BRONX ASSEMBLYMAN LUIS SEPULVEDA CALLS FOR FOLLOW UP TO DRUG GANG TAKE DOWN FOCUSING ON DRUG USERS

  Bronx Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, applauding police for bringing down a violent drug gang that plied their trade at a major housing project in his district, is calling for a new focus on drug customers.

"These gangs, responsible for so much violence, would not exist if not for the customer base that supports them,"  Sepulveda said  on Thursday, July 30, a day after the gang takedown. 

The assemblyman, who has been a leader in criminal justice issues in Albany, urged a coordinated effort by city agencies and drug rehabilitation programs to target housing projects and other locations under gang influence with education programs and information that drug abusers and addicts can use to find the help they need "to bring them back from the downward spiral of drug use - and diminish the profit motive of  drug gangs."

"The largest number of residents who come to my district office seeking assistance are drug abusers or their families, hoping to find placement in drug rehabilitation programs," said Sepulveda, whose district covers Parkchester, West Farms, Van Nest, Unionport, and Stratton Park.

 "If this gang takedown creates a drought of drugs at these housing projects, it could be a wake up call - and opportunity for drug abusers to seek help," he added.

On Wednesday, July 29, police took down a crew of violent gangsters affiliated with the Bloods gang who trafficked drugs at the Castle Hill Houses and at Co-op City.

In early morning raids, police arrested 23 alleged members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation and its subset Black Stone Gorilla Gangstas — both factions of the “Bloods.”

Construction on Major Deegan Highway Now Halfway Completed

  The Major Deegan Highway overpass of the Mosholu Parkway is now half completed as you can see the middle third of the overpass has been removed. This project is being done in three parts as the third closest in view has already been removed and replaced by new steel girders.

Above - The last remaining third shows the wear of many years which includes the rusting of the steel beam and pitting of the concrete work that has forced this overpass replacement.

Below - You see the finished product of the first third of the overpass that was removed and replaced with new steel beams and concrete work.

Above - The huge crane that was erected to remove and replace the steel beams can be seen through the hole in the middle of the Major Deegan Highway here.

Below - All that remains to be done on this finished third of the project is to edge off the stonewall. 

ELECTED OFFICIALS HOST A COMMUNITY SHRED DAY EVENT AT MORRIS PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

   City and state elected officials and AARP New York partnered to host a community shred event today at the Morris Park Community Association in an effort to help Bronxites safeguard  their personal information and protect themselves from becoming victims of identity theft.

The event, spearheaded by the Office of the New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, allowed Bronx residents to safely dispose documents that contain personal and private information such as credit card charge receipts, insurance forms or bank statements.

In 2014, the Federal Trade Commission reported nearly 16,000 New York State residents filed complaints about identity theft, with 1,767 of the complaints being filed by Bronx residents.    

Above - Jason Laidley of NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer's office loads unwanted valuable documents into a bin to be shredded.
Below - Katrina Asante of State Senator Gustavo Rivera's office loads other documents and papers into another bin to be shred.

Above Left - The bin is in place.

Above Right - The bin is lifted up into the shredding area.

Below - the empty bin is returned down to be filled up again.

De Blasio Seeking to Link Affordable Housing With Rezoning

  Mayor Bill De Blasio is seeking to roll out a new strategy of linking Affordable Housing to rezoning. As the mayor told me two weeks ago The City Planning Commission will increase the heights of new buildings by one floor to allow for more affordable housing to be built. 

   This new plan is a mandate that developers set aside anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of all units to be built for either a 60 percent AMI (about $46,500.00 for a family of 3) or 80 percent AMI (about $62,000.00 for a family of 3) when seeking to rezone land for new developments. The decision would be up to City Planning and the City Council, not the developer, and would have no impact on any application for a 421A tax break. 

   The new plan would need approval from the council with input from the 59 community boards citywide. According to Capital New York Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and a handful of council members have endorsed the plan. Read the entire Capital New York article here.

