BOROUGH PRESIDENTS CALL FOR ACTION ON LEAD IN PUBLIC SCHOOL WATER SUPPLY

   All five borough presidents have partnered on a letter to New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, urging the Department of Education to take immediate action regarding recent reports of elevated levels of lead in the drinking water at some New York City public schools.

“While we understand that it takes some time to repair and replace contaminated fixtures, our children should not be unnecessarily exposed to high levels of lead while they wait for those changes to take place. The tragedy of Flint, Michigan should not be repeated here,” states the letter, which can be read in full athttp://on.nyc.gov/2lgMlDf.

The borough presidents call on the Department of Education to provide an alternative water supply for affected schools, such as offering bottled water or water coolers; that free-of-charge testing for lead exposure be offered to those parents who wish their children to be tested; that schools install water filtration systems to prevent future contamination; and that the Department of Education implement regular lead testing at public school facilities.

“Parents should not have to worry that the everyday act of drinking water might make their children sick, especially in our public schools. These simple recommendations can help ensure the safety of our children while also preventing future lead contamination, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues to urge the Department of Education to take immediate action on this issue,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Our public schools should always be safe places for our children, and the city must take the appropriate steps to make sure that the drinking water provided to our students meets acceptable safety standards.”

“The health and safety of our children come first, plain and simple. We must ensure the highest standards are implemented and sustained when it comes to the drinking water in our public schools. Reports of elevated lead levels at some buildings need to be taken seriously, and that starts with ensuring every affected school has access to safe water and free lead exposure testing,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. I stand with my borough presidents on this important issue.”

“Our public school students’ safety needs to be our first priority,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “The Department of Education needs to take every precaution to prevent lead exposure and guarantee the safety of the running water in our schools.”

“Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of lead because these effects occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “That’s why the DOE must do all that it can to prevent our children from being exposed to lead while they are in school. Any exposure to lead is unacceptable.”

“The recent reports of increased levels of lead in school drinking water are extremely troubling,” said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. “Providing alternate water sources and testing students for lead exposure is the first step in keeping them safe from harm. This is an issue that the Department of Education needs to continually address through routine testing and water filtration. I join my fellow Borough Presidents in asking Chancellor Fariña to be proactive on this issue.”

Senator Ruben Diaz announce the celebration of the 7th “Abrazo Garifuna in New York”

Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, in conjunction with  New York State Assemblymen Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepulveda, Michael Blake, Victor Pichardo and City Council Member Rafael Salamanca, will celebrate the 7th “Abrazo Garifuna Banquet in New York.”, in recognition of the Garifuna’s Heritage Month. 

The “Abrazo Garifuna Banquet”, will take place at Maestro’s Caterers located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue, Bronx, New York, on Friday, March 17from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and is completely free for all the attendees. 

The elected official together with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. , will be presenting  proclamations to six (6) distinguished members of the Garifuna Community. 

  

For more Information, please contact Ms. Leila Martinez at 718-991-3161

Eight Defendants Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Bank Fraud And Mail Theft Conspiracy In The Bronx

  Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), today announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging a total of eight defendants with engaging in mail theft and bank fraud conspiracies in the Bronx, New York. Five defendants were arrested today, and two defendants remain at large; the eighth will voluntarily appear later this week for arraignment. The five defendants who are in custody will be presented and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn later today. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “These eight defendants allegedly hatched a scheme to steal mail from Bronx residents, specifically targeting mail they thought would contain checks or money orders, then depositing stolen funds into their own and others’ accounts. Now, thanks to the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, these alleged mail fraudsters have been delivered to the criminal justice system.”

USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “When I think of the brazenness of these individuals to allegedly steal U.S. Mail coupled with their total disregard for the financial well-being of the communities impacted by their crimes, it takes the word insolent to new heights. Let today’s arrests serve as an example to those who believe they can steal from the US Postal Service and get away with it. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will find you, arrest you and bring you to justice for your crimes against the US Postal Service and their customers. That is something you can take to the bank.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Since 2015, USPIS and other local and federal agencies, including the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have been investigating mail theft from mailboxes in the Bronx, New York. The investigation has revealed that individuals steal mail by either illicitly obtaining mail box keys or by “fishing.” Fishing involves inserting homemade mail theft devices into mailboxes located on street corners or other publicly accessible places. After gaining access to the mail in the mailbox, a thief typically will remove any mail that appears to contain checks or money orders. During the beginning and end of the month when many people mail checks for rent and bills, a thief can steal checks worth tens of thousands of dollars in a single night.

