IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 26, 2006 |
DEAR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS,
Warm Regards,
VOICES "SIGNIFICANT OTHERS" GROUP still HAS SPACE for additional members
VOICES still has openings for the "Significant Others" teleconference support group open to males and females who were in a serious relationship with a 9/11 victim but were not married, such as those who were living together, domestic partners, or engaged. The group's next meeting is Monday, June 5, 2006 at 11:00 am EST. VOICES teleconference groups are offered free of charge but registration is required. Teleconference groups are always open to new members. Check the teleconference group schedule and see which one works best for you. Interested individuals should call VOICES at (866) 505-3911 or (203) 966-3911 for more information.
WINNERS AND LOSERS ANNOUNCED IN HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTs
Funds slashed for new york and Washington while other cities see gains The 2006 Department of Homeland Security Urban Area Grants were announced Wednesday, with New York and Washington D.C. facing steep 40 percent cuts from last year. This year's allocation to New York City will drop to $124.5 million from $207.6 million last year. Washington will see its funds drop to $46.5 million in 2006 from $77.5 million. Other cities got sharp increases: funding for Louisville, Omaha and Charlotte, N.C., jumped by about 40 percent, with grants to each of about $8.5 million. Money for Newark and Jersey City, in a combined grant, rose 44 percent, to $34 million. Chicago, Atlanta and the Los Angeles area each received small increases. Click to see a New York Times graphic comparing winners and losers for 2006 Urban Area Grants and a full table of 2006 Homeland Security Grants by State (.pdf) The Urban Area Grants are a large part of the overall DHS allocation program to the States.
Funding Methodology Explained Though DHS claimed this years' in Urban Area Grants would be allocated largely according to risk, the allocations left some scratching their heads. The total $711 million pool was a 20 percent cut from last year's $836 million, reflecting overall belt tightening at DHS. $1.7 billion will be distributed to the States this year, down from about $2.2 billion in 2005. Homeland security officials said the grant formulas were the product of teams of law enforcement officials from around the nation evaluating the effectiveness of the spending proposals submitted by the 46 eligible urban areas. Cities that submitted poorly designed or piecemeal plans saw their bottom lines suffer.
The grantors seemed to favor proposals that focused on one-time purchases, like first responder equipment and infrastructure improvements, rather than recurring expenses, like New York's need to cover overtime costs for police officers. "We want to make sure we are not simply pushing dollars out of Washington," said Tracy Henke, DHS assistant secretary for grants and training, as quoted in the New York Times. "The reality is you have to understand that there is risk throughout the nation." New york Politicians Lash out Politicians in cities that saw steep cuts fired back Wednesday, including New York Congressman Peter King, Chairman of the powerful House Homeland Security Committee. In a New York Post OP-ED where he vowed to fight the DHS cut "tooth and nail" from Capitol Hill, King writes: "Homeland Security funding is supposed to be distributed based upon risk - and we all know that no city faces greater risk than New York. We've done more than any other city in the country to defend ourselves and our nation; that should be rewarded, not punished. We're at the top of every terrorist hit list, and we need this funding to ensure our city is not attacked again." Many in New York were particularly galled by the DHS contention that the city has no "national monuments or icons" that need special security, despite being home to Ground Zero, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty, among other landmarks. The New York media didn't pull any punches, either--especially for DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff: "President Bush must give Chertoff the boot with a hearty, 'Heck of a job, Mikey,'" a NY Daily News editorial fumed yesterday. Predictably, urban areas given funding increases praised DHS. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday in the Los Angeles Times, "the federal government's recognition that our dense urban population and our high-profile critical infrastructure [makes L.A.] the single greatest terrorist target west of the Mississippi."
Click for a list of ongoing medical offerings for Ground Zero workers HEALTH WOES OF 9/11 WORKERS FEATURED IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA
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SAVE THE DATE: An Evening of Workshops & Wellness
Wednesday June 7, 2006 Cost: Free of charge, advance registration required Information: The Living Room in cooperation with Jewish Family and Vocational Services of Middlesex County cordially invites you to Back Up, Rewind, & Settle Your Soul. Enjoy events and Activities for Adults, Teens, Children, and Seniors featuring: ● Bread Making with Professor Bread ● Yoga withMartin Bland ● Art Programs ● Massage ● Meditation with Rabbi Gil Steinlauf ● Chocolate Therapy with Le Chocolat. Evening will include refreshments & a light supper; dietary laws observed. Contact: Please let us know you’re coming – call Laura at 201-837–9090 or send us an e-mail at thelivingroom@jfsbergen.org and read the event flyer
record your memories and pay tribute to a loved one IN ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Following their highly successful visit to our New Canaan Office, StoryCorps will visit Rockland County, NY next month to record interviews with more VOICES families. StoryCorps will be recording Saturday, June 17 and Thursday, June 22 at the office of Hospice of Rockland County, 11 Stokum Lane in New City, NY. Reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation please contact VOICES at (866) 505-3911 or (203) 966-3911. Each interview will take approximately one hour.
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