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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A new bill will make it illegal to smoke while walking on city sidewalks.

City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) last week introduced the smoking ban legislation, which aims to prohibit smoking while walking on all sidewalks under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Parks and Recreation, including sidewalks adjoining parks, squares and public places, pedestrian pathways through any park strip, median or mall adjacent to traffic, and parking lots.

Koo said that when smokers walk down the street, they expose passers-by to inhaling smoke.

“In a perfect world, every smoker would have the self-awareness to realize that smoking and walking down a crowded sidewalk subjects everyone behind you to breathing in the fumes,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’ve all had the experience of getting stuck behind a smoker while walking down a crowded city sidewalk. If you want to smoke, stand off to the side. People can easily walk past you. But if you’re smoking and walking down the sidewalk, you’re forcing the people behind you to breathe it in.”

If passed, this sidewalk ban would be just one of many smoking-related bills signed in New York City. It is already illegal to smoke inside city bars, parks and restaurants. Pedestrians caught smoking on sidewalks would face a $50 fine.

Koo said the bill would enforce something that should already be common courtesy.

“I’ve seen too many mothers with strollers, and parents holding hands with their children, walking behind smokers who are blowing clouds of smoke behind them,” he said. “We live in a city of over 8 million people, and we all share the same sidewalks. One person’s actions impacts everyone around them.”

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

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Grassmere Playground in Far Rockaway was one of five parks in the city Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver’s five borough relay ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.

The Far Rockaway park — located between Grassmere Terrace and Briar Place — received a $3.3 million infusion in updates and storm drainage from the Parks Department and the Department of Environmental Protection.

The renovation of the park was part of the city’s $318 million Community Park Initiative, a green infrastructure and resiliency effort project.

In total $24 million was spent on Grassmere, Arrochar Playground in Staten Island, Lyons Square Playground in the Bronx, Hilltop Playground in Brooklyn and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Manhattan.

“In 2014 we launched the Community Parks Initiative with a commitment to bring world-class neighborhood parks to all New Yorkers,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at the March 20 ceremony. “The five completely rebuilt parks we opened today illustrate the breadth and impact of CPI, which has already impacted more than one million children through physical park improvements, expanded programming, and enhanced community partnerships.”

Grassmere received two new play areas for children ages 2-5 and 5-12, a 100-meter track, a junior soccer field, educational wooded trail, and an outdoor classroom.

A junior basketball court, adult fitness equipment, a children’s water play area, and improved planting, seating, and lighting fixtures were also added.

Of the $3.3 million secured for the playground’s face-lift, $427,000 was from the DEP for storm water capture.

Not only did the park area itself receive a renovation, but also the entrance and edges of Grassmere were redesigned by Parks Without Borders, a program by the Parks Department to make entries easier to find and more welcoming.

“This beachfront community has been severely underserved by green space for decades, forcing seniors and children to travel dozens of blocks to find a beautiful and safe open space,” said Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Far Rockaway). “This brand new park will surely bring many educational and entertainment opportunities for families and schools throughout the peninsula.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Letitia James

TimesLedger Newspapers

I am writing with concerns about overcrowding at the Queens 1 district garage.

The Department of Sanitation has parked its trucks on 35th Avenue between 12th and 24th streets. These trucks remain double-parked throughout the day, blocking cars and fire hydrants, releasing noxious gases and oils into the community, and creating traffic and health hazards.

Because of the idling trucks, there is often no street cleaning service on the north side of 24th Avenue — a municipal service taxpayers are owed.

A representative of my office conducted a site visit to the area on the morning of Feb. 1 and witnessed no fewer than 20 trucks parked along 35th Avenue. She also observed a sinkhole in front of 12-35 35th Ave. that had been unable to be repaired by the Department of Environment Protection due to the garbage trucks blocking the roadway. She was told during the visit that the conditions caused by DSNY trucks have been a problem for over 10 years.

