What’s News, Breaking: Friday, July 28, 2023

July 28, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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STOOPS ART CRAWL IN BED-STUY THIS WEEKEND

BED-STUY — THE STOOPS 10TH ANNIVERSARY ART CRAWL is set to take place this weekend on the stoops, storefronts, yards and sidewalks of Hancock St. in Bed-Stuy, turning the urban landscape into a dynamic stage for interactive art performances that explore the theme, “What if Bed-Stuy was a Black Utopia?” A showcase of expression from 10 local artists across a wide range of artistic mediums, the immersive show is intended to spark meaningful dialogue and offer a wealth of engaging stories from performers and the community it celebrates.

The art crawl is set for Saturday, July 29, from noon to 7 p.m., hosted at the Garden of Hope on Hancock St.; the artworks are free and friendly for all ages.

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BONANNO BOSS ‘MICHAEL THE NOSE’ HEADED BACK TO JAIL

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — THE ALLEGED BOSS OF THE BONANNO MAFIA FAMILY, Michael Mancuso, also known as “Michael the Nose,” was slapped with an 11-month prison term in Brooklyn federal court on Friday afternoon for violating the conditions of his supervised release, reports The Messenger, after authorities recorded a suspicious phone call with a known mafia associate in 2020 as part of a racketeering probe. Mancuso, who was released from prison on probation in 2019 after being convicted of conspiring in the murder of Randolph Pizzolo in 2004, had been ordered to not make contact with any other mafiosos, and in addition to the phone call was also recorded attending several birthday parties; he is now loose on $500,000 bail and has been ordered to turn himself into the Bureau of Prisons by September 6.

The suspicious phone call, with alleged Colombo mafia member Michael Uvino, was recorded on Sept. 1, 2020, according to The Messenger: “You gonna do the gravy today?” Mancuso asked; Uvino responded he’d “make the sauce in the morning.”

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THREE NEW JUDGES APPOINTED
TO APPELLATE DIVISION COURT

THREE OF GOV. KATHY HOCUL’S NEW APPOINTEES to the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division have served and/or will be serving in Brooklyn. Lourdes M. Ventura, currently an associate justice on the Appellate Term of the Supreme Court for the 2nd, 11th, and 13th Judicial Districts, is a former assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, where she prosecuted cases and investigated complaints involving discrimination in housing, education and other areas. Justice Ventura is currently serving as President of the Latino Judges Association.

Justice Ventura is also a board member of the Supreme Court Judges Association of the City of New York as well as the Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert.

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JUSTICE CARL LANDICINO APPOINTED TO APPELLATE DIVISION

JUSTICE CARL LANDICINO, whom Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed on Friday to the Appellate Division/Second Department, was elected justice of the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial District of New York in 2011. Justice Landicino is an officer of the Supreme Court Justices Association of the City of New York, and past president of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Brooklyn and of the Nathan Sobel American Inn of Court of Brooklyn.

Landicino began his career as an attorney with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

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JUSTICE LAURENCE LOVE APPOINTED TO APPELLATE DIVISION

JUSTICE LAURENCE LOVE, whom Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed to the Appellate Division, Second Department, and who in 2019 was elected in Queens County’s 11th Judicial District, currently serves as the New York citywide co-coordinator judge for Child Victims Act cases. Prior to his election to the bench, Justice Love maintained his own law practice with a focus on personal injury law, based in Queens. Justice Love is on the board of the Brandeis Association.

Under the New York State Constitution and Judiciary Law, the governor has the authority to appoint justices to each Appellate Division from among those who have been elected as Justices of the Supreme Court. These appointments are not subject to Senate confirmation.

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PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILIES TO GET $120 FOR KIDS’ MEALS

CITYWIDE — ALL FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SET TO RECEIVE $120 per child in funds intended to make up the costs of summer meals for kids, reports Chalkbeat, as part of a federal pandemic aid package; families with children in private, charter or other schools who get free meals may also be eligible for the benefit. Federal rules say that the funds must be sent out via EBT card by December 31, although the exact date of disbursement has not been specified; because NYC has universal free meals for schoolchildren, there are no income or immigration requirements to qualify — families who have lost their EBT cards can get replacements by calling 1-888-328-6399.

