Councilmember Rafael Espinal

PR Declares State of Emergency After 6.4 Magnitute Earthquake Hits Island, Brooklyn Gets Ready to Help

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Puerto Rico this morning, killing one man and injuring several others as well as cutting off power to large areas of the island, CNN reported. The quake is the most damaging to hit the island since 1918, and came just one day after another

Health

Councilmember Espinal Wants Marijuana Tax for NYCHA, Bail Programs—Not The Subway

In response to a new study calling for the taxation of legalized marijuana to help fund the spiraling MTA, one Brooklyn politician has called the proposal “misguided” and “tone deaf,” arguing that the money should be used to help communities disproportionately impacted by drug enforcement. “The money from legalizing marijuana

Announcements

Night Mayor’s Listening Tour Kicks Off Next Week in Brooklyn

Councilmember Rafael Espinal and “Night Mayor” Ariel Palitz at an event in March of this year (Paul Stremple/BKLYNER)PROSPECT HEIGHTS – Nine months after the city created the Office of Nightlife and named the first ever “Night Mayor,” a listening tour of the five boroughs is set to begin—and

Arts & Culture

Night Mayor Makes First Public Appearance at Bushwick DIY Space

Councilmember Rafael Espinal and “Night Mayor” Ariel Palitz addressed a capacity crowd last night (Paul Stremple/BKLYNER)BUSHWICK – It was standing room only at Bushwick’s Secret Project Robot as artists, musicians and DIY enthusiasts joined venue and business owners to discuss the future of New York’s nightlife with

News

Councilmember Wants to Give Employees “Right to Disconnect” From Employers

Is your employer calling you up after hours? Has the work/life balance disappeared in the face of texts, Facebook messages, emails and Slack notifications? Feeling constantly connected to work—and beholden to employers—is a big problem for plenty of residents trying to get a little R&R

Arts & Culture

City Appoints “Night Mayor” To Handle Nightlife

On the dance floor in Brighton BeachToday, Mayor De Blasio and City Councilmember Rafael Espinal (D-37) announced the appointment of New York’s first Senior Executive Director of the Office of Nightlife, a.k.a. The Night Mayor. The position is designed to facilitate communication and provide a point of