Wednesday, August 16, 2017

BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARCEL D. CLARK DISMISSES NEARLY 160,000 OPEN SUMMONS WARRANTS IN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE


Low-Level Warrants More Than 10 Years Old Vacated 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced the dismissal of nearly 160,000 summons warrants involving low-level, quality of life offenses that are 10 or more years old, allowing thousands of Bronxites to advance their lives. 

  District Attorney Clark appeared today before Honorable George Grasso, Supervising Judge of Bronx Criminal Court, in the Bronx Hall of Justice and moved to dismiss 159,394 outstanding summons warrants that were issued in the Bronx. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “These 159, 394 summonses are 10 years or older and are for minor offenses such as drinking alcohol in public or riding a bicycle on a sidewalk. We know that quality of life is important to the community, but given the ten year passage of time, and many of these offenses are now decriminalized, these offenses no longer pose public safety concerns that would justify jailing people.

  “In addition to leading to jail, an unresolved warrant can pose obstacles to employment, obtaining citizenship, housing or educational opportunities, and prevent people from becoming productive members of society. 

  “The people who have these warrants have not been in trouble with the law for a decade or more, and it is time that they are given the opportunity to live productive lives, free from summonses hanging over their heads. As a result, I move to vacate and to dismiss these matters in the interest of justice.

  “After consultation with the other NYC District Attorneys, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, The NYPD, the City Council and the Office of Court Administration, I submit that this is simply the right thing to do.”

  Judge Grasso granted the motion, saying, “I credit the Office of the District Attorney to take the initiative … I am going to grant the motion to vacate. I dismiss each case in the furtherance of justice.”

  The warrants stem from outstanding summonses issued for minor offenses including littering, loitering, riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, open container violations, public urination, noise violations, being in a park after dark, various subway offenses, unlawful possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

  The Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens District Attorneys also moved to dismiss open warrants in their boroughs today, allowing for a total of 645,000 warrants to be vacated out of the 1.5 million outstanding summons warrants.

  Judge Grasso ordered that the NYPD not arrest people on these warrants and that the court clerks not calendar them for 90 days to provide enough time to enter the voluminous information into the court and NYPD databases.

EDITOR'S NOTE TO A-TEAM:

Charges dropped.




Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Ulrich, Local Leaders Rally in Support of Bringing Spin to the Rockaway Peninsula


This item is up because it is an alternative to the monopoly and high prices that Citibike has.

The Bike Share Company Seeks to Provide Transportation Alternatives to a Community Citi Bike Has Refused to Expand to

  Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato (left), State Sen. Joseph Addabbo (center), and Councilman Eric Ulrich (right) ride in protest of Mayor de Blasio's cease-and-desist letter to the bike share company.

  Councilman Eric Ulrich, State Sen. Joseph Addabbo, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, Community Board 14 Chair Dolores Orr, Rockaway Beach Civic Association (RBCA) President John Cori, and other community leaders rallied in support of bringing Spin, a dockless bike share company, to the Rockaway Peninsula.

The San Francisco-based bike share company had initially planned to launch a pop-up pilot program this past Monday, but just three days prior, on August 11, Mayor de Blasio and the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) ordered Spin cease-and-desist operations in the Rockaways - a community that Citi Bike has refused to expand to.

"My office has been reaching out to Citi Bike for years to request they expand into the Rockaways, but they have refused. My constituents are starving for transportation alternatives, but our Mayor would rather protect a public monopoly than expand sensible bike sharing," Councilman Ulrich said. "Spin has offered to hire locally and collaborate with area businesses in a community that Citi Bike and the City continues to ignore."

An earlier report, which cites "a source familiar with the negotiations with the City," claims that Citi Bike offered to roll out to the Rockaways, but that its proposal fell through. A 2016 email exchange between Ulrich's office and a Citi Bike rep indicate otherwise, with the rep apologizing for "the radio silence" and  flat out rejecting an expansion to the Peninsula.

"Apologies for the radio silence and thank you for following up," the Citi Bike rep writes in the email. "I appreciate the guidance you gave us about station placement etc., but unfortunately we're moving in a different direction this summer and will have to shelve this idea for now."

"The Mayor talks about a 'tale of two cities,' but seems to have forgotten that outer-borough communities, like the Rockaways, also have needs," Councilman Ulrich said. "Companies like Spin can help to fill the void in these underserved areas, but de Blasio would rather side with the special interests than the people of New York City." 

