Tuesday, July 23, 2019
6:00-8:00pm
doors open at 5:30pm
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Residence Inn by Marriott
2nd Floor Conference Room
1776 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10461
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Monday, July 22, 2019
MR. MAYOR: THE BUCK STOPS WHERE?
What You Should Know
By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz
District 18, Bronx County
You should know that while many New Yorkers are still fuming over the crippling subway suspension during July 19th’s evening rush hour on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the Grand Central-42nd Street S lines, plans are being made to reduce bus service in our nation’s poorest Congressional district by eliminating nine stops along the BX5 bus route.
It is important for you to know that the people who will be affected by this reduction in bus service on the BX5 include our senior citizens, disabled persons, the residents of Lafayette Estates, NYCHA Castle Hill residents, Soundview area residents going to and from work, children headed to school, as well as moms and dads with baby strollers who will have to walk even further to the nearest bus stop.
These are the following stops that the MTA “geniuses” are proposing to be removed:
Story Ave/Colgate Ave/ North
Story Ave/Evergreen Ave/ South
Story Ave/Nobel Ave / North
Story Ave/Soundview Ave / South
Story Ave/Taylor Ave/ North
Story Ave/Taylor Ave/South
Story Ave/Boynton Ave/ North
Bruckner Blvd /Castle Hill Ave/ North
Bruckner Blvd/Havemeyer Ave/ North
The supposed reasoning behind the removal of these nine stops on the BX5 is to “improve reliability and bus speed on the route.” What nonsense!
MTA’s proposed plan to remove these nine stops is unacceptable! What these plans fail to address is the creation of 435 brand new apartment units directly along the BX5 route. There will be an increased population of nearly 1,200 people who will surely need transportation service, yet the MTA is suggesting the removal of a bus stop directly in front of the new development. This plan also fails to mention to near completion of York Studios, one of the east coast’s largest production studios, also directly along the BX5’s bus route.
With a guaranteed increase in population and ridership, why should my constituents who rely upon the BX5 bus have to be further inconvenienced by the elimination of these bus stops during heat-waves, snowstorms, rainy days or any other days?
In light of all of the finger-pointing we all saw from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio during Friday’s subway meltdown, I expect him to accept responsibility for any plans by the MTA to reduce BX5 bus service and reverse those plans because our community doesn’t deserve reduction in basic service. The buck stops with you Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor, could it be people in the South Bronx are not as important to you as the affluent folks who live along the L-line? After all, they effectively reversed the decision to reduce the L-line’s service. It is unfair to deny basic municipal service to those who do not have alternatives.
I am Reverend Rubén Díaz, Sr. and this is what you should know.
Mayor de Blasio on Con Edison Problems
I want to give all New Yorkers an update on the situation with our electric grid. We’re here at OEM Command Post. It’s been active since last evening. I want to thank all of the first responders who did extraordinary work last night and overnight securing the situation here in communities in Brooklyn. And I am surrounded by leakers of key agencies – Emergency Management, NYPD, FDNY, including EMS of course, and the State Police. I want to thank all of them for all that they did and all that the members of their team did. So, let me give you some updates.
We’ve gotten information from Con Ed. I want to say at the outset, I am extremely disappointed with Con Ed. They have been giving us consistently inconsistent information over these last days. There’s a bigger problem here we have got to resolve with Con Ed because this was a situation we all saw coming, and they don’t have any good answers yet as to why this happened and why it was not prevented. But I’ll come to that again in a moment.
I will give you the information they are giving us but everyone should take it with a grain of salt at this point. Right now we have about 19,000 Con Ed customers without power citywide. About 13,000 of them are in this area of Brooklyn and that includes the neighborhoods of Canarsie, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, Flatlands, and part of East Flatbush. Because Con Ed chose to take this action to take these neighborhoods off the grid, to take their power away, we had to immediately deploy first responders to address the situation because Con Ed’s decision occurred just as it was getting dark which meant there were real safety and security issues that had to be addressed.
NYPD deployed over 200 additional officers to the area. I want to commend the NYPD and also the residents of the neighborhood for the way they handled things. As of this moment, the information we have in these affected neighborhoods in Brooklyn – there were no arrests, no summonses, no reports of any problems at all. More than half of the traffic lights, so far, have been restored. So, when this power was taken down it affected traffic lights, it affected streets lamps, but now more than half of the traffic lights have been restored. There are a number of additional traffic agents out to help traffic keep going until all the traffic lights are restored.
