What’s News, Breaking: Thursday, June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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STATE JUDGE DENIES NRA’S MOTION TO USE
PREVIOUSLY-REJECTED COUNTERCLAIMS IN TRIAL

STATEWIDE — New York State Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen has denied motions by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to use previously-rejected counterclaims as part of their defense in the upcoming trial. Among these claims were assertions that Attorney General James’ investigation into the organization’s self-dealing, abuse, and unlawful conduct was unconstitutional and politically motivated, as a defense for the upcoming trial. As he did in 2022, Justice Cohen held that Attorney General James’ claims against the NRA are serious and viable, and are well within her office’s jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute.

Attorney General James, who first filed a lawsuit against the NRA and its senior management in August 2020, said, “For over two years, the NRA and its senior management have used every tool and trick to try and avoid the consequences of their bad actions. Bringing up arguments that have already been rejected is just the latest example of how far the NRA will go to distract from the serious charges of misconduct it is facing.”

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TEEN WITH JUNIOR LICENSE LOSES CONTROL OF TESLA
IN FATAL MIDWOOD COLLISION

MIDWOOD — A teen driving an expensive Tesla on a junior-grade driver license caused a fatal and destructive collision Wednesday night in Midwood, reports the Daily News. The youth, whose name NYPD withheld because he’s juvenile, was speeding northbound along Ocean Parkway when he lost control of the Tesla at Avenue M, hitting the curb and smashing into a 76-year-old man, since identified as Milorad Rajacic, killing the elderly man on impact. The Tesla, which still spun out of control, then knocked over a traffic signal pole, hitting a 25-year-old man sitting on a median bench, causing him serious injuries. Both the teen and elderly victim were believed to be local residents.

The teen’s license, as part of New York’s Graduated License Program, required him to drive with a licensed adult in the front passenger-side seat, unless traveling to school or work, although police reported that he was alone in the vehicle when he lost control.

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NYC SCHOOLS TO OPERATE REMOTELY FRIDAY AS AIR REMAINS UNHEALTHY

CITYWIDE — Students attending NYC public schools are required to attend remotely on Friday, JUNE 9, because the city’s air quality from wildfires in Canada remains at unhealthy levels, according the city’s Department of Education. “All New York City Public School students and staff will pivot to remote learning and work on Friday, June 9, 2023—including school-based, district, and central staff,” DOE said.

The Air Quality Index in Brooklyn at roughly 4 p.m. on Thursday was 164, and over 200 in some areas of the city, down substantially from Wednesday’s “Hazardous” level API of 484. (Anything over 150 is deemed “unhealthy for everybody.”) You can find the current air quality in your neighborhood at AirNow.gov.

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BIDEN OFFERS AIR TANKERS & MORE FIREFIGHTERS TO CANADA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden said that he has offered Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau additional help putting out the devastating wildfires blanketing the Northeast U.S. in thick smoke. “I have directed the National Interagency Fire Center to respond promptly to Canadian requests for additional firefighters and fire suppression assets such as air tankers,” Biden said in a statement on Thursday. The air pollution in Brooklyn on Wednesday reached levels unseen since the 1960s.

The U.S. has already deployed more than 600 firefighters to Canada over the past month to aid in fighting the wildfires. You can find the current air quality in your neighborhood at AirNow.gov.

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NEW YORK AWARDED $1.5M TO BOLSTER MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS.

STATEWIDE — The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced $1.5 million for New York to strengthen the Medical Reserve Corps network — focusing on emergency preparedness, response, and health equity needs. As part of this, the American Rescue Plan has provided funding for the first-ever MRC State, Territory and Tribal Nations, Representative Organizations for Next Generation grant program. The New York State Department of Health and Health Research, Inc. will use the funding to enhance the state’s system for volunteer registration and verification of volunteer medical professionals’ credentials and will provide support for background checks.

The MRC is a national network of 300,000 volunteers organized into approximately 750 local community-based groups, with units of local volunteers who donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and support steady-state preparedness initiatives.

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ROBERT DE NIRO, TRIBECA FILM FEST’S CO-FOUNDER,
RECEIVES KEY TO THE CITY OF NY

TRIBECA — Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday, June 7, awarded a Key to the City of New York to legendary actor and co-founder of the Tribeca Festival Robert De Niro for his lifetime of achievement and service to New York.

Mayor Adams presented the key to De Niro on the festival’s opening night, celebrating the actor and philanthropist’s decades of contribution to film and over 20 years since the founding of the Tribeca Festival, which De Niro established in 2002 to help revitalize New York City after 9/11. De Niro, born and bred in New York City and one of its most iconic actors, has been honored many times including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Golden Lion, the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

First presented in 1702, The Key to the City of New York has become “a beloved symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement, according to the Mayor’s Office.

