What’s News, Breaking: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

August 1, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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MISSING MAN’S BODY FOUND IN NEWTOWN CREEK,
FIVE BLOCKS FROM NIGHTCLUB HE VISITED

EAST WILLIAMSBURG — A TRAGIC ENDING TO THE SEARCH FOR A GOLDMAN SACHS SENIOR ANALYST who was reported missing after attending a Brooklyn nightclub last weekend, the Daily News reported Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 1. The body of a man found in Newtown Creek has now been identified as 27-year-old John Castic, who had disappeared around 3 a.m. Saturday after attending a concert at The Brooklyn Mirage nightclub in East Williamsburg, which is about five blocks away from the creek, dividing Williamsburg from Queens.

The Daily News reported that Castic is the second man to be found dead in the Creek.

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‘EUPHORIA’ ACTOR ANGUS CLOUD PASSES AWAY AGE 25

CALIFORNIA — ACTOR ANGUS CLOUD, WHO STARRED IN HBO’S hit drama “Euphoria,” was found deceased in his Oakland home on Monday morning by his family, reports the Daily Mail, after experiencing what sources describe as emotional turmoil following the death of his father last month. Cloud was discovered by a talent scout while working as a waiter in the Prospect Heights restaurant Woodland in 2018, and became an overnight success after taking on the part of young drug dealer Fezco in the teen drama.

Oakland police did not release any information on the actor’s cause of death.

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BIGGIE STATUE MOVED TO BORO HALL

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — THE STATUE OF LEGENDARY RAPPER NOTORIOUS B.I.G. THAT has been in Clumber Corner park near the Brooklyn Bridge since December of last year is this week moving a short distance to Columbus Park, in front of the EDNY courthouse and Borough Hall. Brooklyn BP Antonio Reynoso will preside over a short dedication ceremony for the statue on Wednesday, August 2, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the statue’s new home; the event will also feature DJ and dance performances and activities for kids.

The statue of the famous rapper has been on display for several months, and features solar-powered speakers playing a playlist of B.I.G.’s biggest hits.

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CITY TO CLAMP DOWN ON TAKEOUT NAPKINS, UTENSILS, SAUCE PACKETS

CITYWIDE — A NEW CITY LAW TOOK EFFECT ON MONDAY TARGETING waste from food takeout and delivery services. The law will bar restaurants from offering disposable paper and plastic products to customers unless specifically asked for. The legislation also mandates that customers be allowed to request eating utensils, paper napkins, condiment packets and other sundries on delivery apps, but these items will be opt-in only — so remember to click “yes” if you plan to eat away from home.

The law also governs extra takeaway containers.

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MTA STARTS FARE HIKE EARLY ‘BY ACCIDENT’

CITYWIDE — COMMUTERS WERE LEFT DISGRUNTLED ON MONDAY AFTER a mistake caused some OMNY fare readers to begin charging the new increased fares set to go into effect later this month, reports The City, three weeks ahead of schedule. Faced with complaints from angry riders, the agency was able to roll back the bugs by 9 a.m., and says that anyone who paid the accidentally inflated fare will be automatically refunded.

The unpopular fare hikes were passed in July, and riders will see small increases on all MTA travel lines, with base fares set to rise from $2.75 to $2.90 per trip.

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SECOND YOUNG PROFESSIONAL VANISHES FROM POPULAR WBURG NIGHTCLUB

WILLIAMSBURG — A 27-YEAR-OLD GOLDMAN SACHS ANALYST VANISHED early Saturday morning from the popular Williamsburg club Brooklyn Mirage inside the Avant Gardner venue, reports Patch. This was the second such incident this summer, the other being the disappearance of psychologist Karl Clemente, whose body was found in Newtown Creek in June after last being seen outside the venue. The analyst, John Castic, whose friends say they’ve combed the area looking for him, was last seen leaving the club around 3 a.m.; his phone was last detected crossing the Metropolitan Avenue bridge.

Police have not released any updates on the causes of Clemente’s death, but say that anyone with information regarding this incident should 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.

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ATTEMPTED ASSAULT AT BORO HALL SUBWAY

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR AN UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL WHO, ON the afternoon of Thursday, July 13, approached a 24-year-old woman inside of the Jay Street-Borough Hall subway station on the Brooklyn-bound A train platform, then pulled the victim’s hair and displayed a knife before fleeing on the next train. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

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 CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.

