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JaffaCares Safety Sunday @ Spring Creek Towers Aims to Break Social Barriers and Provide Invaluable Safety Content

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Jack Jaffa & Associates is partnering with Spring Creek Towers Department of Public Safety, the NYPD's 75th precinct, the FDNY Fire Prevention Bureau and prominent elected officials to bring safety awareness to the 15,000 residents of Starrett City on Sunday, August 4, 2019.

The goal of this extraordinary event is to bring critical, life-saving information and material to residents and to foster lasting, positive relationships between residents and law enforcement, which can only help bring even more safety, understanding and respect to our beautiful and diverse communities.

The day will include a variety of safety-focused initiatives, such as free bicycle helmet and stove safety knob distribution to SCT residents, plus safety presentations from the FDNY and NYPD, and bike registration through the 75th Precinct.

The highlight of the event will be a dynamic basketball match between law enforcement officers who will be coached by the youth of the Spring Creek Towers Teen Center, providing an unprecedented opportunity for community youth to interact with law enforcement from a reverse and amicable role. In today's challenging political environment, this initiative will be the catalyst to bring the awareness that we all need to create community, promote safety and foster love, understanding and peace.

Jaffa's raison d'etre has always been about caring and about safety and JaffaCares is the natural progression of taking the care Jaffa embodies and bringing that to the community and to the individual. Regarding previous JaffaCares initiatives, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. thanked Jaffa for "doing God's work" and Councilman Mark Gjonaj expressed his heartfelt sentiments to the press, "as you can see, Jack, you are making a difference in the lives of many."

This initiative promises to advance Jaffa's mission of safety and community and serve as a model of how our youth should interact with those in charge of providing for their safety.

More information:

Learn about JaffaCares event here: https://www.jackjaffa.com/jaffacares/#safety-sunday

Learn more about Jack Jaffa & Associates here: https://www.jackjaffa.com/

VIDEO (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/gtKpAl-Tay0

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Business, Economic Development, Education and Schools, Entertainment, Fine Art and Artists, Free News Articles, NonProfit and Charities, Regional Events

Celebrating Culture in Annual South Bronx Festival

BRONX, N.Y. -- Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education, and Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr., are proud to present the South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2019: retroACTIVO. The festival will last from May 24 to June 29, and will include multiple family-friendly events throughout the South Bronx, presented in partnership with community-based organizations, art institutions, health providers, and city agencies.

Learn more: https://www.casitamaria.org/festival

Check out the full calendar of multidisciplinary artists, including drumming by the Native American Silvercloud Singers, protest songs from the Resistance Revival Chorus, West Side Story Reimagined by Grammy(R) nominated Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, and a new mural by the First Lady of Graffiti, Lady Pink.

In line with the Festival theme, these artists, and many more will present work that references the past in a reinterpretation of traditions, artworks, and genres as a form of resistance and way to create a future filled with resiliency, inclusion and cultural pride. The artists gathered for this annual event are a testament to the transformative power of the arts, illustrating how the arts can help change dominant narratives.

Events will be held in or nearby historic Bronx cultural sites. We encourage Festival-goers to learn more about their place in the rich history of the South Bronx through guided and self-guided walking tours.

All events free unless otherwise noted. For rain locations, visit: https://www.casitamaria.org/festival

The South Bronx Culture Trail Festival (SBCT) is a community arts and education initiative, established in 2011 by Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education and Dancing in the Streets to celebrate and capture key moments in the cultural life of the South Bronx. Each year new artists and partners are invited by Casita Maria to contribute to this ever-evolving and robust history, establishing a Cultural Trail through the South Bronx.

This year Casita Maria partnered with: Banana Kelly, BronxCare, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Catholic Charities, CityLore, Digital Bodega, 52 People for Progress, Garifuna Coalition, Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corporation, Kelly Street Garden, The Laundromat Project, Lincoln Center, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Bronx Neighborhood Health Action Center, New York Restoration Project, Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Theater Development Fund, Southern Boulevard BID, Urban Health Plan, the Whitney Museum and SBCT host Rhina Valentin.

