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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Dozens of people were outside City Hall last week to condemn Charter Communications, a cable company that also goes by the name of Spectrum, to mark the one-year anniversary when many of the multibillion-dollar corporation’s employees went on strike.

After Charter acquired Time Warner Cable in 2016, the $41.6 billion company proposed eliminating the benefits of its union employees, according to Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans,), the elected official who represents many of the members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Local 3) in Queens.

“Roughly 10 percent of the more than 1,800 Spectrum workers represented by Local 3 live in southeast Queens,” said Miller, chairman of the Civil Service and Labor Committee. “These skilled women and men have suffered 12 grueling months out of work because Spectrum values its billions of dollars in profits over the long term security of its workers and their families.”

He took part in the March 28 rally at City Hall attended by other council members, including Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest).

Charter CEO Tom Rutledge received over $98 million in 2016, while in that same year the company planned to eliminate Local 3’s pension plan, slash health benefits by more than half and insisted that its members pay monthly premiums out-of-pocket, according to Miller’s office.

Local 3 filed a complaint against Charter. The company could default on its franchise agreement with the city if an audit by the Department of Information Technology & Communications finds out the organization was hiring out-of-city contractors during the strike.

“We won’t tolerate its union busting efforts and stubborn refusal to come to the table any longer, and vow to take aim at its prized Franchise Agreement with the City,” Miller said.

Miller and Local 3 were not alone in their fight.

“What is clear is that Charter cares more about its own bottom line than the well-being of its workers,” Lancman said.“I will continue to fight to ensure Local 3 receives a fair contract and that Charter is held accountable for any violation of the Franchise Agreement.”

In a statement Spectrum spokesman John Bonomo said that the company is focusing on best serving their customers.

“Our dedicated team of NYC employees is working hard every day to deliver the best TV, internet and voice experience to Spectrum customers,” he said. “We continue to meet customer demands for installation and repair work, and we’re also investing in even better Spectrum services, including increasing our starting internet speed to 200 Mbps and offering gigabit connections to NYC residents.”

Local 3 also received support from Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), Councilman Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens), and Councilman Francisco Moya (D-East Elmhurst).

The Queens Library Guild and the New York City Central Labor Council also supported Local 3.

“These workers are standing strong and the New York City Labor Movement stands with them, the members of IBEW Local 3, to see they are given the contract they deserve,” said Vincent Alvarez, president of Central Labor Council.

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Rockaway man was charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl Tuesday after the victim was found unresponsive in her family’s apartment Monday evening and rushed to a medical facility, where she died.

Mark Jenkins, 32, from Rockaway Park was awaiting arraignment after he was charged with second-degree depraved murder and first-degree depraved assault against the victim, identified by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown as Bella Edwards.

“This is a terribly disturbing case,” Brown said. “The victim here is an innocent little girl, whose body revealed traumatic abuse injuries. The defendant — who resided with the child’s mother — now faces the possibility of life imprisonment.”

Jenkins was the only adult in the home of Edwards family within the confines of the 100th Precinct with the 3-year-old and her 3-month-old sibling for about eight hours on the day the victim was found unconscious by Jenkins, who called 911, Brown said.

Preliminary results of the autopsy on Bella revealed blunt force trauma to the abdomen with further studies pending, according the DA.

Jenkins faces 25 years to life behind bars if convicted, Brown said.

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

City and state elected officials announced the passage of legislation last Friday that will amend the penal code, making it illegal for police officers to engage in sexual activity with those in their custody.

State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) introduced the bill in November in support of Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Brooklyn), who drafted the legislation after a September 2017 incident in which two detectives in Brooklyn, who have since resigned, were alleged to have had sex with a teenage girl in their custody who they claimed consented.

Not only has it passed at the city level, but both the Assembly and Senate came through for the bill, which now awaits Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature.

