Van Nest Memorial Day Services

 In what is now a refurbished park with new equipment for the children of the area at White Plains Road and Van Nest Avenue a Memorial Day Ceremony took place Monday. Elected officials were on hand as were members of the Armed forces, including World War II veteran Norman Moore. The only thing missing was the flagpole to fly the flag up. 

 About 50 people gathered to hear Mr. Rich Vitallo speak of the Top Dog 45 Unit. Councilman Ritchie Torres pledged to fix the park before next year's Memorial Day Ceremony, and thanked those veteran's on hand for their service to the country. Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez of the 80th A.D. now speaking at her second Memorial Day Ceremony of the day also thanked those who fought for the United States. 

 Ms. Bernadette Ferrara and Ms. Rose Marie Vasti (of the Van Nest Community Association) read a list of names of soldiers no longer with us. Retired Master Sergeant John Perez read a poem of exactly what a soldier has done for the people of the United States and what it means to our freedom. 

Above - Mr. Rich Vitallo speaks about Memorial Day.

Below - Councilman Ritchie Torres thanks the veterans for their service, and pledges to have a new flagpole up for next years Memorial Day ceremony.

Above - Retired Master Sergeant John Perez, tells the story of what it means to be a soldier.

Below - World War II veteran Norman Moore was on hand for the Memorial Day Ceremony.

Above - Three shots are fired on Memorial Day to represent the 21 Gun Salute for fallen soldiers. 

Below - The lone bugler blows Taps also for the fallen soldiers.

VISION ZERO: MAYOR DE BLASIO CALLS FOR SPEED-CAMERA EXPANSION IN ALBANY AND ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR SAFER REDESIGN OF NINTH STREET IN PARK SLOPE

With life-saving school zone speed camera law in danger of expiring, Mayor urges expansion bill that will allow cameras along corridors like 9th Street, where they are currently banned

 With the City’s School Zone Speed Camera program set to expire in Albany next month, Mayor de Blasio today called on the State legislature to immediately reauthorize and expand the life-saving program. Standing at the site of a deadly crash in Park Slope that took the lives of two children and an unborn baby, the mayor unveiled a safer street design but urged Albany to do its part to protect kids in school zones. Under legislation now being considered, the number and coverage area of cameras would be expanded -- and allowed for the first time along corridors like 9th Street, where they are currently barred.

“We are doing our part with a redesign of 9^th Street to reduce speeding and make it safer. Now we need Albany to its part. We need school zone speed camera legislation extended and expanded immediately to prevent future tragedies on our streets. Speed cameras save lives,” said Mayor de Blasio.

DOT’s proposed redesign, which includes expanded pedestrian access and protected bicycle lanes, will be released at a community workshop tonight. It will be presented to Community Board 6 in June, with installation slated this summer following community feedback.

  

“For the last few months, DOT’s planners, designers and engineers have been hard at work coming up with a safe and smart redesign of 9^th Street,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “Under the Mayor’s leadership, we will expand pedestrian space, and also add safer crossings and protected bicycle lanes. We look forward to getting feedback in June from the local community board, stakeholders and elected officials about our proposed plans.  At the same time, we also look forward to making our closing argument in Albany next month for school-zone speed cameras, which have been such a critical component in our Vision Zero efforts that have helped New York City buck national trends -- with fatality declines for four straight years.”

Key Reforms to the Speed Enforcement Camera Program:

·         Authorize the City to install speed cameras at an additional 150 school zones—more than double the current number.

·         Revise the definition of a school zone to allow DOT to address speeding on streets that are near a school, as opposed to only the street or streets on which a school is located.   For example, despite three different schools located along 7^th or 8^th Streets in Park Slope, no cameras are now allowed along 9^th Street, which students from those schools walk across every day. 

·         Extend the program until 2022

Comprehensive Redesign of 9^th Street (Prospect Park West to Third Avenue)

• Corridor redesign focuses on improved pedestrian and cyclist safety.
• Protected bicycle lanes for six avenue blocks (nearly one-mile distance) with shortened crossings and slow-turn treatments at intersections.
• Modified loading regulations to reduce double parking.
• New narrower cross sections reduce speeding while maintaining vehicle flow and emergency access.