Left to right: Robert De Niro, at opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival of which he is co-founder and producer; with Mayor Eric Adams; actor Martin Scorcese and Jane Rosenthal. Photo: Mayor’s Office.

Robert De Niro receives the Key to the City of New York from Mayor Eric Adams. Photo: Mayor’s Office.

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TANDON RESEARCHERS: CHATS WITH AI
CAN HELP BUILD MICROPROCESSING CHIPS

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A team of researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have discovered that conversations with Artificial Intelligence (AI) models can help fabricate microprocessing chips. The team, Hammond Pearce, Ramesh Karri and Siddarth Garg, built a microprocessing chip using plain English “conversations,” and achieving a precedent with the potential for faster chip development. The Tandon researchers, whose abstract of this discovery was published in arXiv explained that the first steps in developing any type of hardware — including chips, entail describing what the hardware should do in normal language. Specially trained engineers then translate that description into Hardware Description Languages (HDLs).

The breakthrough could allow individuals without specialized skills to design chips.

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NYC PARTNERS WITH NYU TANDON ON FLOODNET
TO DETECT REAL-TIME PROBLEMS

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — The city has teamed with NYU Tandon School of Engineering to utilize the university’s innovative FloodNet technology solar-powered ultrasonic flood detectors to help fight potential flooding in the 2023 hurricane season. NYC FloodNet “is a flood data collection program for real-time street-level flood information to city agencies, residents, emergency response teams, and researchers.” NYU Tandon Professor Andrea Silverman (CUE, CUSP, SEI), co-developer of Floodnet and Assistant Professor in the school’s Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, told NBC News last Friday during a June 2 segment titled “The Battle for Safe and Legal Basement Apartments” that “The NYC Emergency Management, with this data, might have a better understanding of where flooding is happening in real time.”

Dr. Silverman focuses her research on “developing sustainable and appropriate wastewater treatment systems, in an effort to protect public health and environmental quality,” according to C2Smart.

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FDNY ISSUES FREE N-95 MASKS
DURING AIR SMOKE ALERT PERIOD

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN AND BROWNSVILLE — The NYC Fire Department is distributing free N-95 face masks for anyone in the five boroughs needing them, on Thursday, June 8, while supplies last, according to an announcement distributed at 9:06 a.m. today. The FDNY Engine FDNY E207/L110 station at 172 Tillary St. in Downtown Brooklyn and the FDNY Engine 283/Division 15 at 775 Howard Ave. in Brownsville.

The limit is two masks per person. N-95 masks are among the ones that were recommended during the pandemic. Some masks labeled as N-95 had ear straps instead of head straps.

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BROOKLYN STUDENTS EARN SCIENCE DEGREES
FROM RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

NORTHERN BROOKLYN — Three students from Brooklyn have graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York (north of Albany), with a bachelor of science degree. Jaylen Campbell of Fort Greene/Navy Yard area (11205) earned her degree in civil engineering; Monika Dabrowska of Greenpoint (11222) earned her degree in biological neuroscience. Billy Wu of East Williamsburg (11206) earned his degree in mechanical engineering.

Many graduates will continue their post-graduate studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and other schools, including Columbia University, Stanford University, and Cornell University. Others will begin professional positions with companies such as Dow Jones, Rockstar Games, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pfizer, Volvo Group, Boston Children’s Hospital, Edwards Lifesciences, Mastercard, Consigli, and WL Gore.

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CLEAN SLATE ACT NEGOTIATIONS
INCH IT TOWARD VOTE

STATEWIDE — The Clean Slate Act that Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-20) co-sponsored has made progress in negotiations toward a vote and becoming law, the New York Law Journal reports. The language of the bill which, if it becomes law, would automatically seal certain criminal records of thousands of New Yorkers, was tweaked to narrow the scope of who would be eligible. While the bill would automatically seal certain old convictions that could hinder job seekers’ prospects — particularly for persons of color — an 11th-hour change would mandate an eight-year wait period for automatic sealing of felony convictions, except for Class A felonies, which would not be eligible at all.

Supporters hope that both legislative houses can pass the Clean Slate Act by Thursday, June 8, the last scheduled day of the New York legislative session.

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WILDFIRE SMOKE BAD FOR PETS, TOO, SAYS BK VET GROUP

BROOKLYN — A Brooklyn veterinary group is urging pet owners to minimize the amount of time their pets stay outside as wildfire smoke overtakes New York City. “The signs of smoke inhalation in pets are coughing, breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and pets can have an audible wheeze if their upper airway gets irritated and inflamed. Another danger to be aware of is carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause neurological symptoms like mental inappropriateness, staggering or difficulty walking,” said Jillian DiFazi, a veterinarian with the Veterinary Emergency Referral Group (VERG), an emergency services center in Brooklyn. She adds that smoke can damage a pet’s eyes.

“Limit outside time just to go to the bathroom, and avoid neck collars and leashes that can put additional pressure on the airways,” she said.

