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Good Morning, Brooklyn: Friday, July 22, 2022

July 22, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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THREE ARRESTED IN UNCLAIMED FUNDS FRAUD SCHEME: Three people have been arrested for a scheme to steal unclaimed funds from New York State’s unclaimed funds, announced State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Daniel B. Brubaker, Postal Inspector in Charge, Postal Service Inspection Service, New York Division. Bakare Doukoure, Sanneh Tunkara, and Lassana Sylla were arrested on mail fraud and identity theft charges arising out of their scheme to fraudulently obtain unclaimed funds held by the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, an investigation found.

New York State’s Abandoned Property Law requires banks and other financial institutions to transfer abandoned customer funds in their custody to the Office of Unclaimed Funds after a specified period of time. The Office of Unclaimed Funds maintains an online database in which anyone can search to see if the Office of Unclaimed Funds is holding any unclaimed funds in someone’s name; there is a process, involving proof of identity, to reclaim the funds.

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POLICE SEEK MAN IN FORCIBLE TOUCHING INCIDENT The NYPD is asking that anyone with information on a Forceable Touching incident that took place aboard a B-45 bus last Sunday in central Brooklyn. Please call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). According to a police report, on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at approximately 2:17 p.m., on a Bx45* [sic] MTA bus travelling eastbound, an unknown individual grabbed a 53-year-old female victim’s buttocks as she exited the bus at Saint John’s Place and Utica Ave. Video surveillance helped determine the individual remained on the bus and was last seen exiting at Saint Marks Place and Ralph Avenue.

*The bus route was misidentified in the NYPD report. The B-45 bus serves central Brooklyn within the boundaries of the 77^th Precinct; whereas Bx stands for bus routes in the Bronx, according to the MTA website, there is no bus designated as Bx45.

Police are looking for this man in connection with a forcible touching incident aboard a bus.
Photo credit: NYPD

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NYU TANDON OFFERS CLASSES TO UKRAINIAN STUDENTS: As part of a comprehensive effort to support students and scholars in Ukraine, the New York University Tandon School of Engineering has partnered with the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), in Lviv, Ukraine to offer free online classes and compensated summer research opportunities to students currently enrolled in a degree program in Computer Science and Information Technology at an accredited Ukrainian university. Ukrainian students are taking the NYU Tandon Online Graduate Program classes free of charge, and engaging in collaborative research projects, and are given the guidance of world-class researchers in data science and responsible AI through the NYU Tandon Center for Responsible AI.

Next Thursday, July 28, participating students in Ukraine will give a presentation of their research over Zoom, free to the public.

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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPENS ON BROWNFIELD IN GOWANUS: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has opened a public comment period on the Brownfield Application and Draft Work Plan for a Site at 251 Douglass St., between Nevins St. and 3^rd Ave., in Gowanus. DEC received a Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) application and Draft Remedial Investigation Work Plan from Gowanus Douglass Street LLC, the document of which is accessible via https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C224367, through the document repository located at the Brooklyn Public Library Carroll Gardens Branch, 396 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217; and at the Brooklyn Community Board 6 office, 250 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201.

Comments can be submitted before the August 19 deadline to the site Project Manager John Miller at 625 Broadway, 12th Floor, Albany, NY, 12233-7014; via email at [email protected]; or by calling (518) 402-9589.

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AMENDMENTS TO SAVE VA HOSPITALS HERE: A bipartisan Congressional group, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11/southwestern Brooklyn) has voted to pass two amendments that would punish the commission that recommended the closure or consolidation of VA hospitals in New York City and other parts of the U.S. The amendments would redirect funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission, transferring $5 million in funds to the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program instead. The second amendment prevents the Veterans Administration from transferring funds from the Medical Facilities and General Administration accounts to the AIR Commission.

As of 2019, there were 138,000 veterans living in the New York City metropolitan area according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with 75 percent being senior citizens. The Brooklyn VA Medical Center and Manhattan VA Medical Center service roughly 1,000 veterans every day (M-F) for outpatient appointments.

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NEW MONKEYPOX VACCINE PERIOD: The NYC Health Department has announced plans for its next allocation of the JYNNEOS™ vaccine. Approximately 26,000 additional doses delivered to New York City as part of Phase 2b from the federal government and state, will be distributed via clinics, mass vaccination sites and community-based referrals, with the vaccination site in Brooklyn being the Science Skills Center High School, 49 Flatbush Ave. Extension. Individuals will be able to book appointments for July 24 through August 13, and mass vaccinations will be held on July 24, July 30, and July 31.

Appointments will be made available on the City’s vaccine portal: vax4nyc.nyc.gov/monkeypox and by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) beginning today, Friday, July 22nd at 6 p.m.

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FUN FESTIVALS AROUND BROOKLYN: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has announced the return of the popular outdoor, free, lunchtime jazz concerts in Columbus Park in Downtown Brooklyn. Partnering with Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Jazz Foundation of America, and supported by EmblemHealth, local jazz artists will perform every Tuesday in August between noon and 1:30 p.m.

Performers will include Eric Wyatt (August 2), Steve Cromity (August 9), Willie Martinez (August 16), and Patsy Grant (August 23).

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BAY RIDGE SUMMER STROLL IS BACK: Summer Stroll is back, thanks to the Merchants of Third Avenue Civic Association Inc. as they host a strolling pedestrian plaza along Bay Ridge’s historic 3rd Avenue, being transformed into an open street summer evening extravaganza filled with food, spirits, entertainment and local merchants. Dates are July 22 & August 19, 6-10 p.m., from 68th-83rd streets 3rd Avenue; and August 5, from 83rd Street-Marine Avenue 3rd Avenue, during the same time period.

More information can be found via: http://www.summerstrollon3rd.com.

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Likewise, the Bay Ridge 5th Ave. Business Improvement District (BID) is gearing up for #FunOn5th filled with local merchants, non-profits, city agencies and artists/crafters. The dates are July 29, August 26, September 30, October 28.

More info can be found via: https://www.bayridgebid.com/funon5th

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‘BROOKLYN IS MY HAPPY PLACE’: City Point celebrates community with Brooklyn Is My Happy Place, a Summer Pop Up experience offering unique programming, uplifting moments, and a joyful space to escape on Fridays-Sundays from July 29 – August 26 at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn, designed by Lola Star. The ‘Happy Place” will feature photo shoot stations, emblazoned with good vibe slogans and borough pride including “BK is My Happy Place” and “Groovy Days Ahead,” and hula hoop classes and happy hour; dance party for toddlers; kids dance club party; go-go dance workouts, and Dancorcizm.