Suleika's Retirement, Final Appearance at Three Kings Fund Raiser, Fri. Jan 15, 2016

  The founder of the Institute for the Puerto Rican Hispanic Elderly,  Inc. Ms. Suleika Cabrera Drinane will retire  when she joins more than 1,000 people at the 50th annual Three Kings fund raiser event sponsored by the Institute, to take place Friday January 15, 2016 at Saint Vartan's Armenian Church on East 34th Street beginning at 10AM to 4PM.

Ms.Cabrera Drinane, the hard working trail blazer who created IPRHE from a one- telephone, one-room start up, to a large influential social services agency advocating for seniors in New York state, and nationally, will make her final appearance as the Founder and President of IPRHE during the Three Kings Festivities.

Ms. Cabrera Drinane was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the 1990s, and has made thousands of friends during her 50 years as an advocate for senior citizens, hopes many of those long time friends will join her this Friday January 15, 2016 as she bids farewell to the Agency.

Long time friends, and dignitaries have been invited to join more than 1,000 celebrants in saying, "Thank you, and good luck"... to Suleika at this final event.     "It will be a sentimental day for me as I say, 'Hasta Luego' ",   said Suleika.      Friends are invited to call Suleika at her private line, to confirm if they will be in attendance, even if for a few minutes.

For information of the event, call Ms. Suleika Cabrera Drinane, at Tel 212-677-4181.

DOB LAUNCHES CITYWIDE SIDEWALK SHED SAFETY SWEEP

    Buildings Dept. is Inspecting 300 Miles of Sidewalk Sheds at 7,700 properties 

   Today, Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler announced that the Department will be inspecting all permitted sidewalk sheds throughout the City, with 7,700 properties in the sweep, including 600 NYCHA buildings. More than 300 miles of sheds will be inspected during the sweep. 

  “This is about proactive enforcement, preventing problems before they happen and improving people’s quality of life,” said Commissioner Chandler. “Our inspectors are looking for safety problems and common eyesores, such as sheds that haven’t been painted in years or are covered with graffiti, inadequate lighting, or missing boards or structural supports. This is all part of the Mayor’s ongoing effort to take on and solve problems that New Yorkers encounter in their daily lives.”

  Sidewalk sheds are required for public safety at thousands of buildings throughout the City, normally where there is ongoing construction work or façade repairs. The inspection sweep is intended to encourage building maintenance and ensure that sheds are safe, well-lighted, and not a blight on neighborhood streets. 

   So far, DOB has inspected 2,800 sheds and issued 128 violations. The citywide inspection sweep is expected to be completed by the end of the month.for Quality of Life Violations.

Events This Week From Council Member Andrew Cohen

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Council Member Andrew Cohen will be hosting a Finanical Workshop with Primerica, Inc and Mosholu Montefiore Community Center.

Learn how to save for retirement, find other sources of income, reduce your taxes, maximize your savings, pay off your debt and diversify your investments from experts!

WHERE: Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 Dekalb Avenue

WHEN: 6:00 p.m. 

 ______________________________________________

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Council Member Andrew Cohen and Community Board 8 will be holding a forum on drug use and dependence to inform the community on how to reduce the risks associated with drug use and how to best treat dependence.

Panelists will include representatives from the Department of Education, Department of Health, Riverdale Mental Health Association, as well as doctors, social workers, and other experts in the field. 

WHERE: Riverdale Neighborhood House, 5521 Mosholu Avenue

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

District Office:  277 West 231 Street Bronx, NY 10463 Phone: (718) 549-7300

Legislative Office:  250 Broadway, Suite 1821 new York, NY 10007 Phone: (212) 788-7080

Uber Settlement, Gun Violence & More From Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman

Enhancing Data Privacy For Uber Passengers

The Attorney General announced a settlement with Uber that requires the company to adopt leading data security protection practices to protect its riders’ personal information. The Attorney General’s investigation began after several public reports that Uber executives and staff have access to riders’ geo-location information in real time. The settlement requires Uber to encrypt rider geo-location information, adopt multi-factor authentication that would be required before any employee could access especially sensitive rider personal information, as well as other leading data security practices.  It also requires Uber to pay a $20,000 penalty for failure to provide timely notice to drivers and the Attorney General’s office regarding a data breach that occurred in September 2014. 

