Adams Offers Views & Solutions to Summer Crime Surge
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams yesterday renewed his five-point plan to reduce the sharp uptick in violent crime this summer.
This includes at least seven people murdered since last Thursday and 52 victims from 50 separate shooting across the city.
“A corrections officer leaving a party in Queens. A man enjoying a cigarette with his wife in the Bronx. A young man in Brooklyn who got a call to come outside. These are just three of the 14 people claimed by gun violence just in the past week. We cannot become numb to this, or act like it’s some statistical aberration. Earlier this summer, 101 people were shot in the course of a week — all of them Black and Brown. The crisis we are facing demands we put forward real solutions. That is why I am renewing my call for the City to take the following steps to address some of the underlying contributors to this epidemic,” said Adams.
The steps include::
- Forming a tri-state commission to formulate policy proposals that would stop the flow of illegal handguns into our communities
- Rebuild a modified version of the New York City Police Department (NYPD)’s plainclothes unit
- Fully fund the City’s Crisis Management System and allow for more centralized coordination between different organizations throughout the city
- Convene citywide clergy leaders and law enforcement officials to partner on public safety initiatives in hotspots, and
- Create a comprehensive employment program targeting young men and women ages 18 to 25, focused on those who are unemployed and out of school
“I also believe we need to take a closer look at the recently-reported drop in arrests by the NYPD and what may be driving that trend. Failing to change course now will mean more senseless bloodshed that will disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. As someone who has dedicated his life to the mantra that ‘Black Lives Matter,’ even before it became a hashtag, I simply will not accept that,” said Adams.
Schumer Pushes New Actions to Stop Changes in the Postal Service
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) yesterday pushed new actions, today, against Postmaster Louis DeJoy and the Trump Administration policies being implemented to undermine the U.S. postal service.
According to media reports, DeJoy last month ordered the USPS began to eliminate overtime pay for postal workers, ordering them to instead end their shifts at a set time rather than when all the mail is delivered — leading to delivery delays.
In recent weeks, USPS officials told state election officials that if they want to ensure a speedy delivery of absentee ballots, they’ll need to pay for them to be sent at a first-class rate, which is roughly three times as expensive as bulk rate typically used to send ballots to voters. There have also been reports that mail sorting machines are being removed from post offices.
All this comes, as the national Presidential elections is expected to receive a huge sureg of mail-in ballots due to the COVID pandemic.
Schumer demanded DeJoy be in U.S. Senate hearings this week as he drives legislation to force the postmaster to “back off.” Schumer’s plan would reverse changes now slowing down the mail and would also ensure mail-in ballots are treated as First Class priority.
“What has been—and continues—to go on with the postal service, the undermining and destructive policies that are so clearly intent on upending a system that has worked for generations has simply got to stop,” said Schumer.
“I’m pushing new action here to undo the changes and get DeJoy to back off. Moreover, we will use the letter of the law to call the postmaster for hearings this week while driving legislation to fix the mess he’s purposely made. Bottom-line, we will not stand for the in-your-face slowing down of the mail and the undermining of Americans who depend on medications, VA benefits, paychecks, even food, and we will not allow this to take place all in an effort to hobble the November election—no way,” he added.
Gounardes, Brannan Demand Continuation of Commercial Eviction Moratorium
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Gerritsen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park), City Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach), Brooklyn Chamber CEO Randy Peers and other local elected officials and business owners will join local business owners to demand that the Governor continue the suspension of commercial evictions and that the state pass real relief for suffering small businesses.
The demand comes as a small number of commercial evictions against businesses who had a COVID hardship for proceedings that began before March 17 will be able to move forward beginning on August 20, while the executive order protecting most local businesses from commercial evictions expires on September 4.
While the Tenant Safe Harbor Act protects residential tenants with a COVID-related hardship from being evicted, no similar ongoing protections exist for small businesses that make up the economic engine of our city.
The coalition will also call for the passage of existing legislation including S.8211A and S.8853 to bail out struggling small businesses by mandating that pandemics be covered under business interruption insurance.
The lawmakers will make their demand at 1 p.m., today, Aug. 17 outside of Galaxy Comics, 6823 Fifth Ave (Between 68th and Bay Ridge Ave) in Bay Ridge.
De Blasio Adds Three More Open Street Restaurant Corridors in Brooklyn
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday announced 21 more locations for outdoor dining options as part of a City initiative that combines the Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs, while adding more seating in more outer-borough pedestrian plazas.
Of the 21 three are in Brooklyn including the Park Slope 5th Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) along Fifth Avenue from Sterling Place to Berkley Place; Prospect Heights NDC along Vanderbilt Avenue from Pacific Street to Atlantic Avenue; and 99 Favor Taste on 61st Street between 7th and 8th Avenues in Bay Ridge.
The Administration is also adding four more locations in three boroughs for Play Streets, an initiative the City launched in July to provide children with safe, structured activities on Open Streets during summer weekdays.
“Rebuilding a fairer and better city means using our urban landscape creatively, and I’m proud to build on the success of our Open Streets program,” said de Blasio. “New Yorkers have sacrificed so much during this crisis and they deserve the opportunity to safely enjoy their neighborhoods and communities.”
Richardson Resumes Civic Minded Meetings
Assemblywoman Diana Richardson (D-Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Garden) is resuming her regular Saturday Civic Minded meetings this month – although virtually due to the COVID pandemic.
The next Civic Minded meeting will focus on the forthcoming Clarkson Estates development, including the Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr. Community Hub. This 100% affordable housing development is a part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative, that was developed in collaboration with our dedicated constituents and community partners of Richardson’s 43rd Assembly District.
The meeting is slated for 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22. RSVP at https://bit.ly/31elyNU
