One Book One Bronx - Building a Community of Readers in the Bronx

One Book One Bronx is an exciting new book discussion group that hosts restorative community conversations related to gentrification, social justice, women’s empowerment, criminal justice, racial inequality and more. Reading selections reflect the racial, economic, and gender demographics of the borough and build bridges to engagement while (re)sparking a love of reading. Click here for details

On Tuesday, April 16, 6:30pm, BronxArtSpace (305 E. 140th St) 

One Book One Bronx will start Training School for Negro Girls by Camille Acker. 

In her debut short story collection, Camille Acker unleashes the irony and tragic comedy of respectability onto a wide-ranging cast of characters, all of whom call Washington, DC, home. A “woke” millennial tries to fight gentrification, only to learn she’s part of the problem; a grade school teacher dreams of a better DC, only to take out her frustrations on her students; and a young piano player wins a competition, only to learn the prize is worthless. Click here for details 

Tuesdays, 6:30pm to 8:00pm 

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2019 

The Crazy Bunch By Willie Perdomo 

Location: BronxArtSpace, 305 East 140th St. Bronx In his fourth collection, The Crazy Bunch, Perdomo returns to his beloved neighborhood to create a vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait of a “crew” coming of age in East Harlem at the beginning of the 1990s. In poems written in couplets, vignettes, sketches, riffs, and dialogue, Perdomo recreates a weekend where surviving members of the crew recall a series of tragic events: “That was the summer we all tried to fly. All but one of us succeeded.” Click here for details

Literary Freedom Project is a Bronx-based 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization that seeks to restore the importance of social and cultural identity through reading. Towards this goal, LFP publishes Mosaic Literary Magazine; develops literature-based lesson plans and workshops; and presents One Book One Bronx and Mosaic Literary Conference.

March 12, One Book One Bronx meets at BronxArtSpaced 

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES YOUTH VOTE NYC REGISTRATION DRIVE AND FIRST-EVER CIVICS WEEK ACROSS NYC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Civics Week will encourage students to register to vote and participate in activities that empower their voices in our democracy; follow the latest with #YouthVoteNYC

  The de Blasio Administration today launched its most robust civic engagement effort at schools of all grade levels and colleges across New York City. The effort will encourage students to register to vote and participate in the City's first-ever Civics Week program, which aims to increase civic participation and empower the voices of New York City students.

During Civics Week, students at Department of Education schools will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that will help students hone their public speaking skills, encourage them to participate in Participatory Budgeting, connect students with community leaders and elected officials, and give students an opportunity to participate in town halls to discuss issues that matter to them and their communities. Hundreds of high schools also will be hosting student voter registration events, with the goal of registering thousands of young New Yorkers. Civics Week and the student voter registration drive are part of Mayor de Blasio's 10-point democracy agenda known as DemocracyNYC, which aims to increase civic engagement and strengthen democracy locally and nationally.

In order to strengthen our democracy and mold the next generation of leaders, we need to begin teaching our kids the importance of civic engagement early in their lives, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. With Civics Week and programs such as Participatory Budgeting, we're empowering our kids and reminding them that they have the power to spark change in their communities by using their voices. I encourage everyone to participate in Civics Week to continue creating a fairer and stronger democracy at home and across the nation.

The best way to achieve real civic participation is by connecting with each community to learn what people need from their elected officials and to have an ongoing dialogue on ways they can get involved, said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. That is exactly what Civics Week and the Student Voter Registration Drive will bring to young New Yorkers in hundreds of schools and colleges this week. I commend Council Member Helen Rosenthal for pioneering student voter registration drive efforts in our city since 2015 and the Democracy NYC team, the Department of Education, CUNY and everyone involved for ensuing our students have the information and tools they need to make their voices heard, especially in these critical times."

New York City public school students have the ideas and passion to improve our communities, and we want their voices to be heard, said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. Through the first-ever Civics Week and our year-round Civics for All initiative, we are removing barriers that keep students from participating in the democratic process, and fostering the skills and knowledge they need to make a difference.