Following the March crash along 9^th Street that claimed the lives of two children and an unborn baby and seriously injured several others, the City is also pushing reforms in Albany that will escalate fines and suspend the vehicle registrations of repeat speeding and red-light running offenders, and require physicians to notify the DMV following medical events that could cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle.

State Senator Jose Peralta said, "It is vital that we increase, once and for all, the number of speed safety cameras in school areas across the city. The time for excuses is over. There is plenty of evidence that shows that this program has been successful since pedestrian, cyclist and motorist-related crashes have been reduced by 15% where speed cameras are installed. My proposal to increase the number of speed cameras has only one goal: Protect schoolchildren and New Yorkers in general. We must act before the current school zone speed camera program expires this summer, so children will not be at risk when they return to school in September. I applaud the Mayor and DOT for their efforts to increase road and pedestrian safety across the city, and I urge my colleagues in the State Senate to pass my bill to increase the number of speed cameras."

"We must commit to work together to redesign our city's unsafe streets so we can prevent future tragedies and protect our children," said Assembly Member Dan Quart. "Speed cameras are a proven, effective way to save lives and I'm proud to cosponsor legislation that will expand Vision Zero to more school zones and encourage safe driving."

EDITOR'S NOTE:

While we agree something must be done to stop speeding, a speed camera does not stop reckless driving. The only proven way to stop reckless driving is to have more police officers on patrol to catch abusive speeders, and those who drive recklessly to get them off the road which a speed camera does not do.  

We ask the two legislators whose comments we left in this press release from Mayor de Blasio if they know just how the speed camera program came about. 

This reporter was at the public school in State Senator Jeff Klein's district where then Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYCDOT claimed it registered over 90 percent of the drivers going over the (then) 30 MPH speed limit. It was assumed that the DOT surveyed the heavily traveled Riverdale Avenue in front of the elementary school. When I asked just what street was surveyed, I was told a different street Fieldston Road several blocks away from this school was surveyed. The road had four reasons for the high rate of speeding. It led to an entrance of the Henry Hudson Parkway, it led to the private community of Fieldston, it led to the private Riverdale Country school, and fewer vehicles drove on the surveyed part of Fieldston Road. All four factors as to why speeding would occur. 

Mayor Bloomberg knew how to use figures to his advantage, not tell the whole story, and let people assume what you want them to think. Mayor de Blasio is attempting to do the same thing. It should also be the reckless drivers that he goes after, and the only way is to have more police officers patrolling the streets. 

Don't think what Mayor de Blasio wants you to think, because speed cameras can not, and do not get reckless drivers off the road. Only a police officer can do that.

United States Citizen Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison For Providing Material Support To Al Shabaab

Maalik Jones Trained and Fought with the Terrorist Organization’s Specialized Fighting Force, Jaysh Ayman

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced that MAALIK ALIM JONES was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to al Shabaab, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization based in Somalia, conspiring to receive military training from al Shabaab, and carrying and using an AK-47 machinegun, rocket-propelled grenades, and other destructive devices in furtherance of his support for al Shabaab.  In 2011, JONES, a United States citizen, traveled to Somalia, where he took up arms and provided military support to al Shabaab for approximately four years.  On September 8, 2017, JONES pled guilty to a three-count Superseding Information.  U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe imposed JONES’s sentence in Manhattan federal court. 

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “We may never know what drove Maalik Jones to travel to Somalia and pledge allegiance to al Shabaab, a terrorist organization that has vowed to destroy America.  But we do know that with today’s sentence, Jones is no longer a threat to America’s ideals.”

Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers said:  “U.S. citizens who travel overseas to fight with a terrorist organization – which is what Jones did – betray our country and pose a serious threat to our national security.  The National Security Division remains committed to committed to identifying and stopping terrorists like Jones, and we will hold them accountable.  Credit goes to all those who worked so tirelessly to bring Jones to justice.”

According to the Complaint, the Indictment, the Superseding Information, and statements made in court proceedings, including at sentencing:

In February 2008, the U.S. Department of State designated al Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.  Al Shabaab has used violent means – including targeted assassinations of civilians and journalists, and the use of improvised explosive devices, rockets, mortars, and automatic weapons – to, among other things, destabilize the government of Somalia, quell the Somali population, and force the withdrawal of foreign troops in Somalia.  A former leader of al Shabaab, whose exhortations were echoed by the leadership of al Qaeda, called for foreign fighters to join al Shabaab in a “holy war” in Somalia.  As a result of al Shabaab’s recruitment efforts, men from other countries – including the U.S. – have traveled to Somalia to engage in violent jihad. 

