What’s News, Breaking: Tuesday, July 25, 2023

July 25, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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MARCHERS FOR ISRAELI DEMOCRACY FORM HUMAN CHAIN OVER BK BRIDGE

BROOKLYN BRIDGE — HUNDREDS OF PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS formed a “Human Chain for Israeli Democracy” as they marched across the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday morning. Participants marched in solidarity with protesters in Israel, the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government voted to significantly weaken the judicial authority of Israel’s High Court. AP reports that Israeli lawmakers on Monday approved a key portion of the plan to reshape the judiciary — which some characterize as a “judicial coup.” The controversial move increases Netanyahu’s ability to hand-pick judges, including those presiding over his own ongoing trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

At a White House press briefing on July 17, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Biden spoke with Netanyahu on the subject of judicial reform and reiterated “the need for the broadest possible consensus and that shared democratic values have always been and must remain a hallmark of the U.S. – Israel relationship.” Haaretz reports that Biden told the Israeli news site Walla! on Sunday evening, “It doesn’t make sense for Israeli leaders to rush this.”

Hundreds of marchers waving Israeli flags marched over the Brooklyn Bridge Sunday morning. Brooklyn Eagle photo by Mary Frost

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GODSQUAD BOLSTERS PRESENCE, WITH GOAL OF PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE

FLATBUSH TO EAST NEW YORK — THE GOD SQUAD/67TH PRECINCT CLERGY COUNCIL HAS ORGANIZED several events to fight gun violence in central Brooklyn by building unity. A Clergy Community Walk, scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, from 4-6 p.m. at Nostrand and Foster Avenues, will gather locals for a peaceful walk through our community streets, demonstrating unity and solidarity and providing resources to the residents, according to a flyer for the event. East New York Family Residence Community Day, being held at 1040 East New York Avenue on Wednesday, July 26, (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) aims to foster togetherness and support among families residing in this part of Brooklyn.

Members of GodSquad will also “Occupy the Corner” an ongoing outreach at key intersections around to spread awareness about the gun violence and engage with community members through dialogue on bringing about positive change. This “Occupy the Corner” will be held 6 -8 p.m. on Friday, July 28, Church Avenue and East 94th St., near the major Linden Blvd. intersection.

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DiNAPOLI: BROOKLYN RECEIVED 25% OF FUNDS FROM STATE’S EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE

STATEWIDE — Emergency Rental Assistance Program is rebounding after a slow start, and the reach should improve now that funding has been added for public housing applicants, according to a new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The pandemic program to help struggling households pay their rent faltered at the start, making New York the last state in the country to distribute funds. Improvements, including those which Comptroller DiNapoli suggested at the program’s onset, were made and alleviated administrative problems. The city chose to participate in the state-run ERAP program, and its residents received far more than the $645 million they would have received if the city chose to run its own program, reported DiNapoli. New York City received $2.5 billion for the ERAP program, a quarter of which went to Brooklyn, the most for any county in the state.

However, renters living in public housing have not yet received funds from the program and rental burdens for low-income New Yorkers remain high, DiNapoli’s report indicated.

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ELECTED LEADERS, NYPD GATHER TO MOURN TEEN, PREVENT MORE SHOOTING DEATHS

BENSONHURST — ANOTHER LOCAL LEADER, OUTRAGED AT THE SHOOTING DEATH of a Bensonhurst teenager, convened a meeting with the NYPD’s 62nd Precinct on how to prevent more killings. Following the death of a 15-year-old boy, Assemblymember William Colton (D-47), his Chief Of Staff Susan Zhuang, 62nd precinct Commanding Officer Eddie Lau, and City Councilman Kalman Yeger convened with members of the community at the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst last week. “Horrible crimes are intolerable, and our community will not condone it,” said Colton, who represents Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Gravesend and Dyker Heights.

Said Colton, “Police must be showing more of their presence in the community, and criminals must be held accountable for their actions. As I said before, it’s a critical issue and it must be addressed immediately.”

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ASYLUM SEEKERS REBUILD BQE TENT CAMP AFTER CITY TEARDOWN

CLINTON HILL — A GROUP OF ASYLUM SEEKERS whose tent camp under a section of the BQE overpass in Clinton Hill was broken up by police on Friday have now returned to the location, reports the New York Post, saying they had concerns about the safety of the shelters that the city had rerouted them to and that the tents felt less risky. Gothamist reported that some of the migrants were left without identification documents and clothing after police cleared the camp away without warning; a spokesperson for the city said that the campers had earlier been asked to leave a city shelter due to rule violations, but the campers disputed this, saying that they had been kicked out due to complaints about shelter conditions.

As the city’s shelter population swells to more than 100,000, including more than 50,000 asylum seekers, many overflow locations have been subject to criticism over substandard living conditions, such as those at an empty Bushwick office space that earlier this month was found to lack working showers and toilets for its 500 residents.

