Donovan Condemns Muslim Killings In Queens
Congresssman Dan Donovan (Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) was among the first elected officials to comment about the murders of Imam Maulama Akonjee and his associate, Thara Uddin this weekend in Queens.
The two were gunned down execution style shortly after they left a mosque in Ozone Park, Queens Saturday. The killer remains on the loose. Police have not determined if it is a hate crime as the double homicide remains under active investigation.
“All of us – Muslims, Christians, Jews, atheists – are Americans. We cannot let hatred and fear divide us. Let’s stand together, regardless of religion or color or politics, in condemning today’s tragic violence and working toward a more peaceful society based on mutual respect,” said Donovan.
“What separates our great country – what makes us exceptional – is our common creed that men and women are free to worship, speak, and pursue their own happiness as they please. Nothing is more fundamental to our culture.”
Deutsch Follows Up Forum With Action
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) on storm-related issues with a letter to the acting Commissioner of the city’s Department Of Environmental Protection (DEP) to request that the agency conduct a thorough study throughout the district to examine areas where there are frequent sewer backups because of insufficient infrastructure that is overburdened during heavy rainfalls.
“People in our community often become fearful when weather reports suggest significant rain, because of the potential impact. Backups can cause sewer water to pour into a homeowner’s basement, cost thousands of dollars in damages – including the expense of hiring a contractor to flush out and clean the area, as well as mold and mildew,” said Deutsch.
“Corner catch-basins can also back up and cause street flooding, so my City Council colleagues and I supported a recently enacted bill that now requires yearly inspections and maintenance on all catch-basins. Inspectors will also respond to a catch-basin if a 311 complaint is made, which is why many of us saw NYC DEP workers cleaning out the catch-basins after our last storm,” he added.
Deutsch is also co-sponsoring a bill requiring the DEP to report stats directly to the administration. This is in order to be able to ensure that accurate information is shared, so that it can be better understood how widespread the problem is.
“I urge anybody who experienced a sewer backup during the last storm to call 311 to file a report. Capital projects are oftentimes considered by NYC DEP based on 311 statistics, so it is vital to ensure that your incident is recorded.
Constituents with questions are urged to contact Deutsch’s office at 718-368-9176 or email him at CDeutsch@council.nyc.gov.
Ortiz On Hand As Maimonides Opens New Infusion Suite
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (Sunset Park) was on hand as Maimonides recently unveiled a newly constructed Infusion Suite with a special Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at the Maimonides Cancer Center.
The state-of-the-art Infusion Suite provides patients with a wide range of infusion treatments for cancer, blood diseases, and other disorders, in a comfortable outpatient setting.
“The new Infusion Suite allows our patients to receive treatment in private rooms, which can help a patient to feel more comfortable and relaxed,” said Dr. Kevin Becker, Director of Medical Oncology at the Maimonides Cancer Center. “This beautifully enhanced space is equipped with larger bays that make it very easy for patients to have their loved ones present.”
The Infusion Suite, which also has shared infusion bays, offers a soothing environment with ample seating, flat-screen televisions, and telephones that not only allow patients to make outside calls, but also connects them to Infusion Suite nursing staff, if needed.
The Maimonides Cancer Center is the only full-service cancer center in Brooklyn. On the leading-edge of cancer care, the Maimonides Cancer Center provides the full continuum of cancer treatments and support services in a single, convenient location. By integrating multidisciplinary care with the latest research and technologies, the Center offers each of our patients personalized treatments and services.
For more information on the Maimonides Cancer Center, visit http://www.maimonidesmed.org/cancer-center or call 718-283-2500.
Persaud Lauds New Law Helping Solve Cold Cases
State Sen. Roxanne Persaud (Canarsie, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, Brownsville) last week lauded Governor Andrew Cuomo signing legislation that will assist law enforcement agencies with resolving open criminal cases and that will help bring closure to grieving families who have lost loved ones without knowing their fate.
