Upcoming January Events at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center

  On Thurs. Jan. 21st, Hagit Avnon, an Israeli born actor/singer will present “Women of the Bible.” Using costumes and narration, Hagit engages with the audience.

A nutritious kosher lunch of soup, baked fillet of sole or chicken salad, spinach noodle pudding, vegetables and fruit will be served at 12:15 PM followed by dramatic musical

program at 1:00 PM. Refreshments will be served.

Recommended Senior Meal Contribution: $2.50 and $1.00 for event

Non-senior Meal Fee: $5.00 and Event Fee: $2.00

Contact JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center office at 718-549-4700 for meal reservations by Tues. Jan. 20th. 

Celebrate Tu B’Shvat (Israeli Arbor Day) on Thurs. Jan. 28th with a special meal and lively entertainment by Suki Rae, Flutist and Steve Bloom, Guitar. They will perform Hebrew, Yiddish, classical, Latin and jazz music.

A festive lunch of soup, baked salmon or turkey breast, brown rice w/mushrooms, steamed carrots and fruit will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the musical program at 1:00 PM. Holiday refreshments will be served.

Recommended senior meal contribution: $2.50 and $2.00 for event.

Non-senior meal Fee: $5.00 and Event Fee: $2.00

Contact JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center office at 718-549-4700 for meal reservations by Tues. Jan. 26th.

All meals at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center are catered by Mauzone (kosher) Meal Service. We offer a daily alternate choice of main dish. Call senior center office to request the alternative meal option on day of event.  Refreshments are served at all special events.

We are located in the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center at 3880 Sedgwick Ave. (on the first floor). Take the Bronx #1, 2 or 10 bus to the intersection of Sedgwick Ave. and Van Cortlandt Ave. West. For more information, please call the center office at 718-549-4700.

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center is funded by NYC Dept. for the Aging, UJA- Federation of NY and by special grants from Council Member Andrew Cohen and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave., First Floor 

Bronx, NY 10463

Phone: 718-549-4700

ENGEL Welcomes Mexico Firearms Trafficking Report

  Engel: "Congress has a responsibility to do much more to stop the illegal flow of guns across the U.S.–Mexico border."

WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he commissioned on U.S. efforts to halt illegal firearms trafficking to Mexico. Representative Engel requested the report in May 2014.

                                                                                                             

“With at least 70 percent of firearms recovered at Mexican crime scenes coming from the United States, our Congress has a responsibility to do much more to stop the illegal flow of guns across the U.S.—Mexico border. Unfortunately, House Republicans continue to be much more concerned with loosening already lax gun regulations than protecting citizens in both of our countries from gun violence,” said Rep. Engel.

“GAO’s report found that law enforcement in both the United States and Mexico have been increasingly concerned with the transport of weapons parts from the U.S. to Mexico where they are assembled into finished firearms.  Fortunately, this is an issue that can be easily addressed.  To stop this dangerous trend, I urge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to use their discretion in defining what constitutes a gun ‘receiver.’ Far too often, unfinished gun receivers are minimally modified to avoid regulation.  Existing law defines ‘receivers’ as firearms and gives ATF discretion in defining what constitutes a receiver.  The transport of firearms parts into Mexico continues to contribute to the dangerous scourge of drug-related violence in the country.

“In response to a GAO report I commissioned on the same topic in 2009, ATF and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put in place a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to better coordinate their joint efforts to stop firearms trafficking.  Unfortunately, GAO found gaps in information sharing and misunderstandings over who does what.  I support GAO’s recommendation that the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security more formally monitor implementation of the MOU.”

The report makes several findings, including the following:

·         Of the firearms seized in Mexico and traced from 2009 to 2014, 70 percent originated in the United States.  An additional 13 percent have an undetermined country of origin while the remaining 17 percent are of non-U.S. origin.  According to ATF data, most were purchased legally in gun shops and at gun shows in the United States and then trafficked illegally to Mexico.  Often, so-called “straw purchasers” will illegally purchase firearms at gun shops on behalf of individuals who are prohibited from buying firearms.

·         High caliber firearms—the weapons of choice for drug traffickers—make up half of all firearms seized in Mexico and traced.

·         The transport of weapons parts from the U.S. to Mexico to be assembled into finished firearms is complicating bilateral efforts to combat illegal firearms trafficking as it allows these parts to discretely flow into Mexico with little detection. 

·         ATF’s Implementation of Demand Letter 3—which requires licensed dealers and pawnbrokers in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to report multiple sales of certain rifles—has made it more difficult for firearms traffickers to acquire long guns.  ATF reported that this information has allowed them to identify arms traffickers in a timelier manner.

·         As ATF and ICE work to stop firearms trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico, gaps in information sharing and continued misunderstandings between the two agencies can be addressed through better monitoring of their existing MOU.

