WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

IT IS ABOUT TIME TO INVESTIGATE MACY'S

You should know that there has been a lot of media hype about Macy’s and the lawsuit actor Robert Brown has brought against Macy’s for (allegedly) parading him through the store in handcuffs after he bought a $1350.00 watch for his mother. Mr. Brown’s case may very well be the tip of the iceberg as to what actually goes on inside Macy’s Herald Square Store, located on West 34th Street in New York City.

My dear friend and former legal counsel, Christopher Lynn, Esq. told me about his experience representing a Hispanic man who was arrested and accused of shoplifting at Macy’s two years ago.

Mr. Lynn’s client went to exchange a coat purchased at Macy’s the day prior and he brought the coat and his receipt for which he paid cash. He was arrested for stealing the coat. The security claimed that the receipt was found on the floor.

Mr. Lynn’s client was taken to the private jail in the store - yes, bars and all. There, he was given a choice: to face arrest with NYPD, or to pay a fine to Macy’s with a credit card or debit card for violating the New York State General Obligation Law section 11-105 Law which allows a store to sue a shop lifter.

Mr. Lynn’s client refused. While he was in custody waiting for the NYPD to arrive, he saw dozens of such detentions, all involving people of color. Many, not wishing arrest, surrendered to the coercion and used their cards to pay a fine.

Mr. Lynn’s client was formally arrested by the NYPD and taken to the midtown criminal court where Presiding Criminal Court Judge Richard Weinberg, upon learning the facts and looking at the receipt, dismissed the charges.

Judge Weinberg recommended that Mr. Lynn subpoena the store videos and records and to start a civil action against Macy's. Mr. Lynn’s client told his attorney about Macy’s private jail. When Mr. Lynn went to serve the subpoenas, he saw the Macy’s jail. According to Mr. Lynn, “It was just like central booking.”

Of course, Macy’s settled.

My dear reader, we all know that people steal, but as Mr. Lynn stated – repeating the words of Judge Weinberg: "They don’t steal in the numbers represented by the arrests. There are not that many stupid, dishonest shoppers. And why are they all minorities? And why is Macy's using that part of the State Law?”

I fully agree with Judge Weinberg and with Mr. Lynn that we need to look at this law. Is Macy's using the New York State General Obligation Law as a stream of revenue? Are their security guards licensed? Are they under quotas for shoplifting detentions? Do they use racial profiling in the store to determine who may or may not be a shoplifter? Why is Macy’s allowed to run a private jail and offer thieves the choice to pay or to get arrested? What does NYPD have to say about this? What records does Macy's keep?

I agree with anyone and everyone who wants to ask Macy’s for the statistics on these "collections." I agree with all who want to know if Macy’s allow those falsely arrested at Macy’s to get a minimum dollar amount if they sue Macy’s in small claims court and win. (If anyone were to ask me how much I think they should pay, I might suggest for Macy’s to pay $5,000 per false arrest.)

You should know that I have sent letters demanding that the New York State Division of Human Rights and the New York City Commission on Human Rights to investigate these matters. I have also sent letters demanding that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District take a first-hand look at this jail at Macy’s 34th Street Flagship Store.

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope the authorities will focus on these matters before things get even more out of control, and before the rush of Christmas shoppers fills the store.

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know. 

 

KNICK Players Come to Local Chase Bank

  Metta World Peace, Raymond Felton, and Pablo Priginoni of the New York Knicks Basketball Team came to the Chase Bank branch located at 3775 Riverdale Avenue Tuesday afternoon to sign autographs for the hundreds people who showed up. This is part of a partnership between the Knick basketball team and Chase Bank that has Knick players visit various Chase Bank branches all over the city.

  The Knick players were accompanied by four of the Knick "City Dancers" Cheerleaders who also signed autographs for the crowd. The Knick players and City Dancers went outside at different times to check out the crowd, and pose for a photo like the one at the top of this page. 

  The Chase Bank branch employees were treated to have their photos also taken with the players, and City Dancers, as well as receiving Knick/Chase T-shirts and headbands (as you will see in one photo below). As the people waited there was a question and answer contest where if someone answered the questions correctly they also won a Chase/Knick item. There were even three separate pairs of tickets to a Knick game that were won by three guys (see photo below) who also got their picture with the players. 

