What’s News, Breaking: Thursday, May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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GOLDMAN PUSHES FOR NEW SUPREME COURT ETHICAL OVERSIGHT OFFICES

WASHINGTON, D.C. — POINTING OUT THAT RECENT REPORTING about Justice Clarence Thomas and other justices shows that the Supreme Court is in “dire need of independent oversight to prevent ethical lapses,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D- NY10) said on Thursday that he is pushing for “robust funding” to create two oversight offices: an Office of Ethics Counsel and an Office of Investigative Counsel within the United States Supreme Court. The Office of Ethics Counsel would provide guidance for Supreme Court justices to prevent unethical practices and improve the legitimacy of the court, while the Office of Investigative Counsel would be tasked with investigating unethical actions by justices that would make potential malfeasance more identifiable, and enable Congress to craft effective regulatory guardrails, Goldman said in his newsletter.

For decades, Thomas has been treated to luxury vacations, tuition payments and dodgy real estate deals by billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow, ProPublica (followed by numerous other news outlets) reported. Samuel Alito raked in similar benefits from billionaire GOP donor Paul Singer, according to the reports.

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2025 BUDGET SENDS ADDITIONAL $7.4M TO BROOKLYN’S SUNY DOWNSTATE

EAST FLATBUSH — THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK BOARD announced on Thursday an additional allocation of $114 million in state tax support money to SUNY colleges statewide in the FY2025 Enacted New York State budget. In Brooklyn, SUNY has allocated $3.1 million to financially troubled SUNY Downstate in East Flatbush for non-medical center-related expenses, a 5.6% increase over the last year, and $4.3 million to SUNY Downstate for medical center-related expenses.

Other NYC SUNY schools will also be getting increased funds: $1 million is allocated to SUNY College of Optometry, a 9% increase over the last year, and $777,000 to SUNY Maritime, an 8.6% increase over the last year.

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NYC ‘GHOST PLATE’ OPERATION SEIZES ALMOST 200 VEHICLES

CITYWIDE — NO MORE FREE RIDES: Law enforcement officers from eight agencies stationed at seven NYC bridges and tunnels seized 193 vehicles, made 56 arrests and issued 1,381 summonses in a recent takedown of vehicles with obscured or altered license plates, known as “ghost plates,” MTA said Thursday. The two-day operation netted a variety of vehicles including a Mercedes, a Lucid, a Lexus, multiple motorcycles and scooters and an extra-large pick-up truck. A Bentley was also pulled over and cited for an obstructed license plate. Lawbreaking drivers alter their plates in order to evade tolls enforced by automatic plate readers.

The scofflaws caught in this operation had amassed more than $1,228,000 in unpaid tolls and fees, judgments and debts, according to MTA.

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GUILTY PLEA ENTERED IN RUSSIAN WAR SCHEME
THAT INVOLVED A BROOKLYN COMPANY

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A MAN ASSISTING RUSSIA in its war against Ukraine, and using a Brooklyn company to do so, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and fraud in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Tuesday, with United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis presiding. Nikolay Grigorev pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States for his role in an illicit export control scheme to ship electronic components from the United States to companies affiliated with the Russian military. The indictment against him alleges that a Brooklyn company, Quality Life Cue LLC (“QLC”), facilitated the scheme. QLC was registered and controlled by Grigorev and Artem Oloviannikov, with co-defendant Nikita Arkhipov utilizing a QLC email account from Russia. He received over $250,000 from a sanctioned Russian entity to purchase and export electronic components. Through QLC, the defendants procured dual-use electronic components for entities in Russia involved in the development and manufacture of drones for the Russian war effort in Ukraine, the most notable of which is SMT-iLogic, a Russia-based technology company.

When sentenced, Grigorev faces up to five years in prison. Co-defendants Nikita Arkhipov and Artem Oloviannikov remain at large.

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BBB RECEIVES CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT
THREATS FROM LOGO DESIGN FIRM

CITYWIDE — THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU is warning customers of a graphic design agency that has threatened some of its clientele over purchased logo designs. Dozens of Vista Logos customers have complained to the business and consumer watchdog agency claiming that the firm — whose offices are supposedly in Manhattan — berates and threatens them after a logo design is purchased. Vista Logos offers “custom logo design in just 24 hours” and its website users are swiftly offered deeply discounted rates for services. These clients have alleged that months and even years after their purchase, Vista Logos threatens legal action and additional fees for their customers to continue using the logos they previously purchased for a specific fee, in good faith. Clients have further alleged they were told by Vista Logos that there was a one-time fee for a “lifetime trademark” for the use of the design, with no mention of needing to renew intellectual property rights down the line, and in some cases that Vista Logos has threatened them with fines of anywhere between $75,000 and $150,000, and federal lawsuits over intellectual property infringement.

