CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GIBSON AND WILLIAMS RESPOND TO HIGH NUMBER OF WEEKEND SHOOTINGS

  Today, Council Member Vanessa Gibson, Chair of the Council's Committee on Public Safety, and Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader and Co-Chair of the Council's Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, released the following statement after a high number of shootings occurred last weekend throughout the five boroughs. 

   "Our prayers for peace and comfort go out to the friends and loved ones of all of those impacted by the high number of shootings that took place throughout the city and the country this weekend. The assault on Mayor de Blasio's security detail has been a stark reminder to us all that in a climate where such violence becomes the norm, everyone is put at risk. A large number of major cities saw similar spikes in gun violence last weekend, including a high number of shootings in Chicago and Indianapolis. We must stay strong in the face of this continued assault on our quality of life and recognize that each of us has a role and responsibility to help reduce the senseless violence in our city and nation.

"Gun violence is a systemic disease which must be treated holistically. The frustrating reality is that although overall crime is down in New York City, we too frequently experience weekends filled with shootings. Although our city has begun to incorporate new policing tactics to combat violence, families will continue to lose loved ones if we don't take extra steps to holistically address violent behavior at its root cause. We must first severely limit the supply of guns in our city while still honoring the second amendment. Simultaneously, it is imperative that we get to the heart of the significant structural deficits that exist in many communities, often driving the need for violence that can result in fatal actions.

"As elected officials who have fought to improve our city's public safety, we are resolved to address this violence at every level and ask all New Yorkers to refuse to accept violence as an answer. With a combined community response and real, concerted efforts, we will stop seeing incidents like those we saw last weekend."

Annual Bronx Democratic County Organization Barbecue, Baseball Games, and Family Day

  It was the Annual Bronx Democratic County organization Barbecue, Baseball Games, and Family Day, as in the photo above is Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo with his lovely wife and two darling daughters.

  Instead of the usual barbecue as was the practice in the past new county leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo wanted to show the teamwork of the Bronx Democratic County organization, and what better way then to have not one, but two baseball games. 

Above - Former County Leader and now Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie knocks one to the outfield during batting practice. Heastie would be the player coach of Heastie's Hitters.

Below - You can see that current County Leader Marcos Crespo has swung and missed as the ball is about to be caught by Assemblyman Victor Pichardo. Crespo was the player coach of Crespo's Crusaders. 

 Above - Before the first game there was a show of unity with starting from the right is a past County Leader Assemblyman Jose Rivera, his replacement as County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie, the current County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and the man who has been with all three and some of those before them Election and County Lawyer Stanley Schlein. 

Below - Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto pose with County Leader Crespo.

Above - While Heastie's Hitters went out to a 3 - 0 lead in the first inning, Crespo's Crusaders wound up winning the game 4 - 3 in extra innings, as they celebrate their victory. 

Below - City Comptroller Scott Stringer arrived as the first game ended. Assembly Speaker Heastie was my vote for MVP of the game even if his team did not win as Heastie played third base better than most current major league players while also hitting better than most of them.

Above - Congressman Jose Serrano who caught the six inning game for Heastie's Hitters lets everyone know how he feels, and not on the Iran Nuclear deal. Also in the photo is State Senator Jeff Klein (who did not play), Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz who was proud of his .333 batting average, but not so proud of his 3 errors at first base, and City Comptroller Scott Stringer. 

Below - BDCC Executive Director Anthony Perez talks with former Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, with 78th A.D. Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Ricky Martinez also in the photo.

Above - For the second game Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. led the BP's Bombers, against the second team of Crespo's Crusaders who this time had last games MVP Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

Below - BP Diaz tells Speaker Heastie that he is making a mistake by going to the other team, and that the BP's Bombers will score more than both teams did in game one.

Above - BP Diaz is up to bat in the top of the first inning getting a base hit, where the BP Dombers batted around scoring 9 runs. 

Below - BP Diaz flashed the leather at first base as the game shortly ended with the BP Bombers winning 9 - 2. 

