What’s News, Breaking: Friday, December 22, 2023

December 22, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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LANDER SCORNS 60-DAY SHELTER LIMIT FOR FAMILIES

CITYWIDE — COMPTROLLER BRAD LANDER ON FRIDAY ISSUED A PRESS STATEMENT CONDEMING the city’s decision to continue moving forward with a new policy that will force migrant families to leave city shelters after 60 days and either reapply for shelter or move on; the first families affected by the limit, introduced in October, are set to be evicted after the holidays. The comptroller cautioned that the rule could see families forced to sleep on the streets if unable to find new housing immediately, and could lead to intense disruption for the more than 23,000 migrant children currently enrolled in city schools; and advocated for instead working to improve access to legal services and expedited work permitting.

Along with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and 46 other elected officials, Lander also earlier this week signed a letter urging the city to stay the upcoming shelter evictions, offer increased rent assistance and hire more support staff for new immigrants.

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MAN WITH ‘BIG BEARD’ PUNCHES 70-YEAR-OLD IN MIDWOOD SUBWAY STATION

MIDWOOD — POLICE SAY A HEAVILY-BEARDED MAN APPROACHED A 70-YEAR-OLD MAN who was innocently sitting on a bench on the southbound D platform in the Bay Parkway station and — unprovoked — punched him in the face. It happened at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25. The victim sustained minor injuries and was transported by EMS to NYC Health and Hospitals/Coney Island in stable condition. The suspect, who fled on foot, is described as a male with a light complexion, dark brown hair and a big beard. He was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants with white stripes on the side, black sneakers, black fingerless gloves and a black backpack.

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), or visit Crime Stoppers online.

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RECALL ISSUED FOR BLUE RIDGE BEEF PET FOODS

NORTHEAST/MID-ATLANTIC STATES — CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BOUGHT BLUE RIDGE BEEF PET FOOD PRODUCTS FOR THEIR DOGS AND CATS are being warned that some of the supplier’s products have been infected with Salmonella and Listeria. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has notified the company that one lot of each of the products was sampled and tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. However, out of an abundance of caution, the firm is recalling all lots with the used-by dates between N24 1124 to N24 1224 that were sold in New York, parts of New England, the Mid-Atlantic and North Carolina.

Owners of pets who have eaten the recalled products, which were distributed between Nov. 14-Dec. 20, and have these symptoms should contact their veterinarians.

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COLTON PARTNERS WITH TOYS FOR TOTS
TO BRIGHTEN NEEDY CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS

BATH BEACH TO GRAVESEND — TOYS FOR TOTS HAVE PICKED UP A GROUP OF DONATIONS THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILLIAM COLTON COLLECTED DURING A GIFT DRIVE this holiday season. Colton (D-47) who represents the neighborhoods of Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights, said, “Thanks to Toys for Tots, many families — who would otherwise be unable to purchase gifts for their children — are able to celebrate the holidays.”

Toys for Tots was founded in 1947 by Marine Corps reservist Major Bill Hendricks, under the auspices of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The project is currently operated by the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which was established in 1991.

Assemblymember William Colton (second from right) stands with staffers Christina Waszak and Shirley Yip as a representative of Toys for Tots.
Photo courtesy Office of Assemblymember William Colton

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NYU TANDON ENGINEERS STUDY ‘MOM PENALTY’
IN HIRING PRACTICES THAT USE AI

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — WOMEN MAY PAY A “MOM PENALTY” WHEN AI is used in hiring, new research from NYU Tandon School of Engineering suggests, according to new research. Siddharth Garg, Institute Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, led a team that examined bias in Large Language Models when used in hiring processes. They found that maternity-related employment gaps may cause job candidates to be unfairly screened out of positions for which they are otherwise qualified.

Researchers assessed the ability of three popular Large Language Models, namely ChatGPT (GPT-3.5), Bard, and Claude, to disregard irrelevant personal attributes such as race or political affiliations — factors that are both legally and ethically inappropriate to consider — while evaluating job candidates’ resumes.

