MAYOR DE BLASIO COMMEMORATES JUNETEENTH WITH NEW RACIAL JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

Commission will address systemic racism through policy action and documenting the history of racial discrimination in NYC

  Mayor Bill de Blasio announced additional steps the City is taking to address disparities and structural racism that have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that effort, the City will commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved Africans, with a new commission to understand the effects of structural and institutional racism in New York City. The Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission (RRC) will be established to promote social learning, collective introspection, and policy action. In addition, the Commission will create a historical record of racial discrimination, with an emphasis on housing, criminal justice, environmental racism and public health. 

“New York City is the safest big city in America with crime at all-time lows, yet communities of color bear the brunt of crime and incarceration,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Racism has been a pervasive and consequential force throughout the city’s history and we cannot go back to the status quo. We must use the past to inform and inspire the present, to promote the dignity and well-being of all New Yorkers, and their full inclusion in the life of our city.”

"Communities of color experience the painful cost of being black or brown every day, and confronting this legacy of systemic racism requires that we confront history,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “Reconciliation is not an alternative to justice, but it is necessary to build trust and create a stronger, fairer City for generations to come.”

Racial injustices are manifested in a myriad of ways, from notorious episodes of racial violence to less visible policies and practices that reinforce racial segregation and impact the health and economic opportunity of New Yorkers. The RRC will examine how these forces shaped the physical and social geography of the city and provide a platform for New Yorkers to share their personal experiences and to participate in policy deliberations. The City will work with the Commission to identify and examine focus areas where discrimination has manifested, including housing, criminal justice, environmental justice, education and place-based disparities.

No major U.S. city or state has undergone a comprehensive truth and reconciliation process. New York City will model this process after universities and other nations, such as the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Following the end of apartheid, the TRC format has been adopted in many places as a forum to reconcile historic injustice based on race or ethnicity with the need for perpetrators and victims to live together. They are based in the theory of restorative justice, focusing on rehabilitation through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.

Juneteenth Education

The Department of Education has shared lessons, discussion guides, readings, and other age-appropriate instructional materials for educators to teach lessons about Juneteenth. The DOE is encouraging teachers to use them today, but also in coming days to help students understand the American history of enslaving Africans, race, and racism in our culture. The Mayor is also making Juneteenth an official City and school holiday. 

Black Lives Matter Murals

The Mayor also announced the locations for street murals in each of the five boroughs to commemorate the Black Lives Matter movement. The street murals we be at the following locations, to be completed in the next few weeks:

Queens: 153rd Street between Jamaica Avenue and Archer Avenue

Bronx: Morris Avenue between 161st Street and 162nd Street

Brooklyn: Joralemon Street between Adams Street and Court Street

Manhattan: Centre Street between Worth Street and Reade Street

Staten Island: Richmond Terrace between Hamilton Avenue and Ferry Terminal Viaduct

The Final Debate in the 14th Congressional District, and it Was the Only Live Debate of the 2020 Primary Season

What was seen by the Parkchester Times 14th Congressional Debate held Wednesday night was that yes a live candidates debate could be held during a Pandemic. After all Governor Cuomo in his live daily briefings has had up to twenty-five people in the room. The governor, a few of his staff up front with him, several production people, and more than ten reporters, all who are socially distanced. 

If you went to one of the early voting sites there were fourteen to eighteen poll workers, two police officers, one or two visitors (such as myself), and the few people who were at the poll site to vote, for a total of up to twenty-five or more people in the room. 

I was one of the organizers of the Parkchester Times debate, and my job was not to moderate as I did in 2018, but to make sure the candidates appeared. The debate was to be on Facebook Live, and recorded by Bronxnet Television with their host Gary Axelbank as the moderator. In talking to the candidates representatives I made sure all knew that I was not moderating the debate this year, and in conversations with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez's person Ms. Lauren Hitt I could sense a similar pattern to the 2018 debate when then Congressman Crowley's person said he could not attend due to a prior commitment. After proposing several dates to Ms. Hitt I noticed stalling by her, and was told to pick a date when I asked her for an answer. 