While I was pleased to learn that DSNY has made plans to rectify this situation by moving these trucks to a site near Luyster’s Creek, I am concerned that this plan is not being implemented until May 2018 — an eight-month delay from the administration’s initial promise of September 2017. I ask that the DSNY make any and all efforts to expedite this process to get these trucks off residential streets as soon as possible. Additionally, I am requesting a copy of the license agreement for this site for the review of my office.

Finally, I am happy that Mayor Bill de Blasio has pledged $142.6 million in capital funding for a new facility to relocate the Queens 1 district garage to a larger site. However, with the population in northwestern Queens expected to continue to grow in the coming years, we can only assume that the need for sanitation infrastructure will increase with it.

Can you share your plan as to how this project will accommodate short- and long-term sanitation needs within the community, and any other plans to address additional sanitation concerns in CB1 Queens?

Letitia James

Public Advocate

New York City

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Forest Hills-based criminal defense attorney was indicted along with three others Monday for allegedly making false statements.

Scott Brettschneider, 61, was charged in Brooklyn federal court with conspiring to fabricate a letter to get a client released from prison early in order to receive drug rehabilitation, according to federal prosecutors.

A two-count indictment was unsealed, charging Brettschneider, also known as “Mighty Whitey,” Charles Gallman, Richard Marshall and Reginald Shabazz-Muhammad with conspiring to make false statements and making false statements to the United States Bureau of Prisons. They were arraigned in Brooklyn federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold, although Shabazz-Muhammad is still at large.

“The defendants, including a practicing attorney, participated in a scheme to gain a narcotics trafficker’s early release from prison by falsely informing the Bureau of Prisons that he was a candidate for a drug rehab program,” U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue said. “This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring that the resources to fight drug addiction go to the people who need them, not the drug dealers who put poison on our streets and who deserve to serve the entirety of their prison sentences.”

According to the federal indictment and detailed in-court filings, Brettschneider represented Marshall, who was sentenced to 36 months in prison for distributing cocaine in 2014. Brettschneider, Gallman and Shabazz-Muhammad, who are both from Queens, wrote a letter to the Bureau of Prisons falsely recounting Marshall’s history of substance and alcohol dependence in order to gain entry to the BOP’s Residential Drug Abuse Program. An inmate who is accepted into and successfully completes the program is potentially eligible to receive a year off his or her sentence.

“Petitioning to send a known drug dealer back on to our streets before his sentence is served, and providing false documentation to prove he’s eligible for early release, is a reckless prospect that risks the well-being of society as a whole,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. said. “Drug addiction is a serious issue that deserves the appropriate response from all those involved. We won’t stand for anything less.”

The letter was signed by Shabbaz-Muhammad, who claimed to be Marshall’s treatment provider, but he was later found to be Brettschneider’s assistant, court filings showed. Court-authorized wiretaps revealed the defendants talking to Marshall on a smuggled cell phone in prison, discussing what the letter should state to ensure Marshall’s acceptance into the program.

Gallman predicted it would “knock a year off his sentence” and doubted that the BOP would be “scrutinizing it that much.” As it turned out, the BOP did scrutinize it, and requested that Marshall submit progress reports of his past treatment, according to court filings.

The charges contained in the federal indictment stem from an investigation conducted by the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

“Integrity is the foundation of our criminal justice system,” Queens DA Richard Brown said. “These allegations go to the core of that foundation and are prejudicial to the administration of justice. The charges send a strong message to those who would undermine that integrity that they will be held accountable. No one can be allowed to ‘fix’ any part of a case.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Queens Council on the Arts has an open call for a new art residency at LaGuardia Airport’s Marine Terminal A, which will come to a close next Thursday.

QCA is collaborating with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey for the ArtPort Residency, which will select four Queens-based artists throughout the year to spend three months producing work in a 110-square-foot space at the terminal.

Artists may come from the visual, literary and media world, according to the organization.

Once selected, the resident will have regular open studio hours where passengers can discuss the artist’s work and process while he or she is developing the piece.

Residents will receive a $3,000 stipend for their work.

Marine Air Terminal is the only active airport terminal dating back to the first generation of passenger travel in the United States, according to QCA.