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PEDESTRIAN IN WHEELCHAIR STRUCK AND KILLED AT BUSY KENSINGTON INTERSECTION

KENSINGTON — A 68-YEAR-OLD PEDESTRIAN WAS STRUCK AND KILLED on Sunday afternoon while trying to cross Webster Avenue at McDonald Avenue in her wheelchair. The victim, whom the NYPD later identified as Joyce Greenberg of Lawrence Avenue, was crossing the intersection at the boundary of the 66th and 70th Precincts when a 73-year-old female driving a 2016 Lexus SUV southbound along McDonald Avenue hit her. The wheelchair-bound pedestrian became pinned under the vehicle and sustained severe trauma. EMS transported her to Maimonides Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.

The Lexus operator, who had two passengers, a 73-year-old female and a 72-year-old female, remained on the scene and had no injuries. The NYPD’s Highway District Collision Investigation Squad is involved.

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SENIOR STABBED WITH STICK IN FLATBUSH

FLATBUSH — AN 82-YEAR-OLD MAN SURVIVED A BRUTAL ATTACK last Sunday and was hospitalized in stable condition, reports the Daily News, after assailant Marvin Reyes, 33, stabbed him multiple times in the head with a sharp stick. Police say the attack appeared to be random: Reyes approached the victim in the early morning on a Flatbush street corner near Prospect Park and began the assault without provocation.

Reyes was apprehended quickly and has been charged with assault, weapon possession and menacing, according to the Daily News, and is awaiting arraignment.

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MISSING CHILD IN BROWNSVILLE

BROWNSVILLE — POLICE ARE URGENTLY ASKING THE PUBLIC TO HELP FIND MISSING 12-year-old Deborah Mccoy, last seen at her residence on Atlantic Avenue in Brownsville on the afternoon of Saturday, July 22. Deborah is described as 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair, and was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, white Nike sneakers and pink and white shorts. Police said that she frequently plays at Houston Playground, also in Brownsville.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this missing person 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 CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.

Have you seen Deborah Mccoy? All tips given to police are strictly confidential.

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CITY COMPTROLLER BRAD LANDER DENOUNCES ISRAEL’S VOTE TO ‘UNDERMINE JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE’

CITY HALL — REFLECTING THE FALLOUT FROM THE ISRAELI PARLIAMEN’S APPROVAL of a controversial bill to curtain the judiciary’s power, members of Brooklyn’s Jewish community have formed human chains across the Brooklyn Bridge and leaders are now denouncing the vote. City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in NYC government, said, “The passage of legislation in the Israeli Knesset today to undermine judicial independence is a sign that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition are choosing brute power over democracy. Heedless of the calls from hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets week after week, from American Jewish supporters and from President Biden, the extremists in Israel’s ruling coalition have pushed through legislation to protect their own interests and limit the ability of the courts to protect civil rights.”

Lander said, “The United States cannot continue to provide such a government unconditional support, without regard for human rights abuses or de facto annexation. American Jews like me, who support the vision of a Jewish and democratic Israel, must get much louder in saying so.”

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USDA ISSUES RECALL ALERT ON CHEESES DISTRIBUTED FROM MILFORD, NY

STATEWIDE — CHEESE PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED WITHIN NEW YORK STATE ARE RECALLED because of possible contamination with Listeria, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration advised on Monday, July 24. The Cooperstown Cheese Company of Milford, N.Y., is recalling 1,400 pounds of cheese purchased, sold or distributed from June 21, 2023, to July 10, 2023, because it can potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. The product was distributed in New York State and reached customers through farmer’s markets, restaurants and retail stores.

The products being sold at farmer’s markets are wrapped in cheese paper or plastic, and are labeled as Jersey Girl, Toma Celena, SK, Jersey Gold, Marielle, Jersey Girl with garlic/rosemary, Jersey Girl spring onion, Bobby’s Got the Blues, Toma Torino, Jersey Gold with garlic, and Abbie. The ones sold at retail stores are vacuum-sealed, with the labels Jersey Girl, Toma Celena and Abbie.

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ATTORNEYS GENERAL: FCC NEEDS TO KEEP HUMAN TRANSLATORS FOR EMERGENCY GOV’T ALERTS

ALBANY AND NATIONWIDE — NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES AND 15 OF HER COUNTERPARTS ARE URGING the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand language access for critical government alerts sent to cell phones, known as Wireless Emergency Alerts. The attorneys general coalition also pointed out that the FCC’s proposal would require wireless companies to use a machine translation rather than human translation for these alerts and would only include translations for 13 languages. Attorney General James and the coalition urge FCC to adopt its alternative proposal to use human translators, which are far more reliable, instead of machine translation, and to increase the number of available languages to at least 25, and that translation must be reliable and accurate — especially in weather emergencies.

A recent joint study by UCLA and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that the accuracy rate of machine translations from English varied widely for different languages — with accuracy sometimes as low as 55 percent.