The Governor signed into law Assemblyman Heastie’s bill that will allow the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to make renovations to the Williamsbridge square station at Gun Hill Road and White Plains Road. This bill also results in a small increase in total parkland in the Northeast Bronx.

Approval of the State Legislature is required for alienation of any parkland. The construction of the new station and other planned improvements requires the exchange of several small parcels of land among City Parks, City DOT, and MTA/NYCT. The provisions of Assembly Bill A.4407-A (Heastie) authorize that alienation and exchange. There is a net increase in the total amount of parkland at the location.

This land will be used by the MTA and the MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) for purposes of constructing and operating a subway and intermodal transfer station, along with station, parkland, traffic and streetscape improvements associated with the Gun Hill Road Station Rehabilitation Project. The park in question, Williamsbridge Square, is located adjacent to the intersection of Gun Hill Road and White Plains Road, and is owned by the City of New York and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).

The Gun Hill Road Station Rehabilitation Project is part of a larger project now underway to rebuild and upgrade several stations on the NYCT White Plains Road Subway Line. The Gun Hill Road Station serves the #2 and #5 Trains and the surrounding area is a stop or terminal for five different local bus routes. The Gun Hill Road Station Rehabilitation Project will replace the existing substandard station with a larger, modern, ADA compliant station and pedestrian plaza, create additional space for the convenient transfer between buses and the subway, improve traffic flow with separate bus lanes and a new turn-around for buses and will provide additional and upgraded parkland. NYCT will also renovate existing DPR buildings and facilities and provide new traffic signage and signals on behalf of the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT). The Project will reduce both pedestrian and vehicular congestion, increasing station accessibility and realigning some existing traffic patterns and lanes.

Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie in conjunction with Path Mark grocery stores provided turkey dinners for seniors and families in the Northeast Bronx for Thanksgiving. In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, turkeys were given to Senior Centers in the community so residents could enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

"I would like to recognize the work of the Path Mark grocery stores, Bay/Eden Senior Center, Rain Boston Secor Senior Center, Williamsbridge Senior Center, East 233rd Street Senior Center, Tilden Towers, and Split Rock Nursing Home as they help local families enjoy the spirit of the Holiday season," said Assemblyman Heastie. "This is just another example of how New Yorkers share the holidays with each other," stated Assemblyman Heastie.

Assemblyman Heastie, with the help of the Food Industry Alliance, solicited the donations and provided the coordination of these events.

As of September 1, New Yorkers can get a free copy of their credit report to ensure their information is correct, and their identity is protected. Additionally, to further protect consumers, legislation that requires public and private organizations to notify customers when their private information has been breached was signed into law to take effect in time for this Holiday Season (Ch. 442 of 2005).

Under the federally mandated Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act), residents can obtain a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

Identity theft can happen to anyone. That’s why I sponsored legislation to protect consumers. Thieves are finding new ways to exploit unsuspecting individuals. You can be robbed without someone even breaking into your home or car. While this alarming trend has gained widespread attention, measures are being taken to protect consumers.

While the threat of identity theft still exists, my fellow legislators and I will continue to battle this increasing problem. Monitoring your own credit activity is an excellent way to ward against unauthorized activity on your accounts. Consumers must take it upon themselves to ensure that any credit activity is accounted for and accurate. With the free credit reports, New Yorkers can easily monitor balances, payment history and account status, and help prevent becoming a victim of identity theft.

Banks review credit reports, loan and mortgage officers to determine the qualification level to purchase a home, car, or boat, or get a student loan. Credit reports are becoming part of other review processes. Many employers review the credit reports of candidates before making a job offer. Therefore, being informed with up-to-date credit information is critical.

Since residents can obtain a free report from each of the agencies, you can compare by requesting all three reports at the same time, or you can space them out over the course of a year (once very four months) to monitor any recent developments. Be aware of commercial, unofficial offers for "free" credit reports, as they often contain hidden charges and commitments. The FACT Act provides truly free reports for consumers to monitor their credit history.

To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call (877) 322-8228, or learn more by contacting my office at (718) 654-6539.

The Bronx Business Alliance is a great source for FREE business advice for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Bronx.