Since al Shabaab’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2008, it has made several public statements demonstrating its intent to harm U.S. interests.  For example, in April 2008, al Shabaab released a statement declaring a campaign against the U.S.  Similarly, after an al Shabaab member was killed in May 2008, al Shabaab leaders announced that the mujahidin would “hunt the U.S. government” and that governments supporting the U.S. and Ethiopia should keep their citizens out of Somalia.  In April 2009, al Shabaab claimed responsibility for mortar attacks against a U.S. congressman who had been visiting Somalia, and in February 2012, the then-Emir of al Shabaab swore allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Emir of al Qaeda, stating that al Shabaab “will hereby merge into al Qa’ida.”

Al Shabaab also maintains a specialized fighting force, known as Jaysh Ayman, that is responsible for carrying out commando-style attacks and cross-border raids in which fighters, among other things, travel across the land border between Somalia and Kenya to target individuals and conduct attacks against civilian and military targets in Kenya.  Among the attacks executed by Jaysh Ayman fighters are: (i) a June 16, 2014, attack in which al Shabaab fighters opened fire in a hotel bar in Mpekatoni, Kenya, killing approximately 40 people; (ii) a July 2014 attack in Hindi, Kenya, in which approximately 12 al Shabaab fighters opened fire at a trading center and set fire to government buildings and a church, killing nine people; and (iii) a June 14, 2015, attack in which al Shabaab fighters ambushed a Kenyan Defense Force base in Lamu County, Kenya, using various weapons, including AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, killing two Kenyan Defense Force soldiers (the “Lamu Attack”).

In July 2011, JONES left Baltimore, Maryland, to join al Shabaab in Somalia.  JONES traveled to New York City, then flew via commercial aircraft to Kenya, with stopovers in Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.  After arriving in Kenya, JONES traveled by land from Kenya to Somalia, which is a common travel route for foreign fighters traveling to Somalia to join al Shabaab.

In Somalia, JONES joined al Shabaab and was a member of the terrorist organization for approximately four years.  During this time, JONES trained, worked, and fought with al Shabaab in Somalia.  Among other things, JONES received three months of military training at an al Shabaab training camp, where he learned, among other things, how to operate an AK-47 assault rifle and rocket-propelled grenades.  Upon completion of this training, JONES also was assigned to al Shabaab’s specialized fighting force, Jaysh Ayman, and participated in combat against soldiers of the Kenyan government on behalf of al Shabaab. 

In particular, after joining Jaysh Ayman, JONES and his Jaysh Ayman unit participated in a battle in Afmadow, Somalia, against Kenyan government soldiers.  JONES, armed with an AK-47 rifle, engaged in the fighting until he was injured by a missile and then hospitalized.  After his release from the hospital, JONES continued to operate with al Shabaab and, in particular, Jaysh Ayman.

JONES has appeared with other al Shabaab fighters in videos that were recovered from an al Shabaab fighter who participated in and was killed during the aforementioned Lamu Attack.  In one of the videos, JONES can be seen holding a firearm, and in the company of several al Shabaab fighters.  The al Shabaab fighters are depicted greeting each other, hugging each other, and carrying firearms.

On December 7, 2015, JONES was taken into custody by Somali authorities while he was attempting to procure a boat to depart Somalia for Yemen. 

In addition to the prison term, JONES, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. 

Mr. Berman and Mr. Demers praised the investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force – which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.  He also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Department of State, for their assistance. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit.

A.G. Underwood Announces Settlement With Scam Veterans' Charity

Wounded Warriors Foundation of Orange County, Inc. Illegally Collected Thousands of Dollars in Raffle Tickets Without Ever Conducting a Raffle 

  Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced a settlement agreement with the Wounded Warriors Foundation of Orange County, Inc. (“WWFOC”) for illegally collecting thousands of dollars in raffle tickets without ever conducting a raffle. WWFOC must immediately dissolve and pay $4,200 in restitution to the consumers it defrauded.

“New Yorkers should be confident that their charitable donations are going to legitimate organizations that will use these funds to carry out the mission they advertise,” said Attorney General Underwood. “Our office will hold accountable organizations that break the law and take advantage of the public’s generosity.”