UPDATE: Petitions BX 668, 669, 670, and 671

Above - You can see the first of 4 petitions submitted by Mr. John Perez that being Bronx Petition BX 1500668 for Judicial Delegates in the 78th A.D., Mr. Perez is duly noted as the contact person, and his address and apartment number is clearly stated on the petition cover sheet which bears the time stamp of 10:59 on July 9th by the Board of Elections. Mr. Perez also submitted Petition BX 1500669 for Judicial Delegates in the 78th A.D., Petition BX 1500670 for Judicial Delegates in the 85th A.D., and Petition BX 1500671 for Judicial Delegates in the 79th A.D. 

  I was not at the petition hearings, because this year being an off year the only race was for Bronx District Attorney where there was no challenger to current Bronx DA Robert Johnson. The other positions to be fought over would be Judicial Delegates, and Alternate Judicial Delegates. I was surprised to hear from Mr. John Perez that his 3 slates of candidates in the 78th, 79th, and 85th A.D.'s were thrown off the ballot by the Board of Elections Commissioners. Mr. Perez had claimed that he never received any communication from the Board of Elections or the contact person for the challengers Election Lawyer Stanley 'King' Schlein. In my previous posting I found the four envelopes that were mailed by King Stanley, but they all lacked an apartment number. I was told that the carrier marked the 4 envelopes undeliverable due to the fact that the apartment number was missing which is a requirement when mailing something certified mail to a multiple unit building. Mr. Perez said there are over 150 apartments, and at least 3 other Perez families in the building. 

  This morning I went to the Board of elections where the original petitions were submitted to try to get some answers. I asked for Mr. Mike Ryan the head of the Board of Elections, I was told he was unavailable. I then asked for Ms. Valarie Vazquez who I worked with three years ago when I was investigating a similar problem. Ms. Vazquez was not in the building I was told, and her assistant Mr. Joshua Giaramita came out to talk to me. He assured me that Mr. Perez had left out his apartment number on all four petitions, and that was the reason that he did not receive any notice from the Board of Elections, and the reason all 4 petitions were thrown off by the commissioners.    

  I was able to obtain copies of all four of Mr. Perez's petition cover sheets, with BX 1500668 the first one handed in pictured above. As you see there is clearly an apartment number listed, and I went back to Mr. Giaramita with this information since he was sure that no petition had an apartment number on it. I then asked Mr. Giaramita if the Board of Elections had gotten the returned mail from the post office since it could not be delivered. He could not answer that question, and said that he would have to get back to me. I informed him that I was told it could be interpreted as mail fraud by the postal service if leaving off the apartment number was done intentionally so the packages could not be delivered. I said that both the Board of Elections and Mr. Stanley K. Schlein (the other contact person) had not placed the apartment number on any correspondence to Mr. Perez. I had earlier showed Mr. Giaramita the photos of Mr. Schlein's packages with the postal carrier's comments that it was undeliverable. 

  I suggested that there be a 2nd call on all 4 petitions since there had been an apartment number on the first petition which should have been the one gone by for an address, and said that the objections should be voided since there was no proof of service since Mr. Schlein had left off the apartment number either by mistake or on purpose. It will be up to Mr. Perez as to what to do if his petitions are not placed back in good standing, and his candidates not placed back on the ballot. A lawsuit of a conspiracy theory by both Mr. Schlein and the Board of Elections, or to make a federal case out of it.

 

COUNCIL MEMBER RITCHIE TORRES TO BRING HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS TO THE BRONX THROUGH HEALTH BUCKS

 What:             

At La Familia Verde Farmer’s Market, Council Member Ritchie Torres will hold a press conference to present food shoppers with Health Bucks coupons redeemable for healthy foods and discuss the importance of healthy food access for Bronx residents.

Who:              

Council Member Ritchie Torres, New York City Department of Health, Bronx Health Reach, Mary Mitchell Family & Youth Center, NY League of Conservation Voters.

When:            

Tuesday, August 4^th, at 11:30 AM.

