.11 a.m., Dreiser, 2nd floor Word Games, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Bingo on Satur days, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the back of JASA NORC Of fice

Trip: Jersey Gardens Mall, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Coloring for Calmness, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Coloring for Calmness, 9:30-10:30

Su Casa Art w/Tijay, 10 a.m.-12

a.m.

Walmart (Monroe, NY), 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Coney Island Beach/Boardwalk, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sewing Class w/Joy, 9-11 a.m., Rm. 2

Sewing Class w/Joy, 9-11 a.m., Rm. 2 Alert & Alive w/Cathy & Essie, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 4

LUNCH: KOSHER: Roast Chicken, Baked Potato, Butternut Squash; NON-KOSHER: Fish w/Tomatoes & Herbs, Caribbean Rice & Red Beans, Sauteed Spinach

p.m.

Chess Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Blood Pressure Screening, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Health & Wellness 2.0, Importance of Maintaining Brain Health & Awareness, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Knitting /Crocheting w/Loretta 10-12 p.m.

Knitting & Crocheting, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Alert & Alive w/Cathy & Essie, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 4

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

Let’s Get It on Zumba, 1-2 p.m.

Health & Wellness 2.0 – Celebrating Each Other, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Let’s Get It on Zumba, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Line Dance w/Sassy, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Bingo w/Gay, 1-2:50 p.m., Rm. 2

Line Dance w/Sassy, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Bingo, 1-2:50 p.m.

Menu fee for lunch is $2 & $5 for guest. ALL meals served with margarine and fresh milk. Menu subject to change without notice. For information, please call: (718) 320-2066. Schedule subject to change without notice.

Payments for trips can be made where noted, Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. only.

Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, the NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation

Must be 60 or older to become a JASA participant.

KOSHER: Salmon in Lemon Sauce w/Sweet Potato & Zucchini PLUS 10 GRAB AND GO NON-KOSHER: Fish w/Tomatoes & Herbs, Rice & Beans, Sauteed Green Beans

Saturday: Lunch served at 12:30 p.m. until finished: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Roasted Chicken w/Baked Potato & Steamed Butternut Squash, Apples; NON-KOSHER: Baked Asian Style Honey Chicken, Rice/Quinoa, Steamed Broccoli, Banana

Co-op City United Methodist Church/IEMU de Co-op

Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds

Come and Visit Us – We are a multi-ethnic and bilingual, Bible-centered congregation with spirit-filled worship. Services are held in-person at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across from Building 30. Parking is available. You can also participate with us via Zoom (904 4685745) or Facebook Live (UMC Coop City). —Pastor, Rev. Sara Girón-Ortiz.

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” —John 9:5

Visual agnosia is a condition in which the eyes function normally, yet the brain cannot interpret what it sees. In a similar way, many of us—though blessed with physical sight—can attend church for years and “see” the rituals without gaining the insight that comes from true faith in Jesus Christ and His transforming power.

We also walk through seasons of spiritual darkness, or we grow comfortable with blind spots—prejudices, harmful habits, or apathy—until Christ lovingly disrupts our “normal.”

Lent offers a sacred opportunity to examine the places where darkness still clings to our hearts, habits, and perspectives. Jesus’ declaration in John 9 comes just before He heals a man born blind. By calling Himself the Light and then restoring the man’s sight, Jesus turns the miracle into a living illustration of His mission. Just as He gives physical sight to the blind man, He offers spiritual sight to all who live in the darkness of sin and ignorance.

This healing mirrors the awakening of every believer. Ephesians 5:8 reminds us: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” This light is not only something we receive—it is something we become.

Fully Committed

City

When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive a new identity and responsibility. We are called not only to receive Christ’s light but to radiate it. Our lives should reflect God’s character to those still in darkness. Yet, before we shine outward, we must be healed inward. Spiritual blindness must be addressed before spiritual influence can be exercised.

Lent is the Spirit’s invitation to honest selfreflection—to recognize our blind spots and move from darkness to light through repentance, confession, and healing. Christ still shines on all who turn toward Him. The same Jesus who sought out the blind man still seeks us today, ready to open our eyes and transform our lives.

May the Holy Spirit guide us to walk faithfully as children of the light! Come and Receive a Blessing: All are Welcome!

Bible Study on Wednesday at 7 p.m. via Zoom: 904-468-5745. Book: Ezra Thursdays: Pantry and in-person Prayer meeting at 11 a.m.

Baptism and Membership Classes – Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. See Rev. Sara.

Upcoming Events – Save The Dates

Sunday, March 22 – English Service at 11:15 a.m.

Escuela Dominical at 11:15 a.m.

Servicio en Español at 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 25 – Lenten Spanish Service with light dinner at 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 29 – LCOA Workshop: Mental Health, Heart Care and HIV at 12 p.m.

—G. Abadia

Circle of Christ Church Iglesia Circulo de Cristo

There was a problem with Judah’s first two sons. They were unrepentant sinners, which led to their death. Apparently, they knew God’s expectations and refused to exalt God. They were in the vein of Cain, who understood the implications of murdering Abel and still did it.

Genesis 38:6-7 “Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in theLord’s sight;so theLordput him to death.”

Er’s sin is not known except that God judged him to be unrepentant. He was “set” in his sin, otherwise known as hardened, like Pharaoh was later on. There was no turning back from his sin, therefore, God took him out. He was not fit to continue the line of Judah.

Genesis 38: 8 “Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.’”

To continue the lineage, Judah asks Onan to marry Tamar. Onan’s task would

be a heavy one. He would continue the line of Judah in honor of the family sacrificing part of himself. His first-born would carry on Er’s heritage. But it was the promise of redemption.

Genesis 38: 9 “Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.”

Onan was fine in sleeping with Tamar but was not all in with providing a child to her. He had divided loyalties which made her a utilitarian vessel for his satisfaction. He got what he wanted from her but refused to acknowledge her as worthy to mother a child.

Genesis 38: 10 “What he did was wicked in theLord’s sight; so theLordput him to death also.”

Onan would rather throw away his strength/semen than to provide for God, his nation, or his family. Since he did not honor God; God did not honor him and killed him. This is so similar to much work done in the church today. We take what we like and dispose the rest.

The church may waste time in man-centered initiatives that are barren. God skips Er and Onan in the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Luke 3

Let’s return to God wholeheartedly and complete the work given to us.

Schedule (147 Dreiser Loop)

Join us on March 25 from 6:45-8 p.m. for Worship Wednesday, a time of praise and prayer.

First Sunday of the month, Bilingual Communion Service at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday: Spanish Service at 9:30 a.m. and English Service at 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday: Prayer at 10 a.m. and Bible Study at 12 p.m.

Wednesday: Nonperishable food distribution, 12-2 p.m.

Thursday: Prayer/Bible Study, 6:30-8 p.m.

Friday: Spanish Bible Study at 12 p.m. & Youth Service, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Saturday: Women’s Fellowship, second Saturday, 12-3 p.m. Young Adults, third Saturday, 12-3 p.m.

Men’s Fellowship, fourth Saturday, 12-3 p.m.