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What’s News, Breaking: Tuesday, June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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LIU WOMEN’S SOFTBALL TEAM WINS TEMP VICTORY OVER LIU IN COURT

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — The Long Island University women’s softball team scored a temporary victory in court on June 1 against the university, after LIU agreed to keep their sports program in Brooklyn for two more years. Some team members had filed a federal Title 9 lawsuit accusing LIU of making the fraudulent misrepresentation that the softball program would remain in Brooklyn after a new softball complex was completed, according to NBC News.

The lawsuit stated that the champion softball team had been treated less favorably than male teams, with inferior “practice and competition facilities.” For the past four years, female softball team members have had to travel to Long Island to play home games, a two- to three-hour trip which prevented the girls from studying or going to classes. They practiced on an unfinished field in Brooklyn.

This year the Sharks clinched their first trip to the NCAA Division I tournament since 2016.

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NOAA ALERT: NYC AIR QUALITY ‘UNHEALTHY’ DUE TO CANADIAN FIRES

CITYWIDE — New York City is under an air quality alert from now until midnight on Wednesday, June 7, as smoke from wildfires in Canada flows down the East Coast, according to the National Weather Service. Dangerous toxic particulate matter is predicted to cause an Air Quality Index of greater than 100, pushing it to an unhealthy level. The NYS Department of Health recommends that people consider limiting their outdoor physical activity.

“People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young, and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease,” the National Weather Service said.

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ADDITIONAL MEETINGS SCHEDULED ON
ZONING AMENDMENTS FOR DECARBONIZATION

CANARSIE TO BERGEN BEACH — A day after Community Board 13 in Coney Island announced a special public hearing on the city’s new decarbonization plan, Community Board 18 (southeastern Brooklyn) will also be holding a hybrid meeting on the topic on Wednesday, June 21. The NYC Department of City Planning, in close consultation with the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, has proposed a citywide zoning text amendment to the City’s Zoning Resolution that would remove impediments to, and expand opportunities for, decarbonization projects. This is part of Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality goal.

During the June 21 meeting, a guest presentation will also be made on Gun Violence Awareness Month. Jibreel Jalloh, president of Flossy Organization, will describe the ongoing work to stop the spread of gun violence, the underlying issues plaguing neighborhoods and the role that the public has in creating a safer environment.

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FORMER ‘ONETASTE’ EXEC. ACCUSED OF CRUDE CONSPIRACY, WILL BE ARRAIGNED IN BK

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A top executive of OneTaste, which billed itself as a wellness education company but gained international notoriety for teaching women group orgasmic meditation, has been arrested and is charged in Brooklyn federal court with forced labor and various categories of abuse. While founded in California, OneTaste reportedly had at least one Brooklyn location, where Rachel Cherwitz, former head of sales (arrested this morning in California) and founder and former CEO Nicole Daedone allegedly exploited clients’ previous relationship trauma and led a years-long scheme to obtain free labor and services from its employees, volunteers and contractors. Daedone is still at large, but court documents show that Cherwitz will be arraigned (formally charged) in Brooklyn federal court at a later date.

OneTaste, which went defunct several years ago, made international news and was the subject of a documentary on a major streaming service, before litigants sued to get the program removed.

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NEW LEGISLATION WOULD REDUCE TAX RATES
FOR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES

BAY RIDGE AND WASHINGTON, DC — New tax legislation that Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has co-introduced would give middle-class Americans a guaranteed deduction bonus for the next two years. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11th District) and Michelle Steel (R-CA-45), members of the House Committee on Ways & Means, introduced the Working Families Tax Cut Act, which builds on and would amend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which reduced federal tax rates for families at every income level and doubled the Guaranteed Deduction (also known as the “Standard Deduction”).

The new bill would rename the Standard Deduction as the “Guaranteed Deduction” and would provide a bonus guaranteed deduction of $3,900 for working families and $1,950 for single filers on 2024 and 2025 returns.

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CATHOLIC DIOCESE TO MAYOR:
HELPING THE MIGRANTS IS WHAT WE DO

PROSPECT HEIGHTS/DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN — A day after Mayor Eric Adams asked houses of worship to house newly-arrived migrants, the Diocese of Brooklyn responded by saying this is already an established practice, reports its newspaper, The Tablet. The diocese pointed out that churches in Brooklyn and Queens have long been providing shelter, food, clothing, and other services and will continue to do so. “On the front lines for almost a year, parishes in Brooklyn and Queens have been helping asylum seekers, many of whom have arrived at our churches with just the clothes on their backs. Our pastors, priests, and volunteers have helped with everything from food pantries to clothing collection drives to spiritual care,” the diocese said in a June 5 statement.

The diocesan statement pointed out that aiding the migrant is part of Christian teaching: “The Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens, which has a long history of welcoming immigrants, has responded as Christ taught us, with love and compassion for our brothers and sisters in desperate need.”

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MAJOR NEWS AGENCIES ASK THAT COURT UNSEAL
REP. SANTOS’ FRAUD CASE RECORDS

NATIONWIDE AND CENTRAL ISLIP — Several national and regional news agencies, including the Associated Press and the New York Times, have requested that the U.S. District Court/Eastern District release the surety bonds on Rep. George Santos, in the federal case U.S. v. George Anthony Devolder Santos, 2:23-cr-00197-JS-AYS, on First Amendment grounds. The news agencies, writing to U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert at federal court in Central Islip through the law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine, seek an order releasing unredacted versions of judicial records identifying the bail suretors (“the surety records”), stating that “Under both the federal common law and the First Amendment, the surety records and sealed bond proceedings are judicial records that are properly open to the public.”

The letter to Judge Seybert points out, “The public’s interest in this matter cannot be overstated. A United States Congressman stands accused of perpetuating financial fraud in connection with his election to the House of Representatives.”

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FAD MARKET COMES TO OPEN STREETS MONTAGUE

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — FAD MARKET and Open Streets on Montague are partnering this Saturday, June 10, for a crafts fair that will also celebrate Pride. The Montague BID and FAD Market will bring in more than 50 crafts persons, artists, and small businesses, covering the two blocks from Clinton to Hicks streets. One highlight is Books Are Magic’s second annual Pride Fest (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.), with readings, activities, and panels, and an afternoon game show with booksellers and authors.

Featured vendors are: BklynBarSoap, which offers clean, mindfully formulated ingredients that support even the most sensitive of skin; the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, a non-profit, volunteer-run craft + gift shop on Montague Street that has been around since 1854; and Ryan Taylor is a Brooklyn-based men’s fashion designer, natural dyer, and patternmaker.

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS PRESENT
A HEALTH FAIR FOR EVERYONE

FORT GREENE — Several community groups, hospitals, and city agencies have partnered for a “Better Health, Better Living” health fair this Saturday, June 10 (rain date June 24), at Commodore Barry Park in Fort Greene. Community Board 2 and Friends of Commodore Barry Park are the main co-sponsors of the fair, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with presentations, a commencement, a raffle, and a noontime program with several local elected officials.

A panel discussion at 1 p.m. will focus on “Mental Health & Maternal Health,” examining common stress factors, the effect of mental health issues on maternal health, and disparities in health outcomes for mothers of color.

Several branches of the Brooklyn Public Library will present “Storytime with the Brooklyn Public Library + Free Yoga Classes,” with participating branches: Adams Street BPL, Brooklyn Heights BPL, Center for Brooklyn History, Clinton Hill BPL, L10 Arts & Cultural Center BPL Annex and the Walt Whitman BPL.

More than 20 other partner organizations, in addition to the aforementioned, include the Brooklyn Hospital Center, NYU Langone Health, NYC Health + Hospitals, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Brooklyn Diamonds Athletics, several tenant associations, and Wegmans supermarkets.

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BROOKLYN RANKS IN RENTHOP’S
TOP 10 TRENDING NEIGHBORHOODS

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT TO WILLIAMSBURG — Three Brooklyn communities have made the 10 Hottest NYC Neighborhoods, according to RentHop, which defines itself as a data-driven website that ranks apartments according to quality rather than price or posting date.

Ranked in RentHop’s “50 Hottest NYC Neighborhoods Right Now” was Bedford-Stuyvesant, the top-rated Brooklyn neighborhood coming in at #4, representing a significant rise of eight points from its 2022 position at #12. Likewise, Williamsburg and Bushwick ranked at #6 and #7 respectively, each rising several points above their placements last year.

