Darcel Clark Announces Plan to Restructure Bronx District Attorney’s Office

Darcel Clark Announces Plan to

Restructure Bronx District Attorney’s Office

Clark’s VISTA plan to increase efficiency and expand accountability

THE BRONX - Today, former Supreme Court Justice Darcel Clark, the Democratic candidate for Bronx District Attorney, announced the VISTA Plan - her vision on how to modernize the office, improve operations and move cases forward on a more timely basis.

“The VISTA plan I am announcing today will lay the foundation for giving Bronx residents the confidence they deserve in a District Attorney,” said Clark. “With DA Johnson leaving office, I hope to be blessed with the opportunity to move this office forward and address longstanding concerns about the timely disposition of cases and internal operations with new approaches and ideas.”

Focused on improving office operations and reducing the case backlog through structural changes and increased accountability, the VISTA plan includes:

• Vertical Prosecution Model: The District Attorney’s office will be restructured to minimize case transfers between Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) by assigning one ADA to handle a case from start to finish.  Currently, multiple ADAs handle different aspects of a prosecution, leading to miscommunications or delays that hinder prosecutions.
• Internal Controls: A CompStat-style system will be introduced to help hold Bureau Chiefs and their subordinates accountable for the timely disposition of cases. Junior ADAs will work side by side with experienced ADAs and both will have access to Supervisors, Deputies and Bureau Chiefs at all time, allowing for greater training opportunities.
• Standing Up to Corruption: If elected, Judge Clark will make the aggressive pursuit of public corruption a top priority, and will create a Public Integrity Unit within the District Attorney’s office to root out corruption and protect the integrity of public offices and agencies.
• Time Sensitive Solutions: Needless delays hamper ADAs from mounting successful prosecutions and deny justice for both victims and defendants.  A stronger emphasis will be made on ensuring that ADAs swiftly prepare for trial, answer motions and provide all discovery to defendants on time and on schedule, and present strong legal arguments to counter any effort to unduly delay a trial.  Special task forces will be established to examine old misdemeanors and indictments with a goal towards eliminating backlogs with fair dispositions or speedy trials.
• Active Investigations: The Bronx District Attorney will actively collaborate with federal, state and local law enforcement, community leaders and the entire justice system to proactively investigate matters of concern in every corner of our borough.

“My focus will entirely be on making this office the best it can be,” said Clark. “I believe that the VISTA plan will help to achieve exactly that, and I hope to be honored by the voters with their support.”

A lifelong resident of the Bronx, Judge Clark was raised in Soundview Houses and attended Bronx public schools before going to college and law school. She served as an Assistant District Attorney for 13 years before being appointed a Criminal Court Judge by Mayor Giuliani.  Elected as a State Supreme Court Justice in 2005, Judge Clark was elevated to the Appellate Division by Governor Cuomo in 2012.

This year’s general election will take place on Tuesday, November 3rd.

For a full biography of Judge Clark please click here. 

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State Senator Jeff Klein Presents 1st Ever: "TASTE OF MORRIS PARK EVENT" Sunday, October 18th 1 pm - 4 pm Loreto Park

TASTE OF MORRIS PARK Food Festival

This Sunday, October 18th 1 pm - 4 pm Loreto Park

For More Information call Senate Klein’s Office 718-822-2049

Register Now For The Tour de Bronx!

The 21^st Annual Tour de Bronx Registration is Now Open

-         The largest free cycling event in New York State to take place
on Sunday, October 25^th.

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and The Bronx Tourism Council are encouraging cyclists from all over the region to register for the 21^st Annual Tour de Bronx, the largest free cycling event in New York State. The event was established in 1994 by the office of the Bronx Borough President and The Bronx Tourism Council as a means to promote a healthier lifestyle, an alternate mode of transportation and a way to tour the burgeoning neighborhoods, scenic waterfronts and greenways of the borough.

Participants come from all over the country to ride one of two possible routes: The 25-mile ride takes riders through the south, east and mid portion of the borough including the Mott Haven district, Clason Point along the East River, and Pelham Bay Park, the largest park in New York boasting nearly 3,000 acres of natural forest; The 40-mile route includes a visit to the historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula, the nautical community of City Island and the northwest communities such as Woodlawn and Riverdale. Both rides conclude at the iconic New York Botanical Garden where riders receive a complimentary souvenir T-shirt and enjoy a live musical performance as they relax from the day’s festivities.

The New York City Department of Transportation will fit and distribute free bicycle helmets from 8am to noon (while supplies last) and Metro North Railroad will waive their bicycle permit requirements and quantity limits for the day.