A date of Wednesday June 17th was chosen for a live debate, and conveyed to all candidates. Candidates Michelle Caruso-Cabrera and Badrun Khan confirmed that they would attend. There was no response from Ms. Hitt, again until I pressured her for an answer. Two days after the date was sent to the candidates I noticed the congresswoman had scheduled a coffee with the congresswoman, and received word from Ms. Hitt that her boss would not be attending the debate. Since the congresswoman was not going to attend candidate Kahn pulled out of the debate. So how did I get Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to attend a debate she did not want to attend? 

I saw an ad on Facebook for the congresswoman, and noticed during the 2020 Pandemic that the photo of the congresswoman had no mask. I posted on Facebook questioning as to how during a Pandemic the congresswoman could campaign without a mask. I received an answer that the photo was from 2018, and then questioned why the congresswoman would not want to use a photo of herself wearing a mask during the Pandemic. Comments started to pop up on Facebook by Bronx residents of the 14th congressional district, mostly asking why the congresswoman was ducking the debate. The clincher had to be when I went to the congresswoman's campaign office and requested a poster of her two days before the debate. As I was leaving with the poster I was asked what I intended to do with it. I said that since the congresswoman was not going to attend, the poster of her would be placed on a chair to represent her. 

(L - R) Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortes, Candidate Badrun Khan, Moderator Gary Axelbank Candidate Michelle Caruso-Cabrera.

Notice the Ocasio-Cortez poster in front of the congresswoman.

Queens Man Charged In Connection With Arson Of An NYPD Vehicle In Manhattan

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John B. DeVito, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Daniel A. Nigro, the Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”), announced today the arrest of VICTOR A. SANCHEZ-SANTA in connection with his attempts to destroy a police car in midtown Manhattan.  SANCHEZ-SANTA was arrested this morning and will be presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate James L. Cott later today.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated:  “As alleged, the defendant selected a clearly marked NYPD vehicle, walked up beside it, started a fire under the vehicle, and fled the scene.  In allegedly doing so, he maliciously targeted law enforcement.  Arson is also a threat to more than its immediate victim, with the potential to destroy and terrify far beyond the place where a fire is set.  We have the quick response of members of the NYPD, FDNY, and ATF to thank for controlling the fire and identifying the defendant so he can face the significant charge for his alleged crime.”

ATF Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito said:  “The use of fire as a weapon places our communities at risk and greatly endangers our citizens.  ATF and our partners will vigorously investigate and bring those responsible to justice by means of the Strategic Explosive Arson Response (SEAR) Task Force.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “Torching an NYPD vehicle, as alleged, is not just an isolated crime but a threat to all New Yorkers.  The hard work of our detectives and law enforcement partners in this case ensures there will be justice.”

Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said:  “Arson is a callous act that senselessly puts the lives of New Yorkers and first responders in danger.  The excellent teamwork of our Fire Marshals, the NYPD, and ATF continues to seek justice against those who use fire to harm others and destroy property.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:

On June 9, 2020, at approximately 1:20 a.m., SANCHEZ-SANTA stopped his car beside a marked NYPD vehicle on West 42nd Street in Manhattan.  He got out of his car, took a cloth glove in his hand and held the glove to a flame until it ignited.  He then put the burning glove underneath the NYPD vehicle, and got back into his car, leaving the glove burning beneath the police car.

SANCHEZ-SANTA, 19, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of arson, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Strategic Explosive and Arson Response Task Force of the ATF, the NYPD, and the FDNY. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Strengthening State Enforcement During Phased Reopening to Protect New Yorkers and Ensure Business Compliance

Violations Of Reopening Rules And Guidelines Could Result In Immediate Loss Of Liquor License And Shut Down Order For Businesses

Also Issues Executive Order to Expand the Enforcement Areas of State Liquor Authority by Giving Bars Responsibility of Area Immediately Outside their Locations

Final Decision on New York City Entering Phase Two Monday Expected to Come Tomorrow