Although further down on RentHop’s List, DUMBO also rose five spots to take #37, placing it ahead of Boerum Hill and Gowanus. By contrast, Prospect Heights saw a five-point decrease for the same period.

The nationwide RentHop, established in 2008, serves a number of other major cities, including Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Nashville, San Antonio, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

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STATE WARNS ABOUT ‘JUICE JACKING’
SCAM ON PUBLIC CHARGING KIOSKS

STATEWIDE — Those public charging kiosks may not be all that secure, warns the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection, which is cautioning users about a new scam tactic called “Juice Jacking.”

The scam targets travelers and people on the move, stealing their data through hidden skimming units that thieves place inside USB ports of public cell phone charging kiosks at airports, hotels, and other public spaces.

The FBI and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have each issued warnings about the juice jacking scam, and the FCC’s dedicated webpage explains that malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to a skimming perpetrator. Both federal agencies want consumers to understand how hackers can potentially steal data through these kiosks from any device that requires charging via USB. That means tablets, smartwatches, and laptops are all vulnerable. The aforementioned FCC’s tips page also advises consumers to use AC power outlets instead of the kiosks, to pack AC or car chargers, to bring along one’s own USB cables, or even to take the unpopular precaution of turning off one’s device completely while charging it.

The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection every Tuesday adds practical tips for consumers on its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, and sends consumer alerts to subscribers’ email addresses and phones.

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BATH BEACH, XAVIERIAN STUDENTS WIN
11TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL ART CONTESTS

Artwork by Anastasia Kril, titled “Blossoming Into Adulthood.” Photo: Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

BATH BEACH — A Bath Beach high schooler has won the 2023 Congressional Art Competition for New York’s 11th Congressional District, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11) announced on Monday, June 5. Anastasia Kril, who attends Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, submitted “Blossoming into Adulthood,” a self-portrait with a pitch-black background that brings forth the illuminated face of a teen girl with a dreamy look on her face,” according to the young artist. “Her head is inclined to her right and both of her hands move into the same direction in a dance-like motion, Her posture conveys that she is reflecting and dreaming about her future as an aspiring American artist.” “Blossoming into Adulthood,” will be displayed in the Capitol for one year alongside the winners from each Congressional District.

Artwork by Ben Prestino, titled “Eyes Wide Open.” Photo: Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

Runner-up Cesar Angeles Montalvo from Staten Island, which is also in Malliotakis’ district, submitted “Rebirth,” while the third and fourth-place winners of this year’s art competition will be displayed in Malliotakis’ Staten Island and Brooklyn District Offices for one year. The fourth place winner, Ben Prestino from Xaverian High School in Bay Ridge, will have his artwork, titled “Eyes Wide Open,” displayed in Rep. Malliotakis’ district office in Brooklyn.

“Not only do their pieces showcase their fantastic artistic abilities, but they also tell personal stories of reflection, overcoming internal struggles, and their dreams for the future,” said Rep. Malliotakis, of the first-place winner and runner-up.

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MAYOR RECRUITS HOUSES OF WORSHIP
TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR ASYLEES

CITYWIDE — Mayor Adams is offering houses of worship up to $54,000 monthly through the NY Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) to provide shelter for newly-arriving asylum seekers.

Adams, and NYDIS coordinator, Peter B. Gudaitis, M.Div. who made the announcement on Monday, June 5, said that NYDIS has been awarded a contract to coordinate and fund the operation of 50 shelters with nineteen beds each and five hospitality centers in religious facilities across the five boroughs. This 950-bed-per-night program will span 24 months and may be expanded based on the need and availability of space.

Funding will be provided for use of the facilities, to obtain bedding, security officers, food, laundromat voucher services, insurance, and WiFi, among other components of the program, as well as 24/7 emergency support, a community support manager, storage trunks, and daily round-trip MetroCard for guests.

In turn, houses of worship wishing to participate must be able to provide two operating shower stalls and a fire-safety sprinkler system — or the willingness to have both these utilities installed, a dedicated dining/social area with the ability to provide culturally-appropriate meals, language interpretation services and storage space for cots, linens, and guests’ trunks, among other considerations.

