Saturday, July 15, 2017

Family Day at Edgewater Park


  It was a day of fun, sun, canoe rides, lots of food and drink, and a chance to meet the next City Councilman. Yes It seems that I am calling the 18th City Council race two months before the primary, and weeks before all the challenges to petitions are finished. However it looks like current State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. one of seven candidates for this soon to be open council seat has a wide lead over not only his nearest competitor, but most likely he will get more votes than all of his opponents. 

  As for the event held by the Castle Hill YMCA in cooperation with the Waterfront Alliance, and the Castle Hill Homeowners Association, the canoe rides began once the tide came in. Lifeguards from the Y were in each boat, and life jackets were provided to each person who braved the water ride. Current State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. the leading candidate for the 18th city council seat, arrived with Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda to meet and greet the people. Mayoral candidate Sal Albanese stopped by before Senator Diaz and Assemblyman Sepulveda arrived. 


Above - The tide is coming in so the canoes can go out on the water.
Below - People are signing up for the canoe ride.




Above - The tide has come in, and the canoes are in the water.
Below - City Council candidate State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr, and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda.are on either side of Castle Hill Homeowners President Izzy Morales. 




Above and Below - City Council candidate State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. talks with some of the people who came to the waterfront.



BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD 8

5676 Riverdale Avenue, Suite 100 
Bronx, New York 10471-2194 
Telephone: 718-884-3959  - Fax: 718-796-2763 
E-Mail: bx08@cb.nyc.gov 

 **AMENDED

MEETING NOTICE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

DATE: Thursday, July 20, 2017 

TIME: 7:00 PM 

PLACE: 50th Police Precinct 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue

AGENDA

1. Introduction of Committee Members and Guests

2. Approval of Public Safety Committee minute

3. Police Report

4. Fire Report 

5. NEW Applications Liquor License or Beer/Wine License: 
 Skyclub Café, LLC, 5701 Arlington Avenue 
 **Tin Brothers, LLC., 5790 Mosholu Avenue (formerly Kelly Ryan’s

6. RENEWAL Applications Liquor License or Beer/Wine License: 
 Metate, 3515 Johnson Avenue 
 Beccofino, 5704 Mosholu Avenue 
 Bronx Burger House, 5816 Mosholu Avenue

7. Miscellaneous Business  
Novelty Nachos, 318 West 231 Street  
Khalle Bar & Grill, 3638 Bailey Avenue 

Friday, July 14, 2017

Bronx “YGz” Gang Member Pleads Guilty To Stomping Murder Of 16-Year-Old


  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY REDDICK, a/k/a “Ant Flocka,” pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to his involvement in the “Young Gunnaz” or “YGz” gang by participating in the murder of Moises Lora, 16, during which REDDICK and several other YGz gang members stomped Lora to death in a courtyard in the Melrose housing projects in the Bronx on April 16, 2012.  REDDICK is scheduled to be sentenced later this year by United States District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, before whom REDDICK pled guilty.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Moises Lora was only 16 years old when Anthony Reddick and his fellow gang members brutally stomped Lora to death in a vicious attack.  Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, Reddick has now admitted his role in this brutal murder. Although we cannot bring Lora back, we hope that his family will find some small measure of solace in today’s guilty plea.”
According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during REDDICK’s guilty plea and other court proceedings in this case:
REDDICK was a member of the Bronx-based street gang known as the YGz.  From 2005 to 2016, members and associates of the YGz enriched themselves by committing robberies and by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and committing acts of violence, including the murder of rival gang members, rival drug traffickers, and innocent bystanders. 
As part of his involvement in the YGz gang, REDDICK and several other YGz gang members murdered Lora, a member of a rival gang, on April 16, 2012, in the South Bronx.  Specifically, on the date of the murder, a group of YGz members, including REDDICK, got drunk, and began arguing among themselves about who had done the most for the YGz.  This group of YGz members went to the territory of a rival gang in the Melrose housing projects to settle their dispute.  Upon arriving at the Melrose projects, REDDICK and other members of the YGz saw Lora and attacked him.  During the attack, Lora’s skull was fractured in several places.  REDDICK and the group left Lora to die.  Following the stomping, REDDICK and several of his confederates bragged to fellow YGz members about what they had done.
REDDICK, 22, of the Bronx, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.  REDDICK is the third defendant in United States v. Kareem Lanier, et al., 15 Cr. 537 (VEC), to plead guilty to participating in the stomping murder of Lora. 
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department in the investigation of this case.  He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their support in this case.

