State Senator Alessandra Biaggi District 34 Budget Forum at Manhattan College

  This was a reschedule of a previous Budget Forum at Manhattan College two weeks ago which was cancelled at the last minute. State Senator Biaggi may have wanted to listen to residents of Riverdale on their opinions of the upcoming New York State Budget, but this forum fell quite short of the goal intended. While there were people who said they lived in Riverdale most were there with special interest in mind, like the group that wanted the film industry tax credit renewed. Then there was the man from Pelham, and others from outside the 34th Senate district who wanted to lobby Senator Biaggi for their causes. 

  It was quite clear to me that the local Riverdale residents Senator Biaggi wanted to hear from either didn't know of the meeting or didn't care because Senator Biaggi has made it clear that she will back all twenty points that Governor Cuomo wants in the upcoming budget including Congestion Pricing. 

  The group NW BRONX INDIVISIBLE which helped elect Senator Biaggi were at the Budget Forum handing out, and even speaking about putting pressure on state assembly members Jeffrey Dinowitz and Assembly Speaker Heastie to back the campaign reforms which the Governor and State Senate (as well as this group) want passed in Albany. 

  So it was crystal clear by the forty people in total in attendance that this event Senator Biaggi held seems to show the little or lack of real community support that the senator has in Riverdale. Was it that people really voted for her, or was it that they were voting against former State Senator Jeff Klein?

Claudette Colvin Day March 2, 2019

  

Sheikh Musa Drammeh Host of the Claudette Colvin Day event held at St. Helena's Church 1315 Olmstead Avenue in the Parkchester section of the Bronx, Saturday March 2, 2019 opened with the following.

Dear New Yorkers,

It is snowing in New York today. But if she could stood her ground in exercising her “Constitutional Rights” at the tender age of 15 on Wednesday, March 2, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama for us to sit-down, we shall defiantly celebrate her world-changing day under any weather conditions. Claudette Colvin Day.

Ms. Claudette Colvin was to have a street renamed for her, but complications at City Hall will make that happen in the spring or summer when the weather will be much warmer and nicer, with the hope that Ms. Colvin will be able to see the street co-naming. The other problem was that Claudette Colvin is not well as she approaches her 80th birthday. Organizers of Claudette Colvin Day, and having a street co-named in her honor would like to have Ms. Colvin present to see the street being renamed for her. 

Father David of St. Helena Church gave the opening prayer. Assemblyman Jose Rivera then went on to say that it was people like Claudette Colvin who are the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, and it is people like Ms. Colvin who children do not know was the first person, not Rosa Parks to refuse to give up her seat on a bus in an unrespectful time in the south to people of color. 

Recently elected Parkchester Assemblywoman Karines Reyes said that she is a nurse who is a rabble rouser, and that Jose Rivera is a trouble maker. 

Councilman Andy King sent his Bronx District office manager (and Yo-Yo Wizard) Brian Melford with a certificate of recognition of Ms. Claudette Colvin. 

Parkchester District Leader John Perez who was at last years Claudette Colvin Day where Ms. Colvin received a flag that flew over the capital from the previous congressman, brought his daughter Emma with him. District Leader Perez said that he is teaching his young daughter about icons like Claudette Colvin, because it is very important that children know who really made the history, and that those people don't always get the credit they deserve. 

This event was presented by Project Peace Lights. 

Above - Assemblyman Jose Rivera speaks about the history of Claudette Colvin, and Assemblywoman Karines Reyes added to what Assemblyman Rivera said.

Below - Councilman Andy King's Bronx District office manager talks about the Certificate of Recognition he brought from Councilman Andy King for Ms. Colvin.

Above - Parkchester District Leader John Perez brought his daughter Emma up on stage with him. He said that it is important for young children to know the real events that happened like Ms. Colvin being the first Black woman not willing to give up her seat in the 1950's, and not just what is written in history books that Rosa Parks was the first Black woman not willing to give up her seat. 

Below - A survivor from the Rwanda Genocide of young girls spoke of the importance of speaking up and not allowing one to give in to the pressures young girls face today. 

