BRONX ELECTED OFFICIALS TO AMTRAK: GET ON BOARD WITH METRO-NORTH EXPANSION

  In a letter to Anthony R. Coscia, Chairman of the Board of Amtrak, the borough’s elected officials are demanding that the rail company cease its actions that are currently holding up progress on the proposed East Bronx Metro North expansion, which will bring commuter rail service to Co-op City, Morris Park/Van Nest, Parkchester and Hunts Point.

“Universal support exists for this critical project among Bronx communities and elected leadership. Despite this reality, Amtrak stands in the way by refusing to negotiate a reasonable MOU with the MTA that would allow work to commence,” states the letter. “It is long overdue for Amtrak to get on board.”

The letter can be read at https://on.nyc.gov/2Oj3Xll.

“The East Bronx Metro North expansion is universally popular, and has tremendous potential to connect our borough to economic centers to the north in Westchester and Connecticut while also creating a new option to midtown,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Amtrak is being entirely unreasonable. Amtrak is using its ownership of the tracks to hold up MTA for more money, but it is really commuters across the region who are being held hostage.”

The city has recently launched the Bronx Metro-North Working Group, which will engage local residents and businesses to optimize this new commuter rail service. The group is led by Borough President Diaz, Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, New York City Economic Development Corporation President James Patchett and City Planning Director Marisa Lago. 

This fall, the group will start work with the Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-op City communities, where new stations are anticipated, to put plans into place that acknowledge the needs and priorities of each neighborhood. They will also plan holistically with local stakeholders for the economic development, job growth and housing opportunities the new service presents, including the infrastructure and quality of life investments needed to accommodate them in a way that best benefits Bronx communities.

To view the presentations, learn more about the station areas, to sign up to receive updates on the planning initiative and to get involved, please visit the Bronx Metro-North Study at http://www.nyc.gov/BMNS or email BMNS@planning.nyc.gov.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This proposal for the four East Bronx Metro North stations is not something that recently came about. This has been on the back burner for many years, and why the problem with Amtrak all of a sudden is announced should worry the people of the East Bronx.

Didn't those who proposed this plan years ago know about the Amtrak right of way, and repairs that had to be made to the track structure not counting building the new stations on Amtrak property? 

It now would seem that these new Metro North stations may still be many more years away, while property is being bought up by speculators next to or near where the proposed Metro North stations are planned to go, if they do get built.

BP DIAZ & FAT JOE LAUNCH PUBLIC SCHOOL SNEAKER INITIATIVE

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., together with hip-hop legend and Bronx native Fat Joe, today announced the launch of a new initiative designed to increase student performance in four Bronx public schools. The announcement took place at the Fox Street Campus, home of two of the schools that will take part in this program.

“Sometimes, even the best kids need a little extra encouragement to perform at their highest level. We want to encourage our students to get good grades and be good citizens, and this new initiative will help us do just that,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “I want to thank Fat Joe for his continued commitment to The Bronx and its students, and for never forgetting where he came from.”

“We’re doing this because we love you. We love you, and we believe in you and we know that you’re the future. We know you’ve got what it takes, but that sometimes you need a little extra,” said Fat Joe at the announcement.  “If I was you, I would make sure my whole class does better. Make sure everyone is working hard. Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Students at four Bronx schools will participate in this initiative class for the remainder of the marking period, and will be tasked to work together to improve overall outcomes within their classroom. Progress in each class will be measured through the marking period ending in December, and will be based on student engagement, attendance, total number of books read and other factors.

Four Bronx schools—P.S. 146, M.S. 123, Accion Academy and I.S. 217 School of Performing Arts—have been chosen to participate in this initiative.

One class will be chosen as the “most improved” in each school, at the end of the December marking period, by that school’s principal. The students in that class will receive a brand new pair of Jordan sneakers from Fat Joe in exchange for their performance.

Rockland County Man Charged With Manufacturing An Explosive Device And Transporting Explosives Across State Lines

Paul M. Rosenfeld planned to detonate explosive device on the National Mall on Election Day to attract support for “Sortition”

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that PAUL M. ROSENFELD has been charged in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with manufacturing an explosive device in his Rockland County residence.  The defendant was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison in White Plains federal court this afternoon.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Paul M. Rosenfeld concocted a twisted plan to draw attention to his political ideology by killing himself on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.—risking harm to many others in the process.  Rosenfeld’s alleged plan for an Election Day detonation cut against our democratic principles.  Thanks to outstanding coordination between local and federal law enforcement, Rosenfeld’s alleged plot was thwarted and he is now in federal custody.” 

Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “As alleged in the complaint, Paul M. Rosenfeld planned to detonate a large explosive to kill himself and draw attention to his radical political beliefs.  Had he been successful, Rosenfeld’s alleged plot could have claimed the lives of innocent bystanders and caused untold destruction.  Fortunately, his plans were thwarted by the quick action of a concerned citizen and the diligent work of a host of our law enforcement partners and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.  I’d like to extend particular thanks to our partners with the Orangetown Police Department, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Rockland County District Attorney, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and the Stony Point Police Department for their respective roles in bring this investigation to a safe conclusion.”

