Monday, June 19, 2017

DA VANCE: POLICE OFFICER INDICTED FOR TRANSPORTING NARCOTICS IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY


Defendant Allegedly Moved More Than One Kilogram of Cocaine, Earned Over $2,000 for Deliveries

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of NYSIA STROUD, 29, a New York City police officer assigned to the NYPD’s Fleet Services Division, for transporting marijuana and more than one kilogram of cocaine in exchange for money. The defendant is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Official Misconduct.[1]
“Brazen criminal conduct by a member of law enforcement constitutes a grievous breach of duty and public trust,” said District Attorney Vance. “Having sworn an oath to protect and serve their communities, police officers are held to an elevated standard of professional conduct. Any departure from that standard is not only unacceptable, but may be criminal. As alleged in this case, the defendant is charged with participating in narcotics trafficking and carrying out the very bad acts she was entrusted to stop, undermining important public safety efforts to keeps our streets safe, clean, and free of harmful, illegal drugs.”
Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill said: "As alleged, this type of criminal behavior erodes trust in law enforcement, making it harder for every police officer to do their job. The work of internal affairs is difficult, yet important. Thanks to their efforts and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for their thoroughness on this investigation."
According to the indictment and documents filed in court, between April and June 2017, the defendant earned money for illicitly transporting narcotics and marijuana for an undercover police officer posing as a drug courier. Shortly after meeting the undercover officer in March 2017, STROUD began transporting large quantities of cocaine and marijuana in exchange for payments ranging from $250 to $1,000. During this time, the defendant disclosed her own status as a police officer and told the undercover officer that she would display her NYPD badge to avoid further investigation and potential arrest if they were stopped by other members of law enforcement. To conceal their activities, STROUD also devised a code, “shopping at Woodbury,” to use for any communications regarding future drug deliveries. In total, the defendant received more than $2,000 for transporting marijuana and more than one kilogram of cocaine on four separate occasions.
The investigation began after NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau (“IAB”) received allegations that the defendant was involved in narcotics-related activity. 
District Attorney Vance thanked the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau for their role in the investigation.
[1] The charges contained in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.
Defendant Information:
NYSIA STROUD, D.O.B. 7/29/1987
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-1 felony, 2 counts
  • Official Misconduct, a class A misdemeanor, 4 counts

Register for Sundays at JASA's Summer Program


Explore Sundays at JASA's 
Summer Program
Sunday, July 23 & Sunday, July 30, 2017
10:00 am - 1:15 pm
  Samuel B. and David Rose Building
  165 West 65th Street, 6th Floor
    Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Center
        (next to Walter Reade Theatre on 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues)
 
Sundays at JASA is a one of a kind, college level continuing education program for adults 55+.

Course #1: 10:00am - 11:30am with Alan Weisman

July 23: Trump and Domestic Policy: 
What are the effects on health care, climate control, tax reform, income inequality, and social justice?

July 30 
Trump and Foreign Policy: 
What happens to our dealings with Russia, North Korea, China, the EU, and rising South America?

Alan Weisman is a former producer for 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, and the CBS Evening News. During his tenure at CBS, he covered the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, The Falklands War, and the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster.

Course #2: 11:45am -1:15pm with Max Alvarez

The Media in the Movies:
 
Who can forget Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman chipping away at the Watergate scandal in All the President's Men? Or Jane Fonda exposing a nuclear plant accident in The China Syndrome? Some daring, crusading screen journalists succeed (Spotlight) while others are crushed (Kill the Messenger, Truth). Meanwhile, there are plenty who give the news industry a bad name (Kirk Douglas in Ace in the Hole, Sally Field in Absence of Malice). Join the lectures and see the film clips reflecting on how movies have portrayed the news media throughout the decades.

Max Alvarez is a New York writer, film historian, and frequent speaker on world cinema culture. He has held prominent positions as an entertainment journalist, film and theater critic, and motion picture and archival researcher. He has formed presentation partnerships with organizations such as the American Film Institute and the Library of Congress to broaden understanding of the cultural impact of film. 


Register
Pre-registration is strongly recommended as seating is limited. Click Here to register online.

Information
For more information contact stornay@jasa.orgor 212.273.5304

STATEMENT FROM COUNCILMAN ERIC ULRICH ON MAYORAL CONTROL OF SCHOOLS


  "New Yorkers have every reason to be concerned about the future of mayoral control, especially when Mayor de Blasio has lost the confidence of our leaders in Albany. The crisis surrounding mayoral control of public schools is entirely his own making given his fractured relationship with Governor Cuomo and members of both parties in the State Assembly and Senate. It's shameful that Mayor de Blasio now wants to blame Republicans and members of the IDC for a political problem he created. While I certainly hope Mayoral control is extended for the sake of our children, I also hope that New Yorkers will remember how we got into this mess in the first place." 

Be Proud With SAGE!


June 2017   We Refuse to Be Invisible



SAGE 2016 Annual ReportOur activism has touched thousands of lives in our older LGBT community. Read more in SAGE's Annual Report.