“The power dynamic between someone in custody and the officers themselves is such that the individual in custody is incapable of consenting to sexual activity,” Braunstein said. “State law already prohibits sexual contact between Correction officers and parole officers and those in their custody. This common-sense legislation ensures that individuals in police custody are also protected from coercive sexual behavior committed by officers exploiting their authority.”

While Treyger’s bill sought to change the penal code to make sexual conduct between a peace officer and a person in their custody a misdemeanor, the highest offense designation allowed to be passed at the city level, Braunstein’s bill would make the offense punishable as a Class E felony.

“There can be no sexual consent when someone is in police custody,” Treyger said. “This horrific rape outraged our nation, and from day one, I have made it clear I would do whatever it took to advocate for common-sense consent laws to make sure that this could never happen again. I am proud that our leaders at the state level have recognized the need to finally close this antiquated loophole and ensure that our laws on sexual consent align with basic common sense and human decency.”

The bill was picked up by state Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island), according to a spokesman for Braunstein, and saw support from leaders at both the city and state levels, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).

“This legislation helps ensure that New York’s laws regarding consent protect all individuals, including individuals held in police custody, from sexual abuse,” Heastie said. “It is simply wrong that someone exercising custodial government authority, such as a police officer, would violate the trust that should exist between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

Public Advocate Letitia James got behind the bill in November.

“There have been a wave of high-profile, powerful men accused of sexually abusing and harassing vulnerable women and men — and officers who sexually harass and abuse vulnerable individuals in their custody are no different,” James said. “While the vast majority of officers are hardworking and deeply principled, we must have laws in place to hold those few unscrupulous officers accountable. The bills introduced by Assemblyman Braunstein and Council member Treyger to ensure that sexual activity between officers and those in their custody is prohibited are common-sense measures to ensure that no individual is above the law.”

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

Two branches of the Queens Public Library system will close for temporary upgrades.

On April 14 through the fall of 2019, the 10,800-square-foot Glendale Community Library will receive $4.7 million in renovations, according to the Queens Public Library.

In December 2017, there was a groundbreaking ceremony at the three-story library, which is located at 78-60 73rd Place.

The interior of the library’s building and a walled-off rear garden will undergo restorations. There will also be reconstruction of the front stairs, a wheelchair-accessible entrance to the building and the addition of a book drop.

Other installations include a new adult room, a new teen reading room, an elevator and a vestibule.

The Italian Renaissance-styled library was built in 1935 and has a Spanish-tiled roof with original woodwork, details and finishes.

Queens Public Library will have a mobile library for the Glendale Branch starting April 27 on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the facility.

The library has also suggested that users can visit nearby branches during the Glendale Library renovation: Ridgewood Community Library, 20-12 Madison St., Ridgewood; Middle Village Community Library, 72-31 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village; North Forest Park, 98-27 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills; Woodhaven Community Library, 85-41 Forest Parkway, Woodhaven.

South Jamaica Community Library will also be undergoing construction, but it will be significantly less extensive and the branch will be closed for a shorter period of time. The South Jamaica branch, located at 108-41 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., will close from April 5 to August 2018 to replace the building’s roof, which costs approximately $900,000.

A mobile library will be outside the library on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting April 9.

Avid readers could also go to nearby locations as an alternative: Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica; Baisley Park Community Library, 117-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica and St. Albans Community Library, 191-05 Linden Blvd.

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced details of the fiscal year 2019 state budget with a message that tightened oversight of City Hall and stood defiant against the administration in Washington.

With increased sway over public schools under mayoral control, increased funding for NYCHA housing, plans for the eventual closure of Rikers Island and a middle- class tax cut designed to shield New Yorkers from the effects of the federal tax plan, the $168.3 billion state budget placed a heavy emphasis on improvements in the city.

“This budget is a bold blueprint for progressive action that builds on seven years of success and helps New York continue to lead amid a concerted and sustained assault from Washington on our values and principles,” Cuomo said.

Schools will see a 3.9 percent increase in funding over last year with $26.7 billion for the 2018-2019 year, which will amount to a 36 percent increase in education funding from 2012 levels when Cuomo took office.

