BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 38 ANUARY 18-24, 2019 BTR
$1,500
SAVINGS
SBH Health System (St. Barnabas Hospital)
has named Bronx native Ninfa Segarra
as its new senior vice president, Government
and Community Affairs and chief diversity
offi cer. She replaces Arlene Allende,
who has retired.
Segarra most recently worked as an executive
for a consulting and lobbying fi rm, responsible
for a sizeable healthcare portfolio.
She previously served as deputy mayor
for Education and Human Services under
Mayor Rudy Giuliani (and held several positions
under Mayor Ed Koch). She spent
12 years with the NYC Board of Education,
fi rst as its Bronx representative and later its
president.
Segarra also worked as executive director
of the New York City Police Museum and
as a vice president with CUNY.
She has served on the boards of many
not-for-profi t organizations, including the National
Puerto Rican Coalition; Clemente Soto
Velez Cultural Center; and Loisaida, Inc. She
currently serves as Trustee for Metropolitan
College of New York (MCNY) and Deacon
for Primitive Christian Church.
She is a graduate of New York Law
School and is currently pursuing a Masters
in Urban Ministry.
* * *
The New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance encourages taxpayers
to prepare for income tax fi ling season by
reviewing some important tips that can ease
the process and ensure accurate returns
and promptly issued refunds.
E-fi le for free. A large percentage of New
Yorkers qualify to electronically prepare
and fi le both their federal and state income
tax returns for free. Last year, more than
155,000 taxpayers took advantage of the
free-fi ling options available on the Tax Department
website, and close to 92% e-fi led
their returns—speeding refunds.
File early. Don’t put it off until the last minute.
Filing in a rush can lead to errors that will
delay any refund you may be owed.
Save a tree. E-fi ling is safer and more effi
cient than sending paper returns through
the mail. Nearly 92% of all New York State
personal income tax returns are electronically
prepared and fi led. All returns, whether
fi led electronically or on paper, undergo the
same systematic review.
File for free. Taxpayers with adjusted
gross household incomes of $66,000 or less
in 2018 may access free, user-friendly software
from their computer, smartphone, or
tablet at www.tax.ny.gov (search: Free File).
The tax preparation software helps prevent
fi ling errors and processing delays. It may
also help you fi nd potentially valuable credits
you may have missed.
Access your Account Summary. This
page provides a central location for viewing
details of your tax account. You can view
prepayments to accurately report on your tax
return when fi ling. This includes estimated
tax payments made throughout the year as
well as payments made with your extension
of time to fi le.
File on time. To avoid penalties and interest,
fi le on time. The penalties are much
higher for late fi ling than for late payment.
Use direct deposit. Receive any refund
due up to a week faster by having it directly
deposited into your bank account. Be sure to
double check the routing and account numbers
for your account.
Check your refund online. If you’re eager
to fi nd out the status of your claim for an income
tax refund, use the Check your Refund
app on our website: www.tax.ny.gov. It’s the
fastest and most convenient way to know
when to expect your refund. You’ll need to
enter the refund amount you’re claiming,
your Social Security number, and which form
you fi led.
* * *
Tax season is quickly approaching and
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is
ready to help. Sarting Wednesday, January
23, SECU tax preparers in all 265 offi
ces statewide will be able to complete and
electronically fi le federal and North Carolina
income tax returns for members who are
eligible to participate in the Credit Union’s
Low-Cost Tax Preparation program.
SECU began offering its low-cost program
in 2010, providing members with convenient
tax preparation service. Qualifying
members can have their tax returns prepared
for a fl at fee of only $75, which includes
preparing and fi ling both the federal
and state tax returns. It is an affordable benefi
t for members and one they continue to
take advantage of year after year. During the
2018 tax fi ling season, SECU personnel fi led
72,847 tax returns on behalf of members.
Members can visit SECU’s website,
www.ncsecu.org, to learn more about the
Low-Cost Tax Preparation program as well
as information regarding other available fi ling
options.