The Art Deco building was designed in 1939 by architectural firm Delano & Aldrich, originally built to handle seaplanes.

It has a two-story rotunda with an attic, a rectangular entrance pavilion and two one-story wings on either side. The rotunda features a skylight and a 237-foot circular mural called “Flight,” by James Brook, which was started in the 1930s and completed in 1942.

Brooks was an abstract artist, painter and muralist.

The terminal was designated a landmark in 1980.

The QCA created the new program as a way to engage culturally with the thousands of travelers at LaGuardia Airport who use the facility daily.

Approximately 29.8 million passengers go to LaGuardia annually, according to the airport.

“An artist creating work in an airport can transform your commute into a journey,” said QCA Executive Director Hoong Yee Krakauer.

Members of the Queens art community and a panel of representatives from the Port Authority will choose residents for the ArtPort Residency.

For more information about the residency, contact Grants & Resource Director Lynn Lobell at (347) 505-3015, Queens Arts Fund Associate Dan Bamba at (347) 505-3017, or visit the QCA website.

The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Greater New York Arts Development Fund and the New York City Council support the residency.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Esther Animalu

TimesLedger Newspapers

Five Queens students were named winners in the Police Athletic League’s competition for creative poetry for children across the five boroughs.

The PAL Arts After School Program give students the opportunity to explore their artistic skills and writing abilities as a whole.

“The Police Athletic League holds a three-part Poetry Writing contest, which collectively is called PAL Poetry Jam. Poetry and artistic expression are not always at the forefront of school day learning,” said Dana Wheeler, director of Education and Program Development at PAL. “However, Police Athletic League’s after school programs believe in the importance of this learning to support self-expression, artistry and developing literacy skills. Throughout the process, participants learn about poetry, write, illustrate, perform and see their work come to life.”

The winners from Queens include fourth-graders Noriah Gaither and Larell Davis and eighth-grader Faith Cummings, all from Goldie Maple Academy Beacon in Arverne; first-grader Paris Ware from the Edward Byrne Center in Jamaica; and seventh-grader Lara Jane Bousseau from the Pathways Prep Center in St. Albans.

The winners will have the opportunity to work alongside spoken word professionals and showcase their talents at the annual Poet’s Café at Affirmation Arts Gallery in Manhattan.

“Participants select a poem that speaks to them and illustrate their interpretations. Not only do the children have the opportunity to express themselves with words and rhyme, visual learners and artistically leaning students can show how the poem makes them feel or interpret what it means to them,” Wheeler said. “The poems and illustrations are matched and published in a book, with credits to poets and illustrators.”

The PAL Poetry Writing Contest showcases verse strategies, puts an accentuation on innovation, creative energy, and recognizes the abilities that its members have. Additionally, the poetry challenge was available to students in first through eighth grade.

The poems that won will be complied into an anthology and distributed to the public. The PAL aims to continue to inspire young students through the power of creativity, expression and individuality.

Reach reporter Esther Animalu by e-mail at eanimalu@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4574.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

In light of the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 students dead, two Bayside-elected officials are asking the city Department of Education to rethink its policy toward locking the front doors of schools.

The DOE requires school administrations to keep front doors unlocked, which state Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) and City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) say is a safety issue because it allows people to enter schools at their own discretion.

“Current DOE policy requires that school principals keep the front door of their school unlocked during the day. This allows an individual to enter the building before a determination can be made if they represent a danger or not. This deviates from the practice at many private schools where visitors must ring a bell and announce themselves before being permitted entry,” Braunstein said. “Granting public school principals this same authority to confirm whether or not an individual represents a threat before allowing them into a school could prevent dangerous incidents from taking place. It is a change we must consider.”

Vallone cited an incident where a suspicious man had entered PS 184 in Whitestone multiple times and kept being escorted out by security, calling it exhibit A for why the DOE should rethink its policy.