Giving every New Yorker a voice involves working closely with government and community partners to develop and strengthen structures for people all over the City to engage in our democracy, said Chief Democracy Officer Ayirini Fonseca-Sabune. Youth of every age are key stakeholders in this process and Civics Week and the Youth Vote NYC registration drives are ideal platforms to help engage and empower them. I am thrilled to work with the Department of Education, the City University of New York and other partners in these efforts.

We must give the next generation the tools to take an active role in their community", said Marco A. Carrion, Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit. "Student Voter Registration Drive is part of our broader commitment to empowering and engaging young people here in New York City. 

"Today's students are the future of our society and we must make it as easy as possible for them to participate in our democracy," said Omar Khan, Director of the Mayor's Public Engagement Unit. "Whether it's taking a leadership role at school or voting, being civically engaged is the best way to ensure our community and government hears all of the diverse voices that make this city so strong."

"CUNY has a long history of voter registration on our campuses. This week's Student Voter Registration Drive is a continuation of that history and yet another opportunity for our students to register to vote. It is important for our students to recognize that their voice is in their vote," said Staci Emanuel, CUNY's University-wide Voter Registration Coordinator.

To support Civics Week and participating schools, the Department of Education developed instructional guides to help schools host voter registration drives and design activities that encourage civic participation. Schools interested in participating can access the guides here andhere. Civics Week is part of the Department of Education's Civics for All initiative, which teaches students about the foundations of American government and the democratic process.

Some of the activities schools across the City will host include:

Participatory Budgeting: Civics for All Participatory Budgeting In Your School will provide $2,000 for high school students to identify priorities and direct spending at 48 New York City public high schools. Students at these schools will engage in a participatory budgeting experience by identifying and proposing projects that are voted on by the entire school community. Each participating school will receive,

 A $2,000 allocation to fund the selected proposal.

Training on how to integrate the project into a social studies course and, in partnership with Participatory Budgeting Project, how to successfully engage students in generating and voting on ideas.

SoapboxNYC: A K-12 public speaking competition that calls on students to speak out on issues that affect them and their communities. SoapboxNYC is led by Mikva Challenge's Project Soapbox and helps students develop, practice and hone their public speaking skills. School winners will compete in borough-wide contests later this year.

Poster Contest: Students will have an opportunity to participate in the City's Civics for All poster competition in which students are invited to showcase their artistic talent and civic engagement beliefs by exploring and creating posters that speak to important social issues, exercising student voice and examining the importance of voting and civic participation.

Guest Speakers: A variety of schools will host forums where student activist groups can connect with other students to speak about the importance of civic engagement and a variety of issues, including racial and gender equity, the environment, social media, how to write a petition and gun violence. Teams of activists from other American cities will also be visiting schools throughout the week to discuss issues of national significance and their related activism.

Town Halls: Students will be able to participate in town halls hosted by their schools to talk about issues that matter to them and their communities.

Additionally, the City will be working with DOE Schools, CUNY and other colleges to host Youth Vote NYC voter registration drives. College students will also have the opportunity to take a Civic Engagement Pledge to make a commitment to become more involved in their communities. For more information, visit nyc.gov/youthvote to download "how to host a drive" toolkits and watch videos of student activists speaking about the importance of participating in our democracy. Outreach specialists from the Mayor's Public Engagement Unit also will be at 70 high schools to support voter registration efforts.

NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY L. KING TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE PUNISHMENT FOR SALE OF K2

  New York City Council Member Andy L. King will introduce legislation at tomorrow's Council Stated meeting that will modify statutes involving punishing the sale of K2 in local businesses.  

This legislation will increase the maximum penalties and will add landlords to any persons who are subject to penalties for K2 sales.  It will also make a new requirement that local community planning boards are be notified so they can recommend termination of alcohol licenses to the state liquor authority.  This legislation modifies subdivision of section 10-203 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 97 in the year 2015, with language increasing the maximum civil liability of $50,000 to $100,000.  