According to Chalkbeat, 75% of NYC families report having more difficulty covering their childrens’ grocery bills this year, as inflation has caused food prices to surge since the beginning of the pandemic.

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MAYOR MEETS WITH HOMELAND SECURITY HEAD OVER MIGRANT CRISIS

WASHINGTON — MAYOR ADAMS TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. on Wednesday to meet with New York’s congressional delegation and Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the federal response to NYC’s ongoing asylum-seeker immigration surge, according to a statement released by the mayor’s office. “Not only did we discuss the city’s federal funding needs, we also re-emphasized how crucial it is to expedite pathways to work authorization for those who are arriving and are already here,” wrote Mayor Adams in a press statement; the mayor also stated that Mayorkas had committed to visiting the city in person and to designating a member of DHS’ personnel to work with the city on coordinating future aid.

The mayor has repeatedly accused the federal government of not providing enough aid to meet the city’s needs in relation to the surge of migrants arriving from the southern border in recent months; nearly 100,000 asylum-seekers have traveled to NYC, many with the assistance of the governors of Republican-led border states.

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SHEEPSHEAD BAY YOGA STUDIO ROBBED IN POTENTIAL HATE CRIME

SHEEPSHEAD BAY — THE NYPD’S HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE IS INVESTIGATING A BURGLARY that took place on the night of Tuesday, July 18, when an unknown individual gained access to the Yoga Hell yoga studio in Sheepshead Bay by sneaking in through an unlocked door after a patron exited. The suspect then damaged the facility, drew a swastika on the chalkboard, damaged religious items and removed prayer documents from the studio, before fleeing on foot on 17th Street toward Avenue Z. Surveillance photos released by the police show the suspect to have a fair complexion, a shaved head and a tattoo of a cross inside a circle on his forearm, along with multiple other tattoos.

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 at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.

The person suspected of vandalizing a yoga studio in a potential hate crime. All tips given to police are strictly confidential. Photos courtesy of NYPD

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WORKERS UNIONIZE AT CROWN HEIGHTS PIZZERIA

CROWN HEIGHTS — THE STAFF OF CROWN HEIGHTS PIZZERIA BARBONCINO on Wednesday officially voted to join the Workers United food service union, reports amNY, after organizing efforts began last summer following a sewage flood that left workers who walked off the job dissatisfied with the restaurant’s owners’ attitude towards employee safety and job security. The organizers of the new union, which will represent around 40 non-managerial workers, are now demanding wage and benefit increases, clearer rules and enforced safety policies, along with the right to have more input into scheduling; Barboncino’s owners, who took over in October of last year, told amNY that they are still deciding how to respond.

The Barboncino union is the first at any NYC pizza parlor, and is part of a new wave of unionization efforts aimed at restaurants and other service jobs with unsteady working conditions.

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MAN ATTEMPTS TO PUSH ANOTHER MAN OFF SUBWAY PLATFORM

WILLIAMSBURG — POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR AN UNIDENTIFIED SUSPECT who, on the morning of Monday, July 24, attempted to forcibly shove a 14-year-old boy toward the open tracks of the Bedford Avenue L train station, after the boy had accidentally bumped into him. The suspect then fled in an unknown direction. Fortunately, the victim was able to grab onto the edge of the platform and did not make any contact with the roadway, third rail, or train, sustaining only minor injuries.

The man suspected of shoving a teenager towards the Bedford Avenue train tracks. All calls are strictly confidential. Photo courtesy of NYPD

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BROOKLYN DA HOSTS ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMERFEST

PROSPECT PARK — BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ERIC GONZALEZ AND PARTNERS HOST their Annual Youth Summerfest on Thursday, August 10, with a school supply giveaway and free admission to Prospect Park Zoo. Families with children who attend will receive a backpack, school supplies and other resources. Online RSVP is required and free admission to the zoo is only available on that date.

