Brannan Calls for Resiliency Investment for Hurricane Season
Council Member Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst) called for a series of actions and investments to make the Big Apple more resilient ahead of a dangerous hurricane season.
“New York City has 520 miles of coastline. Four of the five boroughs are islands or connected to one,” said Brannan. “As I visit communities still dealing with the aftermath of Sandy, most are concerned little progress has been made and we aren’t ready for the next one. A full study from the Army Corp of Engineers will help change that. The White House must stop playing games with our neighborhoods and fund that study.”
City elected officials representing parts of New York City’s more than 500 miles of coast and advocates today called for a series of actions and investments to make the Big Apple more resilient ahead of a dangerous hurricane season. Their call to action comes on the first day of the 2020 Hurricane Season, which is forecast to be more devastating than normal and has already seen two named storms.
Eugene on Response To Floyd’s Death
Council Member Mathieu Eugene issued a statement on the community’s response to the death of George Floyd.
“As our community continues to manifest its outrage at the tragic killing of George Floyd, my thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and those who have been affected by these horrific acts of brutality. This is an important moment for people of all races, religions, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds to join together in unity and in peace to bring about the necessary solutions to the problems that have plagued our nation for so long,” said Eugene.
“Our society has a has a moral obligation to amplify how we protect one another from the ever-present threat of racism and injustice, and we must be more proactive in our efforts to heal and empower those around us. Our actions today will be critical in shaping the country that we will leave for future generations,” he added.
Adams Calls Meeting on Curfew
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held an emergency virtual meeting with clergy leaders, business owners, community organizations, and members of the Brooklyn Complete Count Committee to clearly communicate through existing networks about the nature of the curfew just announced by Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio yesterday.
The curfew will not apply to essential workers. Adams is concerned that the short notice given for the curfew, coupled with the fact that the announcement has not been communicated to New Yorkers in several languages, will likely lead to widespread confusion among New Yorkers, some of whom will need to be out once the curfew goes into effect.
Clarke on Death of George Floyd
U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope) made the following comments on the murder of George Floyd.
“As COVID-19 and police brutality protests continue to rage across the country and in my hometown, beloved Brooklyn, I am reminded of an ever-present fact: COVID-19 is the second deadly disease to pose a direct threat to the health and well being of our communities. White supremacy has always been the undisputed first. The things I have seen and the stories I have heard in our communities, including from elected officials that I work closely with, have been disturbing, to say the least. This civil unrest highlights what happens when people are dehumanized and when their issues and concerns are relegated to the discretionary as opposed to the mandatory.
“George Floyd was murdered. Before George, there were black men, women, and children whose lives were taken from us without any provocation. We have seen this play out time and time again and there must be regulations, policies, and procedures in place to ensure that racist cops are not given a slap on the hand when they choose to violate the very laws they’re meant to enforce. They must be removed from the police force and dealt with swiftly as a deterrent to those who would follow suit and or interpret the lack of accountability and consequence as a license for police brutality and state-sanctioned murder.
“I am calling on Mayor de Blasio to ensure that the offending officers are held accountable for their reprehensible actions. There must be policies and protocols in place to ensure that peaceful protesters are able to exercise their first amendment right to call out injustices without fear of reprisal, retaliation or retribution. We must not and we will not stand idly by while our neighbors, friends and loved ones are harmed at the hands of those who have vowed to protect and to serve.”