As of this date, Vista Logos has an F rating with BBB due to the company’s failure to resolve 35 complaints filed against the business, as well as other factors.

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ART EXHIBIT EVENT CELEBRATES BIRTH AND MOTHERHOOD

BOROUGH PARK — MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER on Thursday evening, May 2 will hold its long-anticipated Gala Exhibit of the Maimonides Women’s Institute OB/GYN Photo Art Competition, showcasing images captured and voted upon by their OB/GYN team. The artwork will be displayed on the walls of the hospital’s OB/GYN Triage, Labor and Delivery, and Mother-Baby Units.

The images portray themes of strength, peace, and resilience, reflecting the joys, challenges, and diverse and sometimes complicated journeys that women and birthing people navigate.

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CRAIN’S RECOGNIZES MAIMONIDES PEDIATRICIAN
FOR ROLE IN PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ABUSE

BOROUGH PARK — A PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST AT MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER has been named as one of Crain’s New York Business 2024 Women of Influence, in the category of Rising Stars. Crain’s is recognizing Dr. Ingrid Walker-Descartes, medical director for Child Maltreatment Services and vice chair of education in the Department of Pediatrics, Maimonides Children’s Hospital, for her contributions to healthcare, focus on advocating for vulnerable populations, and role as a leader in educating the next generation of pediatricians at Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and pediatric trauma center. Dr. Walker-Descartes has been crucial to the development of Maimonides’ comprehensive child abuse services, including the Child Abuse Fellowship, the first of its kind in New York state. She also leads Maimonides’ CALM (Child Advocacy-Like Model) Program, a team of multidisciplinary pediatric professionals committed to best outcomes for child welfare-involved children and the efforts required for the prevention of trauma.

Dr. Walker-Descartes serves as co-chair of the American Association of Pediatrics Chapter 2 Committee on the Prevention of Family Violence and as Chief Medical Officer for JCCA of New York. She is also a member of several other local and national professional organizations dedicated to child welfare.

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GOVERNOR OUTLINES NY’S PRENATAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

ALBANY — NEW YORK STATE IS THE FIRST IN THE NATION to enact a stand-alone prenatal leave policy as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Enacted Budget, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday, May 2, as part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs through May 5. Gov. Hochul highlighted part of her broader plan to improve maternal and infant mortality. She established statewide Medicaid coverage for doulas ($250,000 through a state grant), especially in historically vulnerable areas, created the state’s first doula directory to assist pregnant New Yorkers seeking support, and has taken steps to eliminate cost-sharing for certain pregnancy-related benefits for those enrolled in the state’s Essential Plan or Qualified Health Plans. She also secured $1.6 million for the 2025 Fiscal Year budget for maternal mental health initiatives

The State Office of Mental Health is also expanding Project TEACH so that a wider range of front-line practitioners – including therapists, lactation consultants, WIC staff, home-visiting nurses, and others – can provide mental health support to pregnant and postpartum New Yorkers.

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THREE MORE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC ACADEMIES
WILL CLOSE, CITING BLEAK ENROLLMENT, FINANCES

EAST NEW YORK AND FLATBUSH — THREE CATHOLIC ACADEMIES in the Diocese of Brooklyn will close permanently at the end of the current school year, the diocesan Office of the Superintendent – Catholic School Support Services announced on Thursday, May 2. St. Catherine of Genoa ~ St. Therese of Lisieux in Flatbush, Salve Regina Catholic Academy in East New York — both in Brooklyn — and St. Matthias Catholic Academy — in Ridgewood, Queens — will not reopen in September. “The difficult decisions to close these schools were reached after a thorough review of the pattern of student enrollment and the financial condition of each academy,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, Superintendent of Schools; the diocese pointed out that these factors were monitored over the past five years. The Diocesan Schools Office has created an informational website on upcoming open houses at neighboring schools, smooth transfers and Futures in Education scholarship assistance.

News of this impending closure comes three months after Visitation Academy, a highly-regarded girls’ elementary school in Bay Ridge, announced that it would not reopen after the 2023-24 school year.

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‘STAR WARS’ HERO BOBA FETT WILL VISIT
PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AT MAIMONIDES

BOROUGH PARK — YOUNG PATIENTS AT MAIMONIDES CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL will be treated to a visit from Boba Fett, wishing them “May the Force Be with You,” during Star Wars Day, being observed nationwide this weekend. Pediatric patients will get Star Wars-themed gowns from Starlight, to bring them some joy, and make them feel powerful and ready to defeat the dark side, including the challenges of spending time in a hospital. Making Boba Fett’s visit possible is Dr. Alex Arroyo, Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise that filmmaker George Lucas helped build.