Speaker Corey Johnson and New-York Historical Society Announce New Installation in City Hall Celebrating Iconic New York Women

  City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the New-York Historical Society’s Center for Women’s History announced Women’s Voices: Shaping the City, a new display in City Hall created to honor a diverse and iconic selection of women whose contributions to New York City history deserve public recognition. The special installation reflects the New York City Council and Speaker Johnson’s commitment to addressing the vast gender disparity in public artwork and monuments around the City. Portraits of eight female figures will be displayed in City Hall along with biographical information and inspirational quotes that help define their legacies. Women’s Voices: Shaping the City will be unveiled at City Hall on Friday, March 1, 2019, at the start of Women’s History Month in conjunction with the Council’s month-long Herstory celebration.

“As New Yorkers realize that we as a City have utterly failed to adequately recognize the contributions of women and try to fix it, this City Council is proud to lead the way in creating public monuments to our City’s monumental women,” said Speaker Corey Johnson.

“Most New Yorkers agree that the future is female, but the past was female too, and the entire City needs to do a better job of celebrating that fact and telling stories that have gone untold for far too long. I am proud beyond words that Shirley Chisholm, Frances Perkins, and Antonia Pantoja will now grace the same City Hall walls as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The men we have memorialized in this building have gone without strong female representation alongside them for far too long.”

“The New-York Historical Society is thrilled to partner with the City Council and heartened by Speaker Johnson’s support of our Center for Women’s History,” said Valerie Paley, senior vice president, chief historian, and director of the Center for Women’s History. “By showcasing our important work on the walls of City Hall, the City Council reminds all New Yorkers of the vital contributions of women to the city’s story. The timing of the launch, during Women’s History Month, couldn’t be more appropriate.”

The New Yorkers featured in Women’s Voices: Shaping the City are:

Alice Austen, an LGBTQ “amateur” photographer whose work is a window into her New York City experience;

Antonia Pantoja, Puerto Rican educator and community activist;

Beverly Sills, Brooklyn-bred opera soprano;

Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement and newspaper;

Frances Perkins, the first ever female United States cabinet member;

Dorothy Lee, a Chinese-American “Rosie the Riveter” at the Brooklyn Navy Yard;

Shirley Chisholm, the country’s first African-American Congresswoman who represented Brooklyn’s Twelfth District for seven terms and ran a groundbreaking presidential campaign in 1972;

Zora Neale Hurston, famed writer, anthropologist, and fixture of the Harlem Renaissance.

I am delighted and deeply moved that the City Council and New-York Historical Society have joined forces to honor some of the women who have made a lasting impact on our city. This special installation is a wonderful start to our celebration of Women’s History Month, and begins to address the pervasive absence of women from what is considered “official” history. Beginning in March, visitors to City Hall will finally be able to learn about some of the women who changed New York, and the world, for the better,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Chair of the Committee on Women.

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s preeminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

New-York Historical’s Center for Women’s History is the first of its kind in the nation within the walls of a major museum. Its work explores the lives and legacies of women who have shaped and continue to shape the American experience. As a hub for scholarship and education, the Center demonstrates how women across the spectrum of race, class, and sexuality exercised power and effected change. Guided by a committee of distinguished historians and informed by the latest research, the Center features permanent installations, temporary exhibitions, and a vibrant array of talks and programs, enriching the cultural landscape of New York City and creating new opportunities for historical discovery. To learn more, visit nyhistory.org. 

Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Assault and Murder Two United States Senators

Threatening Voice-Messages Left for Senators in Connection with the Nomination and Confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court

  Ronald DeRisi pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco to threatening to assault and murder United States senators in retaliation for their support of the nomination and confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.  When sentenced, DeRisi faces up to 10 years in prison.  As part of his plea agreement with the government, DeRisi will forfeit two rifles to the United States.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of Police, United States Capitol Police, announced the guilty plea.

“This defendant threatened to assault and murder two sitting United States senators in an effort to intimidate them and interfere with their performance of official duties,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “Ours is a system of laws – not threats – and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who seek to undermine the integrity of our constitutional system through violence.”  Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the United States Capitol Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigative work and assistance in the case. 

 “The mission of the United States Capitol Police is to protect the Congress, the U.S. Capitol, and all who work and visit here. I want to thank our investigators for their excellent work as well as our law enforcement partners and Mr. Donoghue and his staff for bringing this investigation and trial to this satisfactory conclusion,” stated U.S. Capitol Police Chief Verderosa.

In September and October of 2018, DeRisi telephoned and left more than 10 threatening voice-messages at the offices of two United States senators in connection with the nomination and confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.  When DeRisi was arrested on October 19, 2018, members of law enforcement recovered the prepaid cellular telephone that had been used to make the threatening calls, as well as live ammunition during the execution of a search warrant. 