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MAIMONIDES MOVES UP 12 SPOTS
IN NATIONAL HOSPITAL RANKINGS REPORT

BOROUGH PARK — MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER, THE LARGEST TERTIARY MEDICAL CENTER in Brooklyn, has received high marks from the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals ranking for 2023–24 in multiple specialties. U.S. News & World Report ranked Maimonides Adult Specialties as “High Performing” in four areas for the first time: geriatrics; orthopedics; pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology. The hospital, now tied at number 17 in the New York State regional category, moved up 12 spots since last year’s rankings.

Maimonides was also rated High Performing in 12 categories for Common Adult Procedure and Condition ratings: COPD, colon cancer surgery, diabetes, heart attack, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, hip fracture, kidney failure, leukemia, lymphoma & myeloma, lung cancer surgery, pneumonia, and stroke. This is also up from last year when the hospital was ranked High Performing in eight categories.

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‘BIG APPLE CONNECT’ EXPANDS
TO 7 NEW BROOKLYN HOUSING SITES

BOROUGHWIDE — “BIG APPLE CONNECT,” WHICH MAYOR ERIC ADAMS LAUNCHED last September, is being expanded to 17 new public housing developments, including seven locations in Brooklyn, the mayor announced on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Building on the success of the program’s first two phases, which prioritized New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments with limited or no subsidized broadband options, the Aug. 1, 2023 expansion answers calls from tenant associations and elected officials to expand the initiative, which now reaches a total of 220 NYCHA facilities. Free in-home internet and basic cable TV will be delivered to a total of more than 330,000 in 150,000 households citywide, including Red Hook East and Red Hook West; Atlantic Terminal Site 4B; the Kingsborough Houses and Kingsborough Extension; 303 Vernon Avenue in Bushwick and Woodson housing in Brownsville.

The program, which is the largest municipal broadband program in the country, has saved NYCHA residents tens of millions of dollars since its inception, according to service providers.

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PROPERTY OWNERS’ AGREEMENT WITH MAYOR
CLEANS UP 3,500 VIOLATIONS THUS FAR

CITYWIDE — NEARLY 3,500 HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS in more than 5,000 apartments have been successfully corrected as part of a sweeping agreement between the City of New York and four major property owners and their companies, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Having found substantial health and safety violations in these apartments — including hundreds related to lead-based paint — the city last year entered into comprehensive agreements with these property owners that imposed nearly $500,000 in civil penalties, compelled property owners to resolve all outstanding violations, and forced compliance with Local Law 1 of 2004 — the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. The agreement requires all four property owners to demonstrate compliance over the next three years with health and safety requirements.

The city’s report named the landlords but did not include a breakdown by the borough of the properties they own.

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NEW BILL WOULD REQUIRE ANTI-SPEEDING
DEVICES IN REPEAT OFFENDERS’ VEHICLES

ATLANTIC AVENUE — PUSHING TO END DEATHS RELATED TO SPEEDING, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher and other safety advocates on Tuesday, Aug. 1, announced a new bill that would require chronically reckless drivers to have speed-limit devices installed in their vehicles. The bill, which was introduced in a press conference at the intersection where a pedestrian was struck and killed in April, would require drivers with more than six speed-camera violations (or enough points on their licenses to warrant a revoke or suspension) to have speed limiter devices installed in their cars, vans or trucks. Such devices have been shown to reduce traffic deaths by 37%.

Joining the state legislators at the site of 156 Atlantic Ave., where 31-year-old Katherine Harris was struck by an alleged drunk driver who ran a red light on April 16, were Transportation Alternatives, Families for Safe Streets, and family members who have lost loved ones to traffic violence.

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TRAGEDY IN NEW JERSEY AS ACTING GOVERNOR DIES SUDDENLY

TRENTON, NJ — NEW JERSEY IS MOURNING ITS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, SHEILA OLIVER, who died unexpectedly on Tuesday while filling in for Gov. Phil Murphy, who is currently overseas on vacation. Lt. Gov. Oliver, 71, the first Black woman appointed to serve as lieutenant governor of New Jersey and the first woman of color elected to statewide office in New Jersey, was hospitalized on Monday, July 31, after announcing that she would not be able to continue serving as acting governor during Gov. Phil Murphy’s absence, according to several news reports.

Oliver stepped up as acting governor last Friday, July 28, 2023, when Governor Murphy went on vacation in Italy. Until Murphy’s return on Aug. 13, New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari has assumed the role of acting governor, as the New Jersey State Constitution stipulates.