“Tour de Bronx is a great event for people of all ages, especially for visitors to our vibrant borough. It gives everyone an opportunity to explore historical sites, see beautiful waterfronts, and ride through our amazing local neighborhoods,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Once again, we are welcoming riders from across the region and around the globe to see The Bronx as they had never seen it before.”

Throughout the years, the event has grown exponentially. In 2014 the Tour de Bronx saw a record-breaking 7,000+ participants from all over the country as well as a few who come from abroad.

“It’s exciting to watch this event continue to evolve as we see more and more tourists joining New Yorkers to experience The Bronx in a unique way.” Says Olga Luz Tirado, executive director of The Bronx Tourism Council.

“Montefiore is proud to partner with the Bronx Borough President and The Bronx Tourism Council on the Tour de Bronx,” said Steven M. Safyer, M.D., President and CEO of Montefiore Health System. “This annual event sends an important, positive message about our community and being physically and mentally active. It’s a unique, dynamic, and inspirational way to tour our home borough with its rich history.”

The Tour de Bronx is made possible by Montefiore Medical Center; Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center and St. Barnabas Health System. Additional support is provided by Transportation Alternatives, The Coca Cola Company, Domino’s Pizza and Clif Bar.

A host of community services and discounts will be available for each participant rider who cycles in the Tour de Bronx.

Riders looking to hang out in The Bronx after the tour, can find a fantastic culinary experience with authentic Italian flair on Arthur Avenue, the real Little Italy.

Emilia’s Restaurant is offering riders a select complimentary appetizer, while Blue Mediterranean Restaurant will discount 15% off your food order. Mike’s Deli is offering a free glass of homemade wine, Peroni Beer, or homemade iced tea with your purchase of a sandwich or a pasta dish.  You can also take the “Your Experience of The Little Italy in The Bronx” home with you by stopping at DeCicco Brothers Novelties and get three Arthur Avenue Tees for $24.99.

Or come back and join us as the Bronx Opera Company is offering $10 off of all tickets for this year’s performances. Riders must show their bibs to receive these offers.

For more information and to register for the 21^st Annual Tour de Bronx, visit www.ilovethebronx.com. 

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SENATOR KLEIN ANNOUNCES $1.5M IN STATE FUNDING FOR THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN EDIBLE ACADEMY

  $1.5M state grant to support construction of new facility and program aimed at addressing childhood obesity and teaching healthy eating practices to NYC families

      

BRONX, NY  - State Senator Jeff Klein, joined by Gregory Long, Chief Executive Officer and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), announced Wednesday that he has secured a $1.5 million state grant which will go toward the construction of a new Edible Academy campus at The NYBG aimed at addressing childhood obesity and teaching healthy eating habits to New York City students and their families. The announcement was made as dozens of P.S. 24 students visiting the Family Garden were harvesting fall vegetables in anticipation of the first frost in coming weeks.

Senator Jeff Klein said: “By investing in our children’s health and wellness from an early age, we are providing a solid foundation for the future and improving health outcomes for generations of New Yorkers. Throughout my career, I have made combating childhood obesity and encouraging a healthy lifestyle a top priority – including advocating for funding for physical fitness programs and introducing legislation to improve access to fruits and vegetables in underserved communities. I’m proud to have secured $1.5 million in state funding for the new, state-of-the-art Edible Academy and look forward to working with The New York Botanical Garden to provide students and their families with the tools they need to connect with nature, and lead long, healthy and happy lives.”

Gregory Long, Chief Executive Officer & The William C. Steere Sr. President of the New York Botanical Garden, said: “The New York Botanical Garden is proud to be a leader in garden-based education for teachers and children from The Bronx and throughout the New York metro region. To address childhood obesity and other health issues caused by poor nutrition, and with the help of funding secured by State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, the Garden is expanding its edible gardening education to a larger-scale program, The Edible Academy.  This state-of-art complex will allow the Garden to increase the number of people served annually by its edible educational programs from 50,000 to more than 100,000, and expand to year-round instruction. We thank all the funders of this project and deeply appreciate that New York State, through the leadership of Senator Jeff Klein, chose to invest in this important project that will improve lives and the health of Bronx schoolchildren and their families.”

The Edible Academy, a leading garden-based education platform, provides hands-on activities, and interactive programs that help children, their families, and their teachers learn more about growing and preparing vegetables, fruits, and herbs while helping them gain a lifelong interest in gardening and healthy living.