After perpetrators fish checks and money orders out of mailboxes, they sell the checks and money orders to others, remove the payees’ names by “washing” the checks and money orders, or simply deposit the checks and money orders into a bank account. In various iterations of the scheme, those bank accounts have belonged to the mail thieves, to complicit accountholders, or to unsuspecting third parties whose debits cards or personal identifying information has been stolen.

Since late 2015, USPIS and NYPD enforcement operations have resulted in over 50 state arrests of individuals in an area of the Bronx in the vicinity of Claremont Park for theft of mail, and over $750,000 in checks and money orders has been traced to these mail theft schemes. Between May 2015 and at least January 2017, BRIAN MARTE, a/k/a “Trini Rabiia,” ERICKSON BATISTA, a/k/a “Niike Batista,” JUNIOR TAVERAS, a/k/a “Tuh Relambio,” ANGEL ARISTY, a/k/a “Frekiitho Lindo Colon,” LUIS ROSADO, a/k/a “El Menolsito Tejada,” EOSCATERYS POLANCO, BRAYAN RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “New Black El Paisano,” and RONARDO BAEZ, a/k/a “Tuchokoo Baez,” the defendants, each participated in these related schemes to steal mail and deposit stolen checks and money orders using other individuals’ debit cards.

Each of the defendants is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. MARTE is also charged with one count of mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The charges also carry a maximum fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.

A chart containing the names, ages, and residences of the defendants is below.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

These cases are being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine Geddes and Stephanie Lake are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NAME	AGE		RESIDENCE
Brian Marte	20		Bronx, NY
Erickson Batista	24		Bronx, NY
Junior Taveras	19		Bronx, NY
Angel Aristy	18		Bronx, NY
Luis Rosado	19		Bronx, NY
Eoscaterys Polanco	23		Bronx, NY
Brayan Rodriguez	23		Bronx, NY

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

After City’s Shelter Announcement, Senator Klein Introduces New Legislation to Give Communities a Louder Voice in Shelter Placement

Legislation would ensure that communities are given advance notice of hotel use; and lengthen period of review for permanent homeless shelters

State Senator Jeff Klein today introduced legislation to require greater transparency of the placement of permanent and temporary homeless shelters.

“While the announcement by Mayor de Blasio to phase out cluster sites and hotels from use in the shelter system, which are often dangerous and unsanitary, is a step in the right direction, the city still fails to fully address concerns coming from communities. This plan includes no advance notification to officials or community boards when hotels and motels are planning to be used, and only 30 days prior to the opening of a permanent shelter for a hearing. Residents want a bigger role in this process and deserve to be heard because they know their communities best,” said Senator Klein.

“Since hotel-to-homeless shelter conversions began popping up in my district, I urged Mayor Bill de Blasio and his Department of Homeless Services to implement a process to notify affected communities throughout the city, as well as to seek their input. Under the Mayor’s new plan to combat the homelessness crisis, he again ignores common sense proposals, offering only vague notions of engaging communities and their elected officials. This is inadequate. The concerns of my constituents have been continuously neglected by the administration, and I am proud to now offer this legislation with my colleagues that will bring about a real solution to this ongoing problem,” said Senator Jose Peralta.

“Community members should have the ability to voice their concerns when the city chooses that area for a homeless shelter. The legislation we are introducing today will answer a number of concerns city residents have raised about the city’s homelessness plan. Be it a temporary or permanent shelter community involvement is vital for the success of any program that hopes to curb homelessness in our city,” said Senator Diane Savino.

“I applaud Mayor De Blasio's efforts to address this city’s housing crisis through the use of permanent city facilities instead of expensive and poorly-maintained private apartments and hotel rooms. However, communities deserve the chance to have advance notice and a robust input process before a facility is placed in their neighborhood. The enhanced standard in this bill will make sure that the new shelters are well-integrated into their new communities and designed with the particular needs of each community in mind,” said Senator Marisol Alcantara.

“This legislation provides important guarantees to neighborhoods for transparency, adequate notice, and community input as to new homeless shelters and use of hotels as temporary shelters. We need to be sure to have an inclusive process that takes on board the perspectives of on-the-ground  experts, local elected officials, and neighborhood residents. Every community must take its fair share of the responsibility to assist homeless New Yorkers, and every community deserves to have an open dialogue about how it will take that responsibility forward,” said Senator Jesse Hamilton.