All host sites will be compensated for their operating costs up to the rates noted and will also be provided with a monthly space use fee to cover utilities and general wear and tear. Limited grant funds are also available to install required showers and sprinkler systems in congregations that will shelter asylum seekers and then later transition to shelter New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.

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AUDIT: NYPD’S NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY TEAMS UNITS RIFE WITH VIOLATIONS, LACK OF OVERSIGHT


CITYWIDE — Legal aid advocates are criticizing the NYPD’s Neighborhood Safety Teams, a controversial unit that deploys hundreds of officers across NYC’s boroughs to patrol neighborhoods and make arrests in unmarked vehicles.

The criticism comes following a report detailing a preliminary audit that the Independent Monitor of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) conducted of the Neighborhood Safety Teams’ performance. Independent Monitor’s report identifies various harmful and discriminatory practices of the units, among these actions: making unlawful stops at a rate that is nine percentage points higher than the department-wide compliance rate in 2020 — with reasonable suspicion for only 69% of the stops; stopping Black or Hispanic persons more than 97% of the time; lack of problem identification and correction from first-line supervisors on these improper stops, frisks, and searches, and insufficient oversight.

The Neighborhood Safety Teams unit was relaunched in March 2022 as a rebranded version of the “Anti-Crime Unit,” which also received a staggering number of complaints about its dangerous practices over the years and was disbanded in August 2020 following racial justice protests. The Independent Monitor notes the NST units engage in an elevated rate of constitutional violations and racially disparate policing. 

Molly Griffard, staff attorney in the Law Reform and Special Litigation Unit at The Legal Aid Society said, “These early audit results confirm what Legal Aid and other advocates feared when Mayor Adams created the units just over one year ago — that Neighborhood Safety Teams are, like their Anti-Crime and Street Crime Unit predecessors, rife with misconduct and prone to abuse the rights of the very people they are tasked with protecting.”

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PARKS DEPT. WILL GIVE UPDATE ON PROPOSED
ANCHORAGE CONCESSION AREA

BROOKLYN BRIDGE ANCHORAGE — The NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation will share updates from the seven proposals and four responses that were submitted in response to the Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) issued earlier this year, at Community Board 2’s next Parks & Recreation Committee monthly meeting on Monday, June 12.  The Request for Expressions of Interest is for the temporary and seasonal implementation of programming, amenities, events, and development of Anchorage Plaza.

David Cerron, Assistant Commissioner for Business Development & Special Events; Barbara Huang, Project Manager, Revenue Division; Davey Ives, Chief of Staff to the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner will present additional and clarifying information pertaining to the RFEI and answer questions that Parks has received.

The potential concession area, about 60,000 square feet, is within the Anchorage Plaza in Brooklyn, which the Department of Transportation has occupied since 2009 for necessary inspections, maintenance, and repairs to the Brooklyn Bridge. Boundaries are the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Old Fulton, York, Washington, and Prospect Streets.

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CITYWIDE ZONING AMENDMENT WOULD FACILITATE
DECARBONIZATION PROJECTS

CONEY ISLAND — A proposed citywide zoning text amendment would remove impediments to and better facilitate decarbonization projects across all 59 of the City’s Community Districts.

Community Board 13 (Seagate, Coney Island, Gravesend and Brighton Beach) will convene a joint Land Use and Housing Committee virtual meeting on Monday, with the NYC Department of City Planning giving the presentation.

City Planning has consulted with the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice’ to explain the proposed changes to the City’s Zoning Resolution to remove impediments and expand opportunities for decarbonization projects.

The Land Use and Housing Committee will also discuss a Phase 3 development on Surf Avenue between West 17th and West 19th streets in Coney Island.

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BROOKLYN COLLEGE HONORS KEYNOTER TANIA LEÓN WITH DEGREE — AND A CHAIR OF MUSIC

FLATBUSH/MIDWOOD — Pulitzer and Kennedy Center award-winner Tania León served as the keynote speaker and was given an honorary degree at Brooklyn College’s 98th annual Commencement on Friday, June 2, held at Barclays Center.