Partner businesses and organizations, in addition to Prospect Park Zoo, include Auto Plaza Mall, PAL Inc., NYPD, the Prospect Park Alliance, Laborers Local Union 1010 LECET and LiUNA NYS Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund.

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POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE PLAYSTREETS PROGRAM OFFERS FREE SUMMER ACTIVITIES

RED HOOK/BROWNSVILLE/CANARSIE — THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE (PAL), which since 1914 has provided safe places to play and learn for thousands of children through its Summer PAL PLAYSTREETS Program, announces the locations and times for Summer 2023. Offered in public areas, such as playgrounds and parks, PLAYSTREETS runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays through August 24 throughout New York City, with 13 supervised places to enjoy outdoor summer activities. Brooklyn locations include Dr. Green Park PLAYSTREET at 500 Mother Gaston Blvd. and the Howard Playground PLAYSTREET at 60 Glenmore Ave., both in Brownsville; Red Hook Coffey Park PLAYSTREET at 31 Centre Mall; Fox Playground PLAYSTREET at Avenue H, between East 54th and East 55th Streets, near Canarsie and Flatlands.

Kids can enjoy Double Dutch jump rope, nok hockey, hopscotch, arts and crafts, sports, board games, educational programs and more.

Children enjoy time under a sprinkler as part of the Police Athletic League’s Summer PLAYSTREETS Program. Photo Courtesy of Police Athletic League

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NYU TANDON PROFESSOR ELECTED TO ACADEMIA EUROPAEA FOR HER WORK IN NANOSCIENCE

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — ELISA RIEDO, NYU TANDON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING PROFESSOR of chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of Tandon’s PicoForce Lab, has been elected to The Academy of Europe for her key contributions to the field of nanoscience. Prof. Riedo is also a professor of physics at the NYU College of Arts and Science, an affiliated professor of mechanical engineering, and Tandon’s director of faculty development. She is widely respected for her pioneering work in thermal scanning probe lithography (tSPL), an innovative sustainable nanofabrication technique used in biomedicine, nanoelectronics and magnetic materials.

This organization is dedicated to excellence in scholarship in several branches of human endeavor, from mathematics and medicine to many areas of natural and technological sciences for the public benefit.

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BIRD FLU DETECTED IN BROOKLYN LIVE POULTRY MARKET

BROOKLYN — AVIAN INFLUENZA, OR BIRD FLU, has been detected in a live poultry market in Brooklyn, according to the USDA. On July 25, 660 birds at an unnamed market here were found to be infected. This is the first outbreak in domestic poultry since May, when 80 chickens were found to be infected in Missouri. An earlier outbreak was discovered in Brooklyn on April 18, which affected 1,400 birds. According to the agricultural website Lancaster Farming, all 12 species at the Brooklyn market, including guineas, Muscovy ducks, silkies and red fowl, tested positive. New York City has over 80 live bird markets.

The bird flu outbreak is threatening poultry farms nationwide, with more than 80 million birds lost.

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COPS LOOKING FOR MAN WHO SWIPED VALUABLE HAT IN WILLIAMSBURG

WILLIAMSBURG — POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR for the scoundrel who snatched a valuable hat right off the head of a 21-year-old man walking in front of 284 Penn St., in an Orthodox Jewish section of Williamsburg on Tuesday, July 18, at roughly 9:40 p.m. As the victim was walking along, an unidentified male riding a bicycle approached him from behind, grabbed his hat and fled. The suspect is described as having a light complexion and is approximately 30-40 years old. He was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt and light-colored shorts. The crime is classified as grand larceny, and NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.

There have been a number of similar hat thefts in the past. While police did not report the value of the hat, some Hasidic headwear, particularly the fur hats known as “shtreimels,” can be worth thousands of dollars. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted at the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/.