 

Left- The crowd gathered early outside the Chase Bank located at 3775 Riverdale Avenue once the word got out that three Knick players would be signing autographs.

Right - The three winners of Knick tickets show the tickets off as they get their picture taken with the Knick players.

 

The Knick players posed for some shots with some of the kids who came to see them

Left - Ileana. Right - Maya.

Left - Two officers of the 50 Pct. had their photo op with the Knick players. The shot is dark as not to identify the officers.

Right - While the action was going on inside the Knick City Dancers put on their coats and checked out the crowd outside.

 

Left - Chase Bank branch manager Delroy Ximines got into his Knick T-shirt and head band as he poses for this photo with the Knick City Dancers.

Right - A couple of the local merchants on Riverdale Avenue pose with the Knick City Dancers. On the right is Mario owner of Salvatore's of Soho who was reported to have brought a couple of his delicious Pizza pies with him.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR BILL DEBLASIO

  The Ben Franklin Democratic Club is seeking volunteers to help on the Bill deBlasio campaign for Mayor. 

  We need your help to campaign for Bill de Blasio for Mayor so we can have a big Democratic win November 5th.  Here's a morning and late-day schedule for one or more two-hour shifts at transportation stops in our district. Just call Dan Johnson to let him know which two-hour shift you can cover. (516) 672-3819. Thanks.

7-9 am
231st Street/Broadway - 1 train
238th Street/Broadway - 1 train
242nd Street/Broadway 1 train
Mosholu - 4 train
Spuyten Duyvil Metro North

5:30-7:30 pm
Spuyten Duyvil Metro North
Riverdale Metro North
231st Street - 1 train
Bedford Park/Grand Concourse D train

Daytime
Jerome Ave and East Gun Hill Rd
Stop & Shop
Skyview Shopping Center
Johnson Avenue/W. 235 Street

Upcoming Events From Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

Office of Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez 

Have Young Kids in Northern Manhattan?

Check out these great opportunities and events!

District 6 Kindergarten Fair

Learn what elementary school fits your child best! The CEC6 is hosting a fair for incoming kindergarten students on Saturday, November 2nd from 11:00AM to 3:00PM, giving parents and kids a chance to check out everything District 6 has to offer. Schools will include zoned, choice and charter schools, ensuring all options are presented to parents. The fair will be held ad PS 128 on 560 West 169th St. (between St. Nicholas and Amsterdam Ave.

For more information, email CEC6@schools.nyc.gov

Trick-or-Treat at the Inwood Center

 For children 12 & under, accompanied by an adult. Trick-or-treat in a safe, dry, warm environment. Games, prizes, CANDY, and more! At the Inwood Center, 5030 Broadway (btw. W. 213^th & W. 214^th Streets) on Wednesday, October 30^th. Trick-or-treating & Carnival, 3:30pm-5:30pm; party games with the People's Theatre Project from 5:30pm-6pm.  

KidCinemaFest Returns to Washington Heights!

With the opening night on November 8th, the fifth annual KidCinemaFest will make its triumphant return to Washington Heights, to the delight of kids and parents. The opening night will feature the film "Tio Papi" (Uncle Dad), a movie filmed in Washington Heights featuring extras from the neighborhood. The opening night will be held at the Columbia University Medical Center Auditorium at 650 West 168th St. at 7:00PM (Director and Cast will have Q&A session after the movie). Other films will then be shown throughout the week at schools throughout District 6 in Washington Heights and Inwood. The program will close on Thursday, November 14th at the Alianza Dominicana Triangle Building with the film "Tanta Agua" (So Much Water) at 7:00PM. A full program can be found at KidCinemaFest.com or by emailing kidcinemafest@gmail.com

NYC Public School Gifted & Talented Admissions process

Families seeking Gifted & Talented placement for September 2014 in kindergarten through third grade must submit a Request for Testing (RFT) form by November 8, 2013. Families are encouraged to submit the form online (https://prod.semsnycdoe.com/parentsite/), but if they prefer to submit a paper RFT, they can review the application guidelines in the Handbook, available online through the link below and at public elementary schools. The Handbook also includes practice tests. For more information, please call 718-935-2009 or visit http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/GiftedandTalented/default.htm.

