What’s News, Breaking: Tuesday, November 29, 2022

November 29, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Share this:

NYC CARE WINS TYSON AWARD FOR HEALTHCARE EQUITY: NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care program, which provides access to low or no-cost primary and specialty care, prescription medicines, was honored during a Tuesday, November 29 ceremony with the 2022 Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity from the Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente. Named for the late Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson, a champion for healthcare equity, the award recognizes healthcare organizations that achieve a measurable, sustained reduction in one or more healthcare disparities.

Launched in 2019, NYC Care’s success has been credited to a multi-pronged public awareness and outreach strategy, including citywide advertising campaigns in mainstream and community and ethnic media, supplementing ongoing outreach work at the grassroots level, and partnerships with City agencies.

(from left) NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD, Dr. Jonathan Jiménez, Executive Director of NYC Care from NYC Health + Hospitals, and NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President for Ambulatory Care and Population Health Dr. Ted Long pose with Tyson Award. Photo: NYC Health + Hospitals

✰✰✰

MAYOR AUTHORIZES OFFICIALS TO REMOVE MENTALLY-ILL PERSONS FROM STREETS, SUBWAYS: Responding to a recent surge in crime in the subway system, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced a new directive clarifying that outreach workers, city-operated hospitals, and first responders have the legal authority to remove from public persons perceiving to have severe mental health illness when that prevents them from meeting their own basic human needs, to the extent that they are a danger to themselves. Adams also sought to dispel what he called a “persistent myth that the legal standard for involuntary intervention requires an “overt act” demonstrating that the person is violent, suicidal, or engaging in outrageously dangerous behavior likely to result in imminent harm.”

The mayor added that the city is developing a tele-consult line to provide police officers in the field with direct access to clinicians, and designed to provide critical clinical advice to police officers when dealing with individuals in distress and ensure a compassionate response for those suffering with untreated serious mental illness.

✰✰✰

PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS ‘HOMELESS’ DIRECTIVE ‘NOT SUSTAINABLE OR EFFECTIVE’: Pushing back on the mayor’s announcement to remove mentally-ill persons from the streets and subways, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, said, “The city seems stubbornly insistent on using police as main decision makers in mental health emergencies.” Calling the mayor’s directive one that “leaves many details unspecified, questions unanswered,” Williams argued that “mental health is a public health issue – not a criminal one. Unfortunately, as we detailed in our new review just days ago, the city has still not taken many of the steps needed to reform our mental health and public safety infrastructure, and in some ways, has gone backward.”

The Public Advocate said, “A framework that continues to center overreliance on police, diminishes the role of health professionals, and de-prioritizes the role of peer support will not be sustainable or effective in meeting the needs of New Yorkers in need or a city in crisis.”

✰✰✰

MAYOR ACCUSED OF ‘DRACONIAN’ MEASURES INVOLVING ROUNDUP OF MENTALLY-ILL PERSONS: The mayor’s directive on mentally ill and, in some cases, homeless persons, has also received criticism from the Boerum-Hill based group VOCAL-NY, which defines itself as “a statewide grassroots membership organization that builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness.” Jawanza Williams, Director of Organizing for VOCAL-NY said, “New Yorkers will see this plan for what it is: a draconian attempt to say the Adams’ administration is tackling a problem, while only making it worse…Mayor Adams is using progressive language around care and compassion to distract from his continued budget cuts to services and agency staff, while fueling the NYPD budget.”

Jawanza Williams pointed out, “If the Adams administration actually cared about helping people experiencing mental health crises, Daniel’s Law [named in memory of Daniel Prude, a Rochester man in distress whom police killed] would be at the top of his legislative agenda, and he would halt his austerity budget measures immediately.”

✰✰✰

MAYOR ADAMS TRAVELING TO GREECE TO ADDRESS SUMMIT AGAINST ANTISEMITISM: Mayor Eric Adams will be speaking at the second annual “Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism” in Greece, starting tomorrow, November 30, his office has confirmed. Municipal leaders from over 50 different cities worldwide will convene in Athens, at the summit which the Combat Antisemitism Movement is hosting, to discuss each leader’s experiences dealing with antisemitism and other forms of bigotry, and to collaborate on new approaches to addressing these escalating issues.

Mayor Adams joins nearly a dozen other U.S. mayors at the summit, bringing together participants from the states and cities around the world.

✰✰✰

MENTAL HEALTH TOWN HALL CONVENES TONIGHT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT 13: An Anti-Racist Mental Health Town Hall scheduled for tonight aims to offer stress management to people within Community School District 13, which encompasses Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant. The virtual meeting (registration https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcscu-vqTkjHNLvsSZQqO8_B4k7koHatEFK ) brings in keynote speaker Dr. Angela Moses, with a mental health check-in, and incorporates segments on Restorative Practices, Trauma—Informed Care, and Mindfulness and Joy.

A discussion in Spanish will also be offered.