State to Issue Guidance to Colleges and Universities to Allow Some In Person Instruction and On-Campus Housing for the Fall Semester

Less Than One Percent of Yesterday's COVID-19 Tests were Positive

Confirms 618 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 385,760; New Cases in 37 Counties

Governor Cuomo: "The issue going to phase two or phase three is compliance by people and enforcement by local government. That is the issue. So, how is this going to work? It depends on how people act, which is how this has always been determined. And people, especially New York City, Long Island, compliance matters. It matters. And it's not just moral and ethical, communal, it's legal. These are the laws also. So, be aware of the law, follow the law.

Cuomo: "We're going to take an added step where I'm going to increase the state's enforcement capacity by executive order - Where violations of the rules and the regulations could allow State Liquor Authority to do an immediate suspension of an alcohol license, which means a bar or a restaurant that are violating the rules could have an immediate suspension of their license. Business that is violating the rules could have an immediate shutdown order."

Cuomo: "This was a degree of difficulty and a challenge for government dealing with this coronavirus, a challenge for society unlike anything we have seen in my lifetime - and my lifetime is pretty long. I can tell the people of the state this, they could not have had a more talented, smarter, more professional team working for them than the team that works in state government. I have worked with a lot of government pros, but no team holds a candle to what this team did."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he will issue an Executive Order strengthening state enforcement during the phased reopening to protect New Yorkers and ensure business compliance. Businesses that violate the reopening rules and guidelines are subject to immediate loss of their liquor license and a shutdown order. The Governor also announced he will issue an Executive Order to expand the enforcement areas of the State Liquor Authority by giving bars responsibility for the area immediately outside their locations.

The Governor also announced the State will issue guidance to colleges and universities to allow some in person instruction and on-campus housing and for the fall semester. Campuses must develop a plan, which attests to meeting the guidance and file plans with the State.

The Governor also announced a final decision on New York City entering Phase Two this Monday is expected to come tomorrow following a review of data by global experts. Business guidance for Phase Two of the state's reopening plan is available here.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

There has been no posting of any executive order on this matter as of 7 PM New York time.

Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Members Debi Rose, Inez Barron,Adrienne Adams and DeneekMiller Demand Removal of Thomas Jefferson Statue from City Hall

  Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Member Debi Rose, Council Member Inez Barron, and Co- Chairs of the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC), Council Member Adrienne Adams and, I Daneek Miller, today called for the removal of the Thomas Jefferson statue, located in the Council Chambers in City Hall. The Chambers are a place where the Council votes on bills to improve the lives of all New Yorkers and build a more just city. The statue of this well-known slave owner is a reminder of the injustices that have plagued communities of color since the inception of our country. In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Council requests support for removal of the statue.

The letter is below.

Dear Mayor de Blasio: 

In the last few weeks, New Yorkers have called on all of us in elected office to make bold change so that communities of color feel heard, protected and represented. The City Council is committed to creating true reforms to policies and policing that hurt Black New Yorkers.

But that is not enough. There are disturbing images of divisiveness and racism in our City that need to be revisited immediately. That starts with City Hall. 

The statue of Thomas Jefferson in the City Council Chambers is inappropriate and serves as a constant reminder of the injustices that have plagued communities of color since the inception of our country. It must be removed. 

Jefferson is America’s most noted slave holder, a man who owned more than 600 Black women and men and a scholar who maintained that Blacks were inferior to whites.

The City Council Chambers is a place where we vote on bills to improve the lives of all New Yorkers and build a more fair and just city. It is not a suitable place for a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Keeping it in City Hall sends a terrible message to the people who are counting on us to work towards a more equitable New York City. 

We urge you to support our efforts as we go to the design commission to expeditiously remove this statue.

Sincerely, 

COREY JOHNSON Speaker, DEBORAH ROSE Council Member, INEZ D. BARRON Council Member, ADRIENNE ADAMS Co-Chair, Black, Latino & Asian Caucus, I. DANEEK MILLER Co-Chair, Black, Latino & Asian Caucus .