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MARINE PARK RESIDENTS ANGERED, WORRIED BY MIGRANT ‘BEGGING’

MARINE PARK — MIGRANT FAMILIES FROM THE CONTROVERSIAL Floyd Bennett Field tent encampment have begun to take to the streets of nearby Marine Park to solicit locals for money, food and other donations as the city struggles to accommodate their needs, reports The City. This has been causing some to respond with anger and frustration at the increasingly poor conditions and potential effects for nearby residents, and others to attempt to gather aid for the 1,700 migrants staying in the national park. Floyd Bennett camp shelterers and advocates have charged that food, sanitation and warm clothing are in short enough supply that some parents feel forced to panhandle and send sick children to school for safety, although a spokesman for the city stated meals and snacks are available daily; Mayor Adams has repeatedly claimed that the tent camp is the best available option to the city, and few other alternatives have been offered from any side of the debate, leaving migrants desperate to leave with no clear options.

The dire situation at the former airfield was thrown into sharp relief on Monday, when a severe storm that battered and flooded the tents throughout the night frightened residents and spiked tempers, resulting in a sleepless night for the 500 families living there, and the alleged ejection of two families into the storm in the early hours of the morning.

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4 THIEVES STORM BK LULULEMON, WALK OUT WITH $17K IN MERCH

BOERUM HILL — FOUR THIEVES “ACTING IN CONCERT” stormed a lululemon store on Smith Street at Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, walking out with $16,896 worth of trendy merchandise, police said. The individuals fled the location in a gray Chevy Malibu sedan, heading eastbound on Wyckoff Street. No one was hurt, cops said. The first suspect is described as male, 5’9” with a medium build, last seen wearing a black hooded sweater, black pants, black ski mask and black sneakers. The second is male, 5’7” with a slim build, wearing a blue jacket, brown pants, white sneakers and a white surgical mask. The third is of unknown sex, 5’4” with a medium build, wearing a white hooded sweater with colorful letters on the front, white pants, white sneakers, and a white surgical mask. The fourth is a female, 5’3” with a slim build. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, brown pants, black shoes and a blue surgical mask.

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), or visit Crime Stoppers online.

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GREENPOINT GENTRIFICATION ART SHOW ON DISPLAY THRU JAN

GREENPOINT — WATERFRONT TOWER 1 BELL SLIP IS PLAYING HOST TO AN ART exhibition from Brooklyn painter Steve Wasterval, reports Greenpointers, with 15 pieces themed around the changing neighborhood on display to the public in the building’s lobby through Jan. 1. Wasterval’s expressive work pairs street scenes with commentary on gentrification — a focus that the show’s venue, the gallery lobby of a newly built condo, echoes, according to the artist: “Years ago I decided to paint as many pieces of the neighborhood as I could, knowing it would eventually look completely different. When the time came to show that work, a new building felt like the perfect place, somewhere that would highlight the bittersweet experience of change.”

Wasterval is known for his “treasure hunt” approach to public art: for years, the artist has been hiding tiny versions of his paintings around Greenpoint for locals to discover and claim by following online clues.

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R.E. BIG STRIBLING FINDS BUYER FOR HER PENTHOUSE AT ONE BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK

BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK — REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FOUNDER ELIZABETH STRIBLING has found a buyer for her 7-room One Brooklyn Bridge Park penthouse at 360 Furman St., the New York Post reports. She originally bought the penthouse, made of two combined units, for $6 million in 2009, and first listed it last year for $8.5 million. It was last asking $6.49 million.

The penthouse comes with a wrap terrace that’s almost 1,900 square feet and features three bedrooms and 3½ baths over 3,442 square feet, with $6,098 a month in common charges.

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FDA ANNOUNCES NEW GUIDELINES
FOR AIRFIT MAGNETIC MASK USERS

NATIONWIDE — CERTAIN FACE MASKS WITH MAGNETS COULD IMPACT THE FUNCTION OF PACEMAKERS AND OTHER IMPLANTED MEDICAL DEVICES, the Food & Drug Administration has announced. The medical equipment supplier ResMed has issued updated instructions for those utilizing these masks and has initiated a voluntary recall, which does not require a return of a mask with magnets unless the patient is contraindicated. Users of nasal AirFit models F-20 and F-30 are contraindicated when they or anyone in close physical contact have active medical implants that interact with magnets, such as pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, aneurysm clips, stents, or hearing/balance or ocular implants.