We Refuse to Be InvisibleSAGE's grassroots efforts to tell the Trump Administration that our LGBT community refuses to be erased generated nearly 9,000 letters to Washington.



SAGE Table Rocks the Nation: More than 230 SAGE Tables nationwide hosted thousands of guests in a one-day conversation about what caring in the LGBT community looks like when age is not a barrier. 


Photo by Maro Hagopian

SAGE Health Storylines: Our new app empowers older adults living with HIV and AIDS to better manage their healthcare. 

 

SAGE Matters: Inspiration from our activist pioneers; a "Prepare to Care Guide" for LGBT caregivers; and SAGE's latest advances toward creating affordable, LGBT-friendly housing.



Celebrate the Summer with SAGE

Tuesday, June 20
Gather for fun in the Windy City at the Center on Halstead.




 
Saturday, July 15

Join Honorary Co-Chair Edie Windsor, the LGBT Community Center, SAGE, and Callen-Lorde at Nova's Ark Project in Water Mill. Groove to tunes spun by the fabulous Lady Bunny!











SAGE is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders. With offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Chicago, SAGE coordinates a growing network of affiliates across the country.

CITY AWARDS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS $500,000 TO IMPLEMENT TECH SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS ACROSS NYC





A Competition Partnered CBOs And Tech Companies To Develop Data-Driven Ideas To Boost Neighborhoods And Quality Of Life
  Commissioner Gregg Bishop of the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) today announced the winners of a pitch competition that partnered community-based organizations (CBOs) with local technology companies to develop creative tech solutions to enhance commercial districts. A total of 40 teams submitted proposals and 12 finalists were selected to pitch their ideas before a panel of judges at an event hosted by SBS at the Hub @ Grand Central Tech. The five winning community-based organizations will each receive awards of $100,000 from SBS’ Neighborhood Challenge program.  Awardees will use funding to implement tailored, data-driven solutions that build the capacity of CBOs to address the challenges faced in their commercial districts. 

“Great neighborhoods make a great city, and we are using technology to build vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “These awards will empower community-based organizations to meet local needs – boosting small businesses and enhancing quality of life.”

“The Neighborhood Challenge initiative is inspiring because it connects the potential of cutting edge, urban or "smart city" technology to the heart of the City’s communities yielding a network of knowledge and opportunity for urban planners and citizens alike,” said Matthew Harrigan, CEO of Grand Central Tech. “Indeed, this initiative is directly tied to the Hub’s mission statement of bettering the lives of NYC residents while also providing opportunity for local urban tech entrepreneurs.”

Grantees will have one year to complete projects that address a significant commercial district challenge and have a measureable impact on the commercial district management organization’s operations. Beyond the year of implementation, Neighborhood Challenge projects are intended to serve as catalysts that have the potential for long-term sustainability and positive economic impact. Neighborhood Challenge receives funding from the New York City Economic Development Corporation.  
 
More information on Neighborhood Challenge may be found by visiting: http://www.nyc.gov/neighborhoodchallenge 

Competition winners:

Chinatown Partnership

The Neighborhood Narrative App will help Chinatown businesses overcome the cultural barriers that lead to common misrepresentation on popular media platforms and the subsequent devaluing of products, services, and local events. Through community outreach, the bilingual app will appropriately represent Chinatown’s small businesses by providing much needed cultural background on their goods, services, and customs. 

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership + DUMBO Improvement District

This Visitor Engagement Solution technology will utilize wayfinding technology to better connect neighborhood visitors and residents to local businesses, programming, events, and other community initiatives. Smartphone users can open their browser to a landing page that will populate to display local businesses, deals, events, and amenities.

Long Island City Partnership

With connectivity as one of the community’s biggest challenges, LIC needs a comprehensive signage and wayfinding system that will orient and inform visitors and alert them to opportunities for engaging with their community. LIC COMPASS will combine visual signage cues with branding that identifies the neighborhood.

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Although Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Wallabout contain some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest blocks, 23% of residents surrounding Myrtle Avenue live below the poverty line and even more are considered ‘working poor’.  As wealthier residents move to these neighborhoods, the retail environment evolves and it becomes increasingly difficult for households with low incomes to meet their needs locally. Together with Benefit Kitchen, the project team will develop a Myrtle Avenue-branded outreach app that will screen eligibility for 18 government benefits and local promotions.

Rockaway Business Alliance

The launch of the NYC Ferry to the Rockaways has created an opportunity for business to connect with an expanding customer base. This project will use technology expand connectivity throughout communities in the Rockaways for both down-for-the-day beachgoers and lifelong residents looking to expand their horizons.

Other program finalists included:

East Village Independent Merchants Association

This local business database will provide a snapshot of the average East Village small business in regards to finances, sales, foot traffic, vendor costs, rents, and wage rates. A comprehensive understanding of broader revenue trends and cost benchmarks allow business owners to remain competitive and leverage their knowledge with vendors and landlords. 