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Return Of Additional $4.5 Million To 15,000 Citi Customers For Fee Overcharges

Schneiderman’s Investigation Will Return More Than $20.5 Million In Total Reimbursement To More Than 46,000 Overcharged Customers

Schneiderman: Discovery Of Additional Overcharges Reflects Citi’sCONTINUEDEffort To Identify And Fully Repay All Overcharged Customers

        Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that as a result of an interim agreement with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. (CGMI), a subsidiary of Citigroup, more than 15,000 CGMI customers who were overcharged fees on their investmentACCOUNTSwill receive reimbursements totaling more than $4.5 million. Customers were overcharged when CGMI failed to rebate certain customers’ accounts after periods of inactivity when fees should not have been charged, but were. CGMI identified the overcharges as part of an internal review conducted in cooperation with the Attorney General’s investigation of CGMI fees. The investigation previously led to $16 million in principal and interest going back to 31,000 CGMI customers, and now thousands more customers are eligible to get money back.

“My office will work with any financial institution that identifies and wants to correct an error that harmed its customers. In this case, Citi’s cooperation with our investigation will result in $20.5 million being refunded to tens of thousands of Citi customers in New York and elsewhere,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “I want to thank Citi for itsCONTINUED cooperation with our investigation, which has ensured that Citi customers are getting back the money they deserve.”

For certain types of investment accounts, CGMI charges fees prospectively, for example, assessing fees at the beginning of a quarter for account management during the upcoming quarter. For a variety of reasons, a CGMI customer’s account may be ‘frozen’ during a particular period of inactivity. In some cases, customers should not be charged fees during that period. CGMI’s review revealed that if a customer requested a refund of prospectively paid fees that covered a period when the customer’s account was frozen, CGMI sometimes rebated the fees to the customer. However, CGMI’s review revealed that thousands of customers who were overcharged fees during frozen periods were not allocated rebates they should have received, either because they did not request a rebate, or because CGMI did not have policies and procedures in place to determine when rebates were appropriate. As a result, CGMI overcharged more than 15,000 accounts. CGMI will repay its customers for the overcharges, a total of more than $4.5 million in principal and interest. More than 2,700 New York customers are set to receive a total of approximately $657,000.

The Attorney General’s investigation of CGMI began in 2012 after a complaint from a Westchester resident led the Attorney General to investigate fee overcharge issues at CGMI. The investigation has proceeded with CGMI’s cooperation, and will result in theREPAYMENTof more than $20 million in principal and interest for fees CGMI overcharged its customers. Due to the Attorney General’s investigation, CGMI initially identified more than 31,000 customers who were charged higher advisory fees than they negotiated on so-called “TRAK” accounts. In an October 22, 2014 interim agreement between CGMI and the Attorney General, CGMI agreed to reimburse its customers for those overcharges. CGMI also agreed toCONTINUE to cooperate with the Attorney General’s investigation and conduct a wider review of other types of accounts to ensure that anyACCOUNT holders who were overcharged would also be paid restitution. Citi has continued to cooperate since the October 2014 agreement, and its wider review of customer accounts identified the additional 15,430 Citi customer accounts that were overcharged fees during frozen periods.

As a result of the Attorney General’s investigation and Citi’s cooperation, more than $20.5 million will be repaid to more than 46,000 customers, including approximately $2 million to more than 5,600 customers in New York. The Attorney General will continue to oversee CGMI’s review and remediation efforts.

The investigation into Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. is led by Katherine Milgram, Deputy Chief of the InvestorPROTECTION Bureau, and Assistant Attorney General Dhawal Sharma.  Gary Brown, Assistant Attorney General-in-Charge of the Westchester Regional Office, has also contributed to the investigation. Karla G. Sanchez is the Executive Deputy Attorney General for Economic Justice. The Westchester Office is part of the Division of Regional Affairs led by Executive Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs Marty Mack.

SENATOR KLEIN FINDS BRONX SEX OFFENDER IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW

  One day after being released from state correctional facility, registered sex offender moves 450-feet from local elementary school

Convicted felon also found living dangerously close to UPK program, currently legal due to gaping hole in New York State Penal Law

Klein sponsored legislation would ban sex offenders from residing near UPK programs and strengthen protections for children and families

State Senator Jeff Klein today announced that a registered sex offender, Mark Mercado, released from Gowanda Correctional Facility in western New York has relocated to The Bronx – directly violating state law and moving a mere 449-feet from a special needs elementary school.

What’s more shocking than the speed at which this convicted felon found a new home next to the Biondi Elementary School, is a dangerous loophole in state law that does not place residency restrictions on stand-alone Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs. The sex offender also resides within 950-feet of a stand-alone UPK at the Westchester Tremont Day Care Center, serving 100 local children.

