De Blasio Eases Restrictions on Circumcision Ritual
Mayor Bill de Blasio yesterday eased the restriction on a circumcision ritual utilized in some ultra-Orthodox Jewish sects in which the circumciser – known as a mohel – uses his mouth to suck blood away from the incision on a boy’s penis, multiple media outlets reported late yesterday.
The city’s health department has linked the practice to more than a dozen cases of the herpes infection, including two deaths since 2000. This prompted former Mayor Michael Bloomberg to institute a consent rule that angered many ultra-orthodox sects.
De Blasio, who counts the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sects as major supporters that control large voting blocks, said the city will seek to waive the consent rule in favor of having a series of medical tests when a baby is found to have herpes. If the tests show the mohel has the same DNA herpes strain as the baby he would be banned from the practice for life.
The new policy must be approved by the city’s Board of Health.
Adams Honors Borough’s Top Athletic Programs
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams today will host “A Night Honoring Brooklyn Champions”, an event that celebrates the success of the borough’s recent athletic and scholastic championship teams.
Students and coaches from 12 local middle and high school and college squads will accept trophies and words of praise from Borough President Adams during the ceremony.
Among those programs getting recognition include the Lincoln High School football team, The Bishop Kearney High School girls varsity and JV basketball teams, the Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School basketball team, the Cristo Rey High School girls soccer team, the Eagle Academy for Young Men II football team, the Murrow High School chess team, the Fort Hamilton High School girls varsity volleyball team, the Medgar Evers Prep High School boys and girls track team and the IS 234 girls basketball and math teams.
Bedford Academy High School Basketball Coach Robert Phelps, a former star player at Nazareth High School in East Flatbush and Big East Conference champion at Providence College, will also be honored.
Schumer, Gillibrand Get $116 Million For Sandy Repairs
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday the city will receive $116 million in federal funding to reimburse New York City’s Rapid Repairs Program established after Superstorm Sandy to make emergency repairs to damaged homes.
Emergency work through this program included basic repairs to electrical systems, heat and hot water in homes, or the installation of temporary boilers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allocation is going to reimburse the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which funded the Rapid Repairs Program.
“The Rapid Repairs Program helped many Sandy-impacted residents throughout New York City get back on their feet in the wake of the storm by allowing homeowners to stay in their homes while more permanent repairs took place,” said Schumer. “This major federal compensation means that local taxpayers will not have to shoulder the entire burden of these costs, which is why we fought so hard to pass the Sandy Relief bill.”
“The Rapid Repairs Program provided critical assistance toward restoring the homes destroyed by Superstorm Sandy and used an innovative new model so that families weren’t displaced from their homes or left to pay upfront costs,” said Gillibrand. “Now, this federal funding make sure New York City taxpayers aren’t stuck with the bill. I will keep fighting for federal investments that help our communities fully recover.”
“The addition of these federal funds will ensure that more money can be kept in the pockets of those New Yorkers and used for much needed relief,” said de Blasio.
Menchaca Wishes Constituents Happy Chinese New Year
City Councilman Carlos Menchaca, whose district includes Sunset Park’s growing Chinese-American neighborhood, yesterday wished all his constituents celebrating the holiday a Happy Chinese New Year.
“恭禧發財 (Gong Xi Fa Cai)! Happy Chinese New Year! This time of year for the Chinese Community, and for their friends, is incredibly special because it highlights the particular beauty of this culture,” said Menchaca. “I look forward to continuing to celebrate this year with residents of Sunset Park, and across New York City—particularly at our City Hall celebration on Wednesday. Warm wishes to all who are celebrating!”