Recording Artist and Performer DMX Charged With Tax Fraud


  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James D. Robnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced the arrest of EARL SIMMONS, an internationally known recording artist, performer, and actor known professionally as “DMX” and “X,” for engaging in a multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars of income from the IRS and to avoid paying $1.7 million of tax liabilities.  SIMMONS surrendered to law enforcement agents today and will be presented tomorrow in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “For years, Earl Simmons, the recording artist and performer known as DMX, made millions from his chart-topping songs, concert performances and television shows.  But while raking in millions from his songs, including his 2003 hit ‘X Gon’ Give it to Ya,’ DMX didn’t give any of it to the IRS.  Far from it, DMX allegedly went out of his way to evade taxes, including by avoiding personal bank accounts, setting up accounts in other’s names and paying personal expenses largely in cash.  He even allegedly refused to tape the television show ‘Celebrity Couples Therapy’ until a properly issued check he was issued was reissued without withholding any taxes.  Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes, and together with our partners at the IRS, we will pursue those who deliberately and criminally evade this basic obligation of citizenship.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett said:  “While most individuals file truthful tax returns and pay their taxes, the indictment against Mr. Simmons alleges various tax crimes, including that he failed to file personal tax returns for several years and did not pay his fair share of taxes.  IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue to focus our investigative efforts on those who try to conceal their income in order to evade their taxes.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
SIMMONS, known professionally as “DMX” or “X,” worked as a recording artist, performer, and actor.  Beginning in 1997, SIMMONS released a series of hip-hop albums that sold millions of records.  Many of his albums went platinum and occupied the top positions on musical charts.  During his career, SIMMONS has performed at venues across the United States and around the world, and has acted in motion pictures.
As a result of the income SIMMONS earned from sources including musical recordings and performances, from 2002 through 2005 he incurred federal income tax liabilities of approximately $1.7 million.  Those liabilities went unpaid, and in 2005, the IRS began efforts to collect SIMMONS’s unpaid tax liabilities. 
During the period from 2010 through 2015, SIMMONS earned over $2.3 million, but SIMMONS did not file personal income tax returns during that time period.  Instead, he orchestrated a scheme to evade payment of his outstanding tax liabilities, largely by maintaining a cash lifestyle, avoiding the use of a personal bank account, and using the bank accounts of nominees, including his business managers, to pay personal expenses.  For example, SIMMONS received hundreds of thousands of dollars of royalty income from his music recordings.  SIMMONS caused that income to be deposited into the bank accounts of his managers, who then disbursed it to him in cash or used it to pay his personal expenses.  SIMMONS also participated in the “Celebrity Couples Therapy” television show in 2011 and 2012 and was paid $125,000 for his participation.  When taxes were withheld from the check for the first installment of that fee by the producer, SIMMONS refused to tape the remainder of the television show until the check was reissued without withholding taxes.
SIMMONS took other steps to conceal his income from the IRS and others, including by filing a false affidavit in U.S. Bankruptcy Court that listed his income as “unknown” for 2011 and 2012, and as $10,000 for 2013.  In fact, SIMMONS received hundreds of thousands of dollars of income in each of those years.
SIMMONS, 46, of Yonkers, New York, is charged in 14 counts:  one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of Internal Revenue Laws, one count of evasion of payment of income taxes, six counts of evasion of assessment of income tax liability, and six counts of failure to file a U.S. individual income tax return.  Count One carries a maximum sentence of three years.  Counts Two through Eight each carry a maximum sentence of five years.  Counts Nine through Fourteen each carry a maximum sentence of one year.  The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the IRS-CI.  
The allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 [1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Statement Of Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim On Second Circuit Decision In United States V. Sheldon Silver