Madison Avenue Business Improvement District

1-TouchNYC is a tool for informing and engaging communities, and promoting local shopping from a smartphone. The bluetooth technology will allow local shops to engage users passing their storefronts of in-store happenings and promotions. Users will also receive notifications regarding neighborhood happenings and alerts as well as weather and transit updates. 

Grand Street BID

With the pending 2019 L train shutdown, there are real concerns about the state of small businesses in the affected commercial corridors. Our project will leverage technology and local knowledge to enable data-driven decision making by assessing potential risks and implementing counter measures. This project will give us the data needed to plan for the L-train shutdown, advocate for mobility measures that will measurably benefit our district, and re-vitalize our retail base.

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

To preserve the vital character of Harlem and Chinatown commercial corridors, we need to help our small businesses and community adapt to new competitors and shifting trends. The Neighborhood Health Project will focus on improving our commercial corridors and the economic health of the community through vacancy tracking.  A low barrier, easy access communications management system will simplify business outreach efforts to save time and optimize data collection.

Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition

Our Kingsbridge/Jerome Commercial Corridor faces significant challenges including landlord harassment, rising rents, loss of long-term leases, access to resources, and knowledge of existing protections.  DataHub is a custom, open-source system that will improve and expand our business surveying capacity while linking to an online powerful Bronx business vendor platform where businesses can network and promote their services.

Soho Strut

SoHo Strut is partnering with Haystack to leverage the best aspects of e-commerce to help brick-and-mortar retail thrive again. This project will drive traffic back into brick and mortar stores through the creation of a seamless search and pick-up/delivery marketplace. The future for physical retail is one where shoppers can search nearby store shelves as easily as they can browse Amazon.

Staten Island Economic Development Corporation

Staten Island’s economic development future relies on effective distribution of information, data management and innovative platforms for showcasing the rapidly growing borough. Our project will create a multi-lingual mapping and marketing project which will identify valuable points of interest for residents and potential investors alike. 

About The Urban Tech Hub @ Grand Central Tech

The Urban Tech Hub @ Grand Central Tech is part of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) UrbanTech NYC program to help entrepreneurs and innovators address the city’s urban challenges in sectors such as energy, waste, transportation, agriculture and water. The urban tech initiative works to provide tech innovation for the community and provide opportunities for NYC-based startups. The Hub is home to almost 40 companies in the urban tech space and was built to support and advance the prospects of entrepreneurs and companies seeking to address NYC challenges. 

About NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS)

SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all SBS services, go to nyc.gov/sbs or call 311.


Governor Andrew Cuomo is Ignoring the Hispanic Community


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz 
District 32 Bronx County, New York 


You should know that Governor Andrew Cuomo is ignoring the Hispanic Community when it comes to nominating appointees for key positions in New York State.

It is important for you to know that out of the 108 nominations Governor Andrew Cuomo has sent to the Senate for approval, only five (5!) are Hispanic.

What is even more disturbing is that out of those five, two people, Fernando Ferrer and Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, are re-appointments. In other words, since those two have already been placed in positions for years, the Senate is being asked to approve only three new Hispanics nominees out of 108.

Ladies and gentlemen, some people might think that this could be racial and ethnic discrimination against a group that has always been very supportive of the Governor.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We totally agree with State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. on the issue, but he fails to investigate further by looking at the team Governor Cuomo has advising him. Perhaps State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. should have a position of advisor to Governor Cuomo?
That is what you should know.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Daryl Campbell, A/K/A “Taxstone,” Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing A Semiautomatic Handgun At Irving Plaza


  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DARYL CAMPBELL, a/k/a “Taxstone,” pled guilty yesterday to two federal weapons charges in connection with his possession of a semiautomatic handgun at Irving Plaza on May 25, 2016, the night a man was shot and killed there and  three others were wounded.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As he has now admitted, Daryl Campbell illegally carried a semiautomatic handgun into the Irving Plaza music venue.   That night Ronald McPhatter was shot and killed there, and three others were wounded.  We will continue to work with the NYPD, the FBI, and all our partners in law enforcement to protect New Yorkers from gun violence.”
According to the Indictment, Complaint, other documents filed in the case, and statements made during the plea proceedings: 
Sometime between October 2015 and May 25, 2016, CAMPBELL unlawfully received a Keltec 9mm semiautomatic handgun from outside the State of New York.  Although his prior felony conviction made it a federal crime for CAMPBELL to possess firearms, CAMPBELL nonetheless carried that gun to the Irving Plaza music venue on May 25, 2016.  At Irving Plaza, CAMPBELL confronted a rap music artist with whom CAMPBELL had been engaged in a long-running feud.  After that confrontation, the rap artist’s bodyguard and friend, Ronald McPhatter, was shot and killed, and the rap artist and two innocent bystanders were wounded. 
CAMPBELL, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested on January 17, 2017, in Brooklyn, and has been in federal custody since.  CAMPBELL pled guilty today to both counts of the Indictment, which charged him with receiving a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit another felony, and possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.  The maximum sentence for each count is 10 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court. 
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the NYPD’s Manhattan South Homicide Squad and the 13thPrecinct Detective Squad, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.