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Good Morning, Brooklyn: Wednesday, July 27, 2022

July 27, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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RISE UP NYC CONCERTS SERIES LAUNCHES TONIGHT: Starting tonight and through September 12, Mayor Eric Adams administration launches the ‘Rise Up NYC’ concert series which will provide 10 free community concerts across all five boroughs this summer. The first three concerts take place in Wingate Park, on Brooklyn Avenue Between Winthrop Street and Rutland Rd. in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Admission at 6 p.m.; performances 7-10 p.m., tonight, July 27 (Gospel, R&B), Thursday, July 28 (Reggae/Soca) and Friday, July 29 (Hip Hop).

The concert series, whose goal is encouraging New Yorkers to explore all of the city and reconnect with one another as the city emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, features performances by critically acclaimed artists, including gospel singers Mary Mary, Caribbean hitmaker Mr. Vegas, renowned Hot 97 Disc Jockey Funk Flex, and more.

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VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, CABINET MEMBERS VISIT BROOKLYN TOMORROW: As the rise in interest rates affects consumer and business loans, Vice President Kamala Harris, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge and Small Business Administrator Isabelle Guzman will visit Brooklyn tomorrow, July 28. The vice president’s delegation will meet with community leaders to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s investment in underserved communities, financial institutions, and small businesses.

Harris, Fudge and Guzman will also be visiting Water Mill, in Suffolk County, for a finance event.

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COLTON CLAIMS SUCCESS IN BLOCKING BATH AVE. HOMELESS SHELTER: In the wake of pushback from neighborhoods opposed to homeless shelters, Mayor Eric Adams said that every community must do its part to house the homeless. Among those involved in the pushback is Assemblymember William Colton (D-47), representing Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights, who learned today that one of the two the proposed homeless shelter developments in his district, at 2147 Bath Avenue, has been halted. Colton, who has stated that temporary shelters are not the answer, blames the developers for profiting from the needs of the homeless.

Colton, who presented Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary Jenkins with more than 20,000 petition signatures opposing homeless shelters in his district, said “The new shelters are selected, flipped, and developed by a web of third parties, LLC’s and companies that ultimately pass the cost on to taxpayers.”

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SALES TAX COLLECTION BUCK STATE’S TREND DOWNWARD: Local sales tax collections in New York state totaled more than $5.5 billion in the second quarter of 2022 (April-June), an increase of 12.2 percent or nearly $604 million compared to the same quarter last year, according to a new report issued by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. April and May collections grew by 15.7 percent and 16.7 percent, respectively, while June increased 6.5 percent, marking the first time since March 2021 that the overall monthly year-over-year growth dipped below double-digits.

DiNapoli noted second quarter growth over last year continued to be strong in New York City, while growth in the rest of the state slowed. The city’s collections increased by 24.9%, from a relatively weak $1.9 billion in April-June 2021 to $2.4 billion.

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DiNAPOLI: MTA ‘MUST SOMEHOW BRIDGE A LOOMING FISCAL CANYON’: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s financial cliff is now projected to occur one year earlier than originally forecast, according to the agency’s 2023 budget and four-year financial plan, released earlier today, July 27. The plan conducted by McKinsey & Company, includes a reforecast of ridership recovery, forecasts that the fiscal cliff will happen in 2025, after federal COVID-19 relief aid largely exhausted two years from now, in 2024.

NY State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said, “The MTA’s revised ridership projections underscore that it must somehow bridge a looming fiscal canyon of more than $2 billion annually and plan for long-term service challenges.

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JUDGE MAINTAINS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST CITY IN SCHOOL BUDGET LAWSUIT: In a victory for plaintiffs suing the City of New York against its recent school budget cuts, Judge Lyle Frank of the New York State Supreme Court, New York County, this morning rejected the City’s request to vacate his Temporary Restraining Order, which means that any further cuts to school budgets will continue to be blocked until the August 4 hearing date.  The lawsuit, filed last month on behalf of parents, and teachers, states that the mandated process in State Education Law was ignored when City Council voted ten days before the NYC Board of Education, the latter of which is required to first approve the education budget.

The lawsuit asks for a revote of the City Council in order to ensure the legally-required process occurs, so that the Council has the opportunity to reconsider its vote based on the testimony of nearly 70 parents and teachers who spoke out at the Board of Education meeting, detailing the  profoundly damaging impact of these cuts on their schools.

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MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE NYC CRIMINAL COURT BUILDING: Police on Monday found a 50 year old male, unconscious in a holding cell at 120 Schermerhorn Street, which is Brooklyn Central Booking, within the 84th Precinct boundaries. The man, since identified as Jamaine Smith of Hoyt Street, was transported to Brookdale Hospital by EMS where he was pronounced deceased.

The NYPD is investigating this Dead on Arrival (DOA) case.

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One of three individuals sought in July 24 church robbery.
Photo credit: NYPD
Second of three individuals sought in July 24 church robbery.
Photo credit: NYPD
Third of three individuals sought in July 24 church robbery.
Photo credit: NYPD

PERPETRATORS SOUGHT IN SUNDAY’S LIVESTREAMED CHURCH ROBBERY: The men involved in Sunday’s shooting at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministry are being sought, ass the NYPD requests the public’s assistance in finding them. The robbery, which took place around 11:15 a.m. on July 24, as the bishop and his wife were leading worship, was confines of the 69 Precinct. The three unidentified individuals entered the location, displayed firearms and demanded property from the 44-year-old male pastor and his 38-year-old wife, as the service was being livestreamed, before being spotted traveling eastbound on Avenue D.

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Person wanted in forcible touching incident on Brooklyn bus
Photo credit: NYPD

MAN SOUGHT IN ANOTHER FORCIBLE TOUCHING ON BUS: The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts and identity of the individual depicted in the attached photo and video in connection to a forcible touching incident that occurred within the confines of the 75th Precinct in Brooklyn. The NYPD received a report that on Tuesday July 12, 2022 at 2:30 p.m., in the vicinity of Sterling Place and East New York Avenue, an unidentified individual entered the eastbound B 12 bus, sat behind a 21-year-old female victim and touched her buttocks over her clothing. There were no reported injuries as a result of this incident.

Anyone with information in regard to these incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

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BROOKLYN NETS PLAYER MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO YOUTH CAMP: Brooklyn Nets player Edmond Sumner on Tuesday surprised more than 30 children who were attending a Brooklyn Nets Basketball Academy summer camp at Felician University. While at the camp, Sumner spoke to the group about the importance of sportsmanship and fundamentals, and also engaged with the kids in various basketball drills.

This summer, the Nets are hosting nine summer camps across the New York area for children ages 6-14 of all skill levels. For the second year, Brooklyn Nets Basketball Academy will host an overnight camp for boys and girls ages 10-17 at Camp IHC, from August 14-19.

Brooklyn Nets basketball star Edmond Sumner coaches the kids at basketball camp during a surprise visit on July 26, 2022.
Photo credit: BSE Global

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BROOKLYN MAN SENTENCED FOR DRUG DISTRIBUTION, SHOOTING, WOUNDING PREGNANT WOMAN: United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly yesterday in Brooklyn federal court sentenced Steven Bynum to 18 years in prison for possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug distribution conspiracy. On September 10, 2017, Bynum shot and wounded a pregnant innocent bystander in the head leaving the victim severely disabled after firing a handgun into a group of people. Bynum had pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2020.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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BROOKLYN’S OWN CHEESECAKE BRAND: Junior’s Restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn, renowned for the world’s most famous New York-style cheesecake, is celebrating National Cheesecake Day this Saturday, July 30, with exclusive deals. The iconic restaurant will also debut its Junior’s Cheesecake food truck, making its way around NYC all weekend long (July 29-31).  The Cheesecake Truck will offer $5 slices and a full spread of delicious toppings such as macaroon crunch, strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips, and more.

A cheesecake-eating competition, with proceeds going to the Widows and Orphans Fund of the NYPD. Junior’s Cheesecake Truck will close the weekend in Brooklyn, spending the morning at Coney Island on Surf Avenue.

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COLTON: SUCCESS WITH PLAN FOR TRANSIT POLICE PRESENCE: Assemblymember William Colton (D-47) has declared success with Part One of his Public safety drive to bring more police presence on mass transit. The state lawmaker, who represents Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) said he visited every subway station in the 47th Assembly District and distributed thousands of petitions calling for more transit police presence on the subways. These petitions were also taken to community groups, meetings, rallies, and street distributions.

“The community has demonstrated solid support for the Mayor, a former transit police officer, who was elected on a pledge to restore public safety on the decision of Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Sewell to assign more police officers on the subway,” said Colton.

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MALONEY: GET NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR JAN. 6 PROBE: U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-12/northern Brooklyn), in her role as chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, wants Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari to step aside so that a new Inspector General can lead the investigation into erased Secret Service text messages related to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Rep. Maloney joined Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Mississippi) Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, in sending a letter to the Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Allison C. Lerner, raising concerns about Inspector General Cuffari’s failure to promptly inform Congress of deleted Secret Service text messages despite being required by law to “immediately” report problems or abuses that are “particularly serious or flagrant.”

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NEW LAW BOLSTERS RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: A new law that Governor Kathy Hochul signed yesterday upholds and strengthens the rights of New Yorkers with disabilities. This legislative package encourages autonomy in decision making through a Supported Decision-Making Agreement (a less restrictive alternative to guardianship) and seeks to educate the public about the myriad ways people with intellectual and developmental disabilities contribute meaningfully to their communities and reduce harmful stigma and stereotyping.

Gov. Hochul also issued a proclamation today commemorating the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

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BROOKLYN MERCHANT CO-MODERATES TALK WITH SEN. GILLIBRAND: Allison Dunn, owner of Hibiscus Brew in Brooklyn co-moderated a group of 250 small-business owners in New York for a discussion with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the  challenges they face, especially post-pandemic. They discussed workforce shortages, access to childcare, and Small Business Administration reauthorization.

Said Sen. Gillibrand, “…We need a rebalancing of the workforce. And some of it is about pay – making sure they have benefits, higher pay and better benefits, so that they can rationalize making those commitments outside the home.”

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BROOKLYNITES GRADUATE FROM EMERSON COLLEGE: Three Brooklyn students received their degrees recently from Emerson College, considered the nation’s premier institution for the arts, communication, and the liberal arts. Caroline Marlin (from zip code 11205) received a bachelor of science degree in journalism; Stanley Chu (from zip code 11228/Dyker Heights) and William Popalisky (from 11231/Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens) each received a bachelor of arts in media arts production.

During the ceremony, the college honored three award-winning artists, innovators, and Emersonians for their contributions and efforts to the arts, communication, and greater humanity.

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