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NURSES AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS
WIN MAJOR CONTRACT

CITYWIDE — NURSES SERVING IN NYC’S PUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEM HAVE WON a historic contract that includes pay parity and safe staffing. Members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), on the eve of the deadline, have won a new contract with NYC Health+Hospitals, mayoral agencies and the City of New York, with a package that includes an award for pay parity and safe staffing, several agreements to improve nurse retention, and the creation of a citywide nurse float pool to improve staffing and reduce the overreliance on temporary travel nurse contracts. Most nurses’ salaries will increase by about 37% or at least $32,000 over a contract period stretching five and a half years.

The five-and-a-half-year contract comes after a month of expedited mediation and then impasse arbitration. Now the package will be shared with NYSNA members and an endorsement vote will be held by Saturday, Aug. 5.

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BROOKLYN’S REP. MALLIOTAKIS APPOINTED
TO HOUSE-KNESSET FRIENDSHIP GROUP

BAY RIDGE/DYKER HEIGHTS — CONGRESSWOMAN NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-11) HAS BEEN APPOINTED to the historic House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The bipartisan group of twelve members is tasked with engaging more directly with and strengthening the relationship between Congress and the 120 members of Israel’s Knesset. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-15/south Bronx), is one of four Congress members from the New York state delegation (including Rep. Malliotakis) and one of five Democrats in the Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Malliotakis, whose district encompasses Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn, represents a large Jewish population and has been locally supportive of Jewish organizations and our ally Israel. In Congress, Malliotakis serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means which overseas trade, and previously served on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Israel is the first Country Malliotakis visited as a Member of Congress.

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NEW GEORGIAN RESTAURANT OPENING IN HEIGHTS

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — THE NEW RESTAURANT CHAMA MAMA, WHICH OFFERS CUISINE FROM THE COUNTRY OF Georgia, held its soft opening last Wednesday. According to Mary Kim at the Brooklyn Heights Blog, it attracted a full house of hungry customers to sample its Caucasian dishes. The restaurant officially opens this week — Kim recommends diners try the khachapuri cheese bread, the appetizers and the fresh salads.

Chama Mama is located at 121 Montague St. and serves lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends.

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DANCER FATALLY STABBED IN GAS STATION FIGHT

MIDWOOD — A BROOKLYN MAN SLAIN IN A SHOCKING FIGHT at a Midwood gas station on Saturday night was a talented dancer and dedicated activist who used his art to project his queer identity, according to the Daily News. Colleagues described his life as one cut tragically short. Police say that O’Shea Sibley, 28, is thought to have been fatally stabbed by a 17-year-old suspect – reportedly a known troublemaker — in a fight with a group of men that may have begun over a claim that Sibley’s dancing offended their Muslim faith.

ABC News reports that police are investigating the incident as a hate crime. No arrests have yet been made.

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LAMBDA LITERARY RECEIVES GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

BOROUGHWIDE — LAMBDA LITERARY IN BROOKLYN, which for more than 30 years has championed LGBTQ books and authors, will receive nearly $1 million in grant and sponsorship funding this year. The Amazon Literary Partnership and grant funds are supporting the Foundation’s Emerging Writers Retreat, the premier writers’ residency program for LGBTQ writers. The five-day retreat, running through Aug. 5, hosts 96 fellows, many of whom participate in Lambda’s Writers in Schools, a program that supports inclusive curriculum in K-12 classrooms.

The Amazon Literary Partnership, with a mission of making a permanent impact on the literary community, has since 2009 awarded grants totaling $16 million to more than 160 organizations. The grants have assisted tens of thousands of writers in telling their stories, amplifying their work, and finding their audiences.

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CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS ON NEW VINEGAR HILL APT BUILDINGS

VINEGAR HILL — CONSTRUCTION WORK ON TWO NEW VINEGAR HILL apartment buildings has been rapid, according to an update from NY YIMBY, which reports that four out of seven stories on one building have been erected since the laying of foundations in June, with the other building’s second story currently under construction. Once completed, the Front Street complex will offer 216 housing units, 66 of which are designated affordable, along with retail and community spaces.

NY YIMBY estimates that the buildings might top out by the end of the year. The scheduled completion date for the project is December 2024.