"My legislation sends a strong message to communities that businesses need to take a stand against the illicit activity that we've seen," said Council Member King.  "In adding landlords to the discussion, we acknowledge you can't be out of sight out of mind allowing crime, and landlords can and should be people who are subject to penalties for K2 sales. You can't make your money collecting rent in the suburbs benefiting from drug sales in our communities.  Not on my watch."

OVER 77 POUNDS OF SUSPECTED HEROIN AND FENTANYL AND APPROXIMATELY $200,000 CASH SEIZED IN HARLEM: PACKAGES LABELLED “PABLO ESCOBAR”

      

Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, Keith M. Corlett, Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police, and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York announced the seizure of approximately 35 kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl (over 77 pounds), worth over $10 million.

Two defendants were arrested and subsequently arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court the evening of Friday, March 29 and the morning of Saturday, March 30, 2019. ARIEL HERNANDEZ faces charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees. LUISUIDYN GARCIA MENA is charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree and False Personation.

At approximately 8:50 pm on Thursday, March 28, 2019, members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) Group T-22 and HSI conducted a court authorized search of 630 Lenox Avenue, Apt. 10A, in Harlem, Manhattan as part of an ongoing investigation into a narcotic trafficking group. Agents seized 32 kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl in brick form from inside a bedroom closet.

Kilogram-sized packages were wrapped in brown, black and clear tape, with various labels affixed on top. Among the labels was a photo of the notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, as well as pieces of paper with the names “Pablo” and “Escobar.” Other labels bore recipient code names and images of airplanes. Several clear plastic bags were also filled with loose powder. Additionally, agents and investigators recovered approximately $200,000, a money counter, drug records and a kilogram press.

Earlier that day, agents and investigators were conducting surveillance in the vicinity of 506 West 145th Street in Manhattan at 1:00 p.m. as part of a short-term investigation into narcotics trafficking when they observed HERNANDEZ and GARCIA MENA meeting inside a black 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. A short time later, agents observed HERNANDEZ leave the vehicle and enter the apartment building located at 630 Lenox Avenue.

GARCIA MENA drove off in the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe and agents stopped him a short time later. Agents recovered approximately $1,200 cash and two cellphones from the center console of the vehicle. The cellphones had their respective phone numbers written on the outside of each phone. Agents also recovered two allegedly false pieces of identification in different names from the vehicle.

Officers later observed HERNANDEZ exit 630 Lenox Avenue with a blue and gray backpack. Agents stopped HERNANDEZ and recovered three kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl from the backpack along with keys to 630 Lenox Avenue, Apt. 10A. The Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office drafted a search warrant and received court authorization to enter the apartment.

The DEA estimates the black market value of the suspected heroin/fentanyl ranges from $10.5 million to $20 million depending on the potency. The heroin/fentanyl will be tested and analyzed in the DEA’s Northeast Regional Laboratory.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan commended members of her office’s Special Investigations Bureau, DEA’s New York Division, NYDETF Group T-22 and HSI for their work on the case. The NYDETF is comprised of agents and officers with the DEA, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Brennan said, “The amount of fentanyl and heroin seized is a chilling reminder of the daunting threat lethal opioids pose to vulnerable substance users and those tempted to try readily available drugs. Thank you to the dedicated attorneys and enforcement officers who work tirelessly to protect our neighborhoods.”

“Opioid-related deaths are at a record high and it is our job to investigate those responsible for illicit drug distribution,” said Ray Donovan, DEA Special Agent in Charge. “This organization used the image and name of Pablo Escobar, who was known as the King of Cocaine, to mark their product. Albeit, this seizure was not cocaine, it shows a sign of the times, that heroin/fentanyl are the traffickers’ most profitable and plentiful product and the public’s deadliest threat.”

“The NYPD and our law enforcement partners never stop working to intercept illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl," said NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill. "These drugs are highly addictive, and they're deadly. The people who deal these drugs should know that we'll do everything in our power to identify them and hold them fully responsible for the destruction they cause. I want to thank the members of the NYPD, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and HSI for their contributions to this investigation.”

"Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose. When mixing with heroin, there is no way for the consumer to know just how much fentanyl is laced in the product, which leaves for a deadly game of Russian Roulette," said Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York. "HSI’s Border Enforcement Security Task force, together with the DEA, has been able to remove nearly 35 kilos off New York City streets, potentially mitigating thousands of overdoses and possible drug related deaths."

	Defendants
1	Ariel Hernandez; New York, NY; 11/11/1983 Charges CPCS 1st – 1 ct; CPCS 3rd – 1 ct
2	Luisuidyn Garcia Mena; Yonkers, NY; 1/23/1978 Charges Conspiracy 2nd – 1 ct; False Personation – 1 ct

The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

DOI ARRESTS LICENSED FILING REPRESENTATIVE ON CHARGES OF SUBMITTING FORGED DOCUMENTS TO THE CITY BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT IN CONNECTION WITH DOZENS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

  Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the arrest of a Licensed Filing Representative on charges of forging the credentials of a Professional Engineer on documents filed with the City Department of Buildings (“DOB”). The forgeries made it appear that the Professional Engineer prepared the submitted documents when, in fact, the Professional Engineer did not authorize the use of his stamp for those documents. DOI’s investigation began on a tip that the defendant was submitting forged documentation to the City. The office of Queens County District Attorney Richard A. Brown is prosecuting the case.

 EVELYN DELLUTRI, 55, of Forest Hills, N.Y., was arrested and charged today with multiple counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, a class D felony; Perjury in the Second Degree, Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree and Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, class E felonies; and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, class A misdemeanors. Upon conviction, a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison; a class E felony is punishable by up to four years in prison; and a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year’s incarceration.

 DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said, “In allegedly forging the credentials of a professional engineer, this defendant potentially compromised the integrity of commercial construction projects and attempted to circumvent a process meant to keep City construction safe, according to the charges. These actions led to plans being submitted with missing drawings and other problems that could have posed risks to the reliability of the construction work. DOI thanks the Queens District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in ensuring the safety of construction in New York City is protected.”

  Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan said, "The defendant in this case is accused of using a professional stamp in a fraudulent manner, sidestepping procedures and a key safety feature. These professional stamps are a key component in verifying that a competent, licensed professional has certified that construction plans are in compliance with applicable City code and rules. This kind of malfeasance will not be tolerated."

  According to the criminal complaint and DOI’s investigation, between November 2014 and August 2015, the defendant submitted a variety of documents to DOB, which were necessary for construction in Queens, including a PW-1 or Plan/Work Application, which is an application for a DOB construction permit, construction plans submitted as part of that PW-1, and a TR-1, or Technical Report Statement of Responsibility, which are the results of the engineer’s inspection of the completed construction. Approximately 70 of these forged documents were submitted to DOB in connection with commercial construction; and which fraudulently bore the stamp of a Professional Engineer who had not authorized his stamp to be used on those documents. On some of the filings, “Evelsons Consultant, Inc.” is listed as the Professional Engineer’s business name; however, the Professional Engineer stated that he has never done business under that name. DOB records connect Evelsons Consultant, Inc. with the defendant. The investigation resulted in the recovery of the Professional Engineer’s stamp in the defendant’s residence.

  DOI requested that DOB conduct an audit of these jobs and as a result of that audit six Notice of Objections were uncovered raising the following issues: missing items from the drawings, the need for cost estimates for proposed work to be verified, the need for a new Certificate of Occupancy and approved plans, and a sprinkler head did not match the drawings. These projects were put on hold and remain pending.

 The investigation was conducted by DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Buildings, specifically, Senior Investigator Jeanette Torres, under the supervision of First Deputy Inspector General Kim Ryan-Flores, Inspector General Gregory Cho, Associate Commissioner Jay Flaherty, Deputy Commissioner / Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Cort.