Screengrab from surveillance video supplied by NYPD

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REP. MALLIOTAKIS’ BILL TO END PRESCRIPTION PRICE GOUGING CLEARS COMMITTEE

BAY RIDGE AND CAPITOL HILL — CONGRESSWOMAN NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-11/southwestern Brooklyn) on Wednesday, July 26, announced that legislation she is sponsoring, the Protecting Patients from Middlemen Act, passed out of the full committee and will be included in the committee’s Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023. Specifically, Malliotakis’ legislation, which was introduced in partnership with Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio/Cincinnati), would prohibit prescription drug plans and Pharmacy Benefit Managers in Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage from charging patients more in drug cost-sharing than the net price of the drug.

Congressman Wenstrup is also a podiatric physician who was in private practice for 26 years. During the Iraq War, he served as a combat surgeon.

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LYFT: CITI BIKE MIGHT BE FOR SALE

CITYWIDE — RIDESHARE COMPANY LYFT IS EXPLORING the sale of its bike and scooter business, including Citi Bike, as a cost-cutting measure under new CEO David Risher, numerous sources including the New York Post report. The company laid off more than a thousand employees several months ago. Lyft has “received strong inbound interest in our bikes and scooters business,” the company said in a statement on its blog. “As a leading bikeshare provider … it’s only logical for Lyft to listen to credible proposals and explore strategic partners and options in several forms to serve more riders in more cities.”

Lyft, which bought Citi Bike in 2018, has hundreds of bicycle stands in Brooklyn, though none yet in the southern part of the borough.

Map showing Citi Bike’s Brooklyn locations. Photo courtesy of Lyft

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FDNY SET TO GRADUATE 45 NEW PROBATIONARY FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTORS

RANDALL’S ISLAND/CITYWIDE — THE NEWEST COHORT OF PROBATIONARY FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTORS will graduate on Friday morning, July 28. The graduating class of 45 new inspectors will participate in the ceremony, taking place at the FDNY Fire Academy on Randall’s Island (livestreamed on the Department’s website), with Chief of Fire Prevention Anthony Saccavino. The FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention is responsible for preventing fire conditions by enforcing the Fire Code and inspecting buildings, small businesses, schools, and construction sites. Inspectors are the first line of defense in preventing fires across the five boroughs.

Given recent fires involving a construction crane and lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, the new fire inspectors have plenty of work awaiting them.

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AG JAMES: CARECUBE MUST REFUND BOGUS FEES IT CHARGED FOR COVID-19 TESTS

CITYWIDE — NY ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES ANNOUNCED on Thursday that her office secured full refunds — plus interest — for New Yorkers who were wrongfully charged by CareCube clinics for COVID-19 tests. Her office received numerous complaints about CareCube’s bogus charges during the pandemic. The company must identify and refund all patients who were wrongfully charged from March 2020 to July 2023. “This predatory behavior was unjust and illegal,” James said in a statement. “I saw firsthand people being unfairly charged by CareCube at their site down the block from my district office and received numerous complaints about CareCube from constituents,” said Assemblymember Robert Carroll, who reported the company to the AG.

At the height of the pandemic, CareCube operated more than 20 COVID-19 testing sites citywide, some of which have since closed, including one on Montague Street in Brooklyn. There are currently four CareCubes listed in Brooklyn.

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BROOKLYN’S ‘BRASS QUEENS’ BAND WINS 1ST-EVER MTA ‘MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK’ RIDERS’ CHOICE AWARD

TIMES SQUARE — GOV. KATHY HOCHUL, MTA CHAIR JANNO LIEBER, WE❤️NYC and others gathered in Times Square on Thursday to award the first-ever MTA Music Under New York Rider’s Choice Award to Brooklyn’s all-female brass band, the Brass Queens. After a week of public voting, Brass Queens took home the grand prize, with 55.7% of more than 55,000 votes cast, and will receive a recording session with Atlantic Records. The nine-piece brass band, which has performed for clients including the Met Gala, the Governor’s Ball Music Festival, Mattel and many more, is inspired by the New Orleans tradition.

“This is not the politicians picking the winners, this is the people picking the winners,” Hochul said at the event.