In addition to a cultural celebration, the festival serves as an economic engine for the community, hiring local artists and promoting local businesses and tourism. As project lead, Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education presents a vibrant visual and performing arts program at indoor and outdoor locations in the community.

"Every year, Casita Maria partners with other community-based organizations and city agencies to create a free month-long festival for people of the South Bronx. The festival brings arts and culture for everyone to enjoy. There's something for everybody. The Dept. of Cultural Affairs, the City Council, and I are proud to support this event for the community. I am very excited to see this year's festival!" says Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

"Casita Maria is incredibly proud to lead the development of the South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2019, in partnership with Council Member Salamanca, which celebrates the borough's rich and diverse culture with Latin jazz, mariachi, Afro-Brazilian percussion, and Garifuna music and so much more. The Festival is a testament to the rich and plentiful talent in the Bronx, as well as an appreciation to the resilient community that continues to give birth to emerging cultural movements," says Haydee Morales, Executive Director, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

About Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education:
Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education is the first and oldest Latino 501(c)(3) charity in NYC, founded in 1934. The South Bronx-based organization presents diverse, contemporary visual and performing arts and education programming for all ages. Learn more: https://www.casitamaria.org/

The South Bronx Culture Trail is supported by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and Council Members Rafael Salamanca, Jr. and Ruben Diaz, Sr., Con Edison, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, New York City Department of Youth & Community Development, Southern Blvd. Business Improvement District, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc., Bronx Music Heritage Center and Metro Optics Eyewear.

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Business, Entertainment, Free News Articles

Ryan Chernin Looking Up as ‘Look Right’ Climbs AC Charts – Latest album ‘You Know Who You Are’ Out Now

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 8, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- 25-year-old, Brooklyn based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, artist, actor, and poet Ryan Chernin is climbing up the Adult Contemporary (AC) Charts with his current single, "Look Right." The song appears on his latest album, "You Know Who You Are," out now via Inhuman Records.

Released in January, "You Know Who You Are" is the culmination of a year's worth of work in and out of the studio - a sultry collection of songs about life, love and loss.

"What was most important to us was to take our time with it and really make sure it was perfect every step of the way," Chernin explains. "It was about selecting the right people."

That list of people includes producer John Eugenio and Art Class, mixer Chris Davies, and SNL guitarist Jared Scharff.

About Ryan Chernin:
Ryan began his singing career singing opera at age twelve. He's also a multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, bass guitar, and piano. The diverse singer-songwriter also writes poetry as well as designs and manufactures custom guitars. Ryan is a 2015 graduate of Boston University's School of Communication. Along with majoring in Film and Television, he is a gifted actor who starred in a number of major stage productions including dramas and musicals.

Visit Ryan's website for more information: https://www.ryanchernin.com/.

Learn more about Inhuman Records at: https://www.inhumanrecords.com/.

SPOTIFY:
You can stream "Look Right" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1fbz8WWPaWmmKQ48aP0kIr

Stream the full "You Know Who You Are" album now, at: https://open.spotify.com/album/1fbz8WWPaWmmKQ48aP0kIr

*PHOTO link for media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-0508s2p-ryan-chernin-300dpi.jpg

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Business, Free News Articles, Product Launches, Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality

The New ‘Monarch Theater’ Brings Pan Asian Cuisine and a Theatrical Flair to Williamsburg Restaurant Scene

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- A new restaurant has emerged in the former home of an avant garde theater in Williamsburg. Monarch Theater Restaurant, located at 146 Metropolitan Avenue, offers a unique and inspired collection of small- and large-plate Asian dishes, influenced by the cuisine of China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

"We wanted to offer food to our Williamsburg neighbors that we wanted for ourselves," said owners Lawrence and Ayako Elliot.