* * *
Stop by City Island and enjoy the exciting
programs offered at the PSS City Island Center,
which is located at 116 City Island Avenue,
Monday Through Friday From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Experience The Exercise Classes From Gentle
Yoga Stretch, Balance Class, Arthritis Workshop
and Tai Chi as well, as the Fit For Life and Cardio
Fit. They also offer acrylic painting, calligraphy,
canasta, health presentations, nutritional information,
and parties. Lunch is served from noon
to 1pm. Suggested donation is $2. They go on
shopping trips every day; i.e. Shop Rite, Dollar
Tree, Target, Kmart, as well as theatre excursions,
boat trips, special luncheons and more.
Upcoming special events will be held
FIGHTING BRONX WEIGHT GAIN WITH SUCCESS
Loretta Fleming, part of a group of community health educators, is fi ghting Bronx
weight gain issues with new success.
(Above_ Peers celebrated enrolling Health People’s 1,000th participant in the Diabetes
Self-Management Program, in August 2018. Photo courtesy of Health People
Wednesay, January 9: Elder Abuse Presentation
at 12:30 p.m.; Thursday, January 10, Singing
Group resumes at 1:15 p.m..
It’s free to become a member, but you
must be 60 years or above. For more information
contact Patty at (718) 885-0727 or email
pattis@pssusa.org.
* * *
The New York City Department of Sanitation
has announced that it will extend curbside
Christmas tree collection through Saturday,
January 19.
Residents should remove all stands, tinsel,
lights and ornaments before putting trees
out for collection. Clean, non-bagged Christmas
trees will be chipped, mixed with leaves, and re-
SBH Health System names
new senior vice president
cycled into compost for the city’s parks, institutions
and community gardens.
Those needing to get rid of mostly plastic
and metal artificial Christmas trees should
consider selling or donating them. Donation
opportunities may be found at nyc.gov/donate.
If donation or resale is not an option, if possible,
take apart your tree to recycle the base
and trunk (pole) with metal, glass, plastic and
cartons.
The Department of Sanitation collected
more than 200,000 Christmas trees for “treecycling”
after Christmas 2017.
For more information on Christmas tree
collection and recycling or MulchFest, visit www.
nyc.gov/dsny, www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.
Quintent of the Americas concert
Quintet of the Americas, Queens’
renowned woodwind quintet, will be
in concert on Sunday, February 3 at 3
p.m. at Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum,
895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park, as
part of the Composers Now Festival.
The international program will
include Gershwin’s Three Preludes
(arranged by William Hoyt), Xinyan
Li’s Mo Suo’s Burial Ceremony, Arturo
Marquez’s Danza de mediodia,
Gunther Schuller’s Blues from Suite,
the Premiere of James Cohn’s Sourwood
Mountain Variations, Ricardo
Romaneiro’s Ventos, Agustín Barrios’s
Danza Paraguaya (arr. Gabriel
Graziani), Vince Guaraldi’s Skating
(from his score for A Charlie Brown
Christmas, arr. Scott Grimaldi) and
Valerie Coleman’s Tzigane.
Tickets for the February 3 event are
$40, museum members $35, available
at https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.
org/events/quintet-of-theamericas/.
For more information, call (718)
885-1461 or visit https://www.facebook.
com/events/1731574256948082/.
The concert is ADA accessible.
For MTA transportation information,
visit http://tripplanner.mta.info/
MyTrip/ui_web/customplanner/Trip-
Planner.aspx.
Founded in Bogota, Colombia in
1976, the Quintet has specialized in
bringing music from the Western
hemisphere to audiences in the US
since its arrival in New York in 1979.
Not much going on
this month, with the
mid winter conference
going on. Hope all in
attendance enjoys and
benefi ts from the information
given out. The
Marine Corps League is growing and
working on different events for the upcoming
year, always looking for new
members. Meetings at the post for all
members are back in full swing, make
an effort to get to your prospective
meeting and contribute
to the group. Like
to give a big thanks
to the Sam Young 620
Sons for taking care
of the marshaling of
the Throggs Neck Veterans
Parade, job well done as always.
Noticed a slight omission in the last
publication, I’m sure it was accidental.
We are stronger as one, lets work together.
God bless America.
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