Good Morning, Brooklyn: Tuesday, March 8, 2022

March 8, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond Chappetto
Photo courtesy of DeSales Media

AUXILIARY BISHOP RAYMOND CHAPPETTO RETIRES: Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Diocese of Brooklyn’s Auxiliary Bishop Raymond F. Chappetto, who stayed in active duty past the mandatory retirement age of 75 in order to help with the transition to a new diocesan bishop. As required by Canon (Church) law, at the age of 75, all bishops must submit a letter of resignation from the ecclesiastical office that they hold. The Holy See at the Vatican then determines when to accept the resignation. Bishop Chappetto, who was ordained to the priesthood in May, 1971 in the Diocese of Brooklyn and ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop in 2012, also served until last year as Vicar for Clergy and Consecrated Life.

The Most Rev. Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, said, “I share the appreciation of so many in the diocese for Bishop Chappetto’s many years of dedicated service here in Brooklyn and Queens. Personally, I thank him for staying on beyond the retirement age to assist with the transition [with Bishop Emeritus DiMarzio’s retirement last year], and to Pope Francis for allowing that.”

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BIGLAW SUPPORTS CLEAN SLATE NEW YORK ACT: Nearly 50 leaders of the country’s top law firms have released a memo in support of the Clean Slate New York Act and called on the New York State Legislature to immediately pass the legislation, with the final version of Fiscal Year 2023 New York State budget just a few weeks away. The bill, if passed, would end the long-term consequences of a conviction record by establishing an automatic process for sealing most records after the requirements of the criminal legal system have been met.

BigLaw is now joining an ever-expanding coalition that includes labor unions, business leaders, and faith leaders in supporting the millions of New Yorkers to end the obstacles to life essentials like employment and housing due to their conviction records.

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GUARDING AGAINST CYBER-ATTACKS: New Yorkers are being given guidance on how to protect themselves from potential Russian cyber-attacks, several officials announced at a joint press conference yesterday, March 7. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined NYC Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller, and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander for the conference, where they outlined the 3 ‘S’es of Cyber Safety, which will help New Yorkers protect themselves during this time of increased threat. Urging quick action, Gillibrand advised New Yorkers to practice proper cyber safety by securing accounts, updating passwords and protection software, staying vigilant and recognizing potentially fraudulent emails.

Last week, Gillibrand and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the Fiscal Year 2022 funding package to include a significant increase in cybersecurity funding for the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center program, based in Rensselaer County, which is a partnership-based approach to building cybersecurity resilience and coordination between federal, state and local entities.

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‘CHANGE YOUR CLOCK, CHANGE YOUR BATTERY’: The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) is hosting several local “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” events around Brooklyn and the other boroughs this week, leading up to the start of Daylight Savings Time this coming Sunday, March 13, at 2 a.m. This Change Your Battery campaign aims to educate the public about the importance of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and during these events, the FDNY Fire Safety Education Team will be distributing fire safety literature and registering New Yorkers for Free Smoke Alarm Installations throughout the five boroughs.

Brooklyn events take place this afternoon, March 8 from 2-6 p.m. at the ShopRite at 1080 McDonald Ave. (boundary of Kensington and Borough Park) and on Thursday, March 10 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Marcy Plaza, Marcy Ave. and Fulton St., and on Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: the Broadway Junction subway station (Fulton St. and Jamaica Ave.,) the Crown Heights Utica Ave. 3 &4 subway station at Eastern Parkway and Utica Ave., and the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. subway hub.

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MORE THAN $209M IN FUNDING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: More than $209 million in American Rescue Plan funds for colleges, universities, and students in New York’s 12th Congressional District has been disbursed over the last year, U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-12) reported on Monday, while highlighting The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. HEERF helps local institutions keep students enrolled and on track to graduate, as well as make college more affordable, with the American Rescue Plan requiring at least half of these funds to be applied to direct financial relief to students.

Colleges and universities in New York have received over $2.7 billion in American Rescue Plan funds – one of the largest one-time infusions of funding ever provided to the state’s colleges and universities.

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WEBINAR ON SUICIDE PREVENTION: The Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York and their partnership with the Michelle Shafer Memorial Benefit is sponsoring a webinar on suicide prevention tomorrow, March 9, from noon to 1 p.m.

Dr. Alan Fruzzetti, Ph.D. will lead this webinar, which will address the scope of the problem, the transdiagnostic nature of suicidality, and then highlight both the strengths and shortcomings of most mental health systems.

The webinar, which is free, but with required registration (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/when-someone-in-your-family-is-suicidal-webinar-tickets-254775308807) will also explain eight specific ways that having a suicidal family member can be stressful and even traumatic for family members will be described, including stigma, stress- and trauma-related problems, and social isolation.

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TACKLING ‘UNFAIR’ ADMISSIONS PROCESS: State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-22nd District) and Assemblymember Latrice Walker D-55) will announce the introduction of a new bill to tackle what they say are unfair admissions. The legislation, to be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday, aims to prohibit legacy preference and early decision policies at higher education institutions across New York State, and it proposes to charge a penalty to any institutions who violate law, with the revenue from any penalties earmarked for low-income students.

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CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO NY ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE: Complaints against the Internet-related services, landlord-tenant disputes and retail sales companies headed the list of the top 10 consumer fraud complaints that the Office of New York Attorney General Letitia James received in 2021. The OAG received 8,346 Internet complaints, including regarding data privacy, security and breaches; 3,144 landlord-tenant dispute complaints, and 2,678 complaints related to price gouging, defective merchandise, poor customer service, pet stores, and animal breeders.

Coming in fourth were 2,610 complaints about consumer related services (COVID-19 testing facilities, alarm companies, dry cleaners, restaurants, movers, services for personal household use).

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CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS: U.S. Rep Nicole Malliotakis’ office will begin accepting applicants for the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. The contest, part of a nationwide high school visual arts competition, is open to all high school students in New York’s 11th Congressional District covering southwest Brooklyn. More information is available via https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition

The first-place winner’s artwork will be on display in the U.S. Capitol and the winner will have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for the Exhibition Opening Celebration of their artwork. The second-place winner’s artwork will hang in Malliotakis’ Washington, D.C. office for one year. The third and fourth place winners’ artwork will be displayed in Malliotakis’ Staten Island and Brooklyn district offices for one year.

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MONUMENT DESTROYED IN VEHICLE COLLISION: The 57-year-old war memorial at Bartel-Pritchard Square was destroyed early Sunday morning when an out-of-control driver hit the monument and caused a fire, reports Community Board 6 and a number of news outlets, including the Daily News and Gothamist. The driver fled and was not arrested, according to some news reports.

Bartel-Pritchard Square is a traffic circle located at the southwest entrance to Prospect Park near the boundaries of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace. For much of its history, it has served as a war memorial and a tribute to two close friends, Emil Bartel and William Pritchard, who died in combat in France during World War I.