Because May 4 falls on the Jewish Sabbath, Maimonides Children’s Hospital is holding Star Wars Day midday on Friday.

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CITY HOSPITALS’ ART COLLECTION NOW VIEWABLE
THROUGH BLOOMBERG CONNECTS APP

CITYWIDE — NEARLY 850 WORKS OF ART IN NYC Health + Hospitals’ collection is now available to view worldwide on the free Bloomberg Connects app, the city’s public hospital system announced on Thursday, May 2. NYC Health + Hospitals is the first healthcare organization on Bloomberg Connects, which features more than 350 cultural organizations, including many of the world’s major museums. The art collection aims to create a calming atmosphere for patients and their families and supportive, healing places for staff. The NYC Health + Hospitals guide includes artwork by nearly 400 artists and can be accessed by searching the artist’s last name, the location of the art, or a featured story. Moreover, the artwork in NYC Health + Hospitals’ collection provides informational wall text and a QR code leading to additional material on Bloomberg Connects.

The NYC Health + Hospitals Art Collection dates back to the 1930s when the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project hired artists to create works for government buildings.

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SECOND WHISTLEBLOWER IN BOEING 737 MAX CASE
DIES SUDDENLY

NATIONWIDE — A SECOND WHISTLEBLOWER in cases involving construction defects of the Boeing 737 Max has died, according to the Seattle Times, which broke the story and other news sources, including Time Magazine and Al Jazeera. Joshua Dean, a former Spirit AeroSystems employee who alleged that he was fired in retaliation for calling out lax standards at Spirit Aerosystems’ plant in Wichita, Kansas died on Tuesday, April 30, after a sudden illness that was attributed to an MSRA (antibiotic resistant) infection. Dean, who was 45 years old and had maintained a healthy lifestyle, died less than two months after Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, whose own death was attributed to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dean first brought attention to improperly drilled bulkhead holes on some 737 Max planes at Spirit’s Wichita plant in Wichita in October 2022. Then, in January 2024, a plug door on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight, raising exposure to the suppliers’ manufacturing quality control issues.

The FAA’s audit on Boeing and Spirit earlier this year determined that both companies failed to comply with safety and quality control requirements.

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WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE MARKS 10 YEARS
OF BROOKLYN-BASED PHILANTHROPY

BOROUGHWIDE — SEVERAL BROOKLYN ORGANIZATIONS will be receiving grants this year, thanks to Allinbklyn, a women-led giving circle that is celebrating a decade of grantmaking this year. Brooklyn resident Eliza Winans Rossman established AllinBklyn in 2014, bringing her own experience in philanthropy to fill a local void. Allinbklyn functions as a giving circle, whereby a group pools individual donations — as well as ideas and research — to make a much larger impact. Recently Allinbklyn announced its 2024 cohort: The Brave House, CHiPS, Documented NY, Emma’s Torch, Meals for Good, and Ruth’s Refuge, which will each receive three years of funding. Moreover, the 2022 and 2023 cohorts, each receiving $13,000 this year, are AMPHS (now RaisingHealth Partners), BCS Fatherhood Program, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, The Family Center’s Leekong Institute, FlatbushTenants Association, Mixteca, People in Need, Power of Two, Read718, Red Hook Initiative, St. John’s Bread & Life, and Thompson Drive. Brooklyn Org. New and continuing Allinblyn grantees will be celebrated over breakfast on May 7th.

There are over 4,000 giving circles in the U.S., with women-led giving circles becoming one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy.

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LOCAL VIGILANCE POINTS TO VIOLATED STOP-WORK ORDER ON CONTROVERSIAL SHELTER

GRAVESEND — RESIDENTS’ VIGILANCE is being credited with halting construction work on a controversial men’s homeless shelter at 86th St. and 25th Ave. The community has overwhelmingly opposed the shelter and submitted a 52,000-signature petition to the city urging that the project be permanently halted. Assemblymember William Colton and City Councilmember Susan Zhuang, who represent the area, pointed out a violated Stop Work Order that the borough commissioner had issued on Thursday, April 25. Locals then noticed that the notice had been torn down, and alerted the lawmakers’ district offices. Inspectors returning to the site on April 27 found the Stop Work Notice torn down and workers inside the premises, for which they did not have a legal permit. The stop- work order was reposted and a new violation was issued for work without a permit and work being done outside permitted hours.