  A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Woman Sentenced to 20 Years-to-Life For Fatal Times Square Subway Push

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the sentencing of MELANIE LIVERPOOL, 33, to 20 years-to-life in prison for shoving 49-year-old Connie Watton in front of an oncoming train at the Times Square – 42nd Street subway station, killing her, on November 7, 2016. LIVERPOOL pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree — the sole count in the indictment against her — on March 4, 2019.

“Melanie Liverpool committed an unconscionable crime when she shoved Ms. Watton off a subway platform and into a speeding train, ending her life and taking her away from her beloved husband and friends,” said District Attorney Vance. “Now, thanks to the NYPD and my office’s prosecutors, she will serve significant prison time for this horrific act of violence.”

District Attorney Vance thanked the NYPD, particularly Officers Brian Bulanowski and Kyle Rugino of Transit District 3 and Detective John Kiernan of the Midtown South Detective Squad, for its assistance on the investigation. 

Defendant Information:

MELANIE LIVERPOOL, 

D.O.B. 2/1/1986  Queens, NY

Convicted: Murder in the Second Degree, 

a class A felony, one count

Sentenced: 20 years-to-life in prison

Stringer Audit Reveals Inadequate Oversight of DOB Amusement Park Inspections, Highlighting Widespread Inconsistencies

DOB strengthens inspection oversight following Comptroller’s audit

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released a new audit of the Department of Buildings (DOB) revealing the agency’s consistent failure to properly account for its inspections of amusement devices and rides often found at street fairs and in New York City’s amusement parks and public parks. The audit identified widespread inconsistencies in inspection records, reflecting deficient oversight at the DOB. In one example, 86 percent of the random spot checks of these devices reportedly performed by the DOB Elevator Unit and sampled in the Comptroller’s audit were not recorded on the rides’ DOB-issued compliance certificates, known as “green cards.” Further, DOB inspection records indicate that hundreds of inspections were made on devices that other DOB records stated were no longer in operation, suggesting that these records are inaccurate and unreliable. Following the Comptroller’s audit, DOB has agreed to integrate inspection results into DOB NOW, an updated system for tracking inspections, which could streamline and strengthen the oversight process.

“Part of what makes New York City such a great place to raise a family is that our communities have the space and opportunity to come together in celebration. That’s why we can’t take chances with inspections or the safety of New Yorkers,” said Comptroller Stringer. “The lack of oversight and management at the Department of Buildings has put hundreds of inspections in question and may have led to a waste of taxpayer money. Our audit is pushing the Department of Buildings to make fundamental changes in how it ensures inspections are completed and tracked, and that means more fun and peace of mind for New Yorkers.”

Amusement devices include permanent, temporary, and portable rides – all of which must pass an initial inspection performed by DOB’s Elevator Unit before receiving a license for public use at a street fair, carnival, or amusement park. While permanent devices must receive an inspection roughly every 120 days, temporary devices, often seen at street fairs, receive an inspection every time they are set up at a location and are approved for a period of not more than two weeks at a time.

According to DOB rules, all amusement devices across New York City are subject to random spot checks while in use to ensure that devices are operated safely, are on level ground, and that operators are following safety requirements such as enforcing height requirements and making sure that riders lock their seatbelts. Spot checks constitute the vast majority – 95 percent – of amusement device inspections by DOB and are performed solely during inspectors’ overtime hours.

The Comptroller’s audit surveyed nine locations across all five boroughs and reviewed 1,857 spot checks reportedly made by DOB’s Elevator Unit between January 1, 2016 through July 25, 2018, and reviewed DOB’s checklists of 242 periodic inspections of permanent amusement park devices, to determine the accuracy and reliability of the inspection process.

Findings include:

86 Percent of Sampled Random Inspections of Amusement Devices Cannot be Verified

Inspectors are required to record results of periodic inspections on “green cards” assigned to each amusement device. For random spot checks, however, DOB requires its inspectors to sign only one green card — for one device — at each amusement park or street fair they visit, which is supposed to signify that the inspector checked all the devices at the location. However, that practice was not consistently followed.