Governor Cuomo Deploys State Assets to Regions Expected to be Hit Hardest Ahead of Winter Storm

New York City and Mid-Hudson Regions to Experience 4 to 8 Inches of Snow; Long Island to Experience 4 to 7 Inches of Snow

Winter Storm Warning for Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Bronx, New York, Queens, Richmond, Nassau and Suffolk Counties Goes into Effect at 1:00 p.m. until March 4 at 7:00 a.m.

New Yorkers Urged to Use Caution While Traveling as Storm Will Impact Monday Morning Commute

  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the deployment of state assets to regions of the state expected to be hit hardest in advance of a widespread winter storm that has the potential to bring heavy snowfall on Sunday night into early Monday morning. The system is expected to produce 4 to 8 inches in the New York City and Mid-Hudson regions, and 4 to 7 inches on Long Island. This system could create difficult driving conditions for the Monday morning commute and New Yorkers should use caution while traveling.

Attorney General James Announces Arrest Of Washington Heights Restaurant Owners And Manager For Allegedly Stealing Over $160K From Workers

Defendants Repeatedly Failed to Pay Nine Employees Over $160,000 in Back Wages

  Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrests of Manuel Hernandez, one of the owners of Parrilla Latin Bistro (“Parrilla”), Mohammed Harb, manager of Parrilla, and the corporation, 3920 Bwy. Rest. Inc. d/b/a Parrilla Latin Bistro. The two other owners, Jose Hernandez and Gino Hernandez, were not present in court and will be subject to arrest and arraignment on a future court date. The defendants are charged with repeatedly failing to pay nine restaurant workers for the hours worked, in addition to scheming to defraud those workers by continually promising the employees eventual compensation. As a result, the defendants collectively stole at least $160,000 of their employees’ hard-earned wages and are each charged with multiple counts of Grand Larceny. Additionally, Defendants Manuel Hernandez, Jose Hernandez, and 3920 Bwy. Rest. Inc. d/b/a Parrilla Latin Bistro are separately charged with failing to secure workers’ compensation coverage on two separate occasions.   

“Stealing hard-earned money from workers will not be tolerated by this administration,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “My office pursued this case on behalf of workers who claim that these employers exploited their trust and good will and denied them the fair wages that all New Yorkers are entitled to. We will never hesitate to investigate any company that is accused of stealing from their workers.”  

The felony complaint and statements made during today’s arraignment reveal that between March 3, 2014, and September 11, 2016, Defendants Manuel, Jose, and Gino Hernandez owned and operated Parrilla, located at 3920 Broadway in Manhattan. Harb was a longtime manager of the restaurant.  Parrilla employees, including servers and cooks, some of whom had worked for the diner for over seven years, were paid far less than minimum wage at daily, not hourly, rates and were often not paid at all.  None of the workers received overtime pay of one and a half times their pay rate when they worked more than forty hours per week.  

The investigation revealed that the defendants made repeated promises to the workers that payment was imminent and asked the workers to be patient. However, after the workers waited week after week, payment was sporadic or never came at all. Many of the employees returned to the restaurant to demand their back wages after ending their employment but defendants continually told employees to return at a later date to receive their payments, which did not occur.   

Each of the defendants is charged with Grand Larceny in the Second, Third, and Fourth Degrees and Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, all felonies. Defendants Manuel Hernandez, Jose Hernandez, and 3920 Bwy. Rest. Inc. d/b/a Parrilla Latin Bistro are each additionally charged with two counts of Failure to Secure Workers’ Compensation Coverage, also felonies. If convicted of the top counts against them, the defendants face up to 5 to 15 years in prison and payment of back wages to their employees.  

The charges are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.   

Attorney General James And Governor Cuomo Announce Lawsuit Against Queens Landlord For Violating Rent Stabilization Laws And Tenant Harassment

Suit Alleges that Zara Realty targeted tenants in at least 38 rent-stabilized  buildings by charging excessive fees, coercing them into signing improper leases, illegally raising rents, and denying tenant rights  

  Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a lawsuit against Zara Realty Holding Corp., its principals, and affiliated entities for repeatedly violating rent stabilization laws and harassing tenants at their Queens apartment buildings. The defendants, who own and manage at least 2,500 rent-stabilized apartments in 38 buildings in and around Jamaica, Queens, have taken advantage of their tenants, who are largely immigrant middle- and low-income families, by charging them illegal fees and rents, and requiring that they sign illegal leases. The Tenant Protection Unit of New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) uncovered these practices over the course of a two-year investigation and partnered with the Attorney General to file the suit. 