The developer is Tejpal Sandhu of 86th Street NY LLC, who has filed papers with the city’s Department of Buildings to construct a 32-room hotel with a community facility attached.

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BROOKLYN MAN INDICTED FOR ATTACKING WOMAN, BREAKING JAW & KNOCKING OUT TEETH

DOWNTOWN — A CROWN HEIGHTS MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY PUNCHED a 57-year-old woman in the face with no provocation — breaking her jaw and knocking out multiple teeth — has been indicted for felony assault and related charges, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Wednesday. Franz Jeudy, 33, was arraigned Wednesday before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew Sciarrino for the attack on the school bus driver, who was walking home from work on Grand Avenue near Atlantic Avenue when Jeudy allegedly punched her in the face for no reason. The victim’s brother, who works nearby, chased Jeudy down and held him until police arrived.

Initially charged as a misdemeanor assault, the charges were upgraded to a felony. The DA’s Office requested $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond; Jeudy, however, remains on supervised release, a program through which a community nonprofit provides supervision and support for individuals with pending cases.

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ADAMS, NYPD SAY OUTSIDE AGITATORS INFLAMED COLUMBIA PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTEST

CITYWIDE — MAYOR ERIC ADAMS AND TOP NYPD OFFICIALS stressed to reporters on Wednesday that professional agitators played a role in “radicalizing” Columbia University students who recently took over a campus building as part of a pro-Palestinian protest. The university acknowledged “that outside agitators were on their grounds training and really co-opting this movement,” Adams said. Officials pointed to “black block” clothing, a violent change in tactics and the presence of a habitual activist as an indication that professionals were involved. At Columbia’s request, police in riot gear, utilizing drones and heavy equipment, raided Hamilton Hall late Tuesday and arrested hundreds; protesters were arrested at City College as well.

While police could not give exact figures regarding the number of agitators vs the number of actual students involved in the protest, Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, Intelligence and Counterterrorism, told reporters, “There are a number of different individuals who we know from over the years associated with protests, not just in our city, but in other cities as well.”

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HOCHUL IN NYC TO TOUT NEW RETAIL THEFT LAWS

CITYWIDE — GOV. KATHY HOCHUL VISITED NEW YORK CITY on Wednesday to celebrate new protections against organized retail theft that were signed into law with the FY25 State Budget. City businesses, including many across Brooklyn, have complained for several years about the increase in systemic, organized theft that has led to popular products being locked in cases on store shelves. The new protections include increased criminal penalties for anyone who assaults a retail worker; allowing prosecutors to combine the value of stolen goods when they file charges; making it illegal to transfer stolen goods to third-party sellers; and providing more dedicated funds to law enforcement. The law also includes a $5 million tax credit to help small-business owners invest in security measures.

Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez praised the measures, saying retail theft has long been a priority for his office. “This new funding will allow us to build on successful anti-theft programs, including our trespass affidavit program to stop repeat offenders, and invest in other solutions.”

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HOCHUL NOMINATES FORMER BKLYN ASSEMBLYMEMBER WALTER MOSLEY AS NYS SECRETARY OF STATE

ALBANY — GOV. KATHY HOCHUL ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY her nomination of former Brooklyn Assemblymember Walter T. Mosley to serve as New York’s 69th Secretary of State. Mosley served in the NYS Assembly from 2013 to 2020, representing communities including Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights and parts of Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. “The Department of State plays a critical role implementing a broad array of government services, from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative to the Office for New Americans,” Hochul said in a release that lauded Mosley’s public service and years of experience. The appointment needs to be confirmed by the state Senate.

Mosley’s nomination was praised by numerous officials, including A.G. Letitia James, Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez, NAACP New York State Conference President Dr. Hazel Dukes, CUNY Chair and former Brooklyn Councilmember Dr. Una Clarke, Brooklyn Hospital Center Senior V.P. Lenny Singletary, Crown Heights Jewish Community Council Executive Director Rabbi Eli Cohen, and other religious and community leaders.

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GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF NEW ANTI-FENTANYL LAW

WASHINGTON — SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND ON WEDNESDAY HAILED the passage of the new Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, which will grant the government greater powers to target the producers and traffickers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. According to a press release from the senator, the majority of illegal fentanyl entering the United States is made with Chinese chemicals and manufactured in Mexico. The bill will declare fentanyl trafficking to be a national emergency and allow for enhanced sanctions against cartels and their members; it also allows for the use of sanctioned property to further law enforcement efforts and gives the Treasury Department tools to combat fentanyl-related money laundering.

Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin, according to the senator’s office. The drug’s potency has made it an increasingly popular substitute for other opioids in recent years — but that potency is also responsible for a significantly higher risk of death, since its presence cannot be detected prior to its use.

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FCC, BROOKLYN CONGRESSMEMBER URGE FUNDING RENEWAL FOR AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM

NATIONWIDE — FOLLOWING A WARNING FROM FCC CHAIR Jessica Rosenworcel about the need to renew critical funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, the bill’s sponsor, Brooklyn Congressmember Yvette D. Clarke (D-09) urged her congressional colleagues to advance this legislation. The FCC’s Rosenworcel warned that unless Congress provides renewed funding before the end of May, the monies for this program, which helps lower-income and rural households afford the Internet, will be officially exhausted, and participating households will lose their ACP benefit. New York is among the top states with the highest participation rates among eligible households.

The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, which has more than 400 corporate and union supporters, including Verizon, T-Mobile, the American Civil Liberties Union and AARP, has not advanced from the committee since January.

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UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DELEGATES REPEAL BAN ON LGBTQ CLERGY

NATIONWIDE — DELEGATES TO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH’S General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday morning, May 1, to repeal their denomination’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy. The delegates, who voted 692-51 on repealing the ban, also approved a measure to forbid district superintendents from penalizing clergy performing a same-sex wedding or penalizing churches for hosting one. The new measure also prohibits the superintendents from forcing members of the clergy or churches to participate in same-sex weddings if the local congregations or pastors cannot do so in good conscience. The overwhelming vote contrasts sharply with the decades of controversy around the issue, in which delegates affirmed the ban. However, conservatives who had previously upheld the ban have left the denomination in recent years.

According to the UMC/New York Conference website, Brooklyn has about 28 United Methodist Church congregations, many publicly identifying as LGBTQ-welcoming. Other congregations omit mention of LGBT ministries.

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LAWSUIT CLAIMS NCAA LIMITS STUDENT ATHLETES’ OPTIONS IN CHOOSING COLLEGE TEAMS

NATIONWIDE — NY ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES is suing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for imposing unfair restrictions on student athletes’ careers. Attorney General James on May 1 joined a bipartisan multistate coalition in a lawsuit to challenge the NCAA’s restrictions on prospective student athletes’ ability to earn money and benefit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). The lawsuit alleges that the rule prevents student-athletes from reviewing NIL compensation offers before enrolling in a school, restricting students from fully understanding the options available before deciding on schools. The suit also alleges that the NCAA’s rule reduces competition among universities and limits student athletes’ earnings and ability to choose a college that meets their athletic and career goals.

NIL opportunities are offered to student-athletes through collectives affiliated with universities, which include video game deals, social media promotions, merchandise, autograph sales or licensing of their name and images, all of which bring potential income for student-athletes.

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PROLIFIC NOVELIST PAUL AUSTER, 77 DIES, REVERED IN BROOKLYN AND EUROPE

PARK SLOPE — BROOKLYN AND THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY FRANCE, are mourning the death of novelist and screenwriter Paul Auster, who died Tuesday night, reports The New York Times’ obituary writer Alex Williams. Auster, 77, had adopted Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood in 1980 and became a borough icon. His first novel, “City of Glass,” was for him a testament to tenacity; after being rejected by 17 publishers, it became a hit and eventually part of Auster’s celebrated work, “The New York Trilogy.” Among his dozens of other praised works were “Moon Palace” and “The Book of Illusions.” His novel, “4321,” which examined four parallel versions of his protagonist, was a nominee for Britain’s Man Booker Prize. Auster also wrote the screenplay for the quintessentially Brooklyn film “Smoke,” starring Harvey Keitel and William Hurt, with the borough as its setting. Successful here in New York, Auster was particularly beloved in France. He received the Grand Vermeil medal from Paris’ Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, during a 2010 ceremony.

Auster preferred writing with a fountain pen, telling The Paris Review in 2003, “A pen is a much more primitive instrument. You feel that the words are coming out of your body, and then you dig the words into the page. Writing has always had that tactile quality for me.”

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ADAMS SIGNS LEGISLATION PROTECTING MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND PARAMEDICS

CITYWIDE — MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SIGNED TWO pieces of legislation on Wednesday to protect FDNY emergency medical technicians and paramedics. One bill provides body armor to all EMS employees who provide emergency medical services. Another bill provides de-escalation and self-defense training to Fire Department employees providing these services.

“Every day our EMS brothers and sisters are on the front lines,” Adams said. “They are the ones providing emergency medical care to New Yorkers, often unsure of what is going to take place when they walk through the doors.”