Auditors found instances in which all green cards at a location were signed, other instances where some, but not all, green cards were signed, and instances where only one green card was signed. As a result of DOB’s inconsistent practice, of the 1,857 spot checks sampled in the audit, only 267 (14 percent) were recorded on the devices’ green cards. The absence of consistent green card recording means that 86 percent of sampled spot checks reported in DOB’s central Buildings Information System (BIS) could not be verified by the Comptroller’s office or by DOB. As a practical matter, the spot checks reported in BIS cannot be readily verified to determine whether they happened and whether the reported results are accurate.

Missing and Unreliable DOB Records

DOB has a significant and longstanding backlog of inspection results to be recorded, making DOB’s internal tracking system unreliable. As a result, the Comptroller’s audit found:

• While a review of green cards for sampled devices show that 94 percent of the 176 periodic inspections were recorded as performed, only 41 percent of those inspections were recorded into BIS – DOB’s central data system.
• While, according to DOB officials, every device set up in New York City must receive at least one spot check during operation, DOB’s BIS database shows:
  • For the 119 devices active in 2016, 31 percent had no record of a spot check.
  • For the 124 devices active in 2017, 19 percent had no record of a spot check.
  • For the 114 devices active in 2018, 13 percent had no record of a spot check.
• While some devices received just one or two spot checks over the course of three years, another 52 devices received anywhere from 44 to 265 spot checks, revealing a potential waste of resources from inspector overtime and lax oversight of device inspections.
• DOB records aren’t just missing, in some cases they appear to be wildly inaccurate.
  • DOB incorrectly reported that multiple spot checks were performed for a device at Luna Park in Coney Island that was not set-up and not in use – in fact, it was removed from service the prior year.
  • Following this discovery, the audit team comprehensively reviewed DOB listings for “removed” devices against its listings of inspections for “active” devices and identified an additional 16 devices that, according to DOB, received a total of 294 inspections despite being listed in the agency’s own records as “removed” and not operational.

Audit Leads to Stronger DOB Procedures

DOB agreed with the audit’s finding that the agency’s recordkeeping had issues – and agreed to implement the Comptroller’s recommendations including, but not limited to:

• Ensure adequate oversight of the inspections of amusement devices, including by developing written procedures detailing management’s responsibilities for monitoring and reviewing data related to spot checks and periodic inspections, and ensuring that management performs regular reviews.
• Generate periodic reports of spot checks to ensure that all devices are receiving at least one spot check annually, and to ensure that resources are being used efficiently.
• Ensure that inspectors are entering the inspections into DOB NOW on the day they are conducted, implement a plan to eliminate the entry backlog for amusement device inspections, and ensure that going forward inspections are recorded timely.
• Implement procedures for tracking temporary and portable devices and their associated inspections.

Senate Transportation Chair Kennedy Joins Senator Biaggi on Tour of Westchester Square #6 Subway Station

  MTA workers can be seen cleaning and painting before State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and State Senate Transportation Chair Tim Kennedy paid a visit to the Westchester Square #6 Subway Station. In speaking with the MTA supervisor who said she received a call that there was going to be company at the station and to clean it up before the visit, she wanted to know just whom was coming to visit that warranted the station clean up. 

Besides cleaning liter from the stairs, Metro Card machines and windows were cleaned, and fresh coats of paint were put on several wall trims and door frames. When Senators Kennedy and Biaggi arrived to see that the MTA was still cleaning and painting Senator Kennedy said that maybe more stations need to be visited so they will be cleaned up. 

Behind Senator Kennedy are (L - R) Dan Padernacht Chair Traffic and Transportation Committee CB 8, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Matthew Cruz District Manager CB 10, Former Councilman James Vacca, and Kevin Daloia Transportation Alternatives.

Above - Senators Biaggi and Kennedy ask this subway rider who uses a cane the problems of getting to the train platform. Since the Westchester Square #6 station does not have an elevator the station is limited in just who can enter the train at the Westchester Square station. It was noted that stations on either side of this stop also do not have any handicap access. 

Below - The peeling paint from under the Westchester Square #6 station was also a concern to both senators.