Justice Department Finds State of New Jersey Violated U.S. Constitution with Deficient Care at Two State Run Veterans’ Homes

 

The Justice Department announced today that it has concluded an investigation into whether New Jersey subjected residents of two veterans’ homes to conditions that violate the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The department found reasonable cause to believe the residents of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus face unreasonable harm and risk due to inadequate infection control practices and inadequate medical care, in violation of the U.S. Constitution. The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs operates the homes, which provide long-term nursing care to veterans and their families.

“We owe the veterans who served our nation our deepest thanks, and those veterans and their family members who live in these facilities have the right to appropriate care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Based on our investigation, we have found that these facilities have provided inadequate protection from infections and deficient medical care, which have caused these veterans and their families great harm. We look forward to working with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to improve the conditions in these homes they operate and ensure these veterans and their families receive the care they need and deserve.”

“Those who served to protect this nation and their families are entitled to appropriate care when they reside at a veterans’ home,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “The Paramus and Menlo Park veterans’ homes fail to provide the care required by the U.S. Constitution and subject their residents to unacceptable conditions, including inadequate infection control and deficient medical care. These conditions must swiftly be addressed to ensure that our veterans and their families at these facilities receive the care they so richly deserve. We will not stop working until they do.”  

The inadequate infection control practices and inadequate medical care at the homes are compounded by a lack of effective management and oversight. Such deficiencies expose residents to uncontrolled, serious and deadly infections and have resulted in the veterans’ homes suffering among the highest number of resident deaths of all similarly sized facilities in the region.

The investigation was conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Justice Department to act to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run residential institutions.

As required by CRIPA, the department provided the state with written notice setting out the department’s conclusions and the supporting facts. The department also notified the state of the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations.

The Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey conducted the investigation.

 Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available on its website at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.  

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Help High School Students Excel in the Classroom and in Extra-Curricular Activities

 

Legislation (A.514-A/S.5650-A) Requires School Districts Provide Parents and Students with Information on Advanced Placement Course Offerings, Their Benefits, and the Support the District Provides for Participating Students

Legislation (S.1732/A.6091) Requires the Establishment of Student Governments in High Schools and School Districts Where They Do Not Currently Exist

  Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation to help high school students succeed — both in and out of the classroom. Legislation (A.514-A/S.5650-A) ensures parents and students receive information on what advanced placement courses are offered, how to enroll in them, and the benefits of participation. Legislation (S.1732/A.6091) establishes peer selected student governments either in high schools or district-wide where there currently are none. This is Governor Hochul's latest commitment to New York's students as they head back to school, building on multiple announcements this week to expand and support a diverse teacher workforce, expand childcare centers at SUNY campuses, and ensure school districts and BOCES have COVID-19 tests and masks available.

"Education is the great equalizer for young New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “This legislation proves that we're not just changing policy — we are creating environments where every family has the knowledge to best support their kids on their educational journey and students have the opportunity to practice civic engagement through opportunities in their own classroom.”

Legislation (A.514-A/S.5650-A) amends the education law to require all school districts and charter schools to provide information to parents and students about the availability and benefits of Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the school on an annual basis. Such notices shall include the benefits of participating in AP courses, a description of the courses offered in the current and following school years by a district or charter school and how to prepare and enroll in them, as well as a description of the academic and non-academic support the district or charter school provides, including financial assistance relating to the cost of participating in AP courses. Such notice must be provided electronically or by mail and be posted on the website of the district or charter school.

Legislation (S.1732/A.6091) amends the education law to require that student governments in high schools or district wide are established where they currently do not exist. The board of education or trustees of every school district serving high school students in grades nine through 12 with no districtwide or school building peer selected student government must establish a student government system.

Bronx Jewish Community Council - Happy Sweet New Year!

 

Happy Sweet New Year

This coming Rosh haShana, as you sit down with your beautiful families, we beseech you to please remember the less fortunate and vulnerable among us.

There are needy seniors in our community who are often forced to choose between vital medication and food. They need your help.

