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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A follow-up report on Rikers Island said the prison complex can be closed before the 10-year timeline Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last year with a few additional amendments to the plan.

Last year the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform released the report, “A More Just New York City,” which outlines a plan to close down the infamous prison within 10 years that was adopted by the mayor. In an updated report, “One Year Forward,” the commission said thanks to changes in policy since its last report, the jail population has dropped by nearly 10 percent, showing that the goal can be accomplished even sooner than originally thought. The commission said with state approval of designs, Rikers can close as soon as 2024.

Former New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, who is chairman of the Independent Commission, said although there have been significant improvements in the last year, that is no reason to be complacent.

“Despite this progress, there is still much work to be done,” he said. “The people affected by our criminal justice system are overwhelmingly black and Latino, and the nine deteriorating and dysfunctional jails on Rikers remain a stain on our city, leaving a permanent mark on everyone they touch. That’s why it’s imperative that we not rest on our laurels, but build on this momentum for closure. By the time the mayor and the City Council speaker leave office, progress should be irreversible.”

The commission, which called the jails on Rikers “brutal and obsolete,” said that to complete a more humane borough system by 2024, the city must continue to cut the number of people in jail and make significant strides in the construction of smaller, modern facilities in the five boroughs. According to the commission, by the end of de Blasio’s second term, construction on at least two sites should be well underway, with design and possibly construction in progress in the others.

The report said transitioning to a borough-based jail system promotes safety, successful re-entry into society, and better access to courts and family members. The report also claims that with design-build authorization from the state government and continued focus from city government, the commission projects that a modern, borough-based system could be constructed in six years. This new timeline would lead to $700 million in cost savings compared to the initial projections, which was an upfront cost of $10.62 billion.

The commission said Albany needs to step up and pass legislation on a state level to limit the use of cash bail. Bail reform legislation that would have limited the use of cash bail was not included in the 2019 state budget, or reforms in the areas of discovery, speedy trial, and parole, the report said. The commission noted that if Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Legislature can enact these reforms by the end of session, it could have a meaningful impact on improving criminal justice and accelerating the time line for closing Rikers.

The report also recommended community engagement in the design process for the borough-based facilities and redesigning the infrastructure on Rikers Island to be potentially used for expansion of LaGuardia Airport. It also suggested interim uses as the jails are phased out, such as developing the solar, energy storage, and composting facilities that are necessary for the city to meet its ambitious clean energy and zero waste goals.

Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest), who serves as chairman of the Committee on the Justice System, said this plan can work, but only if de Blasio commits to expanding supervised release, improving the mechanics of paying bail, and investing in the criminal justice reforms proposed by both public defenders and district attorneys.

“As the report spells out, too many people are needlessly run through our court system, predominantly brown and black New Yorkers; too many people are stuck on Rikers, solely because they are too poor to pay bail or cannot pay bail in a timely manner; and too many people are left waiting to have their day in Court,” he said.

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Long Island Rail Road President Patrick Nowakowski announced Thursday he will be stepping down on April 13, just weeks after a state report claimed commuter service was at its lowest performance rate in nearly two decades.

Nowakowski served as LIRR president for about four years.

But while he has decided to step aside to allow for new leadership, other MTA officials recognized his leadership during the “Summer of Hell” when rail infrastructure in Penn Station shut down 20 percent of the transit hub’s capacity.

“I took a few days off to think about things,” Nowakoski said April 12. “I’m pleased with the direction the railroad is headed under the Performance Improvement Plan, and I decided that now was a good time to step aside and allow new leadership to continue the progress we’ve begun to make on improving customer service.”

The MTA said engineer and former Chief Operating Officer for the state agency Phillip Eng will take over as LIRR president.

A report by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli claims the Long Island Rail Road had the worst on-time performance in nearly two decades in 2017.

With up to 9.2 million riders inconvenienced, the regional economy sustained about a $75 million loss in productivity throughout the year, with an on-time performance of 91.4 percent, which has not been seen since 1999, according to DiNapoli.