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POOR AIR QUALITY FORCES POSTPONEMENT OF LUNA PARK CELEBRATION

CONEY ISLAND — Due to the deteriorating air quality in New York City caused by wildfires in Canada, Luna Park in Coney Island postponed the celebration of its historic expansion and 120th anniversary planned for Wednesday evening. The event was to feature fireworks and the park’s new rides, ropes courses and adventure zones, along with free entertainment and treats at the new main entrance of the park on Stillwell Avenue.

The postponement of the event was announced via Twitter by Luna Park, which stated, “We will provide further updates and information regarding the rescheduled celebration through our website, social media channels and local media outlets.”

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RESTLER CRITICIZES MAYOR ADAMS FOR LAX SMOKE PREPARATION

BROOKLYN — Calling the poor air quality from Canadian fires a major health threat, Council Member Lincoln Restler (D33) criticized the Adams administration on Wednesday for what he called the city’s lack of preparedness, “despite days of warnings that smoke from Canadian wildfires would make its way here to NYC. Restler said that the “most consequential action” the administration had taken on Tuesday was a tweet. “That’s not getting stuff done, it’s watching stuff happen,” he said. Restler also called the mayor’s Wednesday press conference “hastily arranged” and more focused on defending his lack of response than dealing with the emergency. Adams had defended himself at the presser when questioned by a reporter why Tuesday’s 11:45 p.m. press release was the first official statement on the emergency.

Restler listed four immediate steps the city should take, including: putting air purifiers in NYCHA community rooms, libraries, schools and jails without adequate ventilation systems and opening cooling centers; instructing people to work from home; limiting outside work by city employees and distributing N95 masks to everyone who must work outside; calling on private companies to provide protection and guidance to workers; and issuing emergency alerts to New Yorkers on best practices to stay healthy.

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BUS DRIVER DRENCHED IN LIGHTER FLUID IN CROWN HTS ATTACK

CROWN HEIGHTS — A man allegedly dumped a bottle of lighter fluid on a 57-year-old bus driver and punched him repeatedly on Saturday, June 3, at 6 p.m., according to an NYPD report. After announcing that a southbound Bx44 bus would be going out of service and that all passengers needed to exit, the bus driver noticed a man who remained on the bus. Upon approaching him to offer assistance, the individual attacked the driver, then exited the bus and fled on foot. EMS transported the bus driver to NYC Health and Hospitals/Kings County in stable condition.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers 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. All calls are confidential.

Police are looking for this man, who allegedly dumped lighter fluid on a bus driver and punched him repeatedly.

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CITY OFFICIALS: RIKERS ISLAND NEEDS RECEIVER CUSTODIAN AND TO BE SHUT DOWN

RIKERS ISLAND — City officials want a receiver (with custodial responsibility) assigned to Rikers Island until it can be closed down. City Comptroller Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams (both of whom are Brooklynites) and the Katal Center Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice held a press conference at the entrance to Rikers Island urging federal courts to appoint a receiver to take over the troubled jail complex. The press conference follows a new alarming report from the Federal Monitor about scandalous incidents in the city jails, and the City’s refusal to share information about what’s happening behind jail walls.

The Katal Center, founded in 2016, is an advocacy group with offices on Prince Street in Downtown Brooklyn and in Hartford Connecticut, working to end mass criminalization and incarceration, and to empower communities to bring about positive changes.

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NY SENATOR GILLIBRAND SECURES $104.6M TO HELP ASYLUM SEEKERS

CITYWIDE —New York City will receive another $104.6 million to support asylum seekers as they continue to arrive, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced on Wednesday, June 7. “New York City has a unique set of demands and challenges in supporting the asylum seekers who have arrived in our city,” said Senator Gillibrand. “New York has a rich history of welcoming migrants and this funding will help our local leaders treat everyone in our state humanely.”

This federal funding, deemed critical, is being allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s new Shelter Services Program, although no details have yet been released on its allocation.

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CON EDISON INVESTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AHEAD OF SUMMER HEAT

WILLIAMSBURG TO SUNSET PARK —Four Brooklyn neighborhoods are among Con Edison’s focus points in the utility’s record $2.4 billion investment in its electric delivery system to keep service reliable ahead of a projected hot summer. The pre-summer upgrades include 61 underground transformers, 100 transformers on the overhead electric delivery system, 148 spans of overhead wiring and 198 poles. Con Edison will work to improve reliability and resiliency to meet growing demand in Red Hook, Sunset Park, Williamsburg and Gravesend, in particular.

The investments are among the improvements Con Edison is making to fortify the grid against extreme weather resulting from climate change; as the utility’s projections are that power demands this summer will peak at 12,990 megawatts. Last summer’s peak occurred at 5 p.m. on Aug. 9 when the company provided 12,424 megawatts.