Good Morning, Brooklyn: Tuesday, July 12, 2022

July 12, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Share this:

RAIN DATE FOR CONCERT: Tonight’s forecast for severe thunderstorms is delaying a free summer concert that several Bay Ridge elected officials are sponsoring as part of their outdoor series. “Head Over Heels” will perform at Shore Road Park and 79^th St. tomorrow night, Wednesday, July 13 (weather permitting) at 7 p.m. instead of tonight.

Sponsors include NIA, a non-profit that provides after-school programs, summer day camps, cultural arts and recreation programs, youth and family counseling services; and City Councilmember Justin Brannan (D-43^rd District), New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-20^th District), and New York State Assemblymember Peter J. Abbate, Jr. (D-49^th District).

✰✰✰

ATTORNEY GENERAL OPENS PROBE INTO DEATH OF MAN WHO FLED TRAFFIC STOP: The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Malik Williams, who died last Saturday, July 9, following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department. That evening, during a traffic stop in which Mr. Williams was a passenger, he fled when the occupants were ordered to exit the car, allegedly exchanged gunfire with the police officer who was pursuing him, and was then taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, directs the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation to assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person, by an act or omission. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

✰✰✰

ARREST OF GANG MEMBER WHO SHOT INTO CROWD IN FLATBUSH: A man who shot into a crowd of people in Flatbush in March has been arrested and charged in Brooklyn federal court. Arrested this morning, defendant Kwyme Waddell is allegedly one of the top leaders of the No Love City (NLC) subset of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples, known to be a violent street gang operating primarily in the area of Newkirk Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. The indictment, unsealed today, charges Waddell with being a felon in possession of ammunition, which he used to shoot into a crowd of people on the block of East 21st Street between Ditmas Avenue and Dorchester Road, on March 22 of this year, shortly after 9:30 p.m.

The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.

✰✰✰

POLICING WATCHDOG BOARD REVISES AGENCY RULES: The Civilian Complaint Review Board is revising multiple sections of its agency rules in order to implement new policies to allow the agency to begin self-initiating complaints and investigating bias-based policing and racial profiling. A public hearing on the proposed new rules has been scheduled during the CCRB’s board meeting, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 13, at 4 p.m. (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/ccrb/about/news/board-meeting-schedule.page)

There will be an opportunity to provide testimony and/or public comment.

✰✰✰

MONKEYPOX CASES RISE IN NYC: Cases of Monkeypox (Orthopoxvirus) are rising in New York City, with 223 people in New York City having tested positive as of yesterday. The rash and sores from monkeypox can be painful and last two to four weeks, but most of the people have not been hospitalized and have recovered on their own.

Although anyone can get and spread monkeypox, people with multiple or anonymous sex partners, have a higher likelihood. Health officials are urging people with symptoms to avoid close contact.

✰✰✰

FIVE WEEKENDS OF Q LINE CHANGES: Service changes will affect the Q subway line between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Ctr. and Prospect Park as crews perform track and signal upgrades this weekend to improve service reliability and track resiliency. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that the work, to run for five consecutive weekends from this Friday, July 15, to Monday, August 15, from 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m., will re-route the Coney Island-bound Q trains along the N line, and the Manhattan-bound Q trains along the D line between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island.

Q shuttle trains will operate between Prospect Park and Stillwell Avenue, and special-route buses will operate between Atlantic Av and Prospect Park.

✰✰✰

TESTIMONY ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE: New York Attorney General Letitia James has released written testimony submitted to her office in the public hearing on the quality and accessibility of mental health care statewide. Government officials, health care providers, community organizations, and impacted New Yorkers submitted testimony to the Office of State Attorney General Letitia James regarding several issues, including but not limited to a lack of psychiatric care beds for adults and children, stigmatized perceptions of mental illness, and connections to the criminal legal system.

Across the state, New York communities are struggling to access mental health care, which has only become more difficult amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic began, hundreds of inpatient psychiatric beds have been eliminated, converted to COVID-related or general medical use, or have been completely taken out of commission.

✰✰✰

ART EXHIBIT FOCUSES ON MENTAL HEALTH: The Brownsville Neighborhood Health Action Center is holding a public art exhibit, titled, “See me, Hear me, Understand me: The many faces of mental illness.” The opening reception on Thursday, July 14, from 5-7:30 p.m. will provide an opportunity to facilitate conversation, bring awareness to and expose the stigma, and support the dialogue to awareness of mental health issues in the communities of color as rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts are soaring nationwide among children and adults.

Visitors to the BNHAC, at 259 Bristol Street, will have the opportunity to meet the artists and support local youth.

✰✰✰

NEW HOTLINE FOR COVID PATIENTS LACKING A DOCTOR: The New York State Dept. of Health has launched a new, free 24/7 hotline for those who test positive for COVID-19, but don’t have a health care provider, as part of the Hochul administration’s ongoing efforts to keep New Yorkers protected throughout the pandemic.

All New Yorkers outside of New York City, regardless of income or health insurance coverage who test COVID-19 positive, are eligible to be evaluated for treatment by calling 888-TREAT-NY (888-873-2869) or completing an evaluation at the NYS COVID-19 ExpressCare Therapeutics Access website, which includes a telemedicine visit. New York City residents should call 212-COVID-19.

The ExpressCare platform is a service that allows New Yorkers to receive virtual care from a NYC Health + Hospitals provider.

✰✰✰

CITY ADDS MORE CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATION: Although New York State lost a Congressional seat by a very thin margin (89 persons) New York City’s population’s increase from 8.2 to 8.8 million between the Census years 2010 to 2020 has gained it more City Council representation. The New York City Districting Commission is set to vote this Friday, July 15, on the release of Preliminary City Council maps that reflect this increase, with the new plan raising the average number of residents per district from approximately 160,710 to 172,882.

A new plan is drawn every ten years following the U.S. Census to bring the city into compliance with the Constitutional doctrine of one-person-one-vote, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the charter of the City of New York.