Affected patients and those in close proximity should keep the magnets at a safe distance of 6 inches (150 mm) away from such implants or medical devices. More information can be found online.

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DOT ANNOUNCES ROAD CLOSURES
FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — THE SECTION OF CLINTON STREET BETWEEN Pierrepont Street and Cadman Plaza West (where the roadway bends) will be closed Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 14, 2024, to facilitate crane operations, the NYC Department of Transportation announced on Friday, Dec. 22. The street closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Dec. 22, 29 and Jan. 5, and Saturdays, Dec. 23, 30 and Jan. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other downtown roadways will also be closed around Downtown Brooklyn during the coming week, according to the announcement dated Dec. 22, including the section of Hudson Ave. between DeKalb Ave. and Fulton St., and President and Douglass streets between 3rd & 4th avenues in Boerum Hill.

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TENSION IN PARK SLOPE OVER PROPOSED HIGHRISES

PARK SLOPE — HOUSING ADVOCATES AND AREA RESIDENTS ARE AT ODDS over a proposed plan to erect two 13-story apartment buildings on the site of a current low-lying industrial laundry on Prospect Avenue in Park Slope, reports NYS Focus; proponents claim an estimated 240 housing units, with 60 affordable, could be constructed if the City Council approves owner Arrow Linen’s request to lift height restrictions on its block, while detractors believe the complex would dwarf surrounding townhouses, damaging the area’s character, and cause disruption for nearby Park Slopers. Opposition group Arrow Action says they support affordable housing, but want it to be in buildings sized to match the area — a plan pro-development group Open New York members say this would generate far fewer opportunities for new residents to move to the neighborhood.

Local Assemblymember Robert Carroll told NYS Focus that he supported a compromise zoning amendment to allow for the construction of six- or seven-story buildings, calling the 13-story proposal “inappropriate” due to its size and the current owner “not… a good neighbor”: “It’s not my job as a representative to say, ‘How can you maximize your final end profits so that you can make $75 million, move to Florida, and play golf for the rest of your life?’”

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BIDEN EXPANDS PARDONS FOR SIMPLE MARIJUANA POSSESSION

NATIONWIDE — SAYING THAT CONVICTIONS UNDER FEDERAL LAW FOR SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing and educational opportunities, President Joe Biden on Friday granted “a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who … committed or were convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana, regardless of whether they have been charged with or prosecuted for these offenses on or before the date of this proclamation.”

The proclamation expands Biden’s 2022 partial pardon and applies to anyone convicted under federal and D.C. laws, but does not apply to people convicted of selling marijuana. Individual states have their own laws, many more liberal than federal rules.

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ATTORNEYS GENERAL URGE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPT.
TO EXPEDITE MIGRANTS’ WORK AUTHORIZATIONS

ALBANY AND NATIONWIDE — THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR NEWLY-ARRIVED IMMIGRANTS must be expedited, declares NY Attorney General Letitia James, who is a leading multi-state coalition of 19 counterparts across the U.S. They are urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expedite and expand access to work authorization for newly arrived immigrants, especially asylum-seekers and migrants. The coalition’s letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas commends the Department’s efforts in September to remove barriers to securing work authorization and requests additional action to protect new immigrants and facilitate their ability to secure stable jobs.

Current work authorization applications often require expensive fees or complex fee waiver requirements, preventing a large portion of immigrants from even applying for the permit. Backlogs in the approval of work authorization permits have led to months-long wait times for approval.

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U.S. CITIZEN HOSTAGE REPORTED DEAD IN GAZA

ISRAEL-PALESTINE — U.S. CITIZEN AND PREVIOUS NEW YORK RESIDENT GADI HAGGAI, taken hostage by Gaza Strip ruling organization Hamas during the group’s Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, was reported to be deceased by family members on Friday, according to the New York Post, and is the first American hostage to die in the crisis. Haggai, age 73, was kidnapped along with his wife, Goshen, N.Y.-born Judih Weinstein Haggai, in the early morning hours from Kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza-Israel border by gunmen; Weinstein Haggai is thought to be still held by Hamas members, as is Haggai’s body.

The current conflict in Gaza is the bloodiest outbreak of violence in the territory in decades and has so far resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and an estimated 20,000 Palestinians; the announcement of Haggai’s death comes after a Thursday rejection by Hamas of a proposed deal that would have seen 40 of the remaining 129 Israeli hostages released in exchange for a weeklong ceasefire.

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WEWORK WINS FIGHT TO KEEP CLIENTS PRIVATE

NATIONWIDE — EMBATTLED COMMUNAL OFFICE LANDLORD WEWORK has won a reprieve from a Department of Justice demand to reveal the names of its more than 600,000 customers, reports Crain’s New York Business; Globest reports that WeWork will be allowed to redact “certain confidential information of customers” as well as personally identifying information in its bankruptcy proceedings. The Brooklyn-founded company, at one point considered a star of the borough’s tech scene, is currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy after struggling to market its services during the pandemic; lawyers for WeWork argued in court earlier this month that publicizing its client list would allow rival landlords to poach customers away easily.

The move was supported by WeWork’s creditors, who reportedly include a group of 15 NYC property owners to whom the company owes a whopping $50 million in unpaid rent.

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MALFORMED FUEL PUMP PROMPTS
HONDA TO RECALL 2.5M VEHICLES

NATIONWIDE — A DIFFERENT TECHNICAL PROBLEM IN VEHICLES HAS LED TO HONDA MOTOR’S U.S. branch recalling more than 2.5 million vehicles, the Associated Press reported in a story updated Thursday evening, Dec. 21. Prompting the recall of certain Honda Civic and Accord models is a fuel pump defect that can increase risks of engine failure or cause the vehicle to stall while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has documented situations in which the fuel pump impeller installed in-2020 Acura and Honda vehicles was improperly molded, potentially leading to an inoperative fuel pump. In such cases, the car could fail to start, or the engine could stall, while in motion, leading to collisions and injuries.

Drivers can confirm if their specific vehicle is included in this recall using the NHTSA site and/or Honda and Acura’s recall lookup platforms. The models impacted are from the years 2018-2020, except for the Accord Hybrid, with four model years from 2017-2020.

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TOYOTA, LEXUS RECALLING VEHICLES
WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT DEFECT

NATIONWIDE — CAR MAKERS TOYOTA AND HONDA THIS WEEK BOTH ANNOUNCED RECALLS to certain model/year vehicles. Toyota is recalling a million vehicles because of a defect that potentially causes airbag deployment failure, the Associated Press reported. The affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles are from the model years 2020-2022, and include Toyota Avalons, Camrys, Highlanders, RAV4s, Siennas and Corollas, plus some hybrids of those models. Impacted Lexus models in the recall include the ES250 sedan and the RX350 SUV. The front passenger-seat airbags sensors are believed to have been improperly manufactured and could short-circuit and fail to calibrate according to occupant’s height and weight.

Toyota will notify customers by the middle of February 2024 if their cars are part of the recall. Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect the OCS sensors and replace them at no cost if deemed necessary.

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NYCLU SAYS HARSH RACISM ‘BAKED INTO’ NYC CHILDREN’S SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

CITYWIDE — THE CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION ON THURSDAY RELEASED AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT CALLS THE “alarming extent to which racism is baked into every part of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services system.” Recent data shows that Black and Brown families are subjected to harsher treatment, NYCLU says. Less than one-quarter of New York City’s population is Black, but more than 40% of family regulation cases are brought against Black parents, and more than half of children removed from their homes without a court order are Black.

