Adams, Hamilton Hold Brooklyn Mental Health Summit
The summit is the launch of Promoting Mental Wellness in a Diverse Community, and comes on the heels of Hamilton’s proposed state legislation that would put more resources into public schools at an earlier age to combat youth mental illness.
This summit on mental wellness, in conjunction with the New York Association of Black Psychologists, Dynamic Transitions Psychological Consulting, LLP, and NYC Health + Hospital│Kings County, features a symposium for professionals and providers, and a community forum.
The distinguished panelists will discuss the concept of mental wellness and present a series of community education topics to engage various stakeholders, including schools, universities, community centers, neighborhood associations, and parent groups on how to improve mental health and heighten focus on mental wellness.
Cymbrowitz Reacts To Brooklyn College Anti-Semitism
In the wake of recent anti-Jewish and anti-Israel activity at Brooklyn College and other metropolitan area campuses, Sheepshead Bay Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz is calling for the immediate passage of legislation he is co-sponsoring that would bar New York State from doing business with companies that seek to harm Israel and other American allies through boycotts and discriminatory economic agendas.
Last week, a group of student protesters disrupted a Brooklyn College faculty council meeting with chants that included “Zionist pig,” according to media reports. Karen Gould, President of Brooklyn College, has instructed the school’s Office of Judicial Affairs and legal counsel to investigate.
Meanwhile, at Columbia University, two different student organizations operating as part of the larger Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Feb. 1 launched a divestment campaign against what they called “Israeli Apartheid.”
At Rutgers, a student and her family last week blasted the university administration for their inaction after she discovered a swastika taped to her apartment ceiling.
“These incidents are in no way isolated but are instead part of the new surge in anti-Jewish sentiment that is not being addressed with the ferocious public condemnation that it deserves,” Cymbrowitz said.
“As a State, we need to send a strong message that we won’t do business with companies that subscribe to this and any hateful agenda that seeks to undermine our allies, and this legislation will accomplish that goal.”
Current law prohibits New York State and City from directly engaging in an international boycott against American-allied nations. The new legislation would expand New York’s law by prohibiting state contracting with, or state investment in businesses or individuals that promote or engage in activities to boycott, sanction, or divest in Israel and other American allied nations.
The bill has already passed the Senate. Assemblymember Helene Weinstein (Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie and East Flatbush) is the prime sponsor in the Assembly.
Williams Releases Summer Youth Report
City Council Member and Deputy Leader Jumaane D. Williams (East Flatbush/Flatbush/Midwood) today will join the Community Service Society (CSS) to release a report on Summer Youth Jobs.
Lazar Treschan, CSS Director of Youth Policy authored the report and will speak in depth about the findings and recommendations. The report will detail how New York City can get to universal summer youth employment, double year-round youth jobs and why it’s a critical step towards fighting inequality, reducing violence and improving education.
Youth employment has proven effective at decreasing crime, improving school attendance, and increasing rates of exam passage while decreasing the likelihood of incarceration. With more funding and a few straightforward programmatic changes, universal summer youth employment is within reach for our City.
The release of the report is slated for 11 a.m., today on the steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
Adams lauds Compstat 2.0
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former NYPD police officer, yesterday lauded the rollout of the NYPD’s new CompStat 2.0 program – a digital program that gives the public access to where, when and the type of a crime is committed.
CompStat, first incorporated in New York City in 1995, tracks crimes where and when they occur, allowing police to concentrate their resources in those areas. It is credited for being a major reason for crime reduction both in New York and across the country as many other municipalities now utilize it.
Under CompStat 2.0, any member of the public can visit https://compstat.nypdonline.org and conduct a crime data analysis that will provide all of these parameters, including accurate location mapping down to the nearest intersection. The CompStat 2.0 version used by police officers will go a few steps further, allowing officers to combat crime more quickly.
“One of my proudest achievements during my service in the New York City Police Department was my work with Commissioner Bratton and the late Jack Maple as they built CompStat, a revolutionary management tool that brought a dynamic approach to law enforcement and led to significant reductions in crime across the five boroughs. It is my belief that we need to take a CompStat-like approach across government, assessing in real time the challenges that communities face and our deployment of resources, and I have worked alongside City Hall on several initiatives that can advance this strategy,” said Adams.
“The announcement of CompStat 2.0 is a significant step toward this shared mission, a real win for our City’s public safety apparatus and the greater community-police relationship. Knowing that a crime was committed near a particular intersection will allow New Yorkers who might have information to come forward and cooperate with police officers, creating safer neighborhoods in which to raise healthy children and families. In addition, people who have access to comprehensive information about crime in their communities will have the ability to hold both the NYPD and their elected officials accountable for protecting their safety on every block of New York City.”
Gentile Says Suspend Meters On All Legal Holidays
Bay Ridge Deputy Leader City Councilman Vincent J. Gentile and drivers citywide routinely evoke the sad trombone “womp, womp, womp” on legal holidays when they see the words, “Alternate side parking rules are suspended today. Meters are in effect.”
Gentile is now looking to change that tune with legislation that would suspend parking meter and muni-meter rules on all legal holidays to align with the suspension of alternate side parking on those dates.
“Legal holidays are significant to our culture and to religious sects,” Gentile said. “If we value it enough to recognize it and suspend alternate side parking, we should also suspend meters. My constituents voice their complaints like clockwork on holidays via phone, email and social media, asking why the meters are in effect on a holiday. I agree with them. The rules are illogical and confusing when they should be consistent.”
Under Gentile’s proposed bill, parking meters and muni meters would be suspended on 28 holidays including, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Ascension Thursday, Feast of the Assumption, Feast of All Saints, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, first two days of Succoth, Shemini Atzareth, Simchas Torah, Shevuoth, Purim, Orthodox Holy Thursday, Orthodox Good Friday, first two and last two days of Passover, the Muslim holidays of Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Ul-Adha, Asian Lunar New Year, the Hindu festival of Diwali on the day that Lakshmi Puja is observed, and all state and national holidays.
“Under the current rules, we currently have a “gotcha” system and drivers are sitting ducks for ticket agents. I was successful in passing legislation to suspend parking meter and muni-meter rules on Sundays and I look forward to the day that we don’t have to pull out our wallets to park on legal holidays,” said Gentile.