Where:           

La Familia Verde Farmer’s Market located in front of Tremont Park on East Tremont Avenue and La Fontaine Avenue.

Background: For the second consecutive year, Council Member Torres is providing funds to Health Bucks, an innovative program facilitated by the city’s Department of Health to improve healthy food access for Bronx residents. It provides $2 coupons for fruits and vegetables redeemable at farmers’ markets throughout the Bronx. Council Member Torres allocated $10,000 towards Health Bucks and is the first member of the City Council to fund this program.

DOZENS OF BRONX RESIDENTS RALLY AGAINST OPENING OF JUVENILE PRISON

   New York City Council Member Andy King led dozens of Northeast Bronx residents in a protest rally Wednesday night against the planned placement of a juvenile prison that is not zoned for a residential neighborhood.

The facility would house 20 beds, including 8 intensive care beds, for the Administration for Children’s Services’  (ACS) “Close to Home” program at 3030 Bruner Ave., in the Baychester section of the Bronx. 

The premise of the program, which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law in 2012, is to place New York City youth who have been sentenced for certain crimes into local facilities where they would be closer to their families and attorneys.

The building on Bruner Avenue features a 6-foot fence, gated windows, locked doors and surveillance cameras.  Long ago, the building was used as a group home for boys. Most recently, the building was a site for a daycare.

Among the arguments made by King and others is that the residential neighborhood is not zoned for an “I-3” classified institutional facility.

Use group I means "institution" where residents are restrained or supervised for reasons such as security, mental health, or physical health. Use group I-3 is for reformatories, prisons, and other secure facilities where individuals may not leave unrestrained or without supervision for security reasons. These facilities may only be placed in manufacturing or industrial zoning areas, according to the Department of Buildings. The developer is the Downtown Group.

“Our outrage is based on ACS’ blatant attempt to skirt zoning laws--and consequently compromise community safety--by mis-categorizing their youth facilities,” said Council Member King, who wants ACS and the Department of Buildings (DOB) to reverse its decision on the placement of the planned Limited Secure Placement facility. “The community was told that this building will be a group home for girls. That was a lie and this facility received an ‘I-3’ classification, which voids it right to place this type of institutional facility in a residential community.  We can plainly see with the big black bars in the yard and over the windows that this is going to be a jail!”

In addition misrepresentation in zoning, protesters argued that the community was not made aware of the plan and they fear with just limited security the delinquent offenders could escape and cause harm to the surrounding community, which is surrounded by private family homes and is near a community park and nursing home.

"Why does the City of New York feel that it is acceptable to locate a facility with bars on its windows for a troubled population in a beautiful, bucolic neighborhood such as this?  The lack of respect for the good, hard-working, taxpaying homeowners of Bruner Avenue is obvious and disgraceful.  The need for the Municipal Administration to be disingenuous in locating this facility further and pointedly underscores its contempt for the citizens of Community Board #12, who it allegedly serves,” said Father Richard F. Gorman, Chairman of Community Board #12 (The Bronx).

King said the philosophy of the “Close to Home” program is flawed and there have been more warrants and re-arrests of the young in the program than successes.  “I don’t support the program for a number of reasons, mainly because offenders should not be situated in locations convenient for them, where they can see their friends and family at will. What lesson is learned by that? If they commit an offense and are sentenced to go upstate, it’s my hope they’ll learn a lesson and won’t commit a crime again.”

During the rally, community residents marched through the neighborhood and various streets chanting “3030 Bruner Has Got to Go!”  Residents were also urged to sign petitions opposing the planned Close to Home site.

In addition to Council Member King, speaking at the rally were Min. Abdul-Hafeez Muhammad, a representative of Min. Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam, who covers the five boroughs and Westchester and Long Island; Maxine Sullivan, representative of Congress Member Engel; Carl Lanzano, Community Board 12 board member and Jamaal Bailey, representative of State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

At the close of the rally, Council Member King announced that during the rally he had received a text from the mayor’s office stating that ACS wanted to meet.