I want to thank our colleagues from the State Police. They did a great job. They came in and helped out quite a bit. I want to thank them for their cooperation and their involvement in helping to address this. I also want to thank FDNY for getting out not only in force to address any potential situations but proactively going to the homes of folks who are vulnerable. For example, folks who had breathing issues who were on ventilators and needed assistance to make sure that they were getting the help they needed. I also want to note that OEM set up an emergency shelter with Red Cross in case anybody needed to get to a safe location – thank them for that.
On the issue of Con Ed, whereas a week ago we had a situation that came out of nowhere, we still don’t even have answers from what happened a week ago Saturday in Manhattan. I have asked Con Ed repeatedly to tell us what happened, why it happened, how they are taking steps to make sure it won’t happen again. They have not given me a good answer. This situation in Brooklyn came at the very tail end of the heat emergency. So, obviously, Con Ed knew they were dealing with an extraordinary situation. Once again I spoke to the Con Ed president last night. I spoke to him this morning – no answers whatsoever as to why this happened and what is being done to ensure it will not happen again. This was obviously a predictable situation and therefore preventable.
What we’re getting continually is no clarity, no answers, no real timelines from Con Ed. So, at this point, you know, I said earlier in the week that I was having trouble trusting them. I can’t trust them at this point because I’m not getting any real answers and they have let New Yorkers down once again. It’s very clear there needs to be a full investigation into what happened not only last Saturday but what happened last night. It’s very clear we have to question whether Con Ed, as its structured now, can do the job going forward or whether we need to go to an entirely different approach. So, I’m calling for a full investigation and further that we examine whether we need a new entity to handle this situation going forward because at this point I do not have faith in Con Edison.
Con Ed is a private company that is heavily regulated but they are still a private company and they’re not accountable to the public in the way a public agency would be. You know, the Department of Environmental Protection provides water to the people of New York City. If at some point the water was shut off, we, the City government, would have to provide immediate answers. We’d have to show people that it was being fixed and we knew exactly why it happened and exactly how it would not happen again. Con Ed is very haughty about this. They don’t give real answers and they don’t feel they have to. So, I think it begs the question of whether a private company should continue to provide a service if they are not accountable to the public.
“Thousands of Con Edison customers are still without power. After two massive outages in eight days, New Yorkers are out of patience and have lost trust in Con Ed’s ability to provide a basic service. With severe storms tonight, we are mobilized in case even more New Yorkers lose power.
“City agencies are on the ground in affected neighborhoods in force to protect New Yorkers. In the hardest hit area of Brooklyn, we have deployed 200 NYPD personnel to patrol the streets and direct traffic, have 71 light towers ready to provide visibility throughout the night, and opened an emergency shelter for anyone in need. I have directed the First Deputy Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Operations, NYC Emergency Management and the Office of Sustainability to expand their ongoing review to include this weekend’s outages to get to the bottom of these failures.”
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Senator Jamaal Bailey Cookout Draws Many People and Elected Officials Despite Almost 100 Degree Temperature
You can call them the four elected officials who do the most. (L - R) New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Congressman Eliot Engel, and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. This well mixed group of veteran and a not so recently elected state senator work hard for the districts they represent, which overlap in many areas.
This was State Senator Bailey's Annual Summer Cookout, and despite the temperature being close to 100 degrees over one hundred people came to join with the many elected officials who were also in attendance.
Above - Assembly Speaker Heastie with Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, and a hot Assemblywoman Fernandez sitting in the sun.
Below - Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo talks about the changes in the Bronx Democratic County organization over the years. He added that more women who have been backed by the Bronx Democratic County organization have been elected to office in the past few years. Crespo also warned to watch out for outsiders who do not have the best interest of the people of the Bronx in their agendas.
Above - Some of the elected officials who were on hand.
Below -Assemblywoman Fernandez speaks about the opportunities of women in the Bronx Democratic County organization, talking about her own experience in getting elected.
Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. and Catholic Charities Hold Block Party on Lafayette Avenue
Outside the Monroe Houses on Lafayette Avenue Catholic Charities and Rubsn Diaz Sr. held a block party for the community. There was games, rides, and free food for those who attended. Music was provided as well as free book bags to all children. As an added bonus Councilman Diaz Sr. signed a check for $42,000.00 to Catholic Charities for their fine work in Bronx communities.
Above - Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. helps give out book bags to the children.
Below - Councilman Diaz Sr. signs a check made out to Catholic Charities in the amount of $42,000.00.