The themes of mentorship and giving back to the community were center stage at the ceremony. Tania León, who is also a Brooklyn College Professor Emerita, having taught here for 35 years and serving as director of music composition at the school’s Conservatory of Music until her 2019 retirement. She is the first faculty member in any of the City University of New York (CUNY) schools to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center award. Moreover, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her work “Stride” in 2021.

After León’s commencement speech, Brooklyn College Foundation Trustee Leonard Tow ’50, founder and chairman of The Tow Foundation, surprised the audience by announcing that the foundation would be providing support toward the establishment of the Tania León Chair of Music—which will be the first-ever named chair in the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College.

“The Tania León Chair will forever recognize and honor your unmatched legacy at Brooklyn College and in the larger world,” Tow said.

The community also surprised Leonard Tow in turn, with a birthday cake, presented to him in his seat, at the Barclays Center auditorium, with Joe Damon Chappel, M.M. ’23, singer from the Brooklyn College Brass Ensemble, leading the song.

Brooklyn College President confers an honorary degree on Tania León. Photo: Brooklyn College.

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BROOKLYN COLLEGE GRADUATES 3,809 STUDENTS; VALEDICTORIAN PROCEEDING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

FLATBUSH/MIDWOOD — The graduates, of course, were also recognized at Brooklyn College’s 98th Commencement, with 3,809 students receiving degrees. The valedictorian of the Class of 2023 was Chaim Janani, who received his bachelor’s degree in honors for chemistry. Janani congratulated his fellow graduates and credited his academic success to the support and mentorship he received at Brooklyn College, which helped him to fulfill his dream of becoming a physician. This fall, he will begin medical school in the fall at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University.

The class salutatorian, Lisa Leopold-Chaparro, a Guttman Transfer Scholar, and co-teacher at a private preschool outside Brooklyn, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood. Leopold- Chaparro will continue her studies at Brooklyn College’s early childhood education graduate program, with a goal of working with at-risk students in public schools.

Officially, Brooklyn College conferred 2,871 students who have received baccalaureate degrees, 850 who earned master’s degrees, and 88 students who will receive advanced certificates.

(Left to right) Class of 2023 Salutatorian Lisa Leopold-Chaparro, Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson, and the valedictorian Chaim Janani. Photo: Brooklyn College.

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CUNY’S KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AWARDED $100K TO EXPAND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS

MANHATTAN BEACH — Kingsborough Community College will receive $100,000 in funding from Citizens Bank as part of an additional $400,000 investment in the Education Design Lab’s Community College Growth Engine to benefit CUNY two-year colleges. Citizens’ investment will enable each of the participating CUNY community colleges (LaGuardia, Borough of Manhattan and Queensborough) to develop additional micro-pathways in concert with local employers in high-growth industries that are aligned with regional labor market demand.

“It is an exciting time to continue our partnership with the Education Design Lab (EDL) to prepare students for a career in tourism and hospitality as the industry expands in New York City,” said Dr. Simone Rodriguez, vice president of Workforce Development, Continuing Education & Strategic Partnerships at Kingsborough Community College. “This new funding will allow the Division to create a new micro-credential pathway in Hospitality and Customer Service to be offered free to participants in the fall of 2023.

Founded in 1963, Kingsborough Community College is Brooklyn’s only community college — focused on offering Associate’s degrees. (The other CUNY schools in Brooklyn — NYC College of Technology, Medgar Evers and Brooklyn College, all offer four-year degree programs.) Kingsborough Community College’s Division of Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships & Office of Continuing Education has a long history of successfully executing workforce-training programs.

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POLICE SEEK MISSING GRAVESEND SENIOR

GRAVESEND — Police are searching for missing senior Kalybek Abyshakuev, 72, last seen leaving his home on Ocean Parkway in the early morning of Friday, June 2. He is described as around 5′ 7″ and 235 pounds, with a light skin complexion, a heavy/stocky build, and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue pants, white sneakers and a brown beanie hat with stripes.

Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

Missing man Kalybek Abyshakuev. All tips submitted to police are strictly confidential.

