I wish I could have gotten to the Bronx 1 Pride event today to see U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. I hear that he had two interns stand around for over an hour until he came so they could walk around with signs Senator Schumer supports the LGBTQ community.
Hey Bill this is how you do it. Have one intern on either side of you holding signs that you support the LGBTQ community.
There was no LGBT Pride Celebration in 2020, and in 2021 the celebration was held outdoors of the Riverdale Y in Riverdale. The crowd was smaller than in the past when the event was held at Billy's Sports Bar on East 161St Street, but everyone who attended was glad there was a celebration this year. On a sad note this will be the last LGBT event that Bronx BP Diaz Jr. will be hosting (due to term-limits), and many said they hope the celebration begun by Diaz Jr. continues with the next Bronx Borough President.
Two of the five candidates running to replace Diaz Jr, were in attendance. Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez and Councilwoman Vanesa Gibson. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Councilman Eric Dinowitz were also in attendance.
(L-R) Assemblywoman Fernandez, Councilman Dinowitz, Honoree Michael Beau Ivory, and Justin Sanchez of BP Diaz's office.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman today announced both immediate and long-term safety improvements to McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn, where teacher Matthew Jensen was recently killed in another instance of traffic violence. The City will fully redesign the corridor, including immediate safety enhancements and a full corridor redesign in 2022, with a commitment of $39 million in capital funding.
Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity is 0.47%—Has Declined for 67 Consecutive Days
Statewide Positivity Yesterday was 0.37%
90,801 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours—Statewide Vaccination Rate is 69.2%
709 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
11 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19.
"New Yorkers are getting vaccinated in greater numbers every single day, and that means we can take action to reopen the economy, put people back to work and resume normal lives," Governor Cuomo said. "More shots in more arms is the key to our future, and we're offering exciting incentives to encourage New Yorkers across the state that today is the day to get their shots. I encourage everyone eligible who hasn't yet been vaccinated to take advantage of a free $20 lottery ticket or chance to win a SUNY or CUNY Scholarship—let's put this pandemic in the rear view mirror for good."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
AG’s Office Will Troubleshoot Voting Issues During Early Voting and on Election Day
“New Yorkers should be able to exercise their right to vote with confidence and ease," said Attorney General James. “As some states move to limit voting rights, we are doubling down on voter protection and support. This hotline will address any challenges voters face across the state and provide guidance for those casting a ballot. My office is committed to ensuring New Yorkers are able to vote safely and effectively and will do everything in its power to protect fair and equal elections.”
Attorney General James urges voters experiencing problems to call the OAG’s Hotline at 1-800-771-7755, submit complaints online, or email election.hotline@ag.ny.gov to request election-related assistance in advance of the election. The hotline and digital forms are accessible in multiple languages. The hotline will open on Saturday, June 12, 2021 and will run between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM through Sunday, June 20, 2021 for the entire early voting period, and between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 (Election Day). Written requests for election-related assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form. Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by attorneys and staff in the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau.
The OAG has operated the voter access hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, the OAG fielded hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues.
Attorney General James reminds all registered voters that they have the right to accessible elections. In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person.
Saturday June 12th begins Early Voting for Primary Day 2021, which will run nine days and end on Sunday June 20th. Primary Day where more than eighty-five percent of the voting occurs is Tuesday June 22nd. This year Rank Choice Voting will be used in all but the race for Judges in the Bronx. Rank Choice voting allows the voter to rank up to five candidates in their order of preference, but you can still only rank just one candidate. As was in the special elections the candidate(s) at the top of the ballot in each race have an advantage over candidates lower in the listing.
This year there is a Republican Primary for Mayor between Curtis Swila and Fernando Mateo.
There are thirteen candidates running for mayor on the Democratic line, and the media has been ripping many of the top choices. One had two women now come forward about unwanted sexual advances, one has had residency doubts cast, another who calls for less police lives in a 2.7 million dollar home with private security, another has her campaign fall apart due to her campaign workers wanting to unionize, then there are the candidates who are long on talk. but short on the issues facing the city in the next four years. My prediction is that when all the dust settles we may have our first woman mayor, and a Latina at that in Kathryn Garcia.
The Public Advocate race has only three candidates, and it looks like the current Public Advocate Jumanne Williams should breeze to an easy victory.
The City Comptroller race to replace Scott Stringer has ten candidates on the ballot lead by soon to be former City Council speaker Corey Johnson, along with former AOC challenger and MSNBC Financial analyst Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Councilman Brad lander and seven others. Those three are the leading candidates, and we will see how Rank Choice Voting affects this race.
Bhe Bronx Borough President race has five candidates: two City Council members, one Assemblywoman, one state Senator, and one novice to politics. All signs are pointing to Councilman Fernando Cabrera as the next Bronx Borough President, but there are forces trying to have Assemblywoman Nathailia Fernandez put Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson as her #2 choice.
Bronx City Council Races.
11th - Incumbent Eric Dinowitz should breeze to an easy win much like in the special election. It will be a close race to see who comes in second between special election 2nd place finisher Mino Lora, and Abigail Martin who sat out the special election. 80th A.D. District leader Marcos Sierra is really mad that he did not get the endorsement of the Bronx Democratic Party, especially since he seconded the nomination of State Senator Jamaal Bailey for County Leader, mentioning what great friends they are, or were. Mino Lora has the endorsement of State Senators Alessandria Biaggi and Gustavo Rivera again, and it would be a blow to them if she was to come in third.