The bill also requires the school districts to be transparent about where they allocate funds and invests $25 million in pre-K and after-school programs.

The state answered the calls of Queens elected officials to cut through bureaucracy to implement improvements to NYCHA facilities with $250 million after Astoria Houses received backup generators in February, which had been in the pipeline following Superstorm Sandy.

Cuomo said he would issue an executive order for City Council to appoint an independent monitor to work in collaboration with the state and residents in NYCHA housing, which sparked controversy regarding the long-running feud between the governor and the mayor.

“New York will also become the first state to implement new measures to shield families from the devastating federal tax law’s elimination of full state and local deductibility — an economic arrow aimed at the heart of this state’s economy,” Cuomo said. “This budget also delivers for the most vulnerable among us, including the NYCHA tenants who have had to live with mold, lead and no heat and were placed at risk by a failed bureaucracy, and those who have had to endure the injustice that is Rikers Island.”

Although the budget includes funds to expedite the construction of new jails leading to the closure of Rikers, former judge and Chairman of the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice Jonathan Lippman claimed the effort just is not enough without additional changes to criminal justice laws in place.

“Closing Rikers and improving our criminal justice system is a moral imperative that requires courage and persistence from our elected leaders,” Lippman said. “Before the end of session, I hope that our state legislators take action to reform our broken bail system, make discovery fairer for defendants, and improve our speedy trial laws. The sooner Albany passes legislation that improves our criminal justice system, the sooner we can close the accelerator of human misery that is Rikers Island and bring justice to thousands of New Yorkers who suffer from our unfair system every day.”

The governor included a $4.2 billion middle-class tax cut to 6 million residents across the state, which should save an annual $700 per household in Phase I of the plan and will eventually save $4.2 billion for residents by 2025.

The Citizens Budget Commission said it was a good start, with more precautions needed further down the road.

“State lawmakers deserve credit for making changes to the state’s tax code in response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” a commission statement said. “Creation of an Employer Compensation Expense Tax, state and local funds for charitable contributions, and other technical fixes are changes needed to blunt the impact of the federal tax law, particularly for taxpayers that will be adversely affected by the cap on state and local deductions (SALT cap). The state’s decoupling from the federal tax code will also eliminate a $1 billion unplanned tax increase, but may present new challenges in administration.”

Not mentioned in the budget was a means to launch the FixNYC’s congestion pricing proposal, an $11 fee on cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street, to create a reliable, long-term funding stream for the MTA.

Instead, Cuomo laid out a plan to charge for-hire vehicles $2.75 to enter Manhattan below 96th Street and the dedication of funds from the Payroll Mobility Tax to the MTA to grease the wheels on the Subway Action Plan, a short-term strategy to curb the widespread delays and meltdowns on the system.

As part of the budget, the city will be required to pay for half of MTA Chair Joe Lhota’s Subway Action Plan, a $836 million short-term initiative to stabilize the city transit infrastructure while a more long-term solution can be settled upon.

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 Will O’Meara

TimesLedger Newspapers

As a Sunnyside father and husband, I support the installation of protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks for pedestrians on Skillman and 43rd avenues. Let me tell you why.

One year ago, another father, Gelacio Reyes, was killed on 43rd Avenue by a drunk driver as he biked back home to his family in Corona from his job in the Upper East Side. This hit close to home. You see, for the past two years, I have been biking my 3-year-old son to and from nursery/day care.

Maybe that sounds crazy to you — my wife thought it was crazy, too. She was used to bike lanes in Beijing, which were wider than car lanes, so when she saw what it was like to bike in Sunnyside, she was very hesitant. I was eventually able to convince her after taking our boy to day care a few times on the back of the bike, but her cautiousness remains when we are on unprotected bike lanes.