“Mayor de Blasio has continuously failed to provide communities in New York City with adequate information on the placement of homeless shelters. Residents need know what is going on in their neighborhoods and have a say in the process when they have concerns. This legislation adds accountability to the process and ensures that when any shelter is planned the community members are made aware and it is safe for families staying there,” said Senator Tony Avella.

“Good government demands open communication among community members, elected officials, service providers and other stakeholders in the face of difficult challenges, including our efforts to find effective solutions to housing the homeless,” said Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr..  “If we are to provide the best possible housing and assistance for people who are in desperate need of shelter and services, notifying and working cooperatively with local communities is not only key, but absolutely necessary.”

Under the new Senate proposal, communities would have a greater amount of input on the placement of shelters within their communities than by those announced by the Mayor’s Office. Rather than community notification 30 days prior to the opening of a permanent shelter, the proposal gives communities notice 45 days before the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services hearings. The legislation would also empower local community boards to request public hearings on a shelter. DHS would be required to modify its proposal based on reasonable concerns from such hearings.

For temporary shelters the proposal requires notification one week from the city’s use of the hotel as a shelter and requires DHS perform inspections to ensure sites are safe and free of violations. They must also maintain a publicly available list of these sites. The legislation also requires a quarterly report from DHS on the use and proposed use of these sites to be submitted to local elected officials. Because many times hotels are used for weather related emergencies, the legislation allows for 48 hour post placement notification in the event of an emergency situation.

In January, Senator Klein and the Independent Democratic Conference released a report on the conditions of cluster and hotel sites used to house homeless families in New York City. The report listed the top ten worst offenders in both categories, with sites that had violations for issues such as rodent and roach infestations, mold, lead paint, unlawful cooking areas and failure to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Senator Klein has previously introduced similar legislation to require community notification of shelter placement that has passed in the State Senate.

102 HOUSE MEMBERS TO TILLERSON: RESIST TRUMP’S INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET CUTS

Ranking Member Engel Leads Effort to Protect American Diplomacy & Development

   Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today announced that a group of 102 House Democrats is calling on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to push back against the Trump Administration’s dangerous and short-sighted budget cuts reportedly planned for American diplomatic and development efforts.  In a letter to Secretary Tillerson, the lawmakers decried thereported aim to cut the international affairs budget by 37 percent and underscored the importance of diplomacy and development in enhancing American security and advancing American interests.

“With instability and turmoil on the rise around the world, our international affairs efforts address the root causes of conflict and crisis.  Our diplomats settle disputes over conference tables and in quiet conversation so that they don’t need to be settled with bombs and bullets. Our development initiatives help countries lift themselves up, because areas mired in poverty often become hotbeds for instability and violence. This work also shows the world that the United States believes in opportunity, equality, and the rule of law for all people. As Ronald Reagan said, ‘America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.’  Those are the values we must continue to project across the world,” the members wrote.

“If we gut our foreign affairs budget, we signal that another country—maybe one with different values and priorities—can take center stage when it comes to global leadership.  And as far as preventing conflict and defusing crises, we’re saying that we’ll take our chances down the road.  We’re telling our sons and daughters that they may find themselves in harm’s way tomorrow at tremendous cost, because we’d rather not pay pennies on the dollar today to make the world safer.”

Text of the letter follows and a list of the members signing the letter can be found here.

The Honorable Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Mr. Secretary:

The Trump Administration is reportedly planning a 37 percent cut to the international affairs budget in Fiscal Year 2018. This massive reduction will undermine our diplomatic efforts and make the American people less safe. We urge you as our top diplomat to stop the White House from making these draconian and short-sighted cuts.

A month into your tenure, we hope you’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the vital work our diplomats and development experts do to advance our national security.  In your prior career, you no doubt learned that long-term goals and interests require sustained engagement and relationship building.  For generations, there has been widespread recognition that our alliances, partnerships, and connections with countries and people around the world require the enduring, persistent, and tireless efforts and proper resourcing of the State Department and USAID.  It's hard work to protect our country, strengthen ties with other nations, enhance stability across regions, and help build healthier more productive communities. It demands sustained, deep expertise, and an investment in resources.

It’s worth it.