Senator Jeff Klein 2015 Summertime Symphonies

Statement from BP Diaz RE: Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak

  “During the course of our actions fighting the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak in The Bronx, it has been revealed that there is no inspection mechanism for coolant systems, rooftop water tanks and other standing water infrastructure that could be a breeding ground for this disease and others. The city must create a new inspection system for these systems, just as we inspect other critical systems such as elevators.

  “My office will work with our City Council members and the appropriate agencies to craft new legislation that would deal with this issue in the coming days,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

I Found the Missing Spec's Re: 77th, 78th, and 85th A.D.'s

  Yesterday 'King' Stanley Schlein mowed down the competition as he knocked off the ballot all but two of the nine petitions that were submitted to the Board of Elections opposing any Bronx Democratic County slate of candidates. Recapping by Assembly District there was only one slate of candidates for Judicial Delegates or Alternates in the 81st and 83rd A.D.'s. King Stanley was able to knock off all but two of the remaining opposition slates of candidates to the Bronx Democratic County organization's slate in the 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 84th, and 85th A.D.'s. The 2 reaming slates of opposition candidates in the 82nd and 86th A.D.'s were ruled to be on the ballot by the Board of Elections commissioners. The two remaining slates are on 'for now', as the next phase of petitioning begins called the 'Court Challenge Phase' where it is said 'King Stanley' wrote the book here. 

  The day after the Board of Elections hearings I was able to interview Mr. John Perez who was the contact person for four of the petitions that were knocked off by 'King Stanley'. the 79th A.D., 85th A.D. , and the two separate volumes that were submitted in the 78th A.D. Mr. Perez told me that he was never served anything by either the Board of Elections or 'King Stanley' who represented the three different challengers to the petitions submitted by him. Mr. Perez showed me copies of the Proof of Service (copies of the certified mail receipts that are required by the Board of Elections), but there seemed to be one thing missing an apartment number that is requested by the U.S. Postal Service to properly deliver the mail, especially when someone such as Mr. Perez lives in an apartment building with 150 apartments. Mr. Perez also said that there are at least three other Perez families in the building, and he does not know if one of the other Perez families received his mail. He said that the Board of Election Commissioners would not listen to his argument, and threw all of his candidates off the ballot. Mr. Perez did not say to me what his next move would be, but he has only a few days to contest the Board of Elections ruling in the courts. 

  As I investigated further, I found the four missing envelopes, and I was surprised to see that 'King Stanley' the expert on election law had made what should have been a fatal error that should have kept the three slates of Mr. Perez's candidates on the ballot. You will see what I mean in the photos I was able to get of the envelopes, and the reason why they were not delivered to Mr. John Perez. 

First - Above is how the four envelopes were sealed by 'King Stanley', very sloppy as they were not secured very well and could have opened at any time if they didn't. In the front photos the return address is that of King Stanley. 

Above - You see one envelope was sent Priority Mail, but is missing an apartment number (which is required on the certified mail form) so the carrier notes that the package could not be delivered on July 22nd as noted.

Below - This 2nd package was also marked undeliverable on July 22nd by the postal carrier, it also lacks an apartment number.

Above - This third package was also marked undeliverable on July 22nd by the postal carrier, it also lacks an apartment number.

Below - This fourth package is marked undeliverable on July 23rd by the postal carrier, it also lacks an apartment number. 

To sum it up these four packages will soon arrive at the address of 'King Stanley' since they are to be returned to the sender as being undeliverable to the person as addressed, because they all lacked the full proper address which includes the apartment number. 

Movie on the Avenue this Thursday Night! July 30th

KRVC's Summer 2015 Movie Series to Get Underway Soon!

Join Us this Thursday, July 30th for Jurassic Park and our first ever Movie on the Avenue!

Screen will be set up on 236th Street and Riverdale Avenue and Movie - Jurassic Park - will start at dusk!