Bringing Drug Runners To Justice

The leader of a major Capital Region drug ring has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Daquan Murray, aka “Benji Got The Juice,” was part of a Troy Gang called the Young Gunnerz, who allegedly purchased large quantities of drugs from a supplier in the Bronx, and then brought the narcotics back to Troy for distribution throughout Albany County, Rensselaer County, Saratoga County, and elsewhere in and outside of New York State. The case against the Young Gunnerz gang has resulted in criminal charges against 21 defendants. To date, 15 have pleaded guilty. 

Protecting Competition In Elder Care

Competition among health service providers is critical for New Yorkers, which is why the Attorney General has reached a settlement with UnitedHealth Group resolving concerns that the company’s business practices in the state unlawfully restrained competition in the market for certain elder and long-term care insurance products. The Attorney General’s office had received complaints that UnitedHealth was requiring skilled nursing facilities looking to participate in its insurance network to also contract with the company for a separate institutional special needs plan. This settlement will preserve the vibrant competition among institutional special needs providers, and will ensure freedom of choice for skilled nursing facilities and their patients. 

Protecting Access To Abortion Services

The Attorney General is leading a coalition of 13 states urging the Supreme Court to protect the constitutional right to access abortion services. The friend-of-the-court brief asks the Court to invalidate two provisions of Texas law that significantly restrict access to abortion services in the state. The provisions at issue—requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and requiring clinics to comply with the standards for surgical clinics—were purportedly enacted to protect the health of women, but the trial court found that the provisions would not in fact protect women’s health, and could even undermine it. The Attorney General is committed to ensuring that all women have free access to a full range of reproductive health care services. 

Uncovering Nursing Home Neglect

 The Attorney General announced the guilty plea of the Mohawk Valley Health Care Center over allegations of a cover-up of resident abuse and neglect. The plea resolves allegations arising from the suppression of two incidents of patient abuse and neglect, and related charges of falsifying records. One alleged incident involved a medication error that went unnoticed for several days, while the second alleged incident involved a resident suffering from dementia engaging in unlawful sexual conduct towards another resident in an unsupervised dining room. When these incidents came to light, it is alleged that owner Gerald “Jerry” Wood III criminally eavesdropped on investigators from the Attorney General’s Office while they were conducting an interview with a nursing home employee about the incidents. The Attorney General is committed to holding nursing facilities accountable for their responsibility to treat patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Stopping The Theft Of State Pension Benefits

The Attorney General and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced the sentencing of Terence Fitzpatrick for stealing more than $78,000 in state pension benefits. Fitzpatrick, a resident of New Jersey, was accused of stealing the benefits issued to his deceased godfather, Thomas Sullivan, who died in 2003. Fitzpatrick, who had been acting as power of attorney on behalf of Sullivan, failed to notify the retirement system of the death of his godfather or his wife, who had received Sullivan’s benefits until 2006.  Instead, Fitzpatrick utilized his power of attorney to access the account and withdraw pension benefits paid on Sullivan’s behalf during a six-year period between November 2006 and August 2012. 

Taking Down An Insurance Brokerage Fraud Scheme

Two Rochester residents have been arrested for allegedly perpetrating a scheme to defraud clients of their Rochester insurance brokerage. It is alleged that over a period of 3 years, Gary and Bonnie Gubiotti stole from agency clients by falsely inflating insurance premiums, failing to remit refunds, and forging finance agreements. It is charged that in total, the duo stole more than $150,000 from clients, and both face up to 15 years in prison, if convicted. New Yorkers trust their insurance brokers to provide them with honest advice and coverage in the event of an emergency, and violating that trust to line one’s own pockets will be prosecuted by the Attorney General to the fullest extent of the law. 

Protecting Medicaid Against Fraud

Schenectady personal care aid Nicholas Gallup has been sentenced for submitting false time sheets to Capital District Physicians Health Plan, causing more than $1,000 in overcharges to Medicaid. Gallup with a co-defendant, allegedly failed to provide services to a Medicaid recipient over a period of three months, and even called into a telephone time-keeping system to falsely document that they had provided care for the Medicaid recipient. In a separate case, a Rochester nurse, Schmeka Morgan, will return more than $8,000 to Medicaid for fraudulently billing Medicaid hours that she did not work. Morgan also faces three years’ probation as a result of her actions. 

Have a question, comment, or complaint? Click here. You can also learn more about the various initiatives of the Attorney General's office by visiting our website at ag.ny.gov. 