We ask you to please partner with us in sweetening their Rosh HaShana this coming year!

Wishing you and yours a happy sweet new year!

Donate

Bronx Jewish Community Council   2930 Wallace, Bronx, NY 10467 713-728-5297

VCJC News & Notes 9/8/23

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

Shabbos

Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.

Here are the times you need:  

Shabbos Candles Friday 9/8/23 @ 6:59 pm

Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 

Shabbos Ends Saturday 9/9/23 @ 8:02 pm

Kiddush given in memory of Harry Penn by Merrill & Elizabeth Penn

 

1st Night of Selichot

Saturday September 9th 8:45PM

Services to be Held at:

KCI 

3220 Arlington Ave

Riverdale, NY 10463

Meet & Greet with Rabbi Lowenthal, Sunday 9/10/23 at 1 PM

See the poster below.

Membership Dues, High Holiday seats

Rosh HaShannah starts next Friday evening, 9/15/23.  If you have not paid your synagogue dues and/or bought your Holiday ticket, come into the office and you can pick up your ticket.  You can purchase tickets and pay dues online.

Fight Anti-Semitism

VCJC was sent a large number of Blue Square pins from Stand Up To Jewish Hate, an organization under The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, started by Robert K. Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots. Its purpose is to make the world aware of and help wipe out anti-Semitism. Wearing the pin will show that you support stopping the spread of anti-Semitism. 

Lulav & Etrog Sets for Sale

Have your Lulav and Etrog Set delivered directly to the Shul.  Sets Available at 4 Different Price Points

$30.00

$37.00

$46.00

$56.00

 

If you are interested in ordering a Lulav & Etrog Set through the shul, you can call or email (vancortlandtjc@aol.com) the order to the office or come and visit the office during regular office hours.  Please specify the number of sets you wish to order and the price point of the sets you want.  If using email please make sure to include your name in the email.

All orders must be received by September 15th.

If you will not be in shul for the first days of the Sukkot Holiday and still want to place an order let the office know so we can arrange for you to pick up your set before the holiday begins.

Payment does not need to be made at the same time as submitting your order.

Our mailing address is: Van Cortlandt Jewish Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave Bronx, NY 10463

Mayor Eric Adams Visits PS 121 in Allerton on the First Day of School

 

The final day of the September heat wave with the temperature reaching ninety-three degrees was also the first day of school for almost one million public school children. Mayor Eric Adams came to PS 121 in the Allerton section of the Bronx to welcome returning students and to meet new children to the school. An estimated twenty thousand new migrant children are beginning their first year in New York City public schools after five years of a declining public school enrollment. 

With Mayor Adams was Schools Chancellor David Banks and United Federation of Teachers union Michael Mulgrew, who met Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, and Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez. While PS 121 is in Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr.'s district, the good father was taking his three children to their two different schools. 

After the children who had gathered in the school yard went inside the school building the mayor, chancellor, and elected officials gathered in front of the mini-school in the lower school yard for speeches and announcements. PS 121 Principal Jared Kreiner who is entering his fifth year as principal of PS 121 aid he was thrilled to have the mayor, chancellor and all the elected officials at his school. Principal Kreiner then introduced an outstanding fifth grader Chole President who he said has wishes of going to Howard University. 

 The fifth grader told of what she likes at PS 121, and then introduced Mayor Eric Adams. Mayor Adam recalled his first day of school in Queens, an how he cried leaving his mother until a third grade girl took his hand and said "It's going to be all right.". Chancellor David Banks spoke about the influx of migrant students into the public school system saying, "We don't treat people as outsiders. We welcome them with open arms." 

The school yard of PS 121 where children, their parents, and school staff lined up before Mayor Adams arrived.

Mayor Adams arrived to cameras and reporters before saying hello to several children.

Mayor Adams poses with this PS 121 student as her mom and others take the photo.

As the temperature rose Mayor Adams take off his jacket as he takes a photo with these two students.