“When it comes to our students’ safety, we need to be proactive, not reactive, and principals should have the autonomy to decide when they think it is appropriate to pre-emptively lock their school entrances,” said Vallone. “Incidents like the one at PS 184 clearly show that our students are not as safe as we think and changes need to be made to make sure that they can learn and grow in the safest environment possible. This request is just the first step in a series of changes that must be made. This must remain our top priority from here on out as we lead the charge for safety in our schools.”

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

They’ve rallied and marched, staged sit-ins and strikes since 2012 and finally airport workers at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports have their eyes on the prize after the Port Authority recommended last week that the agency raise the minimum wage to $19 an hour by the fall of 2023.

While 14,000 baggage handlers, Skycaps, security officers, wheelchair agents, terminal and airplane cleaners led the fight, the wage standards set by the Port Authority will cover nearly 40,000 contracted workers at all three New York City-area airports, including workers in other sectors like food service and retail.

“This will change our lives and give our families brighter futures,” JFK security agent Canute Drayton said. “I have seen so many colleagues leave their airport jobs because they couldn’t afford to support their families on such low pay. Now I think they will stick around like me and they’ll be able to develop the experience and training to keep passengers safe and help them get to their destinations quickly and safely.”

In the last few years, airport workers have seen incremental improvements since they launched their campaign. In 2016, nearly half won union recognition with 32BJ SEIU, and negotiated their first contract, which now provides workplace rights and protections, including seniority rules, scheduling protocols, disciplinary procedures and health and safety guidelines.

“This is an unprecedented win for 40,000 contracted airport workers,” 32BJ President Hector Figueroa said. “Airport workers are on the front lines of ensuring safety-improving services at our airports. They greet passengers, clean the terminals and airplanes and load bags onto planes. In emergencies passengers often turn to these workers for help. That is why it is so important that we invest in them and in their training and retention. Providing family-sustaining wages will help keep more workers on the job longer and help them build their expertise to make airports safer and run smoother.”

Figueroa thanked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for prevailing on Albany lawmakers last year to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage toward $15 an hour.

“New York proudly set an example for the nation by raising the minimum wage to $15, yet the fight for economic justice for our working families continues, and we won’t stop until every New Yorker is paid the fair wages they deserve,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This action is about decency and respect, and by raising the minimum wage for the dedicated men and women who fuel our regional economy, New York will continue to serve as a beacon of progress and opportunity for all.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Last week another woman came forward to accuse Hollis hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of allegedly raping her and causing her emotional distress in a civil suit asking for $10 million in damages.

Attorney Albert Douglas Mastroianni filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of his client who wanted to remain anonymous as “Jane Doe.”

In the suit, the former New Jersey resident said that she recently moved to L.A. with her elementary school-aged son, who was a fan of artists from Def Jam, Simmons’ music label.

Def Jam has produced music by performers such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Queens artists like LL Cool J, Run-DMC and 50 Cent.

In her suit Jane Doe said that after she took her son to a rap and hip-hop concert, Simmons noticed them in the crowd and invited them backstage to meet artists.

After the meet-and-greet she dropped her son at home with a babysitter and he allegedly invited Jane Doe to an after party at the now defunct Clarion hotel and then the Coco Palms nightclub.

Simmons then allegedly tricked her into coming to his hotel room at the Clarion by saying that he had to retrieve an item there and invited her.

Despite her reluctance, Simmons allegedly said he was not interested in a sexual relationship with her because he was dating a famous model.

Once in the room, Simmons allegedly locked the door shut behind her and said, “I am going to f–k you or I’m going to f–k your son. You decide.”

Jane Doe said she was shocked and felt threatened by Simmons and what he could do to her son and alleged that he threw her on the bed and raped her.

In the suit filed by Mastroianni, at least one person witnessed the alleged victim leave the hotel room in tears and Jane Doe told several people about the assault at the time that it happened.

The suit said, “Jane Doe did not consent to any sexual contact with Simmons” and that his “conduct was malicious and oppressive, justifying an award.”

The names of eight of his previous alleged sexual assault victims were also mentioned in the suit as an indication of his history as an alleged predator.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger