CM Rivera on Fed Monitor Report Regarding Conditions in New York City Jails
City Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-Manhattan), chair of the council’s Committee on Criminal Justice, yesterday reacted with shock and dismay after reading the Nunez Independent Federal Monitor Special Report regarding Conditions in New York City Jails
“The Nunez Independent Federal Monitor Special Report released March 16, 2022 paints a devastating portrait of egregious inhumanity and human rights abuses against all New Yorkers – incarcerated individuals at Rikers Island, the Correction Officers, and the families and communities of all involved,” said Rivera.
“The atrocities as detailed through data and horrific anecdotes confirm what advocates have been telling us for years: the conditions in New York City jails are far beyond the realm of normal and, to quote the monitoring team, “defy sound correctional practice.” Further, the Department’s mismanagement of staff is inextricably linked to soaring rates of use of force and violence in the jails. Damning accounts of excessive violence, lack of compliance with elementary safety and security protocols, denied emergency medical care, and degrading conditions are all indicative of an unceasing failure by the Department to successfully carry out its mandated duty to the City of New York,” the lawmaker added.
Rivera said at next week’s Preliminary Budget Hearing, the committee’s questioning and investigation will aim to understand the Department’s plans, if any, for improvement.
“If we continue to allow the Department to wield enormous budgets and the largest staff in the nation with little to no accountability or compliance, the worsening conditions at Rikers Island will only continue to devolve,” she said.
Legislator Lafazan to Address Traffic Safety Concerns
Nassau County Legislator Joshua A. Lafazan (D-Woodbury) today will be joined by community leaders and concerned residents to call on the Department of Public Works to convene an immediate traffic study on Glen Cove Road and Hewlett Drive.
The call to action follows the death of a 17 year old Wheatley High School student Hasan Suleman who was killed around 3 p.m., March 9 when his SUV crossed the median on Glen Cove Road and collided head-on with a Nassau Inter-County Express bus amid slick road conditions on Long Island.
The meeting with other officials is slated for 10:30 a.m., today, March 18 on Glen Cove Road & Hewlett Drive in Old Westbury, Long Island.
Sanders Hosts Women’s History Month Awards Dinner Gala
State Sen. James Sanders Jr.(D-Queens), in partnership with U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens), Assembly Member Vivian Cook (D-Queens) and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) and the Rochdale Village Community Relations Committee will recognize frontline women in healthcare at a dinner gala later this month.
The dinner will honor individuals who are working hard to improve their communities, have made great strides in their careers and hold the promise of a bright future in the healthcare industry.
“We have collected the nominees and now it’s time to prepare for the celebration and you are invited,” said Sanders in a press release.
The free gala dinner is slated for the Rochdale Village Ballroom, 169-65 137th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. You do not have to be a healthcare worker to attend but you must RSVP by calling Senator Sanders’ Office at 718-523-3069. Seating is limited.
AG James Leads Coalition Urging EPA to Strengthen Protections Against Childhood Lead Poisoning
New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading a coalition of 19 attorneys general, called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen protections against lead poisoning, particularly for children living in low-income communities and communities of color.
While EPA has taken steps to increase public health protections and address lead contamination in vulnerable communities, the coalition argues that EPA could bolster its plans by taking various steps to target childhood lead poisoning, such as expanding resources to better enforce laws, creating new policies to address hazardous waste sites and drinking water, and more.
“Lead poisoning in our kids is a dangerous problem that disproportionately impacts low-income, and Black and brown children and jeopardizes their health and future,” said James. “EPA’s current lead plan is an important and necessary start, but more comprehensive resources, strategy, policies, and collaboration are needed to tackle the issue head-on. Our coalition is urging the federal government to be a forceful, reliable, and effective partner in ending childhood lead poisoning in our most vulnerable communities.”
Persaud Hosts Virtual Homeowners & Tenants Housing Resource Fair
Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D-Brooklyn) tomorrow will be hosting a Homeowners and Tenants Virtual Housing Resource Fair.
Constituents are encouraged to submit questions in advance to persaud@nysenate.gov with the subject line “Housing Resource Fair 2022.”
The event is slated for 10-11 a.m., tomorrow, March 19. Register for the Zoom Meeting via https:// bit.ly/3Coz18Z or watch on Facebook Live @SD19SenatorPersaud. Please feel free to contact the District Office at 718-649-7653 for additional information.