As alleged in the Complaint:[[1]]

In August and September 2018, ROSENFELD sent letters and text messages to an individual in Pennsylvania (“Individual-1”).  These letters and text messages stated that ROSENFELD planned to build an explosive device and detonate it on November 6, 2018, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  ROSENFELD’s stated reason for these acts was to draw attention to his political belief in “sortition,” a political theory that advocates the random selection of government officials. 

On October 9, 2018, law enforcement agent stopped a car driven by ROSENFELD.  ROSENFELD agreed to answer questions and, in an interview with law enforcement, stated that he ordered large quantities of black powder—an explosive substance—over the Internet, which he transported from a location in New Jersey to his home in Tappan, New York (the “Residence”).  ROSENFELD stated, among other things, that he used approximately eight pounds of black powder to construct a large explosive device in the basement of the Residence, and that he installed certain components in the explosive device to ensure that he was killed in the blast.  ROSENFELD reported that he had previously constructed smaller explosive devices and had conducted test detonations.  He also indicated that he planned to detonate the larger explosive device on November 6, 2018, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in order to draw attention to sortition. 

On October 9, 2018, law enforcement agents conducted a search of the Residence pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant.  In the basement, law enforcement agents found what appeared to be a functional explosive device weighing approximately 200 pounds (the “Explosive Device”).  FBI bomb technicians removed the Explosive Device from the basement of the Residence and transported it to a safe location.  Within the Residence, law enforcement agents also found, among other things, a fusing system for triggering explosive devices and what appeared to be empty canisters of black powder.

PAUL M. ROSENFELD, 56, of Tappan, New York, has been charged with one count of unlawfully manufacturing a destructive device, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of interstate transportation and receipt of an explosive, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists principally of agents of the FBI and detectives of the New York City Police Department.  Mr. Berman also thanked the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Stony Point Police Department, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police, and the Orangetown Police Department for their valuable assistance.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

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Attorney General Underwood Urges Federal Action To Stop Illegal Robocalls And Spoofing Plaguing Consumers In New York And Across The Country

Bipartisan Coalition of 34 Attorneys General Urges FCC to Let Phone Companies Do More to Block Illegal Robocalls – Including Neighbor Spoofing

  Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood – part of a bipartisan coalition of 34 Attorneys General – today called on the Federal Communications Commission to create new rules to allow telephone service providers to block more illegal robocalls being made to unsuspecting consumers in New York and across the country.

In formal comments filed with the FCC, the Attorneys General explain that scammers using illegal robocalls have found ways to evade a call blocking order entered last year by the FCC. In 2017, the Federal Trade Commission received 4.5 million illegal robocall complaints – two and a half times more than in 2014.

Last year, at the urging of a coalition of Attorneys General, the FCC granted phone service providers authority to block certain illegal spoofed robocalls; the Attorneys General now seek added authority for the providers to work together to detect and block more illegal spoofed robocalls – including “neighbor spoofing.”

“Unwanted robocalls aren’t just a nuisance – they’re a means for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting New Yorkers,” said Attorney General Underwood. “New Yorkers have been bombarded with these illegal robocall scams – including the all-too-common spoofed calls that appear to come from a neighbor – and it’s time for federal action.”

“Spoofing” allows scammers to disguise their identities, making it difficult for law enforcement to bring them to justice. “Virtually anyone can send millions of illegal robocalls and frustrate law enforcement with just a computer, inexpensive software and an internet connection,” the Attorneys General wrote in the comments filed with the FCC.

One tactic on the rise is “neighbor spoofing,” a technique that allows calls – no matter where they originate – to appear on a consumer’s caller ID as being made from a phone number that has the same local area code and exchange as the consumer. This manipulation of caller ID information increases the likelihood that the consumer will answer the call.

In November 2017, the FCC issued the 2017 Call Blocking Order, which will give phone service providers the ability to authenticate legitimate calls and identify illegally spoofed calls and block them. The added authority sought by the Attorneys General today will allow service providers to use new technology to detect and block illegal spoofed calls – even those coming from what are otherwise legitimate phone numbers. Service providers will be ready to launch this new authentication method in 2019.

To date, the FCC has not issued a notice of proposed rulemaking concerning additional provider-initiated call blocking. The Attorneys General anticipate that further requests for comments will take place on this subject.

The comments were signed by the Attorneys General of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection.

ONENYC: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES CITY AWARDED MORE THAN $10 BILLION TO M/WBES SINCE 2015

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the City has awarded more than $10 billion to minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBES) since 2015, when the Mayor established his OneNYC goal to award $20 billion to M/WBEs by 2025. In 2018 alone, the City awarded more than $3.7 billion to M/WBEs through mayoral and non-mayoral agencies.