Statement from Council Member Andy King on Gov. Cuomo’s Higher Education Initiative in New York Prisons

  “College degrees are road maps to good jobs, good earning potential and better self worth. Helping a prisoner reform their life and re-enter society with a post-secondary education is a good investment. It costs less to educate an inmate than it does to house one in prison. Kudos to Gov. Cuomo for using crime money to fight crime and recidivism,” said Council Member Andy King, Co-Chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.

Upcoming Events From the Bronx Democratic County Committee

Dear Bronx Democrat, Below is a list of upcoming events. Attached you will find flyers for each event.

Petitioning for Salamanca 2016 When: See below Where: BDCC HQ - 1640 Eastchester Rd., Bronx, NY The Bronx Democratic County Committee endorsed Candidate Rafael Salamanca Jr. for the Special Election in the 17th City Council District and is requesting petitioning volunteers this week. There will be three time slots:  Thursday (today) 1/7 from 6-9pm,  Saturday 1/9 between 9-1pm and/or  Saturday 1/9 1-5pm If interested, please e-mail Anthony Perez at aperez@bronxdems.org or call 646-247-2670

The Three Kings in the Bronx When: Sat. 01/9/16 at 12p Where: P.S. 5 - 564 Jackson Ave. (corner of E. 149 St.) Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, and Candidate for the 17th Council District Mr. Rafael Salamanca, invite you to celebrate The Three Kings in the Bronx. Free toys for the first 500 children between the ages of 1-9. Children must be present at the activity.  For more information, please contact Leila Martinez at 718-991-3161. Click to Enlarge

Bronx County Family Court Bar Association 5th Annual Awards Dinner When: Thurs. 1/14/16 from 6- 11pm Where: Maestro's Caterers - 1703 Bronxdale Ave. Bronx, NY The Bronx County Family Court Bar Association is hosting its 5th Annual Awards Dinner honoring Hon. Carol Sherman, Dawne Mitchell, Esq, and Speaker of the NYS Assembly Carl Heastie. Admission prices are $80 for members and $95 for non-members. There will be raffle tickets for sale for NY Knicks tickets and a weeklong vacation in a NJ beach home. To RSVP or for additional information, contactgreifinger@msn.com.  Click to Enlarge

MulchFest 2016: Recycle Your Christmas TreeWhen:  Weekend of 1/9/16Where: TBA - contact 311 Council Member Annabel Palma invites you to participate in turning your Christmas tree to mulch!  For more information, contact 311 or visitnyc.gov/parks Click to Enlarge

CM Gibson & the NYPL Mini College & Job Expo When:   Fri. 1/29/16 from 11am - 4pm Where:    Morrisania NYPL Branch, 610 E. 169 St. Bronx, NY (corner of Franklin Ave.) Council member Vanessa Gibson and the New York Public Library present the Mini College & Job Expo. Bring your resume and business attire.  For a list of colleges and employers, please go to the Morrisania NYPL Branch website. Click to Enlarge

In solidarity,   Hon. Marcos A. Crespo, Chair The Bronx Democratic County Committee 1640 Eastchester Rd.

100 PERCENT Saturday January 9,, 2016

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

Jeffrey Dinowitz in the South Bronx?

   I was hoping to have been back in print by now, but due to circumstances beyond my control there has been another delay. The target date now is early in March, as many of you have been asking when the new Bronx County News would be coming out. All I can write is please have patience, and you will not be disappointed. 

   BJ's newest club store located at 184 West 237th Street (off Broadway) in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx had its preview showing, and is now open for business. You can check this blog archive for photos of the new BJ's

  Sunday is 'NO PANTS DAY', and if you are riding the subway you probably will see many people with and without their pants. If one really wants to see someone with their pants down, all one has to look is no further than City Hall. Mayor Bill de Blasio seems to be caught with his pants down on the issue of homelessness. The mayor now says that it was the problem of the previous mayor, but Bill de Blasio is now entering his third year as mayor. Also wasn't Bill de Blasio the previous Public Advocate before being elected mayor? He must be having memory lapses from that incident with the box truck in Brooklyn. Maybe Mayor Bill de Blasio should spend a night or two in a homeless shelter just to find out the conditions like Public Advocate Bill de Blasio did at a NYCHA housing project. Come to think of it things have not gotten much better at NYCHA under Mayor Bill de Blasio either.  