  “While we are disappointed by the Second Circuit’s decision, we respect it, and look forward to retrying the case. Although finding that the Supreme Court’s McDonnell decision issued after Silver’s conviction required a different legal instruction to the jury, the Second Circuit also held that the evidence presented at the trial was sufficient to prove all the crimes charged against Silver, even under the new legal standard. Although this decision puts on hold the justice that New Yorkers got upon Silver’s conviction, we look forward to presenting to another jury the evidence of decades-long corruption by one of the most powerful politicians in New York State history. Although it will be delayed, we do not expect justice to be denied.”

A.G. Schneiderman & Acting Tax Commissioner Manion Announce Felony Conviction Of Nassau County Gas Station Owner For Theft Of Over $1 Million Dollars In Sales Tax


Kulbir Singh Pleads Guilty To Three Counts Grand Larceny In The Third Degree For Failing To Remit Over $1 Million In Sales Tax Collected At His Three Gas Stations; Will Be Sentenced To Up To 1 1/3 To 4 Years In Prison
Schneiderman: Our Investigation Uncovered A Deliberate Scheme By Kulbir Singh To Cheat New York State Out Of Vital Tax Revenue
  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion today announced the convictions of Kulbir Singh, 53, and gas stations Dashmesh Petroleum, Inc., Gobind Petroleum, Inc. and Karam Mart Inc. on felony charges stemming from the theft of over $1 million in sales tax collected for gasoline sales.  Singh was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution and sign a confession of judgement for the remaining $850,000 that was stolen from the State. In addition, he will sentenced to a term of not more than 1 1/3 – 4 years’ incarceration at a future date.

Kulbir Singh operated three BP gas stations in Nassau County, located at 2 Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead NY (Gobind Petroleum, Inc.), 385 Merrick Road, Valley Stream, NY (Dashmesh Petroleum, Inc.), and 653 Hempstead Avenue, Elmont NY (Karam Mart, Inc.).  His son, Ladpreet Singh, also operated Karam Mart.  According to the prosecution, the Singhs’ gas stations collected but failed to remit to New York State a total of over $1,000,000 in sales taxes from September 2011 through December 2014.

“Our investigation uncovered a deliberate scheme by Kulbir Singh to cheat New York State out of vital tax revenue,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Stealing from taxpayers undercuts the funding of important programs that support all New Yorkers, and those who think they can get away with this type of fraud should think again.”
“This was a case of blatant theft from New York State and its taxpayers,” said Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion. “Despite a previous felony conviction for the same crime, the defendant continued to steal money that should have been used to fund vital public services. We will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement, including the Attorney General’s Office, to ensure that these crimes don’t go unpunished.”

Each of the defendant corporations, Dashmesh Petroleum, Inc., Gobind Petroleum Inc. and Karam Mart, Inc., pleaded guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, and were fined $50,000 each.  Defendant Kulbir Singh’s son, Ladpreet Singh, who operated Karam Mart, Inc., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to probation.

The pleas were entered today in Nassau County Supreme Court, in front of Acting Supreme Court Justice Terence P. Murphy. Defendant Kulbir Singh pleaded guilty to three counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree all Class D Felonies.
According to statements made by the prosecutor, Kulbir Singh’s businesses were previously convicted of felony charges for failing to pay sales tax. In October 2012, in Queens County Supreme Court, Kulbir Singh admitted to controlling four gasoline stations that had stolen more than $500,000 in sales taxes. The corporations pleaded guilty to felony tax fraud charges and agreed to pay more than $1,000,000 in restitution, interest and penalties to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. However, the corporations ultimately paid only $500,000 of the restitution owed. It was during the investigation of the failure to pay the remaining monies that the Department of Taxation and Finance uncovered evidenced that Singh allegedly continued to steal sales tax proceeds at gasoline stations he controlled, resulting in the current indictment.

