Kallos to Host Winter Storytime Festival
Council Member Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) will be hosting a Winter Storytime Festival next Friday.
The festival celebrates the re-opening of the New York Public Library at East 67th Street. Attendees will get to learn about winter folklore, make their own ugly sweaters, and browse a wide selection of books to read and take home.
The event will take place on Friday, Jan. 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St.
Tish James Announces Prison Sentence for Upstate Security Fraud Duo
Yesterday, Attorney General Letitia James (D) announced the sentencing of David and Ramona Wright, who were convicted of running a six-year securities fraud scam in Upstate New York.
As part of their sentence, the Wrights had to pay $400,000 in restitution to their victims. David was sentenced to two-to-six years in prison, while Ramona was sentenced to five years of probation so she can continue to make monthly restitution payments to her investors.
“The Wrights stole, defrauded, and conned their friends and neighbors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars just to live a lavish style and commit what could be only be described as great wrongs,” said James. “Not only are we making things truly right for their victims by commandeering all funds and assets this couple have, but we are securing up-front restitution and monthly payments to get individuals back as much money as possible. Anyone who attempts to prey on innocent New Yorkers is on notice that my office will be unwavering in prosecuting these crimes and holding bad actors accountable.”
Johnson Reflects on the Year of 2019
After the last City Council meeting of the year, Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) released a video on Twitter recounting everything he had accomplished that year.
In the video, Johnson congratulates the Council for establishing the Office of Hate Crimes Prevention, passing the Climate Mobilization Act and closing Rikers Island, among other accomplishments.
“It has been such an amazing year,” said Johnson. “2019 has been one for the books. It has been productive, it has been exciting. I’m a little tired, I’m ready for the holidays, but I’m also ready for 2020.”
Maloney Demands Investigation of Carlos Vásquez’s Death
Earlier this week, Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security regarding the death of 16-year-old Carlos Vásquez in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody.
Last May, Vásquez died from a bout with the flu, after being held in CBP custody for six days. Despite his alarming symptoms, which included writhing and vomiting blood, the CBP refused to take him to a hospital. Vásquez was just one of the seven children who have died in CBP custody since 2018.
In the letter, Maloney demands the DHS to release all documents relating to Vásquez’s detention and subsequent death.
“The Department’s failure to care for this sick child appears to be part of a troubling pattern of abuse and poor treatment of immigrants in the Department’s detention center,” reads the letter.
Read the full letter here.
