Good Morning, Brooklyn: Tuesday, February 1, 2022

February 1, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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NYPD OFFICER CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME: An off-duty officer who was involved in a traffic altercation and alleged beating last week in Kensington has been charged with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime, and aggravated harassment against a Muslim man. According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, the defendant, identified as Riggs Kwong, 50, and assigned to the 70^th Precinct, is charged with “brutally assaulting a man until he lost consciousness while using anti-Muslim slurs following a traffic altercation. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on March 22, 2022.

The district attorney said, “We have no tolerance for hate-motivated violence in Brooklyn, and the alleged conduct is especially reprehensible because the defendant is a law enforcement officer.”

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DIOCESAN PRIEST REMOVED FROM MINISTRY: A Roman Catholic priest who had served churches in Brooklyn and was pastor of a parish in Bellerose, has been removed from ministry, announced the Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn. The Diocesan Review Board (DRB), composed of laypersons with expertise in family law, law enforcement, and mental health issues, made the recommendation following an investigation based on a lawsuit filed against Father John O’Connor on August 13, 2020, and which revealed new evidence. Fr. O’Connor’s name will also be added to the List of Credibly Accused Priests on the Diocese of Brooklyn website.

The removal from ministry means that O’Connor is no longer permitted to celebrate Mass publicly, cannot exercise any public ministerial duties, and cannot live in an ecclesiastical residence.

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DIOCESE’S ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is emphasizing the zero-tolerance policy, which was implemented 20 years ago, mandating the permanent removal of any clergy member who is determined to be credibly accused of sexual misconduct with a minor. The policy was in response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ adopting the Charter for the Protection of Children in 2002.

“Before the establishment of the charter … we did not have a Diocesan Review Board so we did not have full investigations for situations like this one,” said Diocese of Brooklyn Press Secretary Adriana Rodriguez. “Now, we have a clearer understanding of all the various ways sexual misconduct can occur, we have former law enforcement officers doing our investigations, and an independent review board, so any kind of complaint like this would be investigated.”

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IPS NEWS: REBUKES FOR THOSE WHO CONDONE JAN. 6 VIOLENCE: Responding to remarks attributed to former President Donald Trump’s that he would pardon those involved with the deadly January 6th insurrection, former Congressmember and combat veteran Max Rose rebuked this promise. Mr. Rose, who is campaigning to win back his seat from Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11^th District), added a rebuke for his opponent: “It is bad enough that Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis voted to overturn an election on January 6th, but now she remains silent as Donald Trump offers get-out-of-jail-free cards for those who brutally beat police officers.

Max Rose added, “If Congressmember Malliotakis truly cares about America, she must not only denounce Donald Trump’s promise to these insurrectionists, but make it clear that their convictions are just. Anyone who tries to make martyrs out of those who attacked our nation, or stays silent while their party leaders do so, is not fit to lead in the greatest country on Earth.”

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IPS NEWS: LANDLORD BANNED FROM REAL ESTATE PRACTICE: State Attorney General Letitia James has secured a major court victory against landlord, Raphael Toledano, banning him from engaging in any real estate activity in New York. An order by the New York Supreme Court bars Toledano, who become notorious for harassment and for predatory real estate practices, from engaging in any New York real estate business activity for at least five years, at which point he can petition the court for reentrance.

This decision comes after Toledano repeatedly violated a 2019 agreement with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) that required him to stop harassing New York City tenants and stop engaging in illegal and predatory real estate practices. He was accused of misrepresenting himself as a lawyer.

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CLIMATE JUSTICE: The organization UPROSE will hold a Virtual Climate Justice Townhall next weekend, on Saturday February 12 at 2 pm to give updates to the GRID (Green Resilient Industrial District) and present ways on taking action for Climate Justice in Sunset Park. Speakers include Elizabeth Yeampierre, Rev. Sam Cruz, Council member Alexa Aviles, and Assembly member Marcela Mitaynes. (Registration and info bit.ly/SPtownhall)

In response to community requests, UPROSE launched the Sunset Park Climate Justice Center, NYC’s first grassroots-led, bottom-up, climate adaptation and community resiliency planning project. The Sunset Park Climate Justice Center seeks to both advocate-for and implement strategies to achieve a Just Transition for the Sunset Park community.

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IPS NEWS: ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE: Former Congressmember and combat veteran Max Rose, surrounded by clergy and members of the community, held a press conference detailing his plan to address gun violence. Standing outside the deli where 18 year-old Keondre Adams was shot and killed last November, Rose proposed 10 policies which would remove illegal guns from our streets, provide critical funding for mental health and violence interrupters, and keep all New Yorkers safe.

Among these policies: establishing universal background checks, creating a federal gun registry, exponentially expanding federal and local efforts against gun trafficking, and fully support Mayor Adams’ plan for Bail Reform by giving judges the power to detain those individuals who pose a threat to the safety of the community.

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IPS NEWS: NEW LEGISLATION FOR CLEAN ENERGY: Congressmember Carolyn B. Maloney has unveiled her Justice in Power Plant Permitting Act, which advances the equitable transition to a clean energy economy by preventing the permitting of major sources of pollution that cause harm to communities, like fossil fuel-fired power plants such as Ravenswood Generating Station. To replace dirty and harmful energy generation, the bill includes a Just Energy Transition Fund for clean energy projects that support workers and environmental justice.

Ravenswood Generating Station is considered the most polluting power plant in New York and home to ‘Big Allis’, the station’s largest fossil fuel smokestack.

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NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING TO CROWN HEIGHTS: SCALE Lending, among the most active lenders in the New York Metropolitan market for construction financing, has completed a $55 million construction loan at 959 Sterling Place in Crown Heights. The 150,000 square-foot, 7-story development will have 158 units, and 48 units will be set aside as affordable housing under the Affordable New York program.

The 959 Sterling Place location is a short walk from Prospect Park, The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and multiple subway lines. The developer is Hope Street Capital, and the financing was arranged by Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

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BAC WELLNESS STUDIO FOR ARTISTS: Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) has launched an innovative hybrid program, BAC Wellness Studio, which invests in the notion that the holistic well-being of Brooklyn artists is fundamental to the strength and spirit of the borough. The Wellness Studio’s first two digital programs are, Neighborhood Clinic Healing Installations and Sonic Clinic: A Sound Wellness Neighborhood Clinic.

Sonic Clinic is a cross-cultural musical healing experience. It explores the healing traditions from around the world with a focus on music and sound.