FORMER NYC CORRECTION OFFICER SENTENCED TO A YEAR IN JAIL FOR TAKING BRIBES TO SMUGGLE CONTRABAND INTO RIKERS ISLAND


Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a former New York City Department of Correction Officer has been sentenced to a year in jail for accepting cash in exchange for bringing marijuana, alcohol and tobacco to an inmate in a Rikers Island jail. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant had been on the job just 10 months when he began taking bribes to smuggle in forbidden items, betraying his fellow Correction Officers and endangering staff and inmates. We will not tolerate anyone bringing in contraband, because the high profits it generates fuels violence in jail.” 

   Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “When Correction Officers take bribes from inmates to allow contraband into the City’s jails, they’re violating the trust placed in them as law enforcement officers and putting their colleagues at risk by fostering a dangerous environment. DOI continues to focus on rooting out these crimes and recommending meaningful reforms that will make our City’s jails safer.”
  
  District Attorney Clark said that James Brown, 46, of Queens, was sentenced today by Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas to one year in jail. Brown pleaded guilty to third-degree Bribe Receiving on June 1, 2017 for accepting $700 from Dene Morris to bring the contraband to her husband, Shane Morris, who was being held in the Otis Bantum Correctional Center. On December 9, 2016, as Brown was going to work, a DOI canine detected marijuana. Brown was found to have four ounces of marijuana, tobacco and a bottle containing Patron tequila on him. The case is pending against Dene and Shane Morris.

AUTOMATIC CREDIT: MAYOR ANNOUNCES $115 WATER AND SEWER CREDIT FOR OVER 53,000 HOMEOWNERS


NYC Water Board also authorizes extending credit to approximately 12,000 senior citizen homeowners & new credit for multi-family buildings for FY18

  Mayor de Blasio today announced that more than 53,000 low-income homeowners are receiving an automatic $115 credit on their water and sewer bill. In addition, the New York City Water Board has authorized the extension of the credit to approximately 12,000 additional senior citizens in FY18. The Water Board has also approved a new $250 per residential unit credit, to begin next year, for multi-family buildings that meet certain affordability, conservation and performance criteria. The new Multifamily Affordable Housing Credit will provide a total of $10 million of assistance to properties, serving as many as 40,000 units, while helping to incentivize affordability.

“We are putting water rate relief directly into the hands of low-income homeowners and senior citizens across the city,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Maintaining reasonable water and sewer rates is a key piece of the affordability puzzle for hard-working New York families.”

In 2015, the Home Water Assistance Program provided the first annual credit to 12,500 low-income homeowners who qualify for the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).  In 2016, the program was expanded to also include low-income senior and disabled homeowners who receive a DOF property tax exemption.  Beginning in FY18, the program will reach senior citizens with a combined annual income of less than $50,000.  DEP partners with HRA to identify qualified residents that receive a HEAP benefit, with DOF to identify customers with property tax exemptions, as well as HPD and HDC to identify eligible multi-family buildings that conserve water and enter into an agreement to keep rents affordable.

The $115 credit will appear on the next water and sewer bill for the following customers:

Bronx: 4,717
Brooklyn: 16,659
Manhattan: 101
Queens: 23,149
Staten Island: 8,451

“In New York City we know that every drop of water counts, but we also know that every dollar counts,” said DEP Acting Commissioner Sapienza. “Over the last few years tens of thousands of low-income residents have benefitted from the Home Water Assistance Program and we are thrilled to now expand it to even more of our senior customers, while still keeping water and sewer rates affordable for all New Yorkers.”

“We are proud to work with the Department of Environmental Protection to extend this important benefit to eligible New Yorkers,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “Programs like this and the Home Energy Assistance Program help seniors and other low income homeowners stay safely in their homes and communities.”