PS 121 Principal Jared Kreiner introduced everyone up front, and fifth grader Chole President (far right).

Fifth grader Chole President would introduce Mayor Eric Adams. 

Mayor Eric Adams talks about his first day of school and calls for a much better school year.

Chancellor David Banks speaks about what he envisions for the new school year.

Statement Of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams On The Guilty Plea Of Ryan Salame, Former CEO Of FTX

 

Ryan Salame Pled Guilty to Conspiracy to Make Unlawful Political Contributions and Defraud the Federal Election Commission and Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

Ryan Salame agreed to advance the interests of FTX, Alameda Research, and his co-conspirators through an unlawful political influence campaign and through an unlicensed money transmitting business, which helped FTX grow faster and larger by operating outside of the law.  Today’s guilty plea reflects the commitment I made in December that my Office would continue to pursue swift justice against individuals at FTX and its affiliates who engaged in criminal conduct.” 

Dozens Arrested as Part of Houston Violent Crime Initiative

 

The charges brought against 39 individuals are the newest brought in the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Houston Violent Crime Initiative, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and local, state, and federal law enforcement.

The arrests were made after a federal grand jury returned seven separate indictments, with additional arrests made under four court-issued complaints. The defendants are each alleged to be part of larger organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking or violent robberies. Many of the charged crimes involved the illegal possession or use of firearms.

The joint effort, first announced a year ago in September 2022, addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime.

Among the charges are possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, meth, and other drugs; possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; and felon in possession of a firearm and carjacking.

During the investigations and arrests, law enforcement seized 79 firearms, including three machineguns made by attaching a machine conversion device (MCD) to a semi-automatic firearm and three stand-alone machinegun conversion devices not attached to firearms. Also seized were a silencer, three ghost guns, an inert hand grenade, and body armor. Drugs and related items seized included approximately 248 kilograms of meth, including meth pills some of which laced with fentanyl; over 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and PCP, as well as four pill presses and over $110,000 in cash.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston Field Office, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, Principal Deputy Administrator George Papadopoulos of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, and Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Division made the announcement.

The FBI, Houston Police Department, DEA, HSI, and ATF investigated the cases with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Harris County Constable’s Office (Precincts 3, 4, and 5), Montgomery County Constable’s Office (Precinct 4), U.S. Marshals Service, Waller County Sheriff’s Office, the Cy-Fair Independent School District Police Department, and the Texas Anti-Gang Center (TAG).

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

FINAL 67 DRUG CASES CONNECTED TO EX-NYPD DETECTIVE DISMISSED

 

Action Brings to 324 the Convictions Reliant on Joseph Franco That Have Been Dismissed After Review by Bronx DA’s Conviction Integrity Bureau 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx judge has dismissed the last of 324 Bronx cases connected to former NYPD Detective Joseph Franco, whose termination from the force over making false statements about narcotics arrests spurred a longterm investigation by the Conviction Integrity Bureau.

  District Attorney Clark said, “This is Justice with Integrity. After the detective was fired by the NYPD in April 2020, my Conviction Integrity Bureau did an exhaustive review of Bronx cases hinging on the former detective’s testimony and sworn statements. Prosecutors had relied on evidence from someone with compromised credibility, and the District Attorney cannot stand behind these convictions.” 

 Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Martin on September 6, 2023 granted the motion by defense attorneys and joined by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office to dismiss 67 cases against defendants who were charged between 2011 and 2015, when Franco was an undercover narcotics detective in the Bronx. Thirty-three of those convictions were for fourth-degree Criminal Facilitation, 24 were for seventh- degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, nine were for marijuana offenses that are no longer considered crimes, and one conviction was for second-degree Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia.   

  Franco was indicted in New York County in 2019 on perjury and other charges. That case was dismissed.

 The review of Franco’s cases was conducted by Assistant District Attorney Risa Gerson, Chief of the Conviction Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Russell of the Conviction Integrity Bureau. District Attorney Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Kayla Santiago of the Conviction Integrity Bureau for her assistance in the case.