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OFFICE OF COURT ADMIN RELOCATING TO NEW ALBEE TOWER

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — THE STATE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION INKED A 21- YEAR CONTRACT last week on an office space in the new One Willoughby Square office tower at Albee Square, reports the Commercial Observer. It agreed to take over the entire 10th and 11th floors for a total of 27,304 square feet. The OCA, which handles the administrative operations of the state courts, will move from a nearby space on Livingston Street after its new offices are renovated and outfitted, according to a spokesperson for the court system.

The initial yearly rent on the space was reported in the City Record to be $1,365,200, with periodic increases staggered throughout the rest of the term. Some renovation costs are also set to be borne by the developer.

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NYU TANDON’S ARISE STEM PROGRAM OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS AND STIPENDS TO TALENTED HIGH SCHOOLERS

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — NYU TANDON’S CENTER FOR K-12 STEM EDUCATION, which offers students hands-on training, mentoring, and experience in STEM fields, has 65 NYC high schoolers participating in its free summer ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering), program, which offers both a stipend and full scholarship to the students. ARISE, which runs for seven weeks, gives hands-on training, mentoring, and experience to well-rounded high school juniors and seniors who have demonstrated an interest in science but who have lacked access to programs to help them realize their goals, according to both NYU Tandon and Chalkbeat, which published a feature on them earlier this month.

One of three free high school summer programs at NYU Tandon’s Center for K-12 STEM Education, ARISE focuses on groups underrepresented in STEM fields such as students of color, girls, and those from low-income backgrounds, and is the only one of these programs also offering a stipend.

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NEW STUDY: RESPONSES FROM CHATBOT, HUMAN PHYSICIANS ARE ‘NEARLY INDISTINGUISHABLE’

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — CHATGPT’S RESPONSES TO HEALTH CARE-RELATED QUERIES were nearly indistinguishable from those provided by human clinicians, researchers from New York University’s (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine and Tandon School of Engineering have demonstrated. Their study, which was published during July in the Journal of Medical Internet Research JMIR Medical Education, and in Health IT Analytics, observed that AI-powered chatbots are currently being piloted to help draft responses to patients’ queries. The research team conducted a United States-based survey of 392 adults recruited from Prolific, a crowdsourcing platform for academic studies. Each participant was presented with ten non-administrative patient questions which were then answered by either a provider or the chatbot.

The research team noted also that, while the chatbot and human provider responses were almost indistinguishable, the trust that patients’ place in AI technology has not been established.

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‘BLOODY’ SCOOTER CRASH ON MANHATTAN BRIDGE

DUMBO — FOUR ELECTRIC BIKES OR MOPEDS WERE INVOLVED IN A HIGH-SPEED crash on the bike lane of the Manhattan Bridge on Saturday, reports Gothamist, leaving vehicle parts and blood scattered across the walkway in what onlookers described as a distressing scene. The riders were transported to hospitals with serious injuries, according to Streetsblog. Two Reddit users who happened across the scene posted images of the debris and aftermath and criticized the lax enforcement of the city’s ban on electric bikes on bridges, with one, ER nurse Lucas Freshman, describing the accident as “inevitable.”

The NYPD, when contacted by Gothamist, stated that it had no knowledge of the scooter accident. Brownstone Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler blamed the Adams Administration’s lack of e-bike infrastructure support, saying that the city should help delivery workers fight against unsafe practices — although it was not clear if any of the riders involved in the crash were working for delivery services.

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OPEN HOUSE GIVES RESOURCES FOR PAID CARE WORKERS

CITYWIDE — THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND WORKER PROTECTION HOSTED AN OPEN HOUSE at the Brooklyn Public Library on Saturday, July 29, to help paid care workers understand their rights and the resources available to them. One such highlighted program is the city’s Domestic Worker Mediation Program, which helps domestic workers and their employers resolve workplace issues outside of court, in a no-cost, respectful and confidential way. Other partner organizations at the Open House were the Carroll Gardens Association, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

The Department’s research has found that more than half of the city’s paid care workforce — the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color — have experienced wage theft, safe and sick leave violations, harassment, discrimination, and fear of retaliation from their employers if they report illegal behavior.

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COURT ORDER REQUIRES CITY TO ELIMINATE BACKLOG IN FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

CITYWIDE — A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ORDER IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against the City of New York will mandate an end to all delays involving SNAP and Cash Assistance that have prevented low-income New Yorkers from being able to afford food, and caused other hardships. The Legal Aid Society, New York Legal Assistance Group, and Dechert LLP have secured the Preliminary Injunction Order in Forest et al v. the City of New York et al – a class action lawsuit brought against the city for failing to process applications and recertifications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash assistance within the 30-day timeframe required by federal and state law.