“The City is leaving no stone unturned in the effort to preserve and expand the stock of affordable housing across the city,” said HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. “This new Multi-Family Affordable Housing Credit will extend needed relief to owners struggling with rising operating costs, helping to safeguard the long-term affordability and health of their buildings.  We are grateful to DEP Acting Commissioner Sapienza for his leadership in conserving our precious water supply while supporting programs to create a more affordable and sustainable future for our city.”

“The expansion of the water and sewer bill credit in addition to the new Multifamily Affordable Housing Credit will ease the financial burden for many older New Yorkers,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Donna Corrado. “Seniors shouldn’t have to choose between maintaining the roof over their head and paying for other essentials.”

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION RELEASES 2017 UPDATE TO OPEN DATA PLAN


Redesigned NYC Open Data Portal welcomes 50,000 new users a month and received over 3 million visits this year alone

  The Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications today released the annual update to the NYC Open Data Plan, a schedule of public datasetsCity agencies plan to release through 2018. Over the last year, agencies have released datasets across hundreds of categories, from the number of trees planted to FDNY incident dispatch numbers. The annual update is part ofOpen Data for All, a strategic overhaul around how the City collects and reports data to New Yorkers, with a focus on helping as many New Yorkers as possible view, understand, and engage with information that describes how government is helping them live, work, and play.

“Transparency is vital for a healthy government and flourishing democracy. That’s why Open Data for All is delivering more data, in more ways, to more New Yorkers than ever before,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“Open Data is more than a collection of ones and zeros—it’s truly a portrait of how New York City runs,” said Anne Roest, Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.“We’ve focused on making sure that more New Yorkers are empowered to access this data and subsequently use it to lift up their communities. We’re proud that this year’s report tells those stories alongside the numbers.”

Since the launch of Open Data for All in 2015, the program has seen unprecedented success, including more than 3 million visits to the Open Data Portal—now home to over 1,700 datasets—in the last year alone. Over 165 new datasets have been added in the past year, including:

·         New York Police Department (NYPD) Complaint Data, specifically information on felony, misdemeanor, and violation crimes reported to the NYPD from 2006 through 2016. Historical data through 2015 can be found here, and 2016 data can be foundhere.

·        City Council Participatory Budgeting Datacontains details on all Participatory Budgeting Project projects from 2012 – present. Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. Council Members choose to join Participatory Budgeting New York City (PBNYC), giving at least $1 million from their budget for the whole community to participate in decision–making. Through a public vote, residents then decide which proposals to fund.

·        Programs and Benefits API: This dataset provides benefit, program, and resource information for over 40 health and human services available to NYC residents, and is used on ACCESS NYCand Growing Up NYC. The data is kept up-to-date, including the most recent applications, eligibility requirements, and application dates.

·        Department of City Planning (DCP) Facilities DatabaseTheCity Planning Facilities Database, and the NYC Facilities Explorerinteractive map, aggregates more than 35,000 records from 50 different public data sources, capturing both publicly and privately operated facilities ranging from health and social services, recreation, education, to solid waste management.
Additionally, thirty-eight new datasets are now automatically updated,including the Department of Environmental Protection's Harbor Water Quality sampling information, and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications' Building Footprints and Street Centerline maps.

The digital version of the 2017 Open Data for All Progress Report invites New Yorkers to give feedback on specific sections and share their own open data stories until September 1. The City’s Open Data team will also host anevent at Civic Hall on Wednesday, July 19 at 6 p.m., where New Yorkers featured in the report will discuss how they are using open data to improve their communities. The event will also be livestreamed.

"Open Data for All is a critical part of our commitment to transparency, equityand quality service,” said Emily Newman, Acting Director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations. “We are thrilled that so many New Yorkers are using this tool to make an impact in their communities.”

“Open Data provides transparency on how government works and is critical for how entrepreneurs build better technologies for New Yorkers,” said Miguel Gamiño, New York City Chief Technology Officer. “The portal reaches an average of 50K new users per month, and a total of 140K users per month which demonstrates that this information is being consumed and of real value both to new and existing users.”

