Senate passes bills to make Pokémon a no go near dangerous sex offenders

  The New York State Senate today passed two pieces of legislation sponsored by Senator Jeff Klein that protect children from high level sexual predators using Pokémon GO or other augmented reality games.

“While children believe they are out to catch a pokémon, what might really be lurking could be a predator instead of a Pikachu. There have been documented instances of sex offenders playing Pokémon GO as a means to locate children and it makes no sense at all to give these dangerous individuals a virtual road map to where our kids congregate. My legislation updates our law that already prohibits high level predators from using social media and holds game makers accountable from removing in-game features from within 100-feet of sex offenders,” said Senator Klein.

In late July, Senator Klein released an alarming investigative report, “Protecting Our Children: How Pokémon GO and Augmented Reality Games Expose Children to Sex Offenders.” The investigation, conducted in New York City, found that in the majority of cases either Pokémon materialized in front of the homes of sexual predators or in-game objectives were located within a half-block from a sexual predator’s home.

As the Pokémon GO craze continued, Senator Klein conducted investigations on Long Island and in Westchester/Rockland counties on sex offender residences and in-game objectives and the findings were similarly disturbing.

“There could be real-world consequences for children playing augmented reality games and we cannot let them linger in front of the homes of sex offenders. We devised simple solutions to the problem in light of our eye-opening investigation so our laws stay up-to-date as technology advances and today is an important step forward,” said Senator Savino.

“Augmented reality games like Pokemon GO have been an example of the potential value of new technologies but we have seen too many examples in our community of how close children can come to danger while playing them.  Parents should be able to let their kids enjoy games like these without the concern of coming into contact with sexual predators or other undesirable situations.  Passing this legislation will help prohibit sexual offenders from being able to play games like Pokémon GO and help make our community safer,” Said Senator Carlucci.

In light of the alarming findings, Senator Klein introduced legislation, which the Senate passed, to prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from playing augmented reality games. Many high-level sex offenders are already prohibited from using social media.

The Senate also passed legislation sponsored by Senator Klein, requiring game developers, like Pokémon GO creator Niantic, to regularly scour the Department of Criminal Justice website to obtain sex offender addresses and remove all in-game objectives within 100-feet of their residencies.

Bronx Borough President Invites you to celebrate Dominican Heritage Month

HISTORIC FOOD & HUNGER PROGRAM COMING TO NEW YORK

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. & Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, advocates and more 

Discuss new USDA program allowing SNAP users to purchase groceries online

Today, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney stood with hunger advocates and others at Part of the Solution (POTS) on Webster Avenue to discuss New York State’s participation in a new nationwide pilot program that will allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase their groceries online.
Borough President Diaz and Congressman Maloney were instrumental in bringing this historic innovation to New York State. This pilot program will offer consumers greater access to affordable groceries, help combat food deserts, promote healthier diet choices and create billions of dollars in new business opportunities.
“This innovative public/private partnerships will help improve nutrition, fight hunger and offer consumers greater choices at competitive prices, all while expanding the marketplace,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.“This program is a national game-changer, and I am proud to have worked with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, as well as advocates and business, to bring it to New York State. The Empire State has always been at the forefront of government innovation, and this pilot program puts our state at the intersection of health, technology and business.”
“Working hand-in-glove with Borough President Diaz, we delivered on our goal of bringing the SNAP program in New York State into the 21st century. This pilot will help make it easier and more efficient for New York families to put food on their tables. New York has always paved the way for new ideas and innovations – this pilot program does just that - and I am proud to stand here today and say that together we brought this program to New York,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.

Borough President Diaz and Rep. Maloney were joined at the event by advocates for the program, including Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, and Christopher Bean, Executive Director of POTS, as well as Louis Vivarina, a Bronx resident who will be positively impacted by the new law.
“Hunger Free America strongly supports increasing low income people’s access to affordable food.  The new USDA online purchasing pilot program will enable low income people in both rural and urban communities, to have fresh affordable food delivered to their door, potentially in areas where fresh food had been previously unavailable to them,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. “We hope to see this program expand to every state in America, so that no hungry person will have to travel long distances in order to get a fresh vegetable.”
“Part of the Solution (POTS) is excited to host Bronx Borough President Diaz and Congressman Maloney for this discussion. A core tenet of POTS is recognizing the dignity of all individuals seeking assistance. POTS believe this pilot is a dignified way to allow for greater access to affordable groceries for our Bronx neighbors,” said Christopher Bean, Executive Director of Part of the Solution.  