The Elliots are pioneering restauranteurs in Williamsburg with their other restaurant, Rabbithole, still a popular fixture on Bedford Avenue. The Elliots' vision for Monarch Theater Restaurant was inspired by their favorite dishes from across East Asia, as well as the unique, theatrical history of the building. The new restaurant's aesthetic blends their love of vintage black & white Asian cinema, a sense of theatricality, and the narrative storylines suggested by their favorite dishes.

Noted Australian chef Richard Kuo, a veteran of WD-50, Corton, Pearl & Ash, among others, is the consulting chef. He has been brought on to innovate and help interpret the menu to showcase the stylistic diversity and complexity of Asian cuisine-reimagining classics such as sweet & sour pork, agedashi tofu, and Thai coconut soup in a progressive, yet affordable setting.

The cocktail menu and beverage program were equally considered. Beverage Director, Jason Mezydlo, designed bespoke cocktails using fresh, organic ingredients that complement the depth and flavor profiles of the cuisine. The bar menu is rounded out with a unique selection of organic and bio-dynamic wines, as well as sake and Japanese whiskies.

The Monarch Theater Restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations not needed except for parties of 5 or more.

For more information: https://monarchtheaterrestaurant.com/

Monarch Theater Restaurant
146 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11249
917-909-1596

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Business, Entertainment, Free News Articles, Sports and Activities

Nation’s Best Track Talent Head to Semi-Finals of 45th Anniversary Colgate Women’s Games

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- From an initial field of thousands, some 445 girls and young women from elementary-school-through-college and beyond, have persevered through four preliminary meets at Pratt Institute and scored points to earn a spot in the semi-finals of the nation's largest track series for women, the 45th anniversary Colgate Women's Games Track and Field Series (Jan. 5-7, 2019).

From all over the East Coast, as far as Georgia to Massachusetts, these gifted young competitors include some of the nation's top-ranked athletes in their events and divisions performing at the peak of their talent, including an Elementary B high jump record by a fifth grader from Delaware, and dozens of newly-crowned Junior Olympians setting personal records throughout the series. All point-scorers are eligible to compete in the semi-finals on January 19, 2019 at Pratt.

In the High School division on Friday, Brooklyn's Brianna White placed first in the 55 meters in 7.39 just ahead of Rori Lowe of the Bronx, who placed second in 7.41. White has been running her personal best this indoor season at Pratt and Rowe leads White by only three points heading into the semi-finals. White also won the 200 meters in 25.61 ahead of Junior Olympic Champion Brianna Brown of the Bronx, who placed second in 25.72, creating a 48-point tie.

In a fiercely competitive 55 meter-hurdles race, Phoebe Myers of Queens finished first in 8.45, just ahead of Anjoli Mathew of Brookline, MA in 8.48. Junior Olympic Champion and last year's Mid School hurdles champion Peyton Rollins of Cambridge, MA finished third in 8.51. Rollins and Mathew continue to make the drive from the Boston area. Kaitlyn Cepeda of Manhattan and Adia Palmer of Brooklyn both remained undefeated; Cepeda won the 400 meters in 59.99, and Palmer won the 800 meters in 2:19.58. Isabel Stronski of Rye, NY won the 1500 meters in 4:58.36.

Mid School High Jump Record holder My'Khiyah Williams cleared 5'4" for the win, and Manhattan's Mariam Chase won the shot put with a toss of 11.11 meters.

While the Colgate Women's Games have produced hundreds of national champions and boast 26 Olympians as alumnae, Meet Director Cheryl Toussaint says the Colgate Women's Games were founded to reach and impact the many thousands who are new to the sport or organized competition in general, giving everyone an opportunity to shine and share the spotlight.

"Our goal is to provide a fun, friendly, yet competitive environment where young participants can discover their talent and harness their skills in track and field, while at the same time fostering the importance of pursuit of education. The experience of competing in a series affords participants the opportunity to grow from week to week, building self-esteem and a sense of personal achievement that will surely have a positive impact on their lives," Toussaint said. "We encourage all participants, especially those of you who did not reach this year's semi-finals, to continue to persevere both on and off the field, and we hope you will join us again next year."