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and State Senator Peralta Urge Governor Cuomo to Sign Bill to Examine Lead Paint Levels at Elevated Subway Tracks


  Today, State Senator Jose Peralta and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz urged Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign into law their legislation (S.5754-A/A.7562-A) requiring the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York Transit Authority to undertake a study to determine the amount of lead paint in the elevated subway stations, tracks and trestles throughout the City. The Senate and the Assembly passed the bill last month.      

“This is about protecting New Yorkers and ensuring their safety. High levels of lead paint in chips falling onto the streets and sidewalk endanger the lives of neighbors, visitors, shoppers, and commuters,” said Senator Peralta. “It is imperative that we remove hazardous lead paint from above ground subway lines throughout the City. It is my hope the Governor sings this bill into law in order to solve these dangerous situations.”

Senator Peralta added, “By eliminating and evaluating this dangerous problem, the MTA can take a good first step in making sure our subway system is safe for everyone. In the heart of my district, the 7 Train runs above Roosevelt Avenue, a crowded area full of shops, restaurants and street vendors, so it is important we protect everyone from these falling paint chips containing high levels of lead. It is my hope that the MTA acts and remedies this situation and prevents anyone from getting sick from lead paint exposure, which can be poisonous.” 

“I am pleased that both houses of the legislature passed this important public safety measure. This bill requires the MTA and the NYCTA determine and report which areas of the aboveground transit infrastructure are plagued with hazardous levels of lead paint and which parts of New York City’s aging transit system must be immediately remediated before the thousands of New Yorkers who rely upon city transit become sickened or poisoned. We cannot expect people to live and work while being forced to use subway platforms coated in flaking lead-paint chips that may increase their risk of lead poisoning,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “It is almost inconceivable in this day and age that people must put up with any lead-poisoning related dangers, yet this legislation will go some way toward ending this problem. Now we are counting on the Governor to sign this bill into law to protect New Yorkers.”

According to published reports, District 9 International Union of Painters and Allied Trades found that in some samples of paint chips falling onto the streets from the elevated 7 subway line structure contained 224,000 parts per million of lead paint, more than 40 times the 5,000 parts per million legal threshold.

In light of this situation, Senator Peralta and Assemblyman Dinowitz called on the MTA to resolve the problem created by the falling lead paint chips onto the streets underneath elevated train stations, elevated tracks and trestles. Additionally, the study by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will establish the degree to which the state agency complies with federal and state laws and regulations, such as the Federal Clean Air Act.

The study will be conducted in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health. The proposal also calls for the MTA to submit a report containing recommendations to eliminate possible exposure to lead paint by these falling chips and to “review past renovations to stations to determine the amount of lead paint abatement.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It makes no sense to us that the state legislature has to do this when the use of lead-based paint was banned in New York City in 1960, or was it? 

Lead Paint Law

The City's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act (Local Law 1 of 2004) requires landlords to identify and remediate lead-based paint hazards in the apartments of young children, using trained workers and safe work practices. Lead-based paint  is presumed to exist in a multiple dwelling unit if:
  • The building was built before 1960 (or between 1960 and 1978 if the owner knows that there is lead-based paint) and
  • A child under the age of six lives in the apartment.
It seems that the state and federal government have made attempts to ban the sale and use of lead based paint, only to have these laws amended or not passed at all.

Why is the MTA still using lead based paint on the elevated subway lines?

All this really calls for is a study by the MTA, and not a ban on the MTA from using lead based paint period.

Where is the NYC Department of Environmental Protection?

Still removing Asbestos the DEP used in a building years after the use of Asbestos was banned? 

Senator Klein announces a $152,000 grant for Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation


DSC_0182 (1).JPG

Funding will support middle and high school summer programs in the Bronx.