Statement by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer on Establishing an Online Database for Police Disciplinary Records

“For too long, NYPD disciplinary records have been shrouded in secrecy. The repeal of Section 50-a was a long-overdue step toward transparency, but the records remain inaccessible to the public behind legal and bureaucratic barriers. That is why I called on both the City Council and the Mayor to implement legislation establishing an open online database for NYPD disciplinary records — and today the Mayor announced that he agrees with our proposal.

“However, the details and timeline of the Mayor’s proposed online database are unclear. There is no substitute for codifying this important reform with the force of law. The Council should swiftly pass legislation that requires the NYPD to publicly report disciplinary records on an online database, and to make clear that such records are not subject to Freedom of Information Law requests. The public — from journalists and activists to academics and everyday New Yorkers — deserves to better understand how police officers interact with the communities they serve.

“New Yorkers are calling for sweeping change and an end to the status quo. We can prove we hear them by ensuring the hard-won progress on police transparency is the new standard. Accountability for law enforcement and the mission of public safety go hand-in-hand.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

City Comptroller begins this statement with the words 'For too long', and we kind of agree with him. 

Elected officials like Scott Stringer have been in office 'For too long"

OPEN RESTAURANTS: AS NEW YORK CITY PREPARES FOR PHASE 2 OF REOPENING, MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES OUTDOOR DINING GUIDANCE FOR RESTAURANTS

Qualifying restaurants can use sidewalk, roadways and other outdoor space to allow for social distance among customers; Mayoral Executive Order creates a new and streamlined application process to allow restaurants to expand capacity outdoors

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced guidance for the City’s Open Restaurants program, which allows qualifying restaurants and bars to expand outdoor seating on sidewalks, curb lanes, backyards, patios, plazas, and Open Streets as New York City begins Phase 2 of reopening. The City has established an expedited approval processes by allowing restaurants and bars to self-certify their eligibility for curb lane and sidewalk seating using a new, streamlined application process at NYC.Gov, which will be available starting Friday, June 19^th. The mayor codified the guidance by signing Executive Order 126.

“Restaurants are the backbone of New York City’s neighborhood culture, and they’ve done their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19. It’s our City’s turn to help them reopen safely and responsibly,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These commonsense guidelines will help local businesses get back on their feet – and let New Yorkers safely enjoy the meal they’ve earned.”

“New York has faced extraordinary times in 2020, and Open Restaurants is an extraordinary next step for us.” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “This summer, as we enter this next phase, we want New Yorkers to go out and enjoy their beloved restaurants -- but we want them to do so safely and responsibly. We will monitor this program closely to make sure we do not see any unintended consequences. As with our Open Streets program, we are hopeful that regular New Yorkers will also help make this new program work.”

“NYC is home to over 27,000 restaurants that are in need of support as we all work together to reopen. The Open Restaurant Program is an innovative response to the most pressing issues this community faces and provides opportunities for restaurant owners to generate much-needed revenue,” said NYC Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Jonnel Doris. “NYC means business and this program ensures that the vibrant restaurant community is well supported and equipped to come back even stronger than before.”

“New Yorkers and diners – we are all in this together and we need to do our best to keep each other healthy,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Please remember the core four to preventing COVID-19 whether you’re staff or a patron -- maintain distance, practice good hand hygiene, wear face coverings while not eating or drinking and stay home if sick."

Open Restaurants gives dining establishments five new options. Beginning in Phase 2, restaurants can implement seating in curb lanes and sidewalks. Phase 2 allows reopening and use of as of right outdoor space in backyard and patios. Restaurants can also work with their local Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to establish seating in plazas. Beginning in July, restaurants can offer seating on Open Streets on nights and weekends.

Sidewalk seating will be in effect until the end of October. Curb lane seating will last through Labor Day. DOT will work with community groups and partner agencies to identify additional seating within full streets closures in July. Restaurants can work with their local BID and DOT to request additional seating in plazas by emailing Plazas@dot.nyc.gov.