 

Here is what we will show and when and where for our summer series:

 

Thursday, July 30 - Watch Jurassic Park on South Riverdale Avenue (screen will be set up at 236th Street)

 

Wednesday, August 5 - Join us for The Lego Movie in North Riverdale's  Vinmont Park - Mosholu Avenue at 255th Street

 

Saturday, September 5 - Don't miss The Lion King, which we will show at our back-to-school event in Seton Park - Independence Avenue and 232nd Street

 

Note - all movies start at around dusk but we invite you to arrive early to get a good seat and enjoy our bounce house!  And please come early to the South Riverdale Avenue event and support our local business sponsors!!  Bring your own chairs and blankets. Limited seating and tables for viewing and eating (buy food from the restaurants on the Avenue please!) will be provided at our South Riverdale Avenue event.  No tables and chairs will be provided at our park events so be sure to bring your own to those!!

 

Please also note that State Senator Klein will announce more summer movies and his summer concert series soon as well.

STATEMENT FROM BP DIAZ RE: Hedge Fund Demands on Puerto Rico

   “It is a travesty that these hedge fund millionaires want to squeeze a dry sponge, insinuating that Puerto Rico should close down more schools to pay its debts, when earlier this year 100 schools were closed down while another 500 schools were restructured. This does not count an additional 60 schools that were shut down last year.

“They are certainly behaving like vultures, insisting that the residents of the island pay more taxes when those taxes have already been raised in response to the economic crisis. The demands of creditors, which include selling public land and firing teachers among other suggestions that will not resolve this crisis, put considerable pressure on the 3.5 million American citizens that call Puerto Rico their home.

“Such craven behavior shows why it is so important that the federal government allow Puerto Rico the opportunity to file for bankruptcy protections,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

International Day of Friendship!

International Day of Friendship  is celebrated around the world, as  countries partake in a variety of events to promote peace and unity. Nearly one million Brooklynites were born abroad and 47% of us speak a language other than English at home. Brooklyn is the perfect place to celebrate diversity and culture! Join me this Sunday, August 2nd at 1:00 PM at Cadman Plaza Park. Admission is FREE! There are many ways you can participate: Unity Parade - All 193 countries that are member states  of the United Nations. Click here to sign up and carry  your flag!  Cultural Performances - Journey around the world  with  music, art and more.  International Food Tasting - Sample continental cuisine from  across the globe. Join the Team! - Click here to sign up to volunteer and help  showcase the diversity of One Brooklyn! Want to Learn More? Click here. Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday! - Eric

Save the dates for these upcoming events, which I am proud to support, at and around  Every Tuesday Brooklyn Borough Hall Tour 2nd Wednesday of Every Month Free Legal Services: Foreclosure Intervention/Prevention 2nd and 4th Thursdays of Every Month Free Legal Services: Housing, Elder Law, and Pension Matters       Tuesday, July 28th  Tenant Harassment Hearing Wednesday, July 29th Capacity Building & Grant Writing Wednesdays, from July 29th to August 12th A Summer Movie Under the Stars Wednesday, August 5th Blood Drive Thursday, August 6th Construction Contractors Open House Tuesday, August 18th Road Mapping for Parents of Children with Special Needs: One-to-One Help Uniform Land Use Review Procedure Public Hearing

International Family Arts and Music Festival on August 1st!

We invite you to share your culture and  tradition from around the world at this  year's International Family Fun Day on  August 1st! Tracey Towers 40 West Mosholu Parkway South  Bronx, NY 10468  12 pm to 5 pm  Enjoy kids activities & games such as  bounce houses, face painting, live  entertainment, food  & more Directions: Take the 4 train to Mosholu Parkway,  take the Bx10 or Bx28 to Mosholu Parkway  .