Senator Jeff Klein announced that he is supporting the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF) with a $152,000 grant in state funding. The funds have already been invested in free summer academy programs that are underway by SASF in the Bronx. The enrichment programs offer incoming middle and high school students an intensive, hands-on academic boost to ensure a smooth transition into the next phase of their education.
Senator Klein made the announcement on Thursday, July 13 at Pelham Lab High School at Lehman, one of four Bronx schools offering summer programs through SASF, benefiting from Klein’s grant. The other locations impacted by the grant will include P.S. 83, High School for Teaching and Professions and J.H.S 127.
“Students enrolled at the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation summer programs learn from top-notch teachers who are committed to providing them with the resources needed to excel in their future years. I’m thrilled to provide this funding to SASF, which is giving hundreds of Bronx students within my district the tools needed to succeed,” said Senator Jeff Klein.
“We are delighted to receive the funds from State Senator Klein’s generous grant to support our summer program efforts,” shared Maureen Fonseca, CEO, Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF). “These critical funds will provide our incoming freshmen with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully navigate high school, college, and beyond.”
"Summer learning is an essential element to closing the achievement gap and ensuring educational equity across our city and state,” said Principal Jason Wagner, Pelham Lab High School. “These 21st century skills will help these students achieve and compete in the years ahead."
The Pelham Lab High School 9th grade summer academy kicked off July 5, and will end on August 3. The program, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, focuses on computer literacy, creative writing, photography, robotics, physical fitness and sports. The overarching goal of the freshman program is to ensure the students are equipped to succeed, both in high school and in higher education.
ABOUT SPORTS & ARTS IN SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
The Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF) is a non-profit organization and one of the largest providers of school-based afterschool programs in New York City and the metropolitan region. The organization impacts more than 25,000 students from over 110 sites in grades K-12 typically in underserved neighborhoods. Programs run before or after the school day, year-round (including Saturdays, over the summer, and holiday periods). To learn more, visit www.SASFNY.org.

Bronx Democratic Party Annual Dinner




Join the Bronx Democrats for an evening of dining, networking, and celebrating the contributions and achievements of remarkable past and present.

UPDATE: The deadline for our Journal Ads has been extended to Monday, July 17th at 5:00 p.m.
 Please make sure that all entry's are promptly posted by the date listed above. 

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Delivers 6,094 Petition Signatures to the City's Board of Elections


Assemblyman Gjonaj delivers highest number of petition signatures for Bronx County

  To appear on the September 12th Democratic Primary ballot, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's campaign for City Council delivered 6,094 petition signatures to the City's Board of Elections office. 

This number confirms that Assemblyman Gjonaj delivered more petition signatures than any other political candidate in The Bronx. 

New York State's Election Law requires candidates to obtain signatures of 5% of the registered voters in the district from the political party whose line they seek. To ensure his name is on the primary ballot the Assemblyman needed 450 voter signatures.

"I am grateful for the immense amount of support The Bronx has show me. My team and I are very proud of the hard work that was done to collect the 6,094 petition signatures that will put my name on the September 12th ballot. The most important endorsement a candidate can receive is that of his neighbor. I would not have been able to do this without the dozens of volunteers who tirelessly knocked on doors and attended events to collect these signatures. I am incredibly thankful for their dedication to this campaign. The summer is just beginning and I look forward to continuing to meet with residents of District 13 to hear more about the issues that matter most to them," said Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

The delivery of these petitions comes at the heels of notable endorsements of Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's campaign from the Bronx Democratic County Committee, the Council of Schools Supervisions and Administrators, Steamfitters Local 638, CSEA and 32BJ SEIU.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj is running for City Council to represent The Bronx’s 13th District. He currently represents the 80th Assembly District, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Allerton, Bedford Park, Morris Park, Mosholu Parkway, Norwood, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway and Van Nest. He serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Micro Business and is a member of several committees: Banks; Local Governments; Real Property Taxation; Small Business; Tourism, Parks, and Sports Development; and Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force.


Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and his family stand by as his son, Nicholas, adds his signature to the stack of designating petitions. (L-R) Roza Gjonaj, Joseph Gjonaj (16), Nicholas Gjonaj (18), Assemblyman Gjonaj, Roberta Gonaj.