“I thank Pat for his service to LIRR customers and his steady and evenhanded leadership of the railroad at a time when external events caused challenges for the railroad, particularly Amtrak’s renewal of tracks and infrastructure at Penn Station that the entire LIRR depends on,” MTA Chair Joseph Lhota said.

Although 2017 was the saw the worst performance in 18 years, January 2018 was the worst month for the LIRR in 22 years. Blizzards and exceedingly cold temperatures shrunk the already suffering on-time performance down to 83.9 percent.

February was a better month for the LIRR with a performance rate of 93 percent, but that number was still below the agency’s goal of 94 percent.

The transit agency was well prepared for the “Summer of Hell” and the biggest setbacks came during the autumn and winter months when leaves on the tracks caused skidding and additional wear on train wheels which required service, according to LIRR board members at a January meeting.

Up to 210 train cars had to be removed from service in early December because wheels flattened out from leaf residue with cold, dewy conditions, causing the trains to skid as the brakes were applied. A secondary examination revealed that 157 additional cars needed repairs for flat wheels, Nowakowski said in January.

Trains were taken out of service so wheels be rounded out on a lathe.

“We suffered a tremendous number of train cancellations over a several-week period,” Nowakowski said at the January meeting. “We operated with a number of trains short of cars, which caused severe crowding on the trains that were able to run.”

DiNapoli’s report also reproached LIRR leadership for blaming customers for increased dwell time at stations with overcrowding due to special events and shorter platforms, meaning customers held the train while they walked through cars that met the platform.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) held a town hall at East Elmhurst Community Library Saturday where community members raised their concerns about gun reform in Congress.

Following the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla, the national gun debate has been at the forefront. Seventeen people — 14 teenagers and three adults — were killed and 17 more were wounded during the shooting by a former student. Surviving students took to social media and challenged lawmakers on gun reform, eventually organizing the March 24 rally “March for our Lives” in support of stricter gun control in Washington, D.C., as well as sister rallies in major cities across the country.

About 50 attendees at the 95-06 Astoria Blvd. library event discussed mental health, annual inspections and access to guns, among other topics.

One attendee said she was frustrated with the focus on mental health, which she called a popular way to divert attention from the real issue of there being too many guns available.

“Mental health is so far from being understood,” she told Crowley. “If we deflect our interest from trying to stop the sale of dangerous assault weapons to this psychological issue, we’re going to just going to get boggled down.”

Crowley agreed, but said better understanding of mental health issues is necessary in general. He said that in the meantime, the only safe way to prevent people with mental health problems from getting their hands on guns is by making it harder for everyone to get one.

“When we look at these shootings we look at motive, what drives someone to do something, ” he said. “Is it criminal intent to rob someone as opposed to someone who walks in randomly to shoot everyone in front of them because of angst? We don’t know what is driving that. What I’m suggesting is putting that aside and reducing access to weapons to everyone, which reduces the ability of someone who has that cognitive problem to also not get a weapon to do what they want to do.”

Another attendee suggested that the gun control issue could be moved along if there were annual inspections.

“If you do have a gun nut who has some weird plan, he is not going to bring his gun to an annual inspection,” he said. “If you have to bring your car to an annual inspection, you should be able to bring your gun to be inspected, too.”

He also suggested a law that encourages whistleblowing without fear of retaliation.

“There is a problem where sometimes if people see something, people don’t say something, whether it’s because someone is afraid of getting fired or getting sued,” he said. “So I think we have to have reform on that so people aren’t afraid.”

Crowley said that he made some provocative but reasonable points.

“There needs to be a way in terms of the right of individuals,” Crowley said. “Whistleblower laws or Good Samaritan laws, there is a balance we have to find. There has to be appropriate chains that people can work through in place of employment where things will be kept confidential.”

Crowley said that he believes the broader gun issue is about easy access. He mentioned U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D), who represents the south side of Chicago. She has been vocal about the high rate of gun violence that affects mostly blacks and Latinos in her state and other urban areas. Crowley said one thing that frustrates him is that certain kinds of gun violence seem to be ignored, but he said it’s all part of the access issue, particularly in cases involving handguns.