“The data bear out what we have long-known — ACS treats Black families with more suspicion and less compassion at every juncture, dragging them deeper into the family regulation system and subjecting them more frequently to the cruelty and trauma of family separation,” said Jenna Lauter, policy counsel at the NYCLU.

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CHIP AHOY! MULCHFEST RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

CITYWIDE — ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS TO DO with your Christmas tree after the holiday is watching it turn into mulch right before your eyes. The NYC Parks Department has announced the dates of this season’s Mulchfest and various locations around the city where you can bring your tree — and take home a “tree-mento.” The city will chip your tree and give you a bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree.

To participate, look for a chipping site online.

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NYPD PATROL’S SUBWAY OVERTIME PAY
LEAPS TO $155M IN PAST YEAR

CITYWIDE — THE NYPD’S OVERTIME PAY FOR EXTRA OFFICERS IN THE SUBWAY SKYROCKETED IN THE PAST YEAR, FROM $4 MILLION IN 2022 TO $155 MILLION this year, reports Gothamist, based on figures from city records. The increased spending was part of Mayor Eric Adams’ and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign to reduce subway crime and to drive down the number of people sleeping in the transit system.

The NYPD attributes a two percent drop in “major” subway crime (murder, rape, robberies) to the increased police presence. The NYPD deemed a success of its program of ticketing fare evaders.

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NYC TEACHERS UNIONS SUE ADAMS OVER BUDGET CUTS

CITYWIDE — TEACHERS UNIONS FILED A LAWSUIT IN MANHATTAN COURT on Thursday aiming to stop Mayor Eric Adams from slashing the education department’s budget, Gothamist reports. The United Federation of Teachers, the AFL-CIO and a group of teachers say the cuts violate state law and would hurt the city’s students.

Adams’ proposal would eliminate $547 million of the department’s roughly $39 billion annual budget, eliminating preschool seats and reducing hours at the city’s free summer programs for some students.

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TWO FIREFIGHTERS INJURED IN GOWANUS MULTI-ALARM FIRE

GOWANUS — TWO FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED battling a multi-alarm fire that started in a multi-family home and spread to another in Gowanus, according to FDNY and WABC. The fire broke out Thursday shortly before 11 a.m. on 9th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The flames spread to a second building before the 140 responding firefighters got things under control.

The residents of several apartments escaped on their own without injury, but some residents had to be relocated, WABC reported.

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NY OFFERS GUIDANCE RESOURCES TO BANKS
ON POLICIES REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE

STATEWIDE — BANKS AND MORTGAGE INSTITUTIONS WILL RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON MANAGING THEIR MATERIAL FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL RISKS associated with climate change, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday. The NY State Department of Financial Services adopted guidance procedures, which are designed to support Institutions’ efforts to identify, measure, monitor and control their material climate-related financial and operational risks in a manner consistent with current risk management principles. The guidance addresses key components of prudent risk management, including corporate governance, internal control frameworks, risk management processes and data collection and analysis.

DFS has also published available resources to assist smaller organizations as they work to adopt measures that address their climate-related risk, and will host a webinar on Jan. 11, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. to provide an overview of the guidance.

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F TRAIN’S ELEVATED SECTION BEGINS
STRUCTURAL REHABILITATION

KENSINGTON TO CONEY ISLAND — THE ELEVATED CULVER (F) LINE IS UNDERGOING A STRUCTURAL REHABILITATION AS PART OF A PROJECT THAT INCLUDES STEEL REPAIRS, abrasive blasting, and overcoat paint, the MTA has announced through Brooklyn Community Board 11. Abrasive blasting began around Dec. 15 and work areas will be established in phases that proceed from north to south, in approximately 1000-foot sections, along the viaduct. Work on each section is expected to last about 4-6 weeks per section. Noise mitigation strategies will be in use in the abrasive blasting areas, and containment units will be installed along the viaduct for the safe removal of hazardous materials.

The Brooklyn elevated segment of the F train route proceeds along McDonald Avenue, with the Ditmas Avenue stop being the first above-ground station, heading southbound toward Coney Island. The southernmost terminal is the Stillwell Avenue hub in Coney Island.

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