The Edible Academy project will allow The NYBG to expand existing programs through the winter months by constructing a cutting-edge, environmentally friendly facility with ample classroom space. The new facility will offer year-round edible gardening programs and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities related to cooking and growing.

The $1.5 million state grant secured by Klein will help support City funds already allocated for the construction of the new facility – effectively doubling NYBG capacity and incorporating new opportunities for nutrition education and cooking activities to over 100,000 individuals a year.

The project will also include the construction of an innovative green roof, teaching greenhouse, 300-seat amphitheater, solar pavilion and sprawling meadow garden.

The NYBG is expected to break ground on The Edible Academy in the fall of 2016, with the facility’s expected completion date slated for the spring of 2018 – just in time for planting season.

National Women's Political Caucus Bronx Chapter Meeting on October 13

National Women's Political Caucus Save the Date Bronx Chapter Meeting Tuesday, October 13, 2015 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Mercy College  1200 Waters Place, Bronx, NY 10461 RSVP by Friday October 9th at varahnbrnx@aol.com

Agenda Call to Order  -  Varahn Chamblee Greetings  -  Lenny Caro, Mercy College Welcome to the Bronx - Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj About NWPC - NYC - Sharon Nelson State Senator Ruth Hassell Thompson About the Membership to NWPC - Paul Wilson Questions/Acknowledgement For more information about the National Women's Political Caucus, please click here.

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Bronx Chamber of Commerce October 14th - Rambling House and Upcoming Events

Please join the  Bronx Chamber of Commerce  for our  upcoming events  SPACES ARE FILLING UP Don't Miss Out  Reserve Your Spot Today     Country Bank Dinner Network FREE FOR MEMBERS!  6:00PM Wednesday Oct.14th   ---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- Members Exclusive Business Breakfast   8:00AM Wednesday, Oct. 21st     Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Workshop 5:30PM Monday, Oct.26th ---------------------------------------------------- For More Information Please Email: EVENTS@BRONXCHAMBER.ORG

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman - Fighting Designer Drugs, Working To End Online Sex Trafficking & Investigating DraftKings and Fanduel