✰✰✰

LANDMARKS LION AWARD PRESENTED TONIGHT: The Historic Districts Council (HDC), citywide advocate for New York’s historic neighborhoods, will present its 33rd annual Landmarks Lion Award to Frank E. Sanchis III tonight, November 29, at Cipriani. Both a graduate and professor of Pratt Institute, Sanchis is considered a dedicated preservationist with a career stretching back to the 1960s, and was an early staff member for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, rising to Executive Director.

Sanchis currently serves as chair of the Preservation League of NY State and serves on the boards of The City Club of New York and the Catskill Center.

Frank E. Sanchis III
Photo courtesy of Frank E. Sanchis III

✰✰✰

BIDEN URGES CONGRESS TO PASS BILL THAT WILL FINALIZE TENTATIVE RAIL AGREEMENT: President Joe Biden late on Monday issued a statement on what he said is the urgency of preventing a rail shutdown, following an agreement that labor and management negotiators reached in September. Biden urged Congress to “pass legislation immediately to adopt the Tentative Agreement between railroad workers and operators – without any modifications or delay – to avert a potentially crippling national rail shutdown,” that would adversely impact everything from water-treatment chemicals to farm supplies.

The new agreement, which the majority of the unions in the industry have since voted to approve, provides a historic 24 percent pay raise for rail workers, improved health care benefits, and the allowance for operating craft workers to take unscheduled leave for medical needs.

✰✰✰

ORDERED TO PAY MILLIONS IN PENALTIES FOR BROADCASTING MISLEADING ADS: New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office joined a coalition of five other states and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to secure $9.4 million from Google and iHeartMedia for their broadcast of misleading ads about a Google device. Google paid radio personalities to record endorsement ads describing their positive experience using the Google Pixel 4 phone; however, they had never used the phone prior to recording or running the ads — because Google had refused to provide the phones to any stations in advance.

Google and iHeartMedia will pay more than $9.4 million in civil penalties, costs, and fees, of which New York will receive $1.58 million, for having violated New York’s consumer protection laws in the airing of deceptive ads more than 23,000 times in 10 different markets, including in New York.

✰✰✰

FDNY TALKS ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES AND FIRE SAFETY: The uptick in fires caused by lithium batteries is among the topics that the New York City Fire Department will address during its presentation to Community Board 7’s Public Safety Committee next Monday, December 5 via Zoom. The 6:30 p.m. meeting, accessible also on Brooklyn Community Board #7’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3uQlAtq, will address holiday fire safety and general fire safety as well, and is geared for individuals and businesses.

The agenda for the community board, serving Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park, includes a meet-and-greet with Bureau of Prisons/Metropolitan Detention Center Staff.

✰✰✰

UNION CARPENTERS, ELECTEDS, DELIVER TURKEYS TO FAMILIES IN NEED: The holiday may have ended, but the thankfulness continues, due to the efforts of the New York City & Vicinity District Council of Carpenters and the Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York, who made Thanksgiving brighter by delivering warm meals and turkeys to families in need throughout Brooklyn. Union carpenters and contractors participated in 18 events throughout New York City, including three in Brooklyn, distributing 2,500 turkeys totaling more than $75,000 donated this Thanksgiving.

Several elected officials helped sponsor the giveaway, including State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-20/Flatbush/central Brooklyn), Councilmember Sandy Nurse (D-37/northern Brooklyn Councilmember Crystal Hudson (D-35/central Brooklyn), Assemblymember Latrice Walker (D-55/Brownsville along with Catholic Charities from November 14 through November 22, including visits to NYCHA houses across the borough.

✰✰✰

ANOTHER CITY HOSPITAL IN BROOKLYN EARNS PRESTIGIOUS NURSING DESIGNATION: NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health is the latest medical care recipient to receive the prestigious Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health (formerly Coney Island Hospital) becomes the second hospital in Brooklyn and only the third in New York City to join a select group of just 202 health care organizations who have earned Pathway to Excellence designation worldwide.

The announcement comes on the heels of the recent NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County ANCC designation, which was the first hospital in Brooklyn to receive the designation last month.

✰✰✰

SETTLEMENT REQUIRES CITY AGENCIES TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR DIABETIC CHILDREN: DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — United States District Judge Nina Gershon in Brooklyn federal court has granted preliminary approval to a landmark settlement that will ensure children with diabetes in NYC receive the care they need to fully participate in school and school-related activities. The proposed class action settlement resolves claims that New York City, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Office of School Health systemically failed to ensure that students with diabetes could attend school safely and have access to the same educational opportunities as their peers, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act and the New York City Human Rights Law.

Under the Settlement Agreement, defendants will modify their policies, practices, and procedures related to determining the needs of students with diabetes; providing such care that students with diabetes are not excluded or segregated from their classmates; training for staff and contractors, among other points.