 

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POLICE NAB ATTEMPTED KIDNAP SUSPECT

WILLIAMSBURG — Police on Sunday announced the arrest of Felipe Rodriguez of Williamsburg, 27, as a suspect in the audacious attempted kidnapping of a young girl off the street on Friday evening. 

Police believe Rodriguez was the individual who on Friday ran up to a 7-year-old girl and her mother as they waited at a Wyckoff Avenue food truck stop and physically grabbed the child. After a brief struggle, the mother was able to break the individual’s grip on her daughter, who was not injured. The would-be kidnapper then fled the scene on foot toward Flushing Avenue.

Rodriguez was charged with attempted kidnapping; the investigation is ongoing.

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NEW PUBLIC HEALTH VENDING MACHINE PROVIDES CONSTANT ACCESS TO LIFESAVING SUPPLIES

CITYWIDE — The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has unveiled the city’s first public health vending machine, hosted by Services for the Underserved to promote 24/7 access to lifesaving harm reduction supplies conveniently and anonymously to meet a goal outlined in the mental health plan.

Anyone can use the machine: Individuals simply enter their New York City ZIP code followed by the numerical code listed below the product. Instructions and contact information for support will be posted on the machine in English and Spanish.

As part of its Care, Community, Action plan released in March, the city has committed to supporting people at risk of a fatal overdose and a goal of reducing overdose deaths by 15% by 2025. Increasing access to free naloxone is part of the City’s plan and focuses on populations with the highest rates of overdose death and risk of experiencing or witnessing an overdose.

Public health vending machines are considered an innovative, low-barrier strategy to reduce stigma and reach New Yorkers who may not already be connected to harm reduction services. Similar machines in the United States, Europe, and Australia have demonstrated success in reducing rates of overdose and infectious disease.

Naloxone. Eagle photo by Mary Frost.

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‘BIG APPLE CONNECT’ SURPASSES 100K HOUSEHOLD ENROLLMENTS

CITYWIDE — ‘Big Apple Connect’ — considered the nation’s largest municipal broadband program — has surpassed 100,000 household enrollments, Mayor Eric Adams and Chief Technology Officer and New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) Commissioner Matthew Fraser said on Monday, June 5.

Since its inception last fall, Big Apple Connect has provided free internet and basic cable television access to approximately 300,000 New Yorkers at 202 sites across the five boroughs. The program has saved NYCHA residents tens of millions of dollars since its inception, according to service providers, and the city is currently evaluating additional developments to include in the program.

Big Apple Connect provides residents of NYCHA developments a free bundle that consists of in-home, high-speed internet connection, including a modem and router; basic cable TV service, including a cable box and remote control; and common area Wi-Fi hotspots, selected in consultation with NYCHA. Existing customers of Optimum and Spectrum living in NYCHA developments where Big Apple Connect is active are automatically enrolled in the program and are only billed for additional services they choose to purchase directly.

The city has entered into three-year agreements with Altice (Optimum) and Charter (Spectrum), which will collectively cover most developments owned and managed by NYCHA. OTI is billed directly for all residents enrolled in Big Apple Connect.

The immense response means that approximately 75% of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) households eligible for the program now have access to broadband through Big Apple Connect.

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CITY LAUNCHES AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON SMOKERS QUITLINE

STATEWIDE — New Yorkers who want to quit smoking can contact the NYS Smokers’ Quitline or the Asian Smokers’ Quitline and speak with a Quit Coach, thanks to a new media campaign that the Health Department launched on Monday, June 5, to help New Yorkers access tobacco treatment resources.

Those who are eligible — most are — can receive a free NYC Quits starter kit of nicotine medications (i.e., nicotine patches and lozenges).

The $1.5 million “Every New Yorker!” campaign is running citywide via television, radio, and digital ads, LinkNYC, and the Staten Island Ferry from June 5 through June 30.    

Asserting that the tobacco industry targets ethnic groups with advertising, city Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said, “The facts are clear, smoking remains a leading risk for preventable disease, suffering and death for New Yorkers, and while Big Tobacco will do whatever it takes to keep people smoking, we have tools and the stubborn commitment to help our city fight back. This is especially true for people of color and communities like my own, the Asian Pacific Islander community, who are specifically targeted by industry messaging to smoke.”


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