Good Morning, Brooklyn: Tuesday, July 13, 2021

July 13, 2021 By Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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PARTNERS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Monday met with with President Joseph Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and local leaders and community experts to discuss comprehensive strategies to reduce gun violence in New York and across the country. Applauding the US President for convening the meeting, Adams emphasized how import ant it is for all levels of government to work in tandem, Adams said, “To achieve our shared goal of reducing gun violence, it is critical that the partnership between New York City and the federal government include both long-term crime prevention strategies and immediate interventions that stop the shootings now and get the guns off of our streets.”

“I am confident the Biden Administration will focus on finding and prosecuting the dirty gun dealers, straw purchasers and traffickers who flood our streets with handguns. At the same time, we must work together to deal with the feeders of crime and violence, including funding for young people aging out of foster care, youth employment, job training, and learning disability screenings and help,” said Adams.

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NEW MASK POLICY IN STATE COURTS: Judges and court staff who can certify that they’re fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus will no longer be required to wear masks in public areas of courthouses in New York State, including in courtrooms. Chief Judge Janet DiFiore made this announcement on Monday, specifying also that the mask policy for visitors will also be amended for those who can show documentation of being fully vaccinated.

Judge DiFiore credited the policy relaxation to improvements in the COVID metrics and vaccination rates over the past two weeks and to the recent lifting of New York’s COVID-19 State of Emergency,

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THANK YOU, SENATOR SCHUMER: A group of happy families, carrying signs and banners, will gather outside Sen. Charles Schumer’s home in Brooklyn this evening to celebrate the expanded child tax credit. ParentsTogether Action, is organizing this event to thank Congress for passing ‘Child Checks’ and also to urge Senator Schumer to act quickly to extend these payments past December of this year. The group is scheduled to convene at 6 p.m., on the sidewalk across from 9 Prospect Park West, below Grand Army Plaza, as part of a national celebration, with similar events in Washington, D.C. and four other states.

Monthly child tax credit payments will be sent out starting this Thursday, July 15, as part of the passage of the American Rescue Act. This expanded Child Tax Credit will reach millions of new families because, for the first time, parents do not need any earnings to qualify.

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DANCING AND THE GOWANUS: The Gowanus Canal and surrounding neighborhood have garnered frequent attention so far this summer, including a program on oysters. Now, Artichoke Dance Company presents Just Gowanus: An Interactive Performance Tour that intersects performance and environmental education to bring awareness to the neighborhood of Gowanus.

Just Gowanus took place on Sunday, July 18 at 4 p.m., Artichoke Dance Company’s third event in this neighborhood will also bring interactive experiences to engage tour-goers in activism and visioning. Artichoke’s performances will reflect on the area’s complex history and contentious future.

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TEMPORARY LIBRARY BRANCH CLOSING: The Leonard BPL branch on Devoe St. in Williamsburg will be closing temporarily at the end of business on Saturday July 31^st for maintenance. The scope of work includes replacement of the front steps, installation of a ramp at the rear of the building and minor spruce-up of the garden. The last day for patrons to select Leonard library as a holds pick-up location will be today, Tuesday July 13^.

During the closure, patrons may visit the following nearby library branches: Bushwick Library, 340 Bushwick Ave.; Greenpoint, 107 Norman Ave. at Leonard St.; and Williamsburg 240 Division Ave. at Marcy Ave.

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ROLLER DISCO AT MIDDLE SCHOOL: Three Brooklyn elected officials are sponsoring a roller-skating event in partnership with Elite Learners. Grab some skates and learn the fundamentals of skating and roller dancing with Skateerobics and Elite Learners Inc, this Friday, July 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Diana Richardson are sponsors. The event, at Middle School 6, 400 Empire Blvd. is themed Roller Disco!

Elite Learners Inc. will hold two more skating events next month: on August 12 and Aug. 20.

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CONSUMER ALERT: The New York State Division of Consumer Protection and the Department of Motor Vehicles on Monday warned New Yorkers of a text message phishing scheme involving driver’s licenses. Phishing texts are fraudulent messages designed to obtain data or sensitive personal information to be used to commit identity theft or trick the recipient into installing malicious software onto a computer or mobile device.

The illegitimate text messages reference the “Secretary of State NY Driver’s License Facility” (not the agency’s real name) and tells recipients they are required to update their data for their current NY Driver’s License. Anyone who received such a text message should delete it immediately.

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RESTAURANT WEEK RETURNS: As this beloved tradition returns to in-person dining after 18 months, NYC Restaurant Week® Summer 2021 is now open for reservations at nycgo.com/restaurantweek for dining from Monday, July 19 through Sunday, August 22. NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs, on Monday announced there will be more ways than ever to enjoy the City’s world-class and authentic cuisines, with updated inclusive pricing to ensure participation from various eateries across all five boroughs. Diners can enjoy more than 40 distinct cuisines in 75 neighborhoods with lunches priced at either $21 or $39 and dinners priced at either $21 or $39.

Saturdays are blackout days, and restaurants can opt to provide the special on Sundays. Mastercard is a sponsor.

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AUDIT FINDS DISCREPANCIES IN NYPD REVENUE TRACKING: New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer has released an audit that revealed weak management and controls over the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) collection, recording, and reporting of property brought to precincts as part of police activity and investigations. The audit found significant deficiencies in the Property Evidence Tracking System (PETS), the NYPD’s computerized system meant to track this inventory, which consists of property seized during arrests, investigations and items retained for safekeeping, among other police actions. The discrepancies in the NYPD’s revenue records involved missing documentation; cash receipts records that did not match the supporting documentation; late and absent reconciliations of revenues collected from vehicle auction sales, (from delays in NYPD’s invoicing a vendor).

The Comptroller’s audit also found mismatches between the NYPD’s recording of revenue from the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the actual documents received from those federal agencies.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEKEND: Join the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy this Friday, July 16, for the Freedom Party Outside—an all-ages summer dance party to kick-off the Waterfront Dance Party season. The dancing runs from 6-10 p.m. on Pier 3.

Featured artist at this free event is DJ Herbert Holler of the Freedom Party.