✰✰✰

GOVERNOR VETOES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION PASSED ON BEHALF OF DYSLEXIC STUDENTS: Legislation that would have helped children with the learning differences dyslexia (reading) and dysgraphia (writing) has Governor Kathy Hochul’s veto, even though it had unanimous legislative support. The bill (Assembly Bill A2185), whose cosponsors included Assemblymembers Robert Carroll (D-44), Jo Anne Simon (D-52) and William Colton (D-47), would have established a task force to examine appropriate and effective evidence-based dyslexia and dysgraphia screening methods, reading interventions, and other educational supports for students in kindergarten through grade five.

Assemblymember Carroll declared, “We’re heartsick and disappointed with the veto of our Dyslexia Task Force Act (A2185B/S.441C) on the heels of unanimous support in the State Legislature…. Sadly, with this veto, New York will continue to languish near the bottom tier of states with no roadmap to tackle this deep-seated problem that plagues our educational system.”

✰✰✰

Police are trying to identify these two women, each wearing tan and black garments, in connection with grand larceny at Atlantic Terminal earlier this month.
Photo credit: NYPD/Crimestoppers

SEEKING ATLANTIC TERMINAL PICKPOCKETS, NYPD WARNS NEW YORKERS TO BE ON ALERT: BOERUM HILL — The NYPD is alerting commuters and holiday shoppers to be on the alert after a pickpocketing incident in the B & Q subway station at Atlantic Terminal, within the 88^th Precinct. Police are also asking the public to identify two individuals who distracted a 38-year-old woman and stole her wallet on November 16 as she was standing on the northbound platform, first by speaking to the victim in a language unfamiliar to her, and then bumping her. After she noticed her wallet missing, she received text messages that more than $1,000 had been charged at the Target store within Atlantic Terminal.

Both individuals are (pictured) females with light complexions, medium build with black hair; one wore a tan jacket and a black shirt while her accomplice wore a black jacket and tan shirt.

✰✰✰

NYPD: ARGUMENT PRECEDED AUGUST SHOOTING IN BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK: An NYPD investigation of an August 2022 shooting at Brooklyn Bridge Park (84^th Precinct) in August has uncovered some new information, and a photo of the assailant has become available. The NYPD is asking the public to help identify the gunman (pictured) in an August 30 non-fatal shooting, in which the 33-year-old male victim — originally believed to be a non-involved bystander, was shot in the abdomen.

Though previous news reports disclosed that the police had believed the victim to be an innocent bystander, new facts have emerged to indicate that he had been dancing with women he just met when the gunman started a verbal dispute with him before firing his gun.

Police want to ID this man in connection with the August Brooklyn Bridge Park shooting
Photo credit: courtesy NYPD-Crimestoppers

✰✰✰

AMPLE ICE CREAM FOR NETS’ 10^TH BIRTHDAY BASH: BOERUM HILL — Prize-winning Brooklyn-based ice cream company Ample Hills Creamery is teaming up with the Brooklyn Nets to debut two new ice cream flavors in honor of the Nets’ 10 years in Brooklyn. Birthday Swishes: Home Court Advantage, sold exclusively at Barclays Center in single serve (4oz) cups, features dark chocolate cake ice cream with white frosting swirls and black, white and silver sprinkles, while Birthday Swishes: Away Game is sold in pints and as scoops across all Ample Hills scoop shops in New York and New Jersey, and features white birthday cake, ice cream with chocolate frosting swirls, house-made chocolate cake batter bites, and black, white, and silver sprinkles.

Founded in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn in 2011. Ample Hills has been rated #1 in New York City by Zagat, named “Best Ice Cream in America” by Food Network. The inventive force behind the Birthday Swishes packaging was Ample Hills’ longtime Creative Director Lauren Kaelin.

✰✰✰

WINNING TAKE 5 TICKET SOLD IN BROOKLYN: EAST NEW YORK — A merchant in East New York sold one of two prize-winning tickets from the Saturday, November 26 TAKE 5 evening drawing. The ticket worth $18,558 was sold at Kevin’s Liquor, 2216 Pitkin Avenue.

Another ticket for the same amount (total top prize jackpot of $37,117) was sold in the Buffalo suburb of Angola, New York, in Erie County.

✰✰✰

NEW BILLS REQUIRE FDNY TO ADDRESS DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION: A package of five bills that New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed today aims to improve diversity within the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). The bills address recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups within the department, and require the implementation of diversity, inclusion, anti-discrimination, and anti-harassment training.

One of the bills, Intro 519-A, has provisions for the growing number of women firefighters; it requires the FDNY to complete a survey of permanent firehouse upgrades to establish a working environment that facilitates use by a mixed-gender workforce.

✰✰✰

FURMAN ST. CLOSES OVERNIGHT NEXT MONDAY: BROOKLYN HTS. — Furman Street below the BQE and the Promenade will have one lane closed overnight, next Monday, December 5 for road maintenance, the NYCDOT Division of Bridges announced today. Maintenance will be performed on the BQE (also known as Interstate 278) from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., weather and field conditions permitting, with only one lane open on the two-lane roadway between Joralemon St. and Doughty St. near Fulton Ferry Landing during that time.

Flaggers will be present at either end of the closure. Furman St. has one lane in each direction.