Biking has meant a lot to me as a father. I have less restraint in my schedule, which makes me freer for my son. I save money on transit that I can put back into our family. We tried driving, but it was slower than biking. Uber was too expensive. Taking a kid on a train is too stressful — especially around rush hour. But our streets could still be so much safer for families who bike like mine.

At last week’s Town Hall, I listened to several PTA officials from Sunnyside public schools express grave concerns over the danger of protected bike lanes. While I get that fear of change can be overwhelming, their concerns just don’t mirror the reality of our city’s recent experiences. Over and over again, protected bike lanes have been installed near schools with young students, and over and over again the schoolchildren are safer than before. Simply using common sense or basic physics would suggest that a 200-pound person/bike going 10-15 mph is objectively less dangerous than a 2,000-pound car going any speed.

These PTA officials are correct in observing the streets are dangerous for our children, but bike lanes aren’t. It’s the road conditions they should be worried about.

I used to work as a bike messenger so maybe I am used to this lifestyle, but I would like to see other parents (preferably those who haven’t worked as a messenger) biking their kids around. I’d like to see my wife biking with our son. And protected bike lanes on Skillman and 43rd avenues will help make that happen, creating more safety for my wife and for other parents to feel comfortable when biking with their kids.

I strongly support the plan to bring protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements to Sunnyside and Woodside. I hope our local city officials, including Community Board 2 and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, do the same.

My family is counting on them to do the right thing and approve this safety plan.

Will O’Meara

Sunnyside

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

A rental subsidy bill championed by state Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and state Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) advanced in both houses of the state Legislature last week.

The bill will appropriate $15 million to help keep struggling families and individuals out of the shelter system and help those who are already in temporary housing get closer to finding a more stable living situation.

“After nearly two years of working on creative and pragmatic ways to stem the tide of homelessness in New York state, I am proud to say that I believe this is the first step towards truly and effectively helping our homeless population,” said Hevesi, who is the chairman of the Committee on Social Services.

Shelly Nortz, the executive director of the non-profit Coalition for the Homeless, also helped create the plan.

Coalition for the Homeless provides both facts and solutions for New York City’s homelessness crisis on its website.

As of January, there were 63,101 homeless people throughout the city, including 23,309 children in the shelter system, according to the coalition.

Before the bill can move forward to be a part of the 2018 to 2019 New York State Budget it must undergo a three-way budget negotiations with the Senate, the Assembly and Governor Andrew Cuomo, according to Hevesi spokesman Doug Forand.

Forand said if there is an agreement the governor would have to resubmit a budget bill and then members of both houses have to amend it.

If all goes well a pilot program would be in the city and possibly Monroe, a county in upstate New York, according to Forand. After a few years a study will depict how well a fair market rent level subsidy works to help homeless folks or those facing eviction obtain and retain stable housing, said Forand.

The program would have state supervision, local administration, and local social services (HRA/DHS in the city and DSS in Monroe County) would decide how to implement the initiative either directly, through contractors or both, said the spokesman.

Earlier this month, Department of Social Services Commissioner Steve Banks met with Borough President Melinda Katz at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens to discuss the homeless situation in Queens.

Over 10,500 people in Queens were housed in shelters, including 8,731 who are from the borough, Banks said.

He blames the increase in homelessness on the Great Recession. Banks said that the rate of homelessness increased across the city by 38 percent from 2011 to 2014, while rent went up by 18.4 percent from 2005 to 2015 as wages incrementally increased byONLY 4.8 percent in the same 10-year period.

“If you have rent exceeding incomes, you’ll have homelessness,” he said.

In Queens there are 69 homeless shelters. There are 28 traditional permanent shelters, while 41 are hotels that are fully rented or semi-rented out by the city, which house nearly 5,000 people, according to Banks.

Banks estimated that the rental assistance program would keep 70,000 families or individuals in their homes.

“This new subsidy will give recipients a life-changing opportunity towards self-sufficiency and stability,” said Hevesi.