The Wounded Warriors Foundation of Orange County, Inc. – not affiliated with the national Wounded Warrior Project – sold raffle tickets at $50 per ticket to members of the public and claimed that the raffle’s grand prize was a new 2016 Ford Focus. WWFOC also claimed that all proceeds would go toward purchasing mobility and lift equipment for veterans who had suffered severe injuries while serving in the United States’ armed forces. The organization raised $4,200 from its raffle ticket sales. However, after collecting the money for raffle tickets, WWFOC never actually conducted a raffle.

Upon receiving complaints from consumers who had purchased raffle tickets, the Attorney General’s Office launched an investigation into the organization and its founder, Sean B. McCarthy. The investigation revealed that – despite holding itself out as a charitable organization supporting wounded veterans and soliciting donations from the public – the organization was not a legitimate not-for-profit corporation. None of the proceeds of the raffle ticket sales went toward supporting wounded veterans. 

The settlement agreement requires the Wounded Warriors Foundation of Orange County, Inc. to either immediately dissolve or properly register as a not-for-profit corporation with the Attorney General’s Office. Founder Sean B. McCarthy paid $4,200 in victim restitution, and must also pay $250 in civil penalties and a $5,000 bond.

Morris Park Memorial Day Remembrance at Rudy Macina Peace Plaza

  Before the Memorial Day Remembrance at the Rudy Macina Peace Plaza began at the corner of Williamsbridge Road and Pelham Parkway many of the area veterans who come out each year posed for a group photo. 

  This Memorial Day Services were done with the same dedication as is each and every year.. While a face in the crowd may change, and the threat of rain may keep a few people away the over 100 people came the Rudy Macina Peace Plaza this Memorial Day who were not disappointed. The rain did not happen, and the memorial services went on as it has each year in precise order.among the spectators were State Senator Jeff Klein, Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, veterans, and others who assembled to mark the occasion of Memorial Day.

Senator Klein mentioned that every year that each State Senator honors a veteran in Albany. He told the story of a veteran being honored by an upstate senator who fought along side General George Patten. The veteran said that General Patten liked the way he blew things up. Councilman Gjonaj mentioned that with the help of the local elected officials flags will fly on Morris Park Avenue for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veteran's Day. Assemblyman Benedetto gave his usual speech touting the ways veterans have made the country better. Assemblywoman Fernandez thanked the veterans who were on hand for their service to the country. Several veterans then spoke about various topics, and the flag was raised to Half-Mast in honor of those soldiers who died in combat or have since their armed force days have otherwise passed away. The Rudy Macina Peace Plaza honors soldiers from wars going back to World War One of which there are no longer any living veterans.     

Above - Senator Jeff Klein speaks to the veterans assembled crowd.

Below - Councilman Mark Gjonaj Speaks to the veterans and assembled crowd.

Above - Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez speaks at her first Veteran's Day event as an elected official, thanking those who served.

Below - The flag is raised to Half-Mast to honor the fallen soldiers.

Statements From Other Bronx Elected Officials on the Report on Death Toll in Puerto Rico

STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA STATEMENT ON NEW STUDY 

ON PUERTO RICO'S DEATH TOLL AFTER HURRICANE MARIA

  We are eight months into recovery efforts for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. We are also days from the official start of the hurricane season, yet we still do not have clear information as to how many lives were claimed by the storm or the federal government's irresponsible and disgraceful response to the disaster. Today, a new study conducted by a group of independent researchers from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health estimated that roughly 4,600 Puerto Ricans died as a result of Hurricane Maria and the lack of medical care that was provided or available to residents of the island after the storm. These numbers are horrendous and shameful, but not surprising given the federal government's inadequate and borderline criminal response to the storm and Trump's disgraceful characterization of the situation on the ground when he visited the island after the storm. Puerto Ricans are still lacking adequate access to electricity, shelter, running water, infrastructure, medical assistance, and food. We must continue to demand that the federal and local governments adequately respond to this ongoing humanitarian crisis and assume their responsibility to the people on the island. I stand committed to continue working to advocate and bring resources to the island and Puerto Ricans.

REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON THE DEATH TOLL IN PUERTO RICO FOLLOWING NEW REPORT

  Congressman Adriano Espaillat released the following statement on a new report conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine indicating the death toll in Puerto Rico has reached nearly 5,000 in the wake of Hurricane Maria. 

“Today’s report and study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine indicates the death toll in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria is nearly 5,000 and almost 70 times higher than initially reported. Nine months after the storm, the American citizens of Puerto Rico continue to face a major crisis mired in devastation and heartbreaking realities,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat. 

“Puerto Rico is among one of President Trump’s most significant failures since taking office and the way this crisis has been handled by the administration is simply outrageous. Thousands of residents remain without adequate resources or assistance and only half of the population have reliable electricity and water. The island’s medical and health systems were disrupted and medical supplies remain scarce. Additionally, FEMA has denied nearly 50% of the applications submitted by housing victims in need of grant assistance to help them rebuild and repair their homes.

“Today’s report is about more than numbers. This is about lives, and the lives that have been lost and the lives still on the line. As the 2018 hurricane season begins, we cannot afford to turn our backs on the residents of Puerto Rico and must continue our efforts to help families rebuild following this devastating storm that has affected and continues to impact many lives,” he concluded.

STATEMENT FROM BP DIAZ RE: Report on Death Toll in Puerto Rico

  "The new study released by the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center makes it clear that the official story regarding the devastation Puerto Rico faced in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria is far from the truth, if not an outright fabrication. A death toll of nearly 5,000 Puerto Ricans cannot be squared with the official count of just 64.

"The situation on the ground in Puerto Rico is far worse than the Trump administration has been willing to admit. This president cannot be allowed to lie and pretend he has delivered for the island. He has failed, and continues to fail, his fellow American citizens," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

LDNY Hosts First Meeting in Bronx

  The Local Democrats of New York is a Multi-Candidate Committee registered with the State of New York. The goal is to build a grassroots political infrastructure in (our) communities. They believe by focusing on local party positions, such as County Committee, they can represent true political power. This organization held a forum in collaboration with other organizations listed on their material such as You Matter Nation, Bronx Progressives, Politics Reborn, County Committee Sunlight Project, and Rep Your Block. 

After some research it appears that,

You Matter Nation started in 2016, and most of the postings are anti Donald Trump.

Bronx Progressives a former Bernie Sanders group appears to have become  the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress group. Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who was in attendance is running in the 14th Congressional district against long time incumbent and Queens Democratic County Leader Joseph Crowley.

Politics Reborn is based in Long Island City Queens. The one speaker told the audience to run for County Committee, but make sure you have an opponent so your name appears on the primary ballot. The problem she said is that almost all County Committee seats go uncontested, so to be on the primary ballot you must have an opponent. 

County Committee Sunlight Project is based in Manhattan, and speaker Ben Yee gave some facts that are correct in Manhattan but not always the case in the Bronx as election law can differ from county to county.

Rep Your Block says it is a program of New Kings Democrats that has worked to reform County Committee by recruiting hundreds of Brooklyn Democrats to petition and run for seats on County Committee.

The only two people listed as members of LDNY, and co-founders were Samelys Lopez and Michael Beltzer. Both are current Bronx County Committee members and both ran for Bronx District Leader positions in 2016 unsuccessfully. 

One interesting note was that I found on a table a release made up by the Local Democrats of New York ("LDNY") for people to sign for LDNY to be authorized to use their names to aid in my ________ campaign to take place on September 13th 2018 in the State of New York, within the political boundary of the address listed below, which includes raising and spending money on my behalf. A photo of the release is below with other photos of the event. 

Above - Mr. Ben Yee of Manhattan speaks about the Process of County Committee.

Below - The material used for the Bronx presentation however is that of the Manhattan County Structure. Mr. Yee admitted that the process does differ from county to county and what is done in Manhattan is not always the same for the Bronx.

Above - Mr. Beltzer is with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez candidate for the 14th Congressional district.

Below - Mr. Beltzer is with Mr. Mohammed J. Mujumder who is supporting a candidate for the 87th Assembly District.

Above - Panel number one tell of their experience in politics.

Below - Panel number two tell of their experience in politics. 

Above - There was over 50 people in attendance at this event. 

Below - Mr. Beltzer is talking with a woman who has announced that she is running for the 87th Assembly seat.