Other local electeds echoed in Ulrich's sentiments, criticizing the City for putting the brakes on Spin's pilot program, which would have placed 100 to 150 Spin bikes along the Peninsula. 

"People all across this city should have access to affordable, feasible bicycle rentals - especially those individuals outside of Manhattan and in geographically isolated areas like Rockaway," State Senator Joseph Addabbo said. "I am hopeful that the Mayor's Administration, along with its NYC DOT, can come to a professional agreement with Spin, in order to allow people to benefit from a credible service provider and enjoy the accommodation of having accessibility to bicycle rentals."

"The New York City bureaucracy should be there to help solve problems; but here, they're creating one," Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato said. "Councilman Eric Ulrich has been trying to get us bike sharing, which would be a good step toward fixing our lack of transit options. It seems like the City both ignored our request for bikes and then blocked us when we tried to get our own."

"Community Board 14 is excited about Spin and their alternative dockless bike share system hopefully coming to the Rockaways, a community hungry for transportation alternatives," Community Board 14 Chair Dolores Orr said.

Spin has committed to hire locally to manage operations, balance bike distribution, monitor usage and ensure high service standards. Instead of competing with businesses along and near the boardwalk, Spin plans to utilize the Peninsula's many resources.

Repairs to Spin's bicycles have been contracted out Paul's Bicycle Shop, which would help boost business and will serve as a model for future.

Bronx Borough President -Bronx Summer Concert Series


ELECTED OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE THE ANNUAL MORRISON AVENUE FESTIVAL


State Senator Rubén Díaz, together with Assemblymen Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepúlveda, City Council Member Rafael Salamanca and Freddy Perez’s Entertainment; invite the community to the sixteenth (16) Anniversary of the Morrison Festival in Bronx County. 

This Saturday, August 19, more than five thousand (5,000) people are expected during the annual Morrison Avenue Festival, beginning at 12 noon to 6 pm between, Westchester and Watson Avenue in Bronx County.

For the past 16 years, the Morrison Avenue Festival has been coordinated by Freddy Perez Entertainment, who this year, has contracted Charlie Aponte (former singer of Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and “Nayibe La Gitana” among other attractions.

I look forward to another successful Morrison Avenue Festival, and to seeing our Bronx families and children enjoy this very special event.

Transportation: Train #6, Buses #4 & 27 to Morrison Avenue Station. 

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

BRONXRALK 13TH COUNCIL DEMOCRATIC DEBATE



  Gary Axelbank goes over the rules of the debate with the four Democratic Candidates for the 13th Council District. Since this was a Democratic debate, Republican candidate John Cerini was not present.


The candidates await the questions from Mr. Axelbank. L-r, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, District leader Marjorie Velazquez, Community Activist John Doyle, and Egidio Sementelli who ran for the seat in 2005 against the current Councilman Jimmy Vacca.


After the one hour debate host Gary Axelbank stands with the four Democratic candidates. How did the debate go? If you did not see it reruns will be on all week on Bronxnet TV, or you can go to the Bronxnet website at www.bronxnet.org and go to the Bronxtalk icon to find the show. 

The debate went well with the three top candidates showing their professionalism. There were a few jabs at Assemblyman Gjonaj, but he was able to take the High Road. In my opinion his opponents are going have to try harder to show why they are the better choice. 

Bronx Borough President - Back to School Literacy & Health Fair.


Join us today in Martha's Vineyard - Michael Blake




Please join us today at our annual reception in Martha's Vineyard anytime from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  You can RSVP here to support us as we continue #BuildingABetterBronx.

 

Saturday, August 12, 2017

A.G. Schneiderman Statement On Charlottesville


  “My heart is with the people of Charlottesville, especially those standing up to hatred, racism, and bigotry. 

The white supremacist violence on display in Charlottesville this weekend is an affront to everything this country represents. When you give license to open expressions of bigotry against some groups, you open the door to bigotry against all groups of people. 

Each of us—especially those of us in public office—has a moral obligation to condemn these actions in the strongest of terms. False equivalencies between "sides" simply provide cover to the white supremacists seeking to take our country backwards and tear our communities apart. 

Our diversity is our greatest strength—and we will not allow anyone to turn that strength against us.”