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) will work to ensure that the most up-to-date guidance and materials needed by small business owners for a safe phased-in reopening are readily available. The information will be housed on a centralized resource page with guidance and best practices for the restaurant industry across all five boroughs. SBS will also launch a reopening supplies marketplace for easy access to wholesalers selling PPE, gloves, sneeze guards and other equipment. Business owners can call a hotline at 1-888-SBS-4NYC to ask questions about this process.

Rules for compliance include:

·         Outdoor seating on sidewalks may not exceed the business’ frontage width.

·         Seating cannot extend past the eight feet depth of the curb lane, and it cannot block:

  o   Bus stops

  o   No Standing/No Stopping Anytime zones

  o   Doorways

  o   FDNY access (e.g. within 15 feet of a fire hydrant)

·         There must be an eight-foot clear path free of obstructions between the seating and the curb.

·       Social distancing, hygiene and other health guidance must be followed.

·        Restaurants must provide their own tables, chairs and traffic barriers.

 ·         Restaurants must adhere to all local, state and federal requirements relating to accessibility for people with disabilities, including path of travel, minimum table heights, and clearance requirements.

Customers are not permitted to gather outside of establishments. Businesses that repeatedly fail to comply will have their Open Restaurant authorization revoked by DOT, and will be referred to the SLA.

Executive Order 126 directs the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish and administer the program. The Order temporarily suspends select provisions of the City’s Administrative Code, Rules of the City of New York and the New York City Zoning Resolution, including: the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol on streets, specific sidewalk café regulations, and relevant building code provisions. All suspensions are only applicable to the program.

"Restaurants throughout our borough have taken a huge hit from COVID-19, which has been compounded by the difficulty of accessing financial lifelines like the Paycheck Protection Program. I am glad the Mayor is now heeding our call to allow restaurants to place seating outdoors in adjoining sidewalks and curbside parking areas. Giving restaurants a wide array of options for outdoor seating is a necessity to ensure these businesses stay afloat while we manage a safe re-opening process. But given the exigency of this situation and the continuing uncertainty around the duration of this pandemic, I believe we must go even further, extending the curbside pilot until October and loaning out DOT and NYPD barriers, rather than having businesses that are already in dire financial straits cover the costs of those barriers. This is a very positive step, and I look forward to working with business owners, advocacy organizations, and City Hall to build on this progress," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ PRAISES RENT GUIDELINES BOARD FOR ONE-YEAR RENT FREEZE

On June 17, the New York City Rent Guidelines Board approved new rent stabilized apartment guidelines for lease renewals that commence on or after October 1, 2020. These rent increases are set at 0% for the first year of all lease renewals and 1% for the second year (if a two-year renewal is selected). This is the third time in six years that rent regulated tenants have had the option for a rent freeze and comes amidst a massive economic crisis brought on by COVID-19.

The Rent Guidelines Board is the entity designated by New York City to establish rent adjustments in accordance with Rent Stabilization Law in New York State and is composed of both tenant and landlord representatives. There are approximately one million rent regulated units in New York City, the vast majority of which are rent stabilized, and the 81^st Assembly District has a significantly higher than average quantity of rent stabilized housing units compared to other parts of the city.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “There are tens of thousands of families in my district living in rent stabilized housing, and this rent freeze is assuredly going to make a difference for many of them as they decide whether they can afford to keep their homes amidst the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis. Last year the Assembly helped pass a monumental pro-tenant legislative package. This year we passed my legislation – the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, which would create a permanent eviction moratorium for people suffering financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis – as well as created a framework for financial relief for tenants in need of help. This rent freeze builds on that momentum to restore power to tenants, and although we still have work to do to rectify decades of landlords eroding basic tenant protections and depleting our rent stabilized housing stock – I am proud that we are continuing to move in the right direction. I am pleased with the Rent Guidelines Board vote, although I would have preferred no increase at all either in the first or second year. I encourage them to continue considering not only future rent freezes but also rent rollbacks that would reduce the number of severely rent burdened families in our city.”