Borough President Diaz initially proposed such changes in his “State of the Borough” address in February 2016. In July 2016, Borough President Diaz participated in a conference on Capitol Hill to address the need for technological advancements for SNAP benefit users with Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan. The next month, the borough president authored a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging his department to select New York State for this pilot program.
Congressman Maloney was integral in drumming up support for the pilot program in Congress. In November, the congressman led his colleagues in the New York State delegation on a letter to Secretary Vilsack, in which they jointly called for New York’s selection in the pilot program.
As part of the pilot program, the USDA has selected two vendors—Amazon and FreshDirect—to serve customers in New York State. Both companies worked closely with Borough President Diaz to bring the pilot program to New York. In addition, FreshDirect launched a similar pilot program in The Bronx, in conjunction with the borough president, in 2012.

Assemblyman Sepulveda Introduces Resolution Calling on Assembly to Condemn President Trump's Immigration Actions, Call on Congressional Delegation and Gov. Cuomo to Oppose Them

  Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda  introduced a resolution on Monday, Jan. 30, calling on the state Assembly to condemn President Trump's immigration actions.

 The resolution calls on the state's congressional delegation to oppose the president's executive directive, and asks Gov. Cuomo to ban state resources from being used to enforce the order.

"I call on my colleagues to speak out as one body over this transgression of American justice and humanitarian concern," said Sepulveda, whose district is home to a large number of Muslims. "This is not who we are as a nation, not who we are as a people.

Trump on Friday, Jan. 27 blocked indefinitely refugees fleeing the slaughter in Syria and temporarily suspended immigration from six other predominantly Muslim countries as part of what he called a vetting plan to keep out "radical Islamic terrorists." He also set up a religious test for refugees from Muslim nation, ordering that Christians and others from minority religions take priority over Muslims for entry into the United States.

The order, which went into immediate effect, caused chaos at airports around the nation and overseas as students, visitors and green-card-holding legal permanent U.S. residents from the seven Middle Eastern countries named in the directive, and refugees from around the world were stopped, held and some sent back overseas.

Sepulveda noted that the President's action affects up to 320 State University of New York and 120 City University of New York students and an unknown number of students at New York's private colleges.

"This order is nonsensical," Sepulveda added, noting that "foreigners from the seven listed nations - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - killed exactly zero Americans in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil between 1975 and the end of 2015, according to the Cato Institute."

 "I am calling on everyone to call the White House to voice their opposition, and to contact their elected representatives in Washington to urge them to oppose this horrible, shameful action," said Sepulveda. "This cannot and will not stand."

Assemblyman Sepulveda represents the 87^th Assembly District covering Parkchester, Castle Hill, West Farms, Van Nest and Stratton Park.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat Demands President Trump Reverse Hateful Anti-Immigrant, Anti-Refugee Executive Orders

  U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat issued the following statement to demand President Trump reverse the hateful and divisive anti-immigrant and anti-refugee executive orders establish last week:

“This weekend was eye opening and further proof of the horrific and devastating policies of the Trump Administration,” said Rep. Espaillat.  “Our actions to free detained individuals at JFK airport upon their return to the U.S., our efforts to speak out against building a divisive wall between the U.S. and Mexican border, our protest in solidarity in streets across the nation to protect civil rights and our liberties all serve as a window to the work that lies ahead if we are to ensure our American values are upheld.  This is a critical time for our country and the Trump Administration must do a better job than the reckless behavior and hazardous policies put into place these last few days.  We owe it to the American people, clear and unequivocally, to protect the liberties of freedom and opportunity that we hold dear as a nation.”

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY JOHN KELLY ON THE ENTRY OF LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS INTO THE UNITED STATES

In applying the provisions of the president's executive order, I hereby deem the entry of lawful permanent residents to be in the national interest.

Accordingly, absent the receipt of significant derogatory information indicating a serious threat to public safety and welfare, lawful permanent resident status will be a dispositive factor in our case-by-case determinations.