Council Member King to Host Funding Workshop for FY17

New York City Council Member Andy King will hold a workshop on Thursday, Jan. 21, for community-based organizations that would like to apply for discretionary funding from his office.

The applications for Council Discretionary Member Item funding, which is awarded each year by council members to non-profits and other eligible groups in their districts, must be completed online. But the workshop will help to make sure those applying for funding to fully understand the process.

Those organizations applying for funding from Council Member King are strongly urged to attend the workshop on Jan. 21, 6-8 p.m., at the Williamsbridge NAACP ECE Center, 680 East 219th St., Bronx.

Applications are currently available on the city council website – http://council.nyc.gov (click pull down button `Budget’).

For more information call (718) 684-5509.

Suleika's Retirement, Final Appearance at Three Kings Fund Raiser, Fri. Jan 15, 2016

  The founder of the Institute for the Puerto Rican Hispanic Elderly,  Inc. Ms. Suleika Cabrera Drinane will retire  when she joins more than 1,000 people at the 50th annual Three Kings fund raiser event sponsored by the Institute, to take place Friday January 15, 2016 at Saint Vartan's Armenian Church on East 34th Street beginning at 10AM to 4PM.

Ms.Cabrera Drinane, the hard working trail blazer who created IPRHE from a one- telephone, one-room start up, to a large influential social services agency advocating for seniors in New York state, and nationally, will make her final appearance as the Founder and President of IPRHE during the Three Kings Festivities.

Ms. Cabrera Drinane was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the 1990s, and has made thousands of friends during her 50 years as an advocate for senior citizens, hopes many of those long time friends will join her this Friday January 15, 2016 as she bids farewell to the Agency.

Long time friends, and dignitaries have been invited to join more than 1,000 celebrants in saying, "Thank you, and good luck"... to Suleika at this final event.     "It will be a sentimental day for me as I say, 'Hasta Luego' ",   said Suleika.      Friends are invited to call Suleika at her private line, to confirm if they will be in attendance, even if for a few minutes.

For information of the event, call Ms. Suleika Cabrera Drinane, at Tel 212-677-4181.

DOB LAUNCHES CITYWIDE SIDEWALK SHED SAFETY SWEEP

    Buildings Dept. is Inspecting 300 Miles of Sidewalk Sheds at 7,700 properties 

   Today, Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler announced that the Department will be inspecting all permitted sidewalk sheds throughout the City, with 7,700 properties in the sweep, including 600 NYCHA buildings. More than 300 miles of sheds will be inspected during the sweep. 

  “This is about proactive enforcement, preventing problems before they happen and improving people’s quality of life,” said Commissioner Chandler. “Our inspectors are looking for safety problems and common eyesores, such as sheds that haven’t been painted in years or are covered with graffiti, inadequate lighting, or missing boards or structural supports. This is all part of the Mayor’s ongoing effort to take on and solve problems that New Yorkers encounter in their daily lives.”

  Sidewalk sheds are required for public safety at thousands of buildings throughout the City, normally where there is ongoing construction work or façade repairs. The inspection sweep is intended to encourage building maintenance and ensure that sheds are safe, well-lighted, and not a blight on neighborhood streets. 

   So far, DOB has inspected 2,800 sheds and issued 128 violations. The citywide inspection sweep is expected to be completed by the end of the month.for Quality of Life Violations.

Events This Week From Council Member Andrew Cohen

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Council Member Andrew Cohen will be hosting a Finanical Workshop with Primerica, Inc and Mosholu Montefiore Community Center.

Learn how to save for retirement, find other sources of income, reduce your taxes, maximize your savings, pay off your debt and diversify your investments from experts!

WHERE: Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 Dekalb Avenue

WHEN: 6:00 p.m. 

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Thursday, January 14, 2016

Council Member Andrew Cohen and Community Board 8 will be holding a forum on drug use and dependence to inform the community on how to reduce the risks associated with drug use and how to best treat dependence.

Panelists will include representatives from the Department of Education, Department of Health, Riverdale Mental Health Association, as well as doctors, social workers, and other experts in the field. 

WHERE: Riverdale Neighborhood House, 5521 Mosholu Avenue

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

District Office:  277 West 231 Street Bronx, NY 10463 Phone: (718) 549-7300

Legislative Office:  250 Broadway, Suite 1821 new York, NY 10007 Phone: (212) 788-7080

Uber Settlement, Gun Violence & More From Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman

Enhancing Data Privacy For Uber Passengers

The Attorney General announced a settlement with Uber that requires the company to adopt leading data security protection practices to protect its riders’ personal information. The Attorney General’s investigation began after several public reports that Uber executives and staff have access to riders’ geo-location information in real time. The settlement requires Uber to encrypt rider geo-location information, adopt multi-factor authentication that would be required before any employee could access especially sensitive rider personal information, as well as other leading data security practices.  It also requires Uber to pay a $20,000 penalty for failure to provide timely notice to drivers and the Attorney General’s office regarding a data breach that occurred in September 2014. 