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The old Astor Room, the speakeasy-era restaurant at the base of the Kaufman Astoria Studios, reopened last weekend and was renamed in honor of George Kaufman, the visionary who revitalized the studio and its surrounding neighborhood beginning in 1982.

Kaufman died last month of heart failure at age 89.

The restaurant had been closed since January for renovations to its interior, including new flooring, seating and artwork celebrating the studio’s history. George’s at Kaufman Astoria Studios, located at 35-11 35th Ave., occupies the same basement space that had been the commissary for Paramount Pictures in the 1920s before that studio moved to Hollywood. During that era, the commissary was frequented by such Paramount stars as the Marx Brothers, Rudolph Valentino, and Gloria Swanson.

“This is a very fitting tribute, as it was George’s idea to renovate this space and turn it into a public-facing venue of the studio where people can experience movie history,” Kaufman Astoria Studios President and CEO Hal Rosenbluth said. “Just as it was his vision to bring movie-making back to New York and make the studio a vital part of this community, he saw this restaurant as a way to bring people in this community together to enjoy great food, drinks and music in a very special, historic place. He would be very proud to know that the restaurant will bear his name.”

Rudolph Valentino, one of the first cinema “sex symbols” during the Silent Era, was known as the “Latin Lover” and shot numerous films on what is now Stage E at Kaufman Astoria Studios. A photo of Valentino eating at the studio commissary, along with his co-stars in full costume during the filming of “Monsiuer Beaucaire” in 1924, hangs in George’s, where the original tilework that still adorns the walls can be seen.

“Folklore tells us that Valentino really enjoyed entertaining, having fun and introducing people to his native cuisine,” George’s General Manager John Nikach said. “The six-foot spaghetti was something of a conversation starter at parties. It was a challenge to see who was able to twirl the spaghetti and keep one strand entirely intact.”

Valentino lived in Bayside in what became for many years Caffe on the Green, a Parks Department catering hall concession on the Cross Island Parkway.

Valentino’s Pasta is featured in the restaurant’s revamped menu, as is New England Clam Chowder, a favorite of Grouch Marx. The Marx Brothers shot their first film, “Cocoanuts,” at the studio in 1929. Up until that point they were known as vaudeville performers. They were appearing in their play “Animal Crackers” on Broadway while shooting “Cocoanuts” during the day. Fittingly, the clam chowder is served with animal crackers.

George’s will continue to feature a regular schedule of live jazz, cabaret and other entertainment, as well as access to the renovated Zukor Theater, a 73-seat screening room once used by Paramount Pictures founder Adolph Zukor, which can be rented for private events.

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Center for the Women of New York announced it will hold its 31st Anniversary Luncheon next month at Douglaston Manor where the organization will honor men and women who have played a critical role in their communities.

CWNY founder Ann Jawin established the organization 30 years ago to provide assistance to victims of domestic abuse through support groups and job training.

“I am so proud to say that our reputation for having exciting nominees will not only be maintained but exceeded,” Jawin said.

Women selected for awards were chosen for outstanding leadership and men being recognized have been designated as “Good Guys.” Leading up to the April 21 awards ceremony, there will be an auction followed by the luncheon. Tickets will cost $125.

Among the award recipients are Councilwoman Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica), Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest), Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), Teamsters Union Local 813 President Bernadette Kelly, 21/21 Initiative Executive Director Moira McDermott, the first Asian-American female Firefighter Sarinya Srisakul, Queens leader of United Federation of Teachers Mary Vaccaro, artist Marvin Brown, Indian civic leader Ashook Ramsaran and community leader Ernan Roman.

CWNY currently operates out of Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens with strong support from the borough president’s office.

The renovation of the landmarked building in Fort Totten that will be their new headquarters has been about a decade in the making, Jawin has said, but city bureaucracy has stood in the way of completion. Originally projected to cost the organization $500,000 and take a year to complete, the bill for the perennial project is going to cost CWNY about $3 million before it is all said and done.

The event will start at noon and all proceeds will go toward the organization’s new headquarters.

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