“For years, Zara Realty has engaged in an egregious pattern of tenant harassment and exploitation,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Evading our rent regulation laws and forcing low-income tenants to pay exorbitant fees for fake services is deception of the worst kind. This is a notice to all unscrupulous landlords who seek to hurt New Yorkers, we will not tolerate this behavior.”  

"Any landlord that harasses or cheats tenants will be punished to the fullest extent of the law - period," ‎said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. "New York State has zero tolerance for the unscrupulous behavior described in these allegations and our Tenant Protection Unit will continue to root out bad actors who take advantage of tenants and deliberately flout New York’s stringent rent regulation laws."   

“With today’s action, and through all of the work of the Governor’s Tenant Protection Unit, New York State is sending a strong message to the landlord community: We are watching, and if you mistreat your tenants, we are coming for you,” said New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas. 

The complaint, filed today in New York Supreme Court, alleges that Zara Realty has spent years evading and circumventing rent stabilization laws in order to scam tenants out of thousands upon thousands of dollars. Zara Realty often illegally demands and charges new tenants illegal key money, room reservation fees, advanced rent, and excessive security deposits. Tenants who continue to reside in Zara Realty buildings are often illegally charged late fees and fees for services to which they are entitled to for free such as regular apartment maintenance. 

Zara Realty regularly charges tenants moving into its buildings and tenants moving apartments within the same building a broker’s fee under the name “Jasmine Homes, LLC,” a company controlled by the Subraj family, though the Rent Stabilization Code prohibits landlord from collecting a broker’s fee. In addition, Zara Realty also charges tenants security deposits that equal three- to four-times the monthly rent, though the Rent Stabilization Code allows a landlord to collect only one month’s rent as security. 

The complaint also alleges that when Zara Realty takes over a new building, it changes the building’s front door lock and requires that tenants pay fees of up to $200 per key for the new lock. It also requires that tenants submit to background checks or sign new leases if they want a key. The investigation found that some tenants paid more than $11,000 simply to move into their rent-stabilized apartment.  

In the filing, the Attorney General seeks an injunction against Zara Realty on behalf of HCR, and it additionally seeks disgorgement, restitution, and other equitable relief under the New York Executive Law. 

The Attorney General’s Office and the Tenant Protection Unit and would like to thank Catholic Migration Services, Woodside on the Move, Chhaya CDC, Asian Americans for Equality, Legal Services NYC, the Legal Aid Society, New York Legal Assistance Group, the Jewish Association Serving the Aging, and the Urban Justice Center for their critical cooperation in this case.  

They would also like to thank TPU’s Senior Attorneys Shirali Shah, Monique Thomas and Stephanie Cunningham, as well as Assistant Counsel Karis Rasmussen, Acting Legal Director Argyro Boyle, and Acting Deputy Commissioner/Bureau Chief Gregory C. Fewer for their hard work and dedication in bringing this case to fruition.  

Oswald Feliz mediates Tenants and Stagg Management Representatives

  There was a meeting at 2987 Webster Avenue between Housing Lawyer Oswald Feliz, tenants of the building and Frank G. Bugllone, Michael Brabazon, and Javier Monroy representatives of the Stagg Group owners of the building. Complaints in the four year old building included broken appliances, lack of lighting in hallways, mold in apartments, roaches and mice from the compactor room coming into apartments, and several other matters. 

  Me. Feliz got right down to the heart of the problem with the representatives of the Stagg Group, and they agreed to have the problems solved. one major problem tenants said was that they can not get in touch with the proper person, and that there is no superintendent in the building. Security is poor also. 

Above - Ms. Barbara Stronzer of Community Board 7 stands in between the three representatives of the Stagg Group.

Below  - One tenant complains of no security camera in the stairwell, and roaches coming out of air vents.

Above and Below - More tenants complained of the substandard living conditions they mentioned, due to the lack of proper maintenance by the Stagg Group of the building. 

Also at the meeting was Kenny Agosto representing State Senator Jamaal Bailey and Assemblyman Jose Rivera.