Bringing Drug Runners To Justice

The leader of a major Capital Region drug ring has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Daquan Murray, aka “Benji Got The Juice,” was part of a Troy Gang called the Young Gunnerz, who allegedly purchased large quantities of drugs from a supplier in the Bronx, and then brought the narcotics back to Troy for distribution throughout Albany County, Rensselaer County, Saratoga County, and elsewhere in and outside of New York State. The case against the Young Gunnerz gang has resulted in criminal charges against 21 defendants. To date, 15 have pleaded guilty. 

Protecting Competition In Elder Care

Competition among health service providers is critical for New Yorkers, which is why the Attorney General has reached a settlement with UnitedHealth Group resolving concerns that the company’s business practices in the state unlawfully restrained competition in the market for certain elder and long-term care insurance products. The Attorney General’s office had received complaints that UnitedHealth was requiring skilled nursing facilities looking to participate in its insurance network to also contract with the company for a separate institutional special needs plan. This settlement will preserve the vibrant competition among institutional special needs providers, and will ensure freedom of choice for skilled nursing facilities and their patients. 

Protecting Access To Abortion Services

The Attorney General is leading a coalition of 13 states urging the Supreme Court to protect the constitutional right to access abortion services. The friend-of-the-court brief asks the Court to invalidate two provisions of Texas law that significantly restrict access to abortion services in the state. The provisions at issue—requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and requiring clinics to comply with the standards for surgical clinics—were purportedly enacted to protect the health of women, but the trial court found that the provisions would not in fact protect women’s health, and could even undermine it. The Attorney General is committed to ensuring that all women have free access to a full range of reproductive health care services. 

Uncovering Nursing Home Neglect

 The Attorney General announced the guilty plea of the Mohawk Valley Health Care Center over allegations of a cover-up of resident abuse and neglect. The plea resolves allegations arising from the suppression of two incidents of patient abuse and neglect, and related charges of falsifying records. One alleged incident involved a medication error that went unnoticed for several days, while the second alleged incident involved a resident suffering from dementia engaging in unlawful sexual conduct towards another resident in an unsupervised dining room. When these incidents came to light, it is alleged that owner Gerald “Jerry” Wood III criminally eavesdropped on investigators from the Attorney General’s Office while they were conducting an interview with a nursing home employee about the incidents. The Attorney General is committed to holding nursing facilities accountable for their responsibility to treat patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Stopping The Theft Of State Pension Benefits

The Attorney General and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced the sentencing of Terence Fitzpatrick for stealing more than $78,000 in state pension benefits. Fitzpatrick, a resident of New Jersey, was accused of stealing the benefits issued to his deceased godfather, Thomas Sullivan, who died in 2003. Fitzpatrick, who had been acting as power of attorney on behalf of Sullivan, failed to notify the retirement system of the death of his godfather or his wife, who had received Sullivan’s benefits until 2006.  Instead, Fitzpatrick utilized his power of attorney to access the account and withdraw pension benefits paid on Sullivan’s behalf during a six-year period between November 2006 and August 2012. 

Taking Down An Insurance Brokerage Fraud Scheme

Two Rochester residents have been arrested for allegedly perpetrating a scheme to defraud clients of their Rochester insurance brokerage. It is alleged that over a period of 3 years, Gary and Bonnie Gubiotti stole from agency clients by falsely inflating insurance premiums, failing to remit refunds, and forging finance agreements. It is charged that in total, the duo stole more than $150,000 from clients, and both face up to 15 years in prison, if convicted. New Yorkers trust their insurance brokers to provide them with honest advice and coverage in the event of an emergency, and violating that trust to line one’s own pockets will be prosecuted by the Attorney General to the fullest extent of the law. 

Protecting Medicaid Against Fraud

Schenectady personal care aid Nicholas Gallup has been sentenced for submitting false time sheets to Capital District Physicians Health Plan, causing more than $1,000 in overcharges to Medicaid. Gallup with a co-defendant, allegedly failed to provide services to a Medicaid recipient over a period of three months, and even called into a telephone time-keeping system to falsely document that they had provided care for the Medicaid recipient. In a separate case, a Rochester nurse, Schmeka Morgan, will return more than $8,000 to Medicaid for fraudulently billing Medicaid hours that she did not work. Morgan also faces three years’ probation as a result of her actions. 

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 at ag.ny.gov. 

Statement from Council Member Andy King on Gov. Cuomo’s Higher Education Initiative in New York Prisons

  “College degrees are road maps to good jobs, good earning potential and better self worth. Helping a prisoner reform their life and re-enter society with a post-secondary education is a good investment. It costs less to educate an inmate than it does to house one in prison. Kudos to Gov. Cuomo for using crime money to fight crime and recidivism,” said Council Member Andy King, Co-Chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.