12th - Can Kevin Riley hold off his two challengers as the Bronx Democratic Party will be stretched thin this year with challenges to all their Bronx Democratic Party candidates.
13th - It appears to be Marjorie Velazquez's to lose with AOC's endorsement, but candidate Velazquez is apparently getting help from a building developers PAC, which is a No No for anyone with an AOC or her PAC;s endorsement.
14th - Too wide open to call, but it may come down to Yudelka Tapia and Perrina Sanchez, The AOC Pac has endorsed candidate Sanchez and candidate Abreu in this race.
15th - We would love to see Special Election winner Oswald Feliz lose, but he is doing everything he can to lose by not showing up for community meetings. He has missed two Community Board 11 meetings, and apparently the same is true for CB 6. With Elisa Crespo out of the race, Ischia Bravo who came in second should be the winner especially since current Councilman Feliz has a much weaker lead in candidate in the number one spot to drop votes down to him.
16th - Althea Stevens the Bronx Democratic Party candidate or Male District Leader Yevs Filus which the Party chose not to endorse, going with Ms. Stevens instead,
17th - Incumbent Rafael Salamanca should win in the first round, but former candidate Lattinad Brown is mounting a write-in campaign after being thrown off the ballot by the Bronx Democratic Party.
18th - It looked like easy sailing for repeat candidate Amanda Farias until Community Board 9 District Manager William Rivera entered the race. Now it looks like a slam dunk for what may be the former District manager. That's even with the AOC PAC endorsing Farias and also repeat candidate Michael Beltzer who got the endorsement of his good friend Samelys Lopez who ran for Congress with the backing of AOC.
This political column is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the view of this newspaper. Any questions about this column should be sent to 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com Mr. Robert Press.
Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the arrest today of an Inspector with the City Department of Buildings (“DOB”) in connection with the undisclosed secondary employment of the Inspector while on approved leave from the DOB, collecting both his City pay while on leave and pay from secondary employment. DOI initiated an investigation after the DOB referred this matter to DOI. The investigation was worked in partnership with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and DOB.
KEVIN MORONEY, 52 of Brooklyn, N.Y., was charged today with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony. Upon conviction, a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said, “This defendant not only concealed that he was working another job, while he told the City he was unable to perform his City position, but took a second job in the very industry in which he had oversight, according to the charges. Working for a company in the construction industry, while a City Buildings Inspector, is not only prohibited but compromises the very integrity of that role. DOI was pleased to work with the Buildings Department and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on this investigation.”
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said, ““Our relentless focus on corruption in construction and development continues with this indictment of a Buildings Inspector who stole from the City and violated the public trust amid a fiscal crisis and rising unemployment. Thanks to innovative partnerships like our Construction Fraud Task Force, our office continues to hold those who engage in fraud, wage theft, and safety violations accountable, and we encourage anyone with information about these practices to contact us on WhatsApp at (646) 712-0298. I thank Commissioner Garnett and our colleagues at DOI for their meticulous investigation and continued collaboration.”
City Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca said, “Our inspectors are expected to uphold our values of safety and integrity, and we have zero tolerance for employees who violate the public trust. I want to thank DOI for their thorough investigation on behalf of the people of New York City."
According to the indictment and DOI’s investigation, the defendant was a Construction Inspector assigned to DOB’s Construction Safety Compliance unit. As a Construction Inspector, the defendant’s duties included inspecting construction sites to ensure compliance with the Building Code and all applicable construction-related rules and regulations. On or about September 15, 2020, the defendant went on approved leave citing, among other things, difficulty with walking and lifting heavy objects. Under the terms of his approved leave, the defendant was prohibited from any secondary employment while out on leave, and as a DOB employee, the defendant was prohibited from working in any capacity within the construction industry, at any time. On or about January 6, 2021, during the course of a routine DOB inspection of a construction site located in Brooklyn, the defendant was observed on the site, while he was on approved leave at the time. The investigation found that on or about August 28, 2020, the defendant was hired by Royal Home Improvements, Inc., to identify potential construction violations on their sites and that he was working for Royal Home Improvements in that capacity during the January 6, 2021 inspection. Additionally, the investigation found that while the defendant was working as an employee of Royal Home Improvements, the defendant continued to collect his DOB salary, a value of approximately $5,489.
MORONEY has been employed at the DOB since December 2018 and receives an annual salary of approximately $61,800. DOB has served MORONEY with termination papers.
Commissioner Garnett thanked Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., and his staff, for their partnership on and prosecution of the case. Commissioner Garnett also thanked DOB Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca and her staff for their cooperation on this investigation.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty
Thank God It's Friday, right Charlene? I've cut my workweek down to four days a week, and since July 4th falls on a Sunday we have a four day de Blasio weekend.
Let's stay indoors until all those ATF agents get to New York, and clean up the city of all the violence. Who cares what Maya Wiley says about me, I still was her boss. Now Katheryn Garcia did everything I told her to do, and she did it well, as a matter of fact she probably was one of my best workers, no better yet my best commissioner.