With instability and turmoil on the rise around the world, our international affairs efforts address the root causes of conflict and crisis.  Our diplomats settle disputes over conference tables and in quiet conversation so that they don’t need to be settled with bombs and bullets.  Our development initiatives help countries lift themselves up, because areas mired in poverty often become hotbeds for instability and violence.  This work also shows the world that the United States believes in opportunity, equality, and the rule of law for all people. As Ronald Reagan said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”  Those are the values we must continue to project across the world.

On February 27th, 120 retired three-star and four-star generals and flag officers from our country’s armed forces sent a letter to House and Senate leaders urging them to “ensure that resources for the International Affairs Budget keep pace with the growing global threats and opportunities we face.” We could not agree more.

If we gut our foreign affairs budget, we signal that another country—maybe one with different values and priorities—can take center stage when it comes to global leadership.  And as far as preventing conflict and defusing crises, we’re saying that we’ll take our chances down the road.  We’re telling our sons and daughters that they may find themselves in harm’s way tomorrow at tremendous cost, because we’d rather not pay pennies on the dollar today to make the world safer.

Now more than ever, we must make smart investments in diplomacy and development. Buying more weapons simply isn’t enough to address the numerous challenges we face, from violent extremism, to nuclear proliferation, to climate change, to global health, to international illiteracy, or Vladimir Putin’s aggressive efforts to undermine our democracy.

We urge you to make every effort to counter White House efforts to slash support for diplomacy and development.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

IN JANUARY, MAYOR’S PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNIT ENROLLED 14,028 NEW YORKERS IN HEALTH INSURANCE

Thousands of New Yorkers May Still Be Eligible to Enroll for 2017 Coverage

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Public Engagement Unit today announced that the GetCoveredNYC initiative enrolled 14,028 New Yorkers during the month of January. This new initiative contributed to the city’s overall increase in health insurance enrollment – 2,004,349 million New Yorkers enrolled through the New York State of Health Marketplace, which was an increase of 386,052 from the previous open enrollment period. In addition, all five boroughs saw an increase in enrollment with the largest increase in Queens. Although open enrollment closed on January 31, many New Yorkers may still qualify for low and no-cost health coverage for 2017. PEU’s GetCoveredNYC team continues to knock on doors, make phone calls and host outreach events in neighborhoods across the city to engage New Yorkers, schedule them for in-person enrollment appointments and help them through every step of the enrollment process.

Single adults who earn up to $23,760.00 per year, couples and single parents of one child who earn up to $32,040.00 per year and adults in a family of four who earn up to $48,600.00 per year qualify for the Essential Plan. All children up to age 18, regardless of immigration status, qualify for Child Health Plus. Single adults who earn up to $16,394.40 per year, couples and single parents who earn up to $22,107.60 per year, pregnant women who earn up to $35,524.00 per year and adults in a family of four earning up to $33,534.00 per year qualify for Medicaid. Individuals and families who have experienced a qualifying life event—such as giving birth to a baby, adopting a baby, moving to a new county, getting married, loss of coverage, exhaustion of COBRA, placement in foster care, aging out of family plan, getting pregnant, change in salary, change in immigration status or loss of employer coverage—all have access to the Qualified Health Plan. 

The City provides free in-person enrollment assistance in all five boroughs. For a list of enrollment locations, call 929-252-8912 to speak with a GetCoveredNYC specialist or text CoveredNYC or SeguroNYC to 877877 or visit NYStateofHealth.ny.gov to enroll online. In addition, PEU’s GetCoveredNYC Team will be available to help at the following locations:

The Bronx

Wednesday, March 8

11 A.M. - 3 P.M.

Assemblyman Blake’s Office

780 Concourse Village West

Bronx, NY 10451

   

Brooklyn

Wednesday, March 8

9 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Mermaid Family Health Center

2714 Mermaid Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11224

Thursday, March 16

2 P.M. – 6 P.M.

State Senator Persaud’s Office

1222 East 96^th Street

Brooklyn, NY 11236

Bronx Borough President - REMINDER: RSVP for the African-American History Month Celebration

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj - Women of Distinction 2017

Save the Date!

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj  celebrates  Women's History Month In honor of the outstanding women in our district, the Assemblyman will be hosting the 3rd Annual Women of Distinction Breakfast Saturday, March 18th,2017 10:00am - 12:00pm F&J Pine Restaurant 1913 Bronxdale Avenue Bronx, NY 10462   RSVP is Mandatory For questions, please call 718-409-0109.