   While on the subject of politics, the more things change in Albany the more they stay the same. With a new Speaker of the Assembly and a new State Senate Majority Leader due to their former colleagues being convicted of corruption in office just when will there be reforms. How many more state legislatures will have to be indicted and convicted, and how soon will it take to get the much needed reforms in Albany. 

   Today was the 'Three Kings Day in the Bronx' by State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. It is the posting right before this one, and the photos will tell you the whole story. The only person missing in this event from Senator Diaz's previous event was New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox. It would have been nice for him to be on stage with Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. However the Republican Party Chairman's name did appear on the flyer for the event along with that of Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo's name. 

   Another constant of both events was that Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca was listed as a community leader in another political event for him in a public school as a candidate for the upcoming 17th City Council Special Election. I hear that troops from Riverdale had to be called out to help Salamanca in getting signatures in the South Bronx, and I wonder how late they stayed 'Out in the Hood'. More people that Salamanca will be beholding to, and I will have more on the record of Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca in upcoming columns, with special postings of his probable conflicts of interest that the Conflict of Interest Board and Campaign Finance Board may want to know about. I don't expect candidate Salamanca to make it to the finish line. 

   If you have any political information (especially about the 17th City Council special election) that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on this blog, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.   

     

    

Senator Diaz Sr. THREE KINGS IN THE BRONX

  It was billed as the 'Three Kings Comes to The Bronx' at PS/MS 5 (on Jackson Avenue) the usual Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. 'Three Kings' event. Like years before PS/MS 5 was chosen since that is the school that Senator Diaz's son (now Bronx Borough President)  Ruben "Rubencito' Diaz Jr. went to as a child. Assemblymen Luis Sepulveda and Marcos Crespo were also a part of the tradition as were several Taiwanese businesses and cultural organizations. So what was different about this years Three Kings event by Senator Diaz Sr.?

  This year Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca was added to the marque as a Community Leader. If Mr. Salamanca is such a community leader where was he during the past events? Don't be fooled by a puppet maker who is also a New York State Senator, this was purely a political event to further the candidacy of someone who is campaigning for the vacant 17th City Council seat. Senator Diaz Sr. in his previous event with his puppet Rafael Salamanca gave out toys for Christmas on December 15th at IS 216 (on Tiffany Street near Senator Diaz's office) with the New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox. Since the Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo was at today's event, the New York State Republican Party Chairman's name was put in small letters at the bottom of the flyer as to make you think it was a Democratic event only. I was not able to ask Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo how it felt to be at an event being sponsored by New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox, but my next question will have to be if Crespo will be supporting Donald Trump if he gets the Republican line for President. The photos below will tell the rest of the story.

Above - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. was the first elected official to arrive, and he spoke in both English and Spanish. 

Below - Senator Diaz introduces Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda who stayed for a while, but had another Three Kings event with State Senator Jeff Klein in his own assembly district.

Above and Below - Children from Rompedores de Atmosfera led by talented Ashley Rodriguez in black, performed

Above - Another group of children performed for the packed audience.

Below - Senator Diaz brought up all the Taiwanese businesses and cultural organizations representatives.

Above - Bronx Borough President Ruben 'Rubencito' Diaz Jr. says a few words to the audience as you see the Taiwanese businesses and cultural organizations representatives. holding proclamations they were given.

Below - Children are asked questions about the Three Kings by one of the Taiwanese business leaders. Both answered correctly.

Above - So called Community Leader Salamanca arrived last, and we can see just how interesting his speech was by the reaction of Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo, and the movement of the hands of Senator Diaz. 

Below - The Three Kings finally arrived after all the speeches. 

Above - You can see Salamanca with a handful of gift cards to give one to each child for a correct answer to a question about the Three Kings. Or was it to buy their parents vote. 

Below - Salamanca hands a card to this child. 

Above and Below - It went on child after child. They were asked a question by Senator Diaz or Assemblyman Crespo, given 10 or 20 dollars if they were correct, and then receive a gift card from Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager Salamanca.

Above - Salamanca looks to see just what kind of gift card he is giving out to the children.

Below - When the event over there were some gift cards left over. I wonder what happened to them? 

Above - It was then time to give out the toys to the children that were stacked on the stage, 

Below - That is Senator Diaz Sr.'s candidate for mayor in 2013 Erik Salgado standing next to Salamanca. They look good together, as Salgado was crushed in the mayors race.