Senator Klein said: “Across New York, we’ve found sex offenders violating their parole, living dangerously close to traditional schools, and more egregiously, right next to our most vulnerable children attending pre-K programs. This is absolutely unacceptable. The legal definition of ‘school’ does not currently prevent registered sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of pre-K programs – posing a deadly threat to the safety and security of New York’s families. It’s our duty to protect our children from pedophiles and I strongly urge the State Assembly to pass this important legislation and close this loophole immediately.”

In 2014, Senator Klein introduced legislation (S.1520) that would update New York State Penal Law to prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from knowingly being within 1,000 feet of a facility where pre-kindergarten or kindergarten instruction is provided. The bill overwhelmingly passed the State Senate in 2014 and 2015. The bill was never moved to the floor for a vote in the Assembly.

Six months ago, the Independent Democratic Conference released a bombshell investigative report “Keeping Our Children Safe From Sex Offenders” which uncovered startling violations of residency restrictions and numerous sex offenders living dangerously close to both traditional and stand-alone UPK programs in New York.

Two of the sexual predators found in that investigation – Michael Nieves and Damon Ford – are already back in prison. Ford violated his parole after police found him purchasing synthetic marijuana. Nieves also violated parole conditions when police were called to his home for a domestic dispute.

SEX OFFENDERS CURRENTLY RESIDING WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM IN NEW YORK CITY:

Sex Offenders Residing Within 1,000 ft. of a UPK Program affiliated with a Public School

Name

Address

Victim Age

School

Distance From School

Bronx

Charles S. Grant

1160 Teller Ave, Bronx, NY 10456

10-years-old

PS 53 Basheer Quisim 360 E 168thSt, Bronx, NY 10456

369 ft.

Staten Island

James Randolph

St. Elizabeth Ann HC 91 Tompkins Ave, Staten Island, NY 10304

9-years-old

PS 078 100 Tompkins Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10304

106 ft.

Sex Offenders Residing Within 1,000 ft. of a Community UPK Program

Name

Address

Victim Age

School

Distance From School

Bronx

Ernest W. Clark

1265 Fulton Ave, Bronx, NY 10456

8,12-years-old

Habitot Es 3480 Third Ave., Bronx, NY 10465

633 ft.

Queens

Joel Navarro

217-19 110th Ave Top Floor, Queens Village, NY 11429

7-years-old

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church 217-55 110th Ave, Queens Village, NY 11429

264 ft.

 

Brooklyn

Arturo Ragler	501 New Lots Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207	7-years-old	United Community Day Care 613 New Lots Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 12207	898 ft.
Angel Rios	606 Jerome St. Brooklyn, New York 11207	7, 5-years-old	Brightside Academy, 683 Barbey Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207	898 ft.
Garry Manson	32 Rochester Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233	7-years-old	BCS Atlantic Avenue Early Learning Center 1825 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233	580 ft.
Mike Montes	25 Fairview Place, Brooklyn, NY 11226	6, 4-years-old	Joan Watkins Corp. DBA Pre-School Minds Day Care Center, 3316-18 Church Street, Brooklyn, NY 11203	633 ft.
Guillermo Ayala	32 Rochester Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233	14-years-old	BCS Atlantic Avenue Early Learning Center 1825 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233	580 ft.

In 2009, Senator Klein introduced legislation that created a sex offender email notification system that later became Chapter 478 of New York State Law. The system allows local residents to receive instant email alerts any time a sex offender moves into a selected zip code. The legislation has been hailed by community groups and advocates.

UPDATE --Kennedy Campus Gas Explosion

  Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that a worker at the site of the gas explosion was responsible for the incident. The mayor said one worker had lit a match near a gas line to see if the gas was on. The mayor then went on to sAy that it looks like the building will not be in shape for opening day of the new school year. In all there are 8 schools that comprise the Kennedy Campus which was one known as John F. Kennedy High School, which was closed due to continued poor performance under then Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

  The 2 Charter schools inside the Kennedy Campus were scheduled to open for the new school year next week, and those students will be housed in the nearby INTech school building in front of the Kennedy Campus until the building reopens. Mayor de Blasio said that every student who is scheduled to attend any of the schools inside the Kennedy Campus will have a seat in a nearby school until the building can safely reopen.

STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBR COHEN

Re: Gas Explosion at John F. Kennedy High School

  “I am grateful for all of the efforts of our first responders in the aftermath of last night’s unfortunate gas explosion at John F. Kennedy High School.  While I was on the scene of the incident, the emergency response from the FDNY, NYPD, OEM and others aiding the victims was nothing short of tremendous.  I am thankful for their hard work and my thoughts are with the victims who I wish a quick and full recovery.

  “I will work diligently with the Mayor, Department of Education, the School Construction Authority and my other colleagues in government to ensure that the damage at the JFK campus is repaired so classes can safely take place there as soon as possible.  In the meantime, the City is committed to finding a temporary location that is both a safe and productive learning environment for our students.”

Statement from Assemblyman Dinowitz on The Gas Explosion at John F. Kennedy High School

  “Last night’s gas explosion at John F. Kennedy High School Campus in Marble Hill was a shock to our community. Though we are very fortunate that the school was not in session, my thoughts and prayers are with the three construction workers who were injured in this unfortunate incident. Additionally, I am very grateful to the FDNY, the NYPD, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, Mayor de Blasio, and everyone else who responded to this incident as quickly and efficiently as possible, ensuring the public’s safety. In the coming weeks we will do everything we can to make sure that John F. Kennedy High School Campus is safe and ready to open for students.”

Editor's note: 

  It will be up to the FDNY to determine the exact cause of the explosion, and if it was indeed a lit match by one of the workers by an open gas line. One has to wonder since the city has said that this was a contractor that had an excellent safety record and had completed many jobs in the past without incidents. Was this a worker from the contractor, or was the worker determined to be at fault from a sub contractor which is a common practice when bids are awarded to contractors by the city?

  

Make Toplessness in Public Illegal for Everyone

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

Make Toplessness in Public Illegal for Everyone 

You should know that some time ago, Times Square used to be the pits of the nation where criminals, drug dealers, prostitutes and all kind of sordid behavior could be found in the area. 

Times Square was a haven for open prostitution, commercialized sex, selling and using drugs. There were used condoms all over the place. People were afraid to take their families – especially children to Times Square because they didn’t want to witness the immoral behavior. Even the streets were dirty. 

It is well known that New York City Mayors used to come and go, and Times Square didn’t see any change - until a guy by the name of Rudy Giuliani was elected Mayor and instituted the quality of life policy.  Regardless of anyone’s opinion or fight for supposed civil rights, his legacy includes completely reforming Times Square. 

During his war on crime, Giuliani cleaned the streets and transformed Times Square into a new place where families from all over the world were drawn. New York’s next Mayor Michael Bloomberg closed the streets in Times Square and created a plaza. 

But ladies and gentlemen, surprise, surprise: Times Square has made a turn for the worse and is on its way back to what it was before Giuliani. 

Now we have naked cowboys, topless women doing business and taking photos – accosting and molesting tourists, a cursing Elmo, and people pissing in the streets.  All kinds of immorality have returned to Times Square. 

Our current Mayor Bill de Blasio’s solution to the problem is to close the Times Square Plaza due to the fact that equality in the law allows for women to go topless because men can go topless.  Therefore, Police Officers are not permitted to arrest, summons or harass topless women, because of “equality.” 

The problem with Mayor de Blasio’s solution in closing the Times Square Plaza, will cause the naked cowboys and the naked women to move to other places. That will create a situation where Mayor de Blasio will have to keep closing places all throughout the City of New York.  He will have to keep chasing them all over and closing places until there are no places left to close. 

The law that authorizes women and men to go topless needs to be changed! As a Senator representing the South Bronx, I am afraid that Hunts Point might be next to go back to what it was. 

Therefore, I am introducing legislation to make it illegal for anyone to go topless in the streets and places in New York State except for beaches. 

In a city where millions of people are drawn to Times Square, we need to push against the immorality that has taken root there once again so families can enjoy New York. If equality laws are in the way, let’s push for equality so neither men nor women can go topless in our streets. 

My dear reader, I hope that my colleagues in the State Legislature and the Mayor of New York City will support my legislation to do away with toplessness in the streets of New York. 

That will be better than chasing topless women and closing streets all over New York City. 

I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.