------------------------------

DHS STATEMENT ON COMPLIANCE WITH COURT ORDERS AND THE PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS

   Upon issuance of the court orders yesterday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immediately began taking steps to comply with the orders. Concurrently, the Department of Homeland Security continues to work with our partners in the Departments of Justice and State to implement President Trump’s executive order on protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.

We are committed to ensuring that all individuals affected by the executive orders, including those affected by the court orders, are being provided all rights afforded under the law.  We are also working closely with airline partners to prevent travelers who would not be granted entry under the executive orders from boarding international flights to the U.S. Therefore, we do not anticipate that further individuals traveling by air to the United States will be affected.

As Secretary Kelly previously stated, in applying the provisions of the president's executive order, the entry of lawful permanent residents is in the national interest. Accordingly, absent significant derogatory information indicating a serious threat to public safety and welfare, lawful permanent resident status will be a dispositive factor in our case-by-case determinations.

We are and will remain in compliance with judicial orders. We are and will continue to enforce President Trump’s executive order humanely and with professionalism. DHS will continue to protect the homeland.

For the latest DHS news, see https://www.dhs.gov/news

John Cerini Announces Candidacy for City Council District 13

  Local small business owner, John Cerini, announced his candidacy for New York City Council during the Bronx GOP’s field office open house at 3029 Middletown Road in Pelham Bay.  

Cerini, owner of the well-known business “Bronx Tax Man,” a family business serving the Bronx for 30 years, decided to enter the race after recently engaging in local community activism.  John has been a vocal opponent of the East Tremont Avenue “road diet” that took away a lane of traffic on each side of the vital roadway, causing needless traffic and longer commutes for residents.

Some other recent community involvement highlights by Cerini include founding the Throggs Neck Merchants Association, which is considered one of the best run in New York City.  John was also appointed to the New York State Insurance Department’s Special Panel for Homeowner’s Insurance by Senator Jeff Klein, which was considered by many a nod of gratitude and an acknowledgement of excellent service for John’s advocacy on behalf of City Island and Throggs Neck homeowners who were facing difficult business relations with their homeowner and flood insurance carriers.

A lifelong resident of Throggs Neck, John and his high school sweetheart turned wife, Grace, decided to stay in The Bronx to raise their four children in the only community they ever called home and loved.

“One of the many factors for deciding to enter this race is to make sure our Southeast Bronx neighborhoods remain a place my children will want to remain to raise my future grandchildren.”

“Therefore, fighting over-development will be one of my main campaign platform.  Those of us who have lived in the area for decades have seen firsthand the damage done by unscrupulous real estate developers.  Many local and city wide elected officials have not done enough to prevent the developers from over developing our area. Variances must be stopped from being the norm.”

“That is why we have seen so many single family lots turn into multifamily eyesores, why our streets are clogged with traffic and why our local police are stretched thin.  I will never put our community second.  Our residents and families deserve the best.” 

Bronx GOP’s Field Office Grand Opening/Open House at 3029 Middletown Road in Pelham Bay.

   Earlier thus afternoon the Bronx Republican Party held an open house at its headquarters at 3029 Middletown Road to show off the transition of a new county leaders, and several mayoral candidates. Mr. John Greany has retired as the Bronx Republican County Leader, and Mr. Michael Rendino has taken the helm as the new Bronx Republican County Leader. Some interesting guests dropped by as you will see in the photos below, and an announcement by a new candidate into the 13th City Council race. 

   New Republican County Leader Michael Rendino welcomed the rather large crowd, introduced the Bronx GOP new field director Mr. Robert Giuffre, and then welcomed some candidates for office including two Mayoral candidates.

Above - Possible mayoral candidate John Castimatidis stands outside the Bronx Republican headquarters between former Bronx Republican County Leader John Greany, and new Bronx Republican County Leader Michael Rendino.

Below - Mr. Castimatidis comes into the Bronx GOP office to shake hands, and say that he is exploring a possible run for mayor. He said that he should have a definite answer in a few weeks if he is going to run for mayor or not.

Above - Another major candidate seeking the Republican line for mayor  ex Jet football player Michael Faulkner came with several supporters to talk to the Bronx Republican Party.

Below - Mr. John Cerini explains the difficulty Businesses sand residents are having, and then announced his intention to seek the Republican line in the November general election for the 13th City Council district.

The Open House will continue Sunday from 11 AM - 3PM.