Saturday in the Mid School division, national sprint sensation and four-time Colgate Women's Games' record-holder Avery Lewis of West Chester, PA made it a perfect undefeated season. Lewis won the 55 meters in 7.35, and the 200M in 25.05. The Junior Olympic champion also has amassed an incredible five dozen (60) first-place wins in a wide variety of events at major East Coast and regional track and field events. Ashey Fulton of Elmont, NY deserves mention for consecutively placing second; this week in 7.65. Fulton is also a Junior Olympic Champion, who achieved her personal record time 7.44 the first meet of the series.

Eyota Bey of Wyncote, PA won the 400 in 59.9, with Tori Daniels of Valley Stream, NY a close second in 1:00.57. With Bey in first place, only one point separates the pair, 47 to 46 headed to the semi-finals. Juliette Salazar scored double win in the distance races; placing first in the 800 meters in 2:23.26, and the 1500 meters in 4:54.55. Rowan Houston cleared 5'4" in the High Jump, finishing undefeated; and Jada McCown of New Haven, CT won the shot put with her best toss of the season, 9.08 meters.

Sunday in the Elementary B division, three young superstars finished with double wins. Philadelphia's Amirah Nesmith, last year's 55 meters champion, won both the 55 meters in 8:01 and the 200 meters in 8.26, for an undefeated season. Kiara Davis of Bear, DE who set a high jump record (4'9.25") last week, won the 55 meter-hurdles in 10.29, and cleared the bar at 4'7" for the win, also enjoying an undefeated season; and Da'Mira Allen of Boothwyn, PA won the 400 meters in 1:02.07, and the 800 meters in 2:25.52.

In the Elementary A division, Lauren Broadus of Philadelphia had a phenomenal day with a double win, placing first in the 200 meters in 32.25 and the 400 meters in 1:11.35, both her best performances of the series. Khloe Khan of Brooklyn finished undefeated in the 55 meters with a 9.09, and Aisha Wajid of the Bronx, one of the youngest Junior Olympic champions, won the 800 meters in 2:44.17. Additional outstanding performances and results for all divisions are available at http://colgategames.com/results.

45th Anniversary honors dozens of seniors, and longest competing athletes.

The Colgate Women's Games isn't just the nation's largest series of its kind, but also the longest-running corporate-sponsored event for women's athletics. Many athletes have participated for decades, and some have even participated every season from Elementary A all the way through 30's plus divisions!

Semi-finalists will compete on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at Pratt Institute to determine finalists who will compete at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory, NYC Saturday, February 2, 2019, where trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company are awarded to top place finishers in each grade division.

Coaches, recruiters, athletes and fans can follow scores each week at http://www.colgategames.com/. Tickets to the Armory finals are free by request.

*VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/I1iV46-kfxg

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Fifth Grader Breaks High Jump Record at Third Preliminary of the Nation’s Largest Track and Field Series for Women

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Thousands of athletes from all over the East Coast, from first-grade through college and beyond, competed this weekend at the third preliminary of the nation's largest women's amateur track and field series, the Colgate Women's Games (Dec. 28-30, 2018).

Local contenders and nationally ranked talent in every division continued to excel, and in the last event of the holiday weekend on Sunday, Kiara Davis of Wilbur Elementary School in Bear, DE broke the Elementary B High Jump record clearing the bar at 4-feet 9.25-inches. Davis had been tying My'khiyah Williams' record 4-feet 9-inches in both earlier preliminaries, and ended an exciting weekend of competition with the record breaking performance. Williams, now a senior at Benjamin Banneker Academy Brooklyn, NY still holds the Mid School record at 5-feet 6 inches, and is presently in first place in the High School division. Davis also won her division's 55 meter-hurdles in 10.24.