Nov 7th Veteran's Luncheon Bronx Chamber of Commerce

 

  

  

 
Join us for the Veteran's Luncheon

Thursday, November 7th

11:30 AM to 2PM

F&J Pine!

  

  

 

  

Mark your calendars for our upcoming events!  

  

What are Some of the Effects of Obamacare on Seniors?

  This comes from the New York Post that reports "Elderly patients sick over losing doctors under Obamacare". The Post writes that seniors are getting notices from their insurance companies that the doctors they may be seeing under the Medicare Advantage plans are no longer in those plans. This leaves the senior with the options of staying in their current plan and choosing a new doctor still in the plan, changing insurance companies where their doctors are in, or pay out of pocket for visits to their doctor.

   The Post reports that UnitedHealthcare is dropping up to 2,100 doctors that serve 8,000 Medicare Advantage patients in the metro New York Area. While there are 2.6 million elderly New Yorkers on Medicare only about 900,000 are in Medicare Advantage HMO's by private companies. The reason for the pairing down of doctors is given to encourage higher quality health care, and to keep cost down as the under the national Affordable Care Act.

   As for responses by the insurance companies UnitedHealthcare defended the doctor roster cuts, as did Emblem and Empire Blue Cross-Blue Shield which both said the cuts were less than one percent of the current rosters. You can see the entire New York Post article here.

No #1 Subway Service This Weekend

   This is what greets you as you come to the # 1 train entrance. From 11:30 PM Friday Oct. 25 to 5 AM Oct 28 "No trains between West 242nd Street and 137th Street". There is a shuttle bus that will take you from the Broadway and West 242nd, West 238th, West 231st, West 225th, and West 215th Street stations to the A train at West 207th Street & Isham Avenue for continued travel downtown. 

   That means if you want to go to any stop below 207th Street on Broadway you have to either take the local bus down, or go down 59th Street to transfer to the # 1 train to go uptown as far as 137th Street & Broadway.

   The shuttle buses wait in the northbound lane of Broadway before West 242nd Street (as you will see in the photos below), and that will cause a traffic problem that leaves only one lane of traffic to flow. This is also right near the left turn only lane for north bound Broadway and the Westchester bus stops & dead head area.

The final problem is that little if any people who use the # 1 line knew of this service change. 

Left - a sign by the # 9 bus tells of the free shuttle bus for # 1 line users, so why would anyone use the # 9 bus down Broadway to West 225th Street. 

Right - A crowd of people waiting for the # 1 shuttle bus. In the background are three MTA employees to help.

 

Left - Just some of the work being done on the # 1 line between West 242nd and 137th streets this weekend.

Right - One of the many shuttle buses that will take # 1 riders to the A train at West 207th Street.

 

Left - # 1 Shuttle buses are double parked northbound on Broadway before West 242nd Street.

Right - Cars are blocked in by the double parked shuttle buses.

 

Left - # 9 bus riders are forced to exit the bus in the middle of the street as the Westchester & # 1 shuttle buses block part of Broadway northbound.

Right - This results in people crossing in between traffic, and only one lane northbound on Broadway by West 242nd Street. That lane being the left turn only lane.

VCP Ice Skating Rink UPDATE

  UPDATE:

   The temporary ice skating rink at Van Cortlandt Park is almost ready to open. In the photos below  the ice is in place, and poles are also in place to hold the barrier that will keep the skaters in the ring. There has been talk in the comments section that I am claiming to have had the rink set up, and that is false. There is also talk that I opposed the rink, and that is false again. Then there was the comment about the head of the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy and myself, again false. He was a candidate for City Council and I am a political columnist. I was doing what is expected of me, covering the candidates. After the election was over it appears that we switched roles. I was now on the Community Board and he was not. Enough said as I will answer any sound comment, and remember the comments are moderated here unlike elsewhere. 

Above - The chiller lines are in place to make the ice.

Left - The ice is now in place, and with the cold weather setting in the rink should open soon.

Right - The poles are in place to hold the barrier that will keep the skaters from falling over the side of the rink.