CM Torres Statement on CCRB Rules Cop Used Excessive Force

  “The Civilian Complaint Review Board’s finding of excessive force by Sgt. Eliezer Pabon confirms what Javier Payne’s family and the community have long known. Independent oversight of the NYPD is essential to winning back the community’s trust and necessary to ensure fair practices. I commend the CCRB for bringing Javier’s family closer to justice. Moving forward, the NYPD should pursue disciplinary charges against Officer Pabon and hold him accountable for his actions. A swift response by the NYPD will make clear that police brutality is always unacceptable. Failing to pursue further actions is counterproductive to efforts that attempt to improve the relationship between communities and the police,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres of the Bronx.

Assemblyman Dinowitz Introduces Nation's Toughest Immunization Law to NYS Assembly

   Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz announced today he introduced a bill that would eliminate all non-medical exemptions for immunizations for children, giving New York State the strongest immunization law in the country.

Currently, under section 2164 of Title VI of the New York State Public Health Law, all children are required to receive immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, diphtheria, rubella, hepatitis B, HiB, and varicella (commonly known as the chicken pox). However, current law also grants an exemption from the immunization requirements for parents who have religious objections to vaccinating their children, as well as a medical exemption should a physician certify that an immunization may be detrimental to a child’s health. The new proposed law would repeal all non-medical exemptions.

“This past winter we were all reminded of the dangers of not vaccinating our children when a measles outbreak that started with just one person in California, made its way across the country, infecting over 141 people,” saidAssemblyman Dinowitz. “While some seem to question the science behind immunizations, the fact is that vaccinations are endorsed by the United States Surgeon General, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a necessary public health measure to ensure the general health and welfare for everybody. When you decide not to vaccinate your children, you’re not just putting them at risk; you’re putting everyone they’ll ever meet at risk.”

According to the CDC, sustaining a high vaccination rate among school children is critical to the prevention of disease outbreaks, including the reestablishment of diseases that have been largely eradicated in the United States, such as measles.

State data from the 2013-14 school year revealed there are at least 285 schools in New York with an immunization rate below 85%, including 170 schools with rates below 70%, well below the CDC’s standard of at least 95% to maintain herd immunity.

“I was shocked to find that in my district alone there are two schools that fail to meet the CDC’s 95% standard for maintaining herd immunity with respect to the measles” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. According to NYC Department of Education data, 5.5% of the students at P.S. 24, and 7.1% of the students at St. Brendan’s School in Norwood are not completely vaccinated. “This data is alarming, and it just goes to show that low vaccination rates are problem across New York State.”

The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan). Should the legislation pass, New York would become just the fourth state nationwide to adopt such a strict immunization standard, joining California, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

“Because not every child can be vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons, it is incredibly important that we make sure that every child who can, receive the proper immunizations. This bill will ensure that every child across the state is properly vaccinated, not just to protect them, but to protect the community around them,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.

Council Member Andy King to Bring Free Dental, Legal and Mammogram Services to Bronx Residents

  Council Member Andy King is bringing free health and legal services to residents of the Bronx on Saturday, Aug. 8, as part of the 2015 Community Engagement Service Day. 

  Mobile vans from the New York Legal Assistance Group, New York University Dental and St. Barnabas Hospital’s Mammogram Services will be parked outside Council Member Andy King’s District Office at 940 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10467, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rain or shine)

  Free legal assistance will be offered on family law issues, including domestic violence, orders of protection, divorces, child custody/visitation and child and spousal support; housing issues, such as eviction prevention, landlord disputes, unsafe housing conditions; and public benefits, including social security disability insurance, food stamps and public assistance. 

  The NYU Dental Van services include exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and tooth extractions.

  The SBH Mobile Mammography Van provides free mammogram screening for women without health insurance coverage. Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance care required.

 All vehicles are equipped with private meeting rooms and computers that allow it to operate as full-service offices.

  Also in attendance will be the FDNY CPR van, OTC Mobile Stores van, Metro Plus, Rite Aid, the Bronx Community Health Network, Asphalt Green, HealthFirst and many others.

 Appointments must be schedule for the mobile vans by contacting the Office of Council Member Andy King's office at 718-684-5509 and ask for Stephannia Cleaton.