“To truly become the fairest big city in America, we need to take steps that allow everyone – regardless of race, gender or ethnicity – to participate in our economy,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This year, we’ve reached a milestone: $10 billion have been awarded to M/WBEs since the beginning of my Administration. While this is a clear sign of progress, we still have a lot of work to do to continue creating a fairer and more inclusive city.”

“When we give all New Yorkers the resources and tools they need to thrive in our economy, we’re creating a more inclusive and fair city that works for all,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. “While we’ve awarded $10 billion to M/WBEs since 2015, we’re not stopping there. We’re going to keep moving at a fast pace to continue implementing new policies and awarding unprecedented awards to M/WBEs to truly create the fairest big city in America.”

“Today’s historic milestone of awarding $10 billion to M/WBEs delivers upon the Mayor’s unprecedented commitment to make New York City the fairest big city in America,” saidJonnel Doris, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of M/WBEs. “We will continue to open doors and breakdown barriers to participation for women and entrepreneurs of color, creating a more inclusive and diverse economy that works for all.”  

“Under Mayor de Blasio’s leadership, the City is certifying record numbers of M/WBEs and effectively connecting these firms to contracting opportunities,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “The $10 billion in awards announced today is confirmation that M/WBE certification provides a real path for underrepresented firms across the five boroughs.”

In 2015, Mayor de Blasio outlined his OneNYC plan to create a more resilient, sustainable and equitable city. Within this plan, the Mayor established his original OneNYC goal to award $16 billion to M/WBEs through mayoral agencies by 2025. In May of 2018, the Mayor announced that the City was $1.8 billion ahead of projections and that the goal would be expanded to award $20 billion to M/WBEs by 2025. Today, the City is on track, having awarded more than $10 billion to M/WBEs since 2015 through both mayoral and non-mayoral agencies, the latter of which includes agencies such as the Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Education.

The top five performing agencies include:

1. The Department of Design and Construction awarded more than $1 billion to M/WBEs since 2015.

2. The Department of Parks and Recreation awarded more than $455 million to M/WBEs since 2015.

3. The Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications awarded more than $449 million to M/WBEs since 2015.

4. The Department of Environmental Protection awarded more than $434 million to M/WBEs since 2015.

5. The Department of Transportation awarded more than $275 million to M/WBEs since 2015.

In 2016, when Mayor de Blasio announced the creation of the Office of M/WBEs, the Mayor set a goal to award 30 percent of all mayoral and certain non-mayoral contracts to M/WBEs by 2021. In 2018, these agencies have awarded more than $1 billion to M/WBEs, or 19 percent of the value of City contracts. That’s up from 11.4 percent in 2017.

“DDC has made increasing M/WBE participation a top priority, and our office of Diversity and Industry Relations makes a great effort to reach out to M/WBE contractors to ensure they have every opportunity to do business with the City,” said Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. “Since 2015, the agency has convened an External Diversity Advisory Board of construction industry members who help guide our M/WBE program, with a mission to develop innovative practices that foster diversity and inclusion. We’ve also connected with thousands of M/WBE professionals through our industry events, matching M/WBE subcontractors with general contractors that want to hire them. We’re very pleased to be the City’s leading M/WBE contracting agency by volume, and will continue to work toward Mayor de Blasio’s overall M/WBE goals.”

“It takes a lot of contracting to deliver the technology that more than a hundred City agencies and offices depend on to get their work done, and we’re proud to have made M/WBEs an indispensable part of it,” said Samir Saini, Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. “Half a billion dollars to M/WBEs in two years is an agency record, but we’re determined to go farther – because fueling the growth of M/WBEs means fueling economic equity all across the city we love.”

Congressman Engel Cosponsors Legislation to Fight Child Lead Exposure in NYCHA and Other Federally Assisted Housing

  Congressman Eliot Engel has cosponsored legislation to reduce the threat of lead exposure and lead poisoning of children in federally-assisted housing, including NYCHA buildings.

H.R. 6252, the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2018 is a bipartisan bill, authored by Congressman A. Donald McEachin, to update U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, which are inadequate for identifying all potential lead risks. Under current HUD regulations, visual assessments are used to identify the presence of lead. But experts have noted that visual assessments fail to identify lead-based hazards found in in-tact painted surfaces, such as window sills. 

To fix this glaring issue, the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2018 would bar the use of visual assessments for low-income housing constructed prior to 1978 and require the use of a more accurate evaluation tool to identify lead hazards before a family moves in. The bill would also provide a process for families to relocate on an emergency basis, without penalty or the loss of assistance, if a lead hazard is identified in the home and the landlord fails to control the hazard. It would additionally require landlords to disclose the presence of lead if lead hazards are found in the home.

“Reports of lead paint have plagued NYCHA buildings in my district and throughout New York,” Engel said.“This is a big problem for my constituents and it is not being properly addressed, due to in part to these insufficient, outdated regulations. This bill will finally empower families and keep our children safe.”