THIS WEEK IN THE NEWS October 5  to October 9, 2015 TOP HEADLINES  Cracking Down On Synthetic Marijuana And Designer Drugs The Attorney General announced his office filed lawsuits against two businesses for allegedly selling and shipping synthetic marijuana and other designer drugs. The shops, located in Erie and Rockland counties, are charged with labeling dangerous products with names like “Green Giant” and “Psycho,” and in new formats like psychoactive eliquids and candies, then promoting and marketing them as “legal highs.” Some products allegedly had practically no label information and most lacked comprehensive ingredient lists, warnings, and directions for use. The proliferation of illegal designer drugs is a national health crisis that is hurting families and communities, and the Attorney General is stepping in to protect New Yorkers.  Partnering With Facebook To End Online Sex Trafficking This week the Attorney General announced he is forming a new partnership with Facebook to use innovative data and analytical methods to crack down on human trafficking. The partnership will leverage technology to identify victims of sex trafficking in online advertisements for commercial sex, and pursue the traffickers that engage in this practice of modern day slavery. The initiative will focus, in particular, on identifying child victims of sex trafficking, including those who are reported as missing. This is the most recent example of Facebook’s collaboration with the Attorney General’s office; they previously joined together to send AMBER alerts to news feeds on Facebook and to curb illegal firearms sales online. Ending On Call Scheduling At Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters has now become the fifth major retailer to the end use of on-call shifts since the Attorney General launched an inquiry into the scheduling practice earlier this year. The retailer will begin to phase in the change starting in November for employees at all of its New York stores. Workers deserve basic protections, including a reliable work schedule that allows them to budget living expenses, arrange for childcare needs, and plan their days, and Urban Outfitters is taking an important step to ensure that their employees have schedules that are more predictable. Improving Hospital Services For Those With Limited Language Ability Two hospitals in Binghamton have agreed to bolster their language assistance and financial aid services in an effort to better serve their increasingly diverse communities. Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital and Auburn Community Hospital will provide training for personnel on communicating with LEP individuals, translate important documents, and promote effective communication between clinical personnel and patients and families, among other measures. Overcoming language barriers in the medical setting is key to protecting the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, and these agreements exemplify steps that healthcare providers can take to provide everyone a meaningful opportunity to obtain quality medical care. Ensuring The Integrity of Nursing Home Facilities The Attorney General announced the indictment of two Orange County individuals for allegedly falsifying credentials for nursing instructors in order to have a planned nursing assistant training institute approved. The defendants, who together operated Major Staffing LLC, a nurse staffing agency, are alleged to have knowingly submitted nine different falsified documents to the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision in an effort to push through the licensing of their school, where they planned to train Certified Nursing Assistants for the chronically ill and elderly. Nursing home staff must have the highest level of training and experience—New Yorkers should expect nothing less. Guaranteeing Health Care Benefits For Employees The Attorney General is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Labor to address violations of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act and New York State laws covering health insurance plans. This agreement will allow for greater collaboration on enforcement efforts involving New York insurance companies violating state or federal law. Since 2010, the New York Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau has reached more than a dozen agreements with health insurance companies enforcing laws related to a wide variety of health care issues, and the Attorney General will continue to ensure that all types of health plans comply with our vital federal and state consumer protection laws. Stopping Theft From Medicaid  The Attorney General announced the arrest of two operators of a transportation company for allegedly bilking Medicaid out of more than $1 million. Yellow Medi-Van and Taxi received payments from Medicaid for transporting beneficiaries to medical appointments, but it is alleged that the duo who opened the company failed to follow proper transportation regulations, including not having workers’ compensation insurance. During the time the company was allegedly operated unlawfully, the owners received more than $1 million in Medicaid payments.  In Other News...  After reports of employees at fantasy sports websites potentially using inside information to gain an advantage on other sites, the Attorney General opened an inquiry into DraftKings and FanDuel.                                   Upcoming Event Attorney General Schneiderman and THe Center for New York City Neighborhoods present a Mortgage Scam & Foreclosure Prevention Workshop this week. See the flyer below for details. In Other News... Following the T-Mobile data breach, the Attorney General offered tips to consumers to protect their personal information moving forward. The Attorney General is encouraging those who believe they were duped by Internet Order LLC into paying high costs for online language courses to file a complaint with the office in order to potentially receive restitution.                                              Upcoming Event Attorney General Schneiderman and the League of Women Voters will host a discussion on Restoring Public Trust and Confidence in Albany at Mamaroneck High School this week. See flyer below for details. In Other News...                                                         The Attorney General is leading a coalition of a dozen states urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case concerning restrictions limiting access to abortion services. With the New York City Campaign Finance Board, the Attorney General’s office reached a settlement with the Advance Groupover improper campaign coordination in the 2013 election cycle.                                                      Did You Know... You could request a presentation from the Attorney General's Office by submitting an online request? Check out our online Presentation Request Form. Your family, friends, and colleagues could sign up for this newsletterhere? You could file a complaint using our online forms? Consumer Fraud Complaint Price Gouging Complaint Internet Bureau Complaint Loan Modification Scam Medicaid Fraud or Nursing Home Patient Abuse & Neglect Contact Us 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 atag.ny.gov.

STATE SENATOR JEFF KLEIN CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN THE BRONX

  Klein honors distinguished Hispanic members of The Bronx community for outstanding service and dedication - with special Guest Christine Chavez

State Senator Jeff Klein honored distinguished members of the Bronx community at his annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the Havana Cafe located at 3151 East Tremont Avenue. 

The awards luncheon featured renowned labor leader Christine Chavez, who has continued her grandfather’s fight for equal rights through her work with the Cesar Chavez Foundation. Senator Klein will present awards to distinguished members of the Hispanic community in The Bronx who embody the spirit of service in their communities.

The honorees were -

Hon. Luis M. Diaz, Bronx County Clerk

Hon. Julia Rodriguez, Democratic District Leader

Hon. Ritchie Torres, New York City Council Member

Ms. Claudia Granados, New York State Director for the Northeast Charter School Network. Photos of the event are below.

Above and Below - State Senator Jeff Klein with Christine Chavez, and presenting her with a proclamation from the state for her work in labor.

Above Senator Klein with honoree Hon. Luis Diaz, Bronx County Clerk.

Below - Senator Klein with Honoree Claudia Granadosof NESSN.

Above - Senator Klein with Honoree Female District Leader 87th A.D. Julia Rodriguez. 

Below - Honoree Councilman Ritchie Torres acknowledges new Bronx District Attorney Democratic candidate Darcel Clark.

Above - Bronx District Attorney Democratic candidate Darcel Clark gave thanks for being selected as the candidate to replace retiring Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson. I was able to ask Bronx DA candidate Clark if she would do something retiring Bronx DA did not, and that was prosecute corrupt Bronx elected officials. Candidate Clark said that without any hesitation that she would go after any elected official who was corrupt.

Below - Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo was on hand as one of the rising Hispanic stars of the Bronx. 

A group photo of the honorees, Christine Chavez, and Senator Jeff Klein.