Crowley said New York City has the same problem with gun violence, though not at the same rate as Chicago, and people need to understand mass shootings are not the only kind of gun violence that hurts Americans.

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Amazon Prime original series “The Tick” joined other hit TV shows by choosing Bell Boulevard as the scene for a filming destination.

With the show entering its second season, signs went up on the west side of the road in front of the LIRR station in Bayside reserving parking for the shoot, which took place on Tuesday morning.

“The Tick” stars Peter Serafinowicz (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) as the title character and Griffin Newman (“Search Party”) as Arthur, an accountant with mental health issues who is harboring the suspicion his city is owned by a super-villain, The Terror, who has long been thought dead and joins forces with The Tick to take on the threat.

“I am so excited that Amazon wants to continue this wildly fruitful collaboration and that this amazing cast gets to stay together, and that we get to build this mythos further, wider, deeper, and taller,” Ben Edlund, the series creator and executive producer, said. “We got a good ball of mud spinning with the right tilt of axis. I’m very happy we have this opportunity to keep peopling it.”

Edlund is famous for the creation of the cult-classic show, “Firefly,” about a cohort of space cowboys fighting the law in their travels through the galaxy in the distant future.

“The Tick” sticks to Edlund’s fantasy trend by creating a world in which superheroes are an everyday reality.

“Ben has created a resounding hit while Peter and Griffin have brought Tick and Arthur to indelible life,” said Sharon Yguado, head of Scripted Series at Amazon Studios. “We can’t wait to bring fans more of the Tick universe soon.”

Filmmaker Paul Schrader used Bayside for scenes in his film “First Reformed,” starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried about an ex-military chaplain suffering from guilt over the death of his son, whom he pressured into joining the armed services. Filmed in 2017, Hawke’s character then forms a relationship with a worshiper at the church, played by Seyfried, and her husband who engage in a nefarious activity shared by many of the parishioners at the church.

Schrader is also known for his work as a writer on “Raging Bull” and Taxi Driver” with Robert Di Niro.

Bayside has also become a favorite for producers of the FX original series, “The Americans,” starring Keri Russel and Matthew Rhys as Russian KGB spies in 1980s American suburbia.

The Emmy nominated show has filmed in various locations around Bayside, including the Milk Farm on Bell Boulevard and the Bayside LIRR station.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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By Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

If you happen to be a total sap and a hopeless romantic, you’re probably thinking, “Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, it doesn’t mean it can’t be Valentine’s Day every day!”

The truth is, Cupid never takes a break.

So, if you’re in the mood for love, why not show your romantic side and bring that special someone to Queens Theatre Saturday, as you celebrate spring Queens-style?

Get swept off your feet, forget your troubles and escape reality with “Broadway Valentine,” a magical concert-style revue produced and hosted by Stephen DeAngelis, and created exclusively for Queens Theatre.

Hum or sing along with a stellar cast, which includes three real-life couples who are Broadway actors, as they perform some of Broadway’s most memorable love songs, peppered with humorous and heartfelt personal stories, and followed by a lively question and answer session with the audience. After a water main break forced its cancellation in March, the show was been rescheduled for April 14 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are still available to see the talented Broadway couples, including: Tony Award-nominee Erin Dilly (“A Christmas Story,” “Into the Woods,” “Follies”) and Stephen Buntrock (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables”); Zachary Prince (“Honeymoon in Vegas,” “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever,” “Baby It’s You!”) and two-time Tony and Drama Desk nominee Brandon Uranowitz (“Falsettos,” “An American in Paris,” “Prince of Broadway”); Alysha Umphress (“On the Town,” “American Idiot,” “Bring It On”) and Cody Williams (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “On the Town,” “Cinderella”).

