Schumer Presents Long Lost Purple Heart To NYC Family
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-Brooklyn) presented a once-missing Purple Heart medal to the family of the recipient, the late Bernard J. McNmara, a World War II hero and a Bronx native on Friday.
The medal was found in the dirt several years ago alongside a roadway upstate and contained no information other than it belonged to someone by the name of “B.J. McNamara on December 9, 1943.” The medal was engraved with limited information including “For Military Merit” & “B.J. McNamara Dec. 9, 1943.”
Over one-thousand McNamara’s served in World War II, and dozens with the initials B.J. Schumer’s office worked hard to track down the medal’s rightful owner and after much research, found that it belonged to Bernard J. McNamara, who passed away in 1975.
The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who were wounded or killed in the hands of the enemy. It was first established in 1932 on the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s Birth. Since that time, approximately 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded.The medal was presented to his next-of-kin, McNamara’s son, Brian, daughter, Catherine, grandson Matthew and granddaughter, Christine.
“It is a privilege and an honor to return this Purple Heart to the family of decorated World War II veteran, Bernard J. McNamara. McNamara was a true American hero and put his life on the line to serve this country. It’s unfortunate that the medal has gone missing for so long but I am humbled to have the opportunity to present it to the McNamara family. This was a true case of Nancy Drew detective work by my office and I am grateful that my office successfully tracked down the family of its rightful owner so that Bernard’s legacy and story of heroism can live on,” said Schumer.
Adams Denounces Q Train Derailment
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams denounced the derailment of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Q subway train on Friday.
Last weekend, a southbound Q train derailed near the Brighton Beach station shortly before 9 a.m. No injuries were reported and all train riders were removed from the subway without incident.
According to the MTA’s Interim Executive Director, Veronique Hakim,the incident is under investigation and there is no clear cause to the derailment as of late.
“This [Friday] morning’s MTA Q train derailment at the Brighton Beach subway station should not be shrugged off as just another incident. It is indicative of a creaking mass transit system that needs urgent upgrades to fit the needs of a 21st century city,” said Adams.
Adams continued, “As the ticket of a ride increases ever further, riders cannot be left in the dust, picking up the price tag for a mismanaged system at the seams of a total breakdown. Millions of New Yorkers use the subway every single day — they should not have to worry about a train derailment, track fire, or other incident that at worst puts their basic safety at risk. This system must be rapidly modernized with increased investment. There’s no reason why the Empire State cannot be a leader on this issue.”
Hamilton, Wright Push Bill To Decriminalize Turnstile Jumping & End Broken Windows
Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) and Assembly Member Tremaine Wright (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) are pushing to advance their bill to stop criminalizing turnstile jumping and broken windows policing tomorrow.
Bill S.4841-B would make turnstile jumping a civil matter, resulting in a potential fine and not a potential arrest, imprisonment or criminal record. The bill is part of a plan to end the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) emphasis on quality of life policing.
Hamilton plans on issuing a report, entitled Turning Lives Around: The Need to Decriminalize Turnstile Jumping, detailing the breakdown of arrests, misdemeanor convictions, and jail sentences resulting from turnstile jumping over the past four years. People of color represent 92% of turnstile jumping arrests. The effort on turnstile jumping represents part of a broader initiative to end broken windows policing and the resulting harms caused to communities of color, to police-community relations, and to the fabric of New York City life.
Earlier this year a panel of lawmakers and activists, the Coalition to End Broken Windows Policing, convened to draw up a plan to lower the arrests for low level offenses they claim disproportionately target people of color including clearing all summons warrants, removing street vendor permit caps, removing cops from schools and creating a free Metrocard program for low-income New Yorkers.
The event is slated for 12 p.m., noon, on Tuesday, July 25 at the Franklin Avenue subway Station ( at Eastern Parkway & Franklin Avenue) in Crown Heights.
AM Williams Renovates Bay View Houses
Assembly Member Jaime Williams (D-Canarsie, Mill Basin, Gerritsen Beach, Georgetown) ) renovated parts of the Bay View Houses last Friday.
Williams repainted playgrounds and play areas with fresh, bright paint. The new colors adorning the structures are there to compliment the public annual gathering Bay View Houses celebrates with all of its residents.
“The vivid color adds a new layer of beauty and brightness to Bay View, and only serves to further compliment all of Bay View’s shining accomplishments including its bountiful farm that is within the ground of Bay View Houses. I could not be more proud to be able to serve the resident of Bay View Houses” said Williams.
Menchaca Announces Opening of New Entrance to Bush Terminal Piers Park
City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) announced the opening of a second entrance to Bush Terminal Piers Park lastFriday.
The new entrance, located at 50th Street and First Avenue, will increase the community’s access to the 10-block waterfront park, which features an esplanade, synthetic turf sport fields, benches, and views of New York Harbor, among other features. The new entrance is currently open and accessible to both pedestrians and bicyclists.
Opened in November 2014, Bush Terminal Piers Park provides open space and public access to the waterfront in Sunset Park. The design and construction of the park was managed by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of State, New York State Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and NYC Parks. $38 million in Federal, State, and City funds were allocated for remediation, design, engineering and construction to convert four abandoned filled-in piers into waterfront green space.
Bush Terminal Piers Park features a bike path, two synthetic turf multi-sport fields for year-round use, two saltwater tidal ponds, natural habitat areas, walkways, benches, and a comfort station. The park also includes bioswales, resilient tools to capture stormwater and purify the surrounding aquatic habitat.
“I have pushed for a second Bush Terminal Park entrance since 2014, and I thank New York Economic Development Corporation for keeping their promise to open it this summer. I celebrate the new 50th Street entrance because it provides better park access and shows government responding directly to community needs,” said Menchaca.
