Around Brooklyn: Rogue strain of Covid found in Saratoga Springs

January 6, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

A public recreation area outside The Greenpoint has an excellent view of the Manhattan skyline. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

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Rogue strain of COVID-19 found in Saratoga Springs

On Monday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the first confirmed case of the UK strain of COVID-19 virus has been detected in Saratoga Springs. The new strain was detected by the Department of Health’s Wadsworth laboratory as part of the state’s UK strain testing program. The strain was traced back to a proprietor of a Saratoga Springs jewelry store. The man, who is in his 60s, is recovering, but he did not travel recently, suggesting that there are others who have that strain of the virus, which is 70 percent more contagious than the typical COVID strain.

Toddlers injured, one critically, in van accident

One child has died and another is in serious condition after being struck by a vehicle in Bensonhurst. According to police, the fatal incident happened around 9:19 a.m. at 2025 67th St.. Police say the two victims are from Staten Island, ages 4 and 6, and were struck after they were dropped off at a yeshiva. Police believe they were hit by the same blue van – a private school transport – that dropped them off at the school. They were rushed to Maimonides Medical Center, where the 4-year-old was pronounced dead. The 6-year-old is in critical but stable condition, according to CBS News.

Nanny accused of violently shaking baby

A live-in nanny in Brooklyn was arrested for shaking a 3-month-old baby and leaving him with bleeding in his brain, officials said. The infant’s parents told investigators that their son threw up all of his formula at their Midwood home on East 9th Street after he was given a bottle before bed on Dec 29. The next day, the baby was still sick and his parents brought him to the doctor, believing it was a stomach virus. The infant did not get better condition did not improve by New Year’s Day, his parents brought him to the hospital at the doctor’s recommendation. The nanny admitted to shaking the baby because she felt overwhelmed while caring for the baby and his sister during an interrogation, according to 1010 WINS radio.

LGBTQ leaders celebrate Dem rule change

On Dec. 30, the Brooklyn Democratic Party voted unanimously to approve long-awaited and historic changes that repeal a gender binary requirement that allowed only men and women to run for party office in Brooklyn. The party’s rule change allows TGNCNB (transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary) individuals to openly serve on County Committee beginning in 2022 election cycle. Jesse Pierce, district leader from the 52nd A.D., a self-described “gender-non-binary human,” said, “This change adopted by the Party is a testament to the plaintiffs who bravely brought their identities and the lack of gender inclusion to the doorstep of our Brooklyn Democratic Party. And to the members of the public who loudly shared their stories and support of the removal of the binary gender designations to County Committee participation. I celebrate this teamwork and look forward to continuing to work together to encourage and welcome everyone into our local Democratic Party, regardless of gender identity and expression.”

Rodneyse Bichotte marries district leader

Kings County Democratic Party Chair and Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) married Democratic District Leader Edu Hermelyn on Jan. 1. Hermelyn represents Crown Heights, Flatbush and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Before becoming a district leader, he was a New York State Assembly staffer.

Felder, Eichenstein honor local police chief

State Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Borough Park, Midwood) and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein (D-Borough Park, Midwood) honored NYPD Chief Charles Scholl with proclamations for his 41 years of service. Chief Scholl spent his career working to make the streets of Brooklyn safer. He reduced crime and improved quality of life exponentially, receiving over 60 departmental recognitions. Scholl, who had more seniority than any other active-duty cop on the force, took his retirement walking out of Coney Island’s 60th Precinct stationhouse in front of scores of well-wishers and both rank-and-file police and high-ranking officers on New Year’s Eve — a day before he turned 63, the NYPD’s mandatory retirement age. Scholl had climbed to the rank of executive officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South before his retirement.

Four injured in EMT crash

A collision between two ambulances late Monday in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens injured four EMTs. The crash occurred just before 11 p.m. near the intersection of Midwood Street and Brooklyn Avenue, officials said. A showed one ambulance appeared to have jumped the curb and driven up onto a sidewalk, while the other ambulance in the street had damages to the front hood. FDNY officials said one EMT was transported to a nearby hospital. The other three were treated at the scene, according to 1010 WINS.

Cop opens fire on armed suspect

An NYPD officer opened fire on a man who lunged at police with a knife in East Flatbush on Monday night, police said. Nobody was struck by the gunfire in the confrontation at Hawthorne Street near Albany Avenue in East Flatbush at about 7:45 p.m., according to sources. Police were called to the location for a reported domestic dispute. One officer fired several shots at the armed suspect. The suspect, who police say has an arrest history dating back 10 years, was arrested at the scene and taken to Kings County Hospital. Several officers were taken to Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center for evaluation, according to the New York Post.

Cops search for missing Brooklyn, Bronx teens

The NYPD is searching for at least eight missing Brooklyn and Bronx teens between the ages of 14 and 17. Marisol Rivera, 14, was last seen Sunday at her home in Brownsville in Brooklyn around 11 p.m., police said. She is described as Hispanic, 5’6″ and 110 lbs. Kimberly Rosado, 15, was last seen at her residence in Crown Heights last Thursday around 2:30 p.m. She is described as Hispanic, 5’7″ tall, 170 lbs., brown eyes and black hair. Doodley Charles, 15, was last seen at his residence in Flatbush on Christmas Eve around 3 p.m. He is described as Black, approximately 5’6″ tall, 140 lbs., thin build, with black hair and black eyes. And Carina Perez, 17, was last seen at her residence in Coney Island on Sun. Dec. 27 at 11:30 p.m., police said. She is described as Hispanic, 5’2″ tall, 110 lbs., black hair and brown eyes, according to 1010 WINS.

Hakeem Jeffries announces scholarship act

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn- Queens) and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that H.R. 4508, the Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act, is on the way to the president to be signed into law. Jeffries introduced the bill in 2019 to promote access to higher education for girls in Pakistan by directing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to issue at least half of its scholarships for higher education in Pakistan under the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program to women. “At home and abroad, women and girls face barriers to obtaining an education, hindering their ability to fulfill their God-given potential,” said Jeffries.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.