Brooklynites Uranowitz and Prince, who have been together for seven years, are replacing original cast members Kyle Dean Massey and Taylor Frey after Massey was offered a Broadway role and had to drop out for rehearsals. Uranowitz and Prince met doing the Broadway show “Baby It’s You!,” and said they’re both looking forward to singing selections from shows and roles they’ve done on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in cabarets in the city.

“We get to perform together so rarely that any opportunity is always a joy,” said Prince, who co-parents two goldendoodle dogs — Bessie and Winnie — with his partner. “It’s very special to get to connect with the person you love most, doing what you both love and sharing that with an audience. We are excited to perform at the Queens Theatre because Queens is such an integral part of the city, with so many of our best Broadway performers living there, and the theater is an institution that has provided arts and entertainment to the community for decades. We are thrilled to collaborate with them and bring some more attention to the important work they do there.”

According to both actors, working with the other Broadway couples “has been a dream.”

“Alysha and Cody are two of our dearest friends, so it’s always a pleasure to perform with them,” Prince said. “They’re immensely respected in the industry, not to mention a total hoot.”

And talking about friends, it turns out that Prince and his partner have many actor friends living here in Queens.

Both performers agree that “Stephen (DeAngelis) put together the perfect group!” and that the Broadway Valentine concerts will be just as fun for the audience as they are for them.

Tickets are still available for $20 and can be purchased by visiting queenstheatre.org or by calling (718) 760-0064.

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By Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

The new-look Mets may be here to stay.

The team has thrived under first-year manager Mickey Callaway, opening the season with a 9-1 record through the season’s first 10 games. But is their hot start for real? Can they keep it up?

Let’s take a closer look and see if New York can stay atop the National League East.

The Mets took two of three from the St. Louis Cardinals to start the year before winning five straight games against NL East opponents, including a three-game sweep on the road against the Washington Nationals. The team has used a nice blend of strong pitching and timely hitting to get off to such a fast start. There’s reason to believe the club could be even better.

Opening Day starter Noah Syndergaard is currently ranked second-to-last on the team with a 3.94 ERA through 16 innings in three starts. Yes, he has struck out 22 batters in those two innings, but he’s already allowed two home runs and opponents are batting .242 against the flame-throwing righty. Syndergaard has not been at his best, yet the Mets managed to all three of his starts, which bodes well for the team moving forward.

While Syndergaard has struggled, Jacob deGrom has more than picked up the slack. The 29-year-old righty has won two of his three starts, pitching to a 3.06 ERA in 17.2 innings to start the year. Matt Harvey (3.60 ERA) and Steven Matz (3.00 ERA) have also shown promise thus far.

The Mets’ bullpen has already emerged as a weapon. The combination of Jerry Blevins, Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo and A.J. Ramos have been dominant to start the season. The fearsome foursome has yet to allow a run, surrendering just seven hits and 12 walks, while striking out 22 batters in 21 innings.

The rest of the Mets’ pitching staff — both the starters and relievers — has been terrific, as everyone but Syndergaard and Jacob Rhame has an ERA of 3.86 or better through the season’s first 10 games.

Not to be outdone, the Mets’ offense has also proven to be a force to be reckoned with to start the season. Yoenis Cespedes leads the club with three home runs and 10 RBI, while Jay Bruce, Travis d’Arnaud and Adrian Gonzalez have each gone deep once. Asdrubal Cabrera has also homered three times.

Michael Conforto, who just returned from a shoulder injury that dates back to last season, has also slugged a home run and boasts a .476 on-base percentage through his first five games back in action.

Brandon Nimmo (.333/.600/.444) and Juan Lagares (.412/.421/.412) have formed an extraordinary platoon thus far, though Nimmo was recently sent down to Triple-A after Conforto’s return.

All of these numbers — for both pitchers and hitters — are to be taken with a grain of salt. It has, after all, only been 10 games and it’s impossible to keep up this pace for the duration of the season. But the Mets are trending in the right direction, using a solid rotation, reliable bullpen and deep lineup to outplay their opponents and climb to the top of the National League East.

Reach reporter Zach Gewelb by e-mail at zgewelb@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4539.

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