Above - A real former police car from the 1950's was on display. This two door police car is similar to the new Snart police cars as it did not have a back seat.
Below - The free food for the community included hot dogs, hamburgers, vegan burgers, popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, and even fried Oreo's as you see the batter dipped Oreo's being fried.
ASSEMBLYMAN MARCOS A. CRESPO: STATEMENT ON CURRENT STATE OF PUERTO RICO
Our collective efforts as proud Puerto Rican’s in the diaspora, whether to address economic, social or political issues in Puerto Rico, has always been driven by support for the people and the island, never by political affiliations.
I was proud to have been a part of New York’s response in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and just as proud to have worked with this and the previous administration to call on Washington to do right for Puerto Rico.
Once again, all of that work was energized to support the people whose needs are still as pressing and urgent as they were mere days after the storm. It is for this reason that we must all join in a common cause of seeking leadership that can articulate this sentiment, represent the needs of all Puerto Ricans and demand action from Washington.
It is clear that Governor Ricardo Rosello has lost the trust of the people. Strong leadership, accountability and a supported vision for Puerto Rico’s future is needed now more than ever and for these reasons I believe Governor Rosello should step down.
ASAMBLEÍSTA MARCOS A. CRESPO:
DECLARACIÓN SOBRE EL ESTADO ACTUAL DE PUERTO RICO
Nuestros esfuerzos colectivos como orgulloso puertorriqueños, ya sea para abordar temas económicos, sociales o políticos, siempre han sido impulsados por el apoyo hacia el pueblo y la isla, nunca influido por afiliaciones políticas.
Siento inmenso orgullo por haber sido parte de la respuesta de parte del estado Nueva York después del huracán María, y comparto ese mismo orgullo por haber trabajado con la actual y la anterior administración, reclamándole a Washington que haga lo correcto para la isla de Puerto Rico.
Cada uno de esos esfuerzos fueron llevados a cabo con el fin de apoyar a los Puertorriqueńos cuyas necesidades siguen siendo tan urgentes hoy como días después de la tormenta. Es por esta razón que todos debemos unirnos en una causa común en búsqueda de liderazgo que pueda articular este sentimiento, representar las necesidades de todos los puertorriqueños y que pueda continuar exigiendo acción de Washington.
Está claro que el gobernador Ricardo Rosello ha perdido la confianza del pueblo. Fuerte liderazgo, rendición de cuentas y una visión apoyada para el futuro de Puerto Rico es necesaria ahora más que nunca, y por estas razones creo que el gobernador Rosello debe abandonar su puesto.
Cada uno de esos esfuerzos fueron llevados a cabo con el fin de apoyar a los Puertorriqueńos cuyas necesidades siguen siendo tan urgentes hoy como días después de la tormenta. Es por esta razón que todos debemos unirnos en una causa común en búsqueda de liderazgo que pueda articular este sentimiento, representar las necesidades de todos los puertorriqueños y que pueda continuar exigiendo acción de Washington.
Está claro que el gobernador Ricardo Rosello ha perdido la confianza del pueblo. Fuerte liderazgo, rendición de cuentas y una visión apoyada para el futuro de Puerto Rico es necesaria ahora más que nunca, y por estas razones creo que el gobernador Rosello debe abandonar su puesto.
Bronx Brothers Charged With 2018 Shooting
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging ANTONIO MORA, a/k/a “Chucky,” and BRIAN MORA, a/k/a “Dottie,” with the September 17, 2018, shooting of a rival drug dealer in connection with a drug conspiracy, after pulling his daughter from his hands. ANTONIO MORA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox. BRIAN MORA is already in federal custody. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Antonio and Brian Mora dealt heroin and crack cocaine in the Bronx. During a dispute with a rival drug crew, the defendants allegedly ripped the victim’s daughter out of his arms before shooting him. Thanks to our partners at the NYPD, the defendants now face federal charges for their brazen and callous crimes.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated: “This case illustrates the extreme violence that too often accompanies gang activity and the drug trade, and why we must be vigilant in keeping our communities safe. I want to thank the law enforcement professionals whose hard work and dedication secured these federal indictments.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Between 2016 and 2018, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA were involved in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. During that same time period, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA used, carried, and discharged a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug conspiracy, including on September 17, 2018, when, in connection with a dispute with a rival drug crew, they shot a man after they pulled his daughter from his arms.
ANTONIO MORA, 25, of the Bronx, New York, and BRIAN MORA, 24, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin and one count of using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.