“The impetus behind this legislation is to promote a more comprehensive sharing of fingerprints and other identifying information of unknown decedents by requiring coroners and medical examiners throughout New York State to report all identifying information of unknown remains to the National Missing and Unidentified Remains System (NamUs),” said Persaud.
The United States Department of Justice created the NamUs database to address the large number of human remains that go unidentified each year in this country. Nationwide, medical examiners and coroners handle approximately 4,400 unidentified human decedent cases annually with nearly a quarter remaining unidentified after one year.
Under current law, all New York State county medical examiners are required to report information about unidentified remains to the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services. While some medical examiners voluntarily conveyed this information to NamUs, there was no state law requirement that this be done.
“This new law will strengthen the probability of identifying remains, help to solve crimes, and perhaps most importantly, bring closure to families of missing individuals,” Persaud said.
For more information about this new law and other important legislation, visit Persaud’s web site at: Persaud.Nysenate.gov.
Adams Statement On Troubling Comments Made Regarding Homeless Shelter Siting
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams last week expressed dismay that a town hall meeting in Maspeth Queens last week on the siting of a homeless shelter drew derogatory shouts including “Go back to East New York.”
“I am troubled by the sentiments shared by a number of individuals at a public meeting that discussed a proposal for an adult family homeless shelter in Queens. Homelessness comes from every corner of our city. We cannot accept any attempt to pit New Yorker against New Yorker, no matter how passionate we may feel about the quality of life issues in our communities. The select few who call out for homeless people to go ‘back to East New York,’ especially in the context of a gathering regarding a newly proposed facility and not a re-siting from that neighborhood, are raising a concerning specter of bias that must be addressed, be it on the basis of race, socioeconomic status, or any other factor,” said Adams.
“Few understand and value public safety more than I do, as a 22-year veteran of the New York City Police Department. Additionally, I have felt firsthand the pain and uncertainty of a family struggling to keep a roof over its head, and I know the power that simple kindness and empathy has for the hundreds of thousands of our neighbors battling to make ends meet every day. The issues surrounding homelessness are difficult ones, issues that require a critical balance be struck. However, we cannot strike each other down in the process of addressing these issues.”
Medgar Evers College, DC37 Develop Program For Public Sector Jobs
Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights last week has reached an agreement with District Council 37 to develop programs and courses for union members that prepare them for job promotions and competency tests needed for certification and career advancement.
The program begins today and is expected to have a lasting impact on the city, the union, and the college.
“The Leadership Preparedness Program is an historic collaboration between DC37 and Medgar Evers College and will provide union members extraordinary career opportunities by studying and learning at the College,” said Professor Wallace Ford, Chairman of the Department of Public Administration.
The program, with an initial term of six years, is offered through the Department of Public Administration in the School of Business.
“In just a few years, nearly one-third of the municipal workforce will be eligible for retirement, so we have to make sure the next generation of city employees is equipped with the skills needed to keep the city running,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “This collaboration with Medgar Evers College will help address that issue. It will create paths to career advancement and a well-trained, educated city workforce.”
Union members must meet the college’s criteria for admission and will take regular college courses, but identification of professional and career opportunities will be a special focus of the program. The Leadership Preparedness Program will target union members and leaders as potential student participants.
DC 37 is the city’s largest municipal public employee union, with 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees. It is comprised of 51 local unions, with specializations ranging from accounting to zoo keeping. DC 37 is part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which in turn is part of the AFL-CIO.
Cornegy Issues Call For Participatory Budget Meeting
City Councilman Robert Cornegy Jr. (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) is issuing a call for all residents ages 14 and up to start thinking of ways to spend $1 million in discretionary funds to improves the district as part of the participatory budging process.
The best ideas will be selected and voted on by the community for funding in May of 2017.
The process will kick off from 4-6 p.m., this Friday. Aug. 19 at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. For more information or to volunteer, please call (718) 919-0740.