The court order also includes a series of benchmarks and monitoring requirements that will be used to ensure that the city comes into full compliance, including a July 31, 2023 deadline to reduce the number of overdue SNAP applications and recertifications.

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GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS RECEIVE FINANCIAL BOOST FROM GOVERNOR

STATEWIDE — GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL ANNOUNCED on Monday, July 31, the allocation of $30 million to support New York City’s fight against gun violence. This funding, which includes $6 million for the New York City Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Blueprint for Community Safety, will enable the city to hire additional public safety personnel and deploy more resources to support the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

The city’s Summer Youth Employment Program will also receive $24 million from the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget to support and expand it to being year-round, Governor Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.

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HEALTH-BASED FOUNDATION OPENS NEW FUND TO HELP UNDERINSURED DIABETES PATIENTS

NATIONWIDE — AIMING TO ELIMINATE THE COVERAGE GAP FOR UNDERINSURED PATIENTS, the HealthWell Foundation® has opened a new fund to provide financial assistance to individuals living with Type 2 diabetes. As an independent nonprofit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, HealthWell will provide up to $1,000 in medication copayment assistance for the management of their disease, to eligible patients with annual household incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level. Interested persons can visit HealthWell’s Type 2 Diabetes Fund page to determine eligibility. But those wishing to apply for a grant through the Type 2 Diabetes Fund, need to call 800-675-8416 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time as online applications are not available.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and develops when the cells in the body do not respond well to, or make enough insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas.

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BIDEN OFFERS PLAN TO CUT STUDENT DEBT FOR SOME

NATIONWIDE – FOLLOWING THE SUPREME COURT DEFEAT LAST MONTH OF A STUDENT debt relief package that would have seen up to $20,000 forgiven from the loans of federal student borrowers, President Biden on Friday announced that a new plan tying payback rates to income, meaning that many borrowers will see their monthly payments slashed in half, with some low-income earners not needing to pay anything at all. CNN reports that the new SAVE plan will raise the threshold for these $0 payments to 225 percent of the federal poverty level, or up to $32,800 for a single person, while many others who make payments will have their loan debt forgiven after 10 years. Interest will not accrue as long as minimum payments are being made.

The application website for the SAVE plan launches in August; more information and the application forms can be found on the federal student aid webpage.

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CASES OF MEAT ALLERGY CAUSED BY TICK BITES RISE IN NYC AREA

CITYWIDE — THE CDC WARNED LAST WEEK THAT cases of a rare allergy to red meat spread by tick bites are on the rise in the NYC area, reports Patch. It urged outdoorsy types to take precautions against the insects while in wooded areas. As many as 450,000 cases of this allergy are thought to be present nationwide, with Suffolk County representing 4% of all reported cases in a recent study. The allergy, known as alpha-gal syndrome, is caused by the immune response to a sugar that is present in tick saliva, but it also occurs in red meat and other mammal products, such as milk and gelatin. Symptoms include rashes, stomach problems, facial swelling and difficulty breathing, among other issues.

The CDC urged anyone who believes they may be experiencing allergy symptoms to visit a doctor and offered strategies for avoiding tick bites on its website. When hiking or visiting green spaces, avoid tall grasses and bushes, wear long sleeves and pants that cover the skin, use insect repellent liberally and shower and check your body for ticks after returning home.

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NY ATTORNEY GENERAL: LOUISIANA FEDERAL COURT’S BAN HARMS PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FED, SOCIAL MEDIA

NATIONWIDE — ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES IS LEADING a multi-state coalition to defend the federal government’s ability to communicate with social media companies about dangerous online content. The coalition opposes a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana handed down in July that prohibits dozens of federal officials and agencies from communicating with social media companies about harmful online content, including financial scams, misinformation meant to undermine elections, and harassment. Attorney General James and the coalition note in the amicus brief that the lower court’s order blocks an important tool that federal leaders have to share information and policy views on how social media platforms can keep Americans safe online, potentially undoing years of mutually beneficial dialogue.

The coalition’s brief highlights examples of productive communication with social media platforms, Attorney General James’ ongoing work to identify and report social media content from the Buffalo mass shooting and teaming with Amazon to stop sellers from price gouging supplies the COVID emergency.