Donovan Endorses Rosenthal For Congress
Congressman Dan Donovan (Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) on Friday endorsed fellow Republican Dr. Phil Rosenthal in his race against incumbent Jerry Nadler for the 10th Congressional District seat in the general election on Nov. 8.
“I’m proud to endorse Phil Rosenthal for Congress. Phil has been a vociferous opponent of the dangerous Iran nuclear deal and a foreign policy that threatens our relationship with our greatest Middle Eastern ally, Israel,” said Donovan. “We need more leaders in Washington like Phil who are willing to make the tough choices to get our nation back on track and protect America for the next generation.
Rosenthal is a Phd Caltech physicist, Harvard-trained nuclear lawyer, entrepreneur, and graduate from Yale. He has made stopping the Iran deal a key plank in his platform as well as fighting to reduce taxes on working families and small businesses.
The district stretches throughout the west side of Manhattan and includes Borough Park, Kensington, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Red Hook, Sunset Park and Midwood in Brooklyn.
Mosley, James, Cumbo Celebrate Grocery Story Re-Opening
Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights Lawmakers Assembly Member Walter Mosley, and City Council Member Laurie Cumbo along with Public Advocate Letitia James celebrated the grand re-opening and re-naming of the Food Town market on Friday.
The family-owned grocery store (formerly Met Food) first opened on Vanderbilt Avenue over 33 years ago. The current owners of the Vanderbilt Avenue Food Town, Frank Widdi and Abdul Jawadare, are passionate and committed to providing the highest quality service and merchandise to customers.
Other family members were also grocers in Brooklyn, including Frank’s father and brother, and now his own children are involved with the business. The store recently completed a significant renovation, adding floor space and it now offers a larger variety of grocery items.
The prominent Bay Ridge-based Arab-American family also has a grocery store on Fulton Street.
“Although I studied medical technology, I decided to follow in my late father’s footsteps. He was a pioneer grocer, and in 2012 New York City named a street in his honor – Subhi Widdi Way, located at 56th Street and 6thAvenue in Brooklyn,” said co-owner Frank Widdi.
The Food Town is located at 632 Vanderbilt Avenue (Between Park Place and Prospect Place) in Prospect Heights.
Williams Calls For Increased Support To Combat Gun Violence
City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), Friday called for increased support of the City’s Cure Violence groups, following the death of Lavon “Boo” Walker – a founding member of Crisis Management System provider Save Our Streets(SOS).
Walker was gunned down Sunday, Oct. 9, on Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida. Last month, another crisis management system provider was injured while on the job. Pharoah Ferguson, of Man Up Inc., was injured in a shooting incident, while attempting to de-escalate a fight in East New York.
“Lavon was one of the founding members of Save Our Streets, which is a part of our City’s Crisis Management System that works diligently, and passionately on the ground to combat gun violence in our streets,” Williams said. “I am eternally grateful for the work Lavon, and others like him, do every day on the front lines in this war against gun violence. These committed community members put their lives on the line daily to tackle this problem front and center.”
In 2014, the Administration expanded the City’s efforts to fight gun violence through the creation of the “Gun Violence Crisis Management System (CMS),” which was borne out of the Taskforce to Combat Gun Violence.
The Crisis Management System built and expanded on the cure violence model, which includes services that meets the needs of every aspect in the community that is impacted by gun violence. This approach identifies and engages those most likely to be involved in gun violence and deploys violence interrupters, whose jobs are to prevent violence before it occurs.
According to a study by Center for Court Innovation, there is a “significant reduction” in shootings where SOS operates in Crown Heights. Gun violence in Crown Heights is 20% lower than what it “would have been had gun violence trends mirrored those of similar, adjacent precincts,” said Williams.
Nader Gets Fed Funds for LBGTQ Community
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (Borough Park, Kensington, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Red Hook, Sunset Park, Midwood) and the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) announced last week $750,000 in federal funding that will allow AVP to continue providing vital services for LGBTQ and HIV-affected survivors of intimate partner violence.
Over the next three years, $600,000 will go into providing free legal representation and supporting advocacy efforts for domestic violence survivors, which will enhance victim safety and autonomy. The remaining $150,000 in federal funding will allow AVP to continue sharing its expertise in LGBTQ cultural competency through training and technical assistance to other organizations.
“This funding will help AVP continue its work representing victims of intimate partner violence within the LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities,” said Nadler. “AVP’s services are a vital resource for many New Yorkers, and I am encouraged they will be able to support victims and increase the ability of others to appropriately assist these often-underserved communities as well.”
Cumbo’s Why She Ran Event A Rousing Success
City Council Member Laurie Cumbo (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights) led a bevy of Brooklyn’s lawmakers in the Why She Ran event last week at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights.
The event aimed to empower young women to seek positions in government and share the journeys of women who have built successful careers in the field.
Cumbo moderated a panel discussion with fellow female colleagues in government, including Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, Congressmember Yvette Clarke, Council Member Inez Barron, and Council Member Darlene Mealy.
Each participant outlined her journey to public office, recalling controversial elections, fundraising challenges, and of course, their motivation to run for office.
“I was watching people who were opportunists and who were looking at this district as if it were ripe for the taking. I knew at that point if I did not run, I would never be able to forgive myself,” said Assemblywoman Latrice Walker.
Cumbo recalled her beginnings as an artist, eventually leading to a career in politics.
“For as early as I can remember, I was always surrounded by the arts. I loved the arts and grew up with art, but deep down I was driven by the intersection of art and social justice. I recognized how movements like the Civil Rights Movement were incredibly informed by using the arts, poetry, and expression. As I matured, I realized there were ways in which those two worlds could combine. That drew me closer to a place where I knew I could fulfill a role in public service,” said Cumbo.
Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro & Halperin, LLP Obtain $2.43 Million Verdict (Sponsored)
WRSH attorneys Robert Bellinson and Joseph Stoduto obtained a verdict in the amount of $2.43 million on behalf of a twenty-five year old nursing student from the Bronx.
The woman was driving her vehicle along a local roadway in the Bronx when a New York City Transit Authority bus struck her vehicle, causing a serious collision. As a result of the accident, the client suffered injuries to her lower back requiring surgery. During the course of the litigation, Joseph won a decision from the Court that the defendants were 100% responsible for the collision, despite the defendants contention that they did nothing wrong.
The defendants took the position that the client’s damages were minimal and they refused to make a settlement offer. Robert conducted a full and complete jury trial on the issue of damages, which was fiercely contested by the defendants and by the doctors which they had hired to examine our client and testify in Court against us.
At the conclusion of the trial, the jury awarded the client the total sum of $2,43 million for her damages.
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