From Boston to Brooklyn, High School Junior Olympic Champions Peyton Rollins and Anjoli Mathew Travel Eight Hours for an 8 Second Chase

In the High School division on Friday, two-time Junior Olympic champion and last year's Mid school champion, Peyton Rollins of Buckingham Brown & Nichols School in Cambridge, MA, won the 55-meter hurdles in 8.53; Rollins who travels more than 210 miles from the Boston area to Brooklyn each meet is a freshman competing against some of the nation's best High School talent, including Anjoli Mathew another Junior Olympic champion from Brookline High School also in Massachusetts, who placed second in 8.61.

Michel Parker of Promise Academy in Manhattan improved from a fifth place finish last week surprising a fiercely competitive field with a 55 meters win in 7.39. Brianna White of Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn won the 200 meters in 25.63; Kaitlyn Cepeda from Park East High School in Manhattan, remains undefeated in the 400 meters after her win in 59.29; Adia Palmer of Bishop Loughlin also remains undefeated after winning the 800 meters in 2:20.67; Isabel Stronski of Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY, won the 1500 in 5:00.09. Two-time Colgate Games' High Jump record holder My'khiyah Williams cleared 5-feet 4-inches for the win; and Mariam Chase also of Promise Academy retook the lead in the shot put with a new personal best toss of 11.49.

Meet Director Cheryl Toussaint said "We're again so pleased at the number of families who chose to spend New Year's weekend with us cheering on their girls. With so many returning stars and newly crowned AAU Junior Olympians competing, this season's competition is turning out to be as fun, fierce and better than ever."

National Champions and Junior Olympians Lead Mid School Events

Saturday in the Mid School division, national sprint sensation and four-time Colgate Women's Games' record holder Avery Lewis of Westtown School, West Chester, PA scored her third consecutive double win. Lewis won the 55 meters in 7.32, and the 200M in 25.8. Tai Sheppard of Community Partnership Charter School in Brooklyn, retook first place in the 55- meter hurdles with a win in 8.48; Sheppard has been trading wins with Taleea Buxton of Philadelphia as the pair continue to set new personal records. Junior Olympic champion Tori Daniels of Valley Stream North in Long Island, NY won the 400 meters in her personal best 59.86. Daniels won four USATF Junior Olympic Championship events in 2018. Alissa Graham of Park Slope Middle School, Brooklyn scored a double win in the distance races, placing first in the 800 meters in 2:22.77, and the 1500 meters in 4:58.08. Rowan Houston of Rye Country Day School won the high jump at 5-feet 4-inches, a personal best; and Jessica Manzueta of Sacred Heart Grade School in Yonkers, NY won the shot put, tossing 8.78 meters.

Brooklyn 70 Year-Old Competes in her 42nd Colgate Women's Games!

Also on Saturday, in the 30'w plus division, Jennifer Pinto, 70 of Brooklyn, NY appeared in her 42nd Colgate Women's Games Series. Pinto, who was ranked second in the world in the Women's Masters in her 40's, wore a Colgate Women's Games 15th Anniversary shirt to Pratt to compete in the 200 meters. USATF Masters Champion Lisa Edwards of the Bronx, who has competed in the Colgate Women's Games for 34 years, won that race in 27.52, her fastest this series.

Sunday in the Elementary B division, last year's 55 meters champion Amirah Nesmith of St. Helena Incarnation School in Philadelphia, won the 55 meters in 8:07 and the 200 meters in 28.45; Additional outstanding performances and results for all divisions are available at colgategames.com/results.

Participation in the Colgate Women's Games is completely free. Girls and young women compete within their own grade divisions for ribbons, medals and points. Events include 55 meters, 55-meter hurdles, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, high jump and shot put.

Four preliminary meets and a semi-finals at Pratt Institute determine who will compete at the finals at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory, New York Saturday, February 2, 2019, where trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL) are awarded to top place finishers in each grade division.

Hopeful young track stars, parents, coaches and recruiters can find information about the program and follow results at http://www.colgategames.com/results.

*VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/I1iV46-kfxg

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