Uncategorized

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Residents in Jamaica and Ridgewood were invited to comment on Brownfield Cleanup Programs in their area, the state Department of Environmental Conservation says.

The Jamaica site is located at 147-07 94th Ave. and the Ridgewood site is at 18-46 Decatur St., and both spots are under review to be cleaned up for contamination, according to the DEC.

The DEC classifies a brownfield site as any property where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding the health-based or environmental standards set by the state organization.

The Jamaica site is 35,000 square-feet and before it became vacant it was used as a produce warehouse, meat storage facility and refrigeration sales, according to www.dec.ny.gov. It has three interconnected buildings, a concrete-paved loading dock, and asphalt-paved parking areas.

The former warehouse is north and south of residential areas, and north of the Long Island Railroad, according to the site description.

The DEC is conducting an environmental and health assessment of the facility and residents who want to be informed about any contaminants or comment on any foreseeable projects to clean up the former warehouse can go to the Central Library at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. or to Community Board 12 at 90-28 161 St. in Jamaica.

The DEC has finished a health and environmental assessment of the site at Ridgewood and discovered two contaminants, trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene, chemicals us in dry-cleaning.

The Ridgewood site is a warehouse for building materials and was formerly a tuxedo supply company that performed on-site dry-cleaning from 1991 to 2015.

The warehouse is located next to a multi-family walkup building at 18-48 Decatur St. to the north, a two-family building at 18-40 Decatur St. to the south, is east of the LIRR and west on OF? another two-family building on 18-39 Decatur St., according to the DEC.

The former tuxedo shop is also approximately 350 feet south of Cambridge Elementary School, which serves pre-school to fifth-grade students at 59-09 Felix Ave.

The two-story warehouse facility is 0.11 acres in size and an environmental assessment of the soil and groundwater found that the site had volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, PCBs and pesticides.

The tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene moderately exceed normal levels, according to the environmental assessment, which is enough for on-site mitigation of the structure, according to the DEC.

The DEC found the contaminants near the old dry cleaning equipment room of the site, and the health assessment determined that the soil’s vapor may move into surrounding buildings and could affect indoor air quality for people nearby.

Ridgewood residents can get information or leave comments for the proposed brownfield cleanup of the area to members of Community Board 5 who are located at 61-23 Myrtle Ave. or at Queens Library at Ridgewood located at 20-12 Madison S.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the conviction of three Queens construction companies after they pleaded guilty to misclassifying employees as independent contractors to avoid paying overtime.

Lotus-C Corporation of Jackson Heights, Johnco Contracting Inc. of Bayside, and RCM Painting Inc. of Maspeth were all convicted of felony counts of grand larceny and falsifying business records in Queens Supreme Court on Feb. 7 and will pay over $730,000 in restitution for missed wages and unpaid taxes.

“Led by pure greed, the defendants in this case attempted to sidestep the law — misclassifying their employees as a way to stiff them on the overtime pay they rightfully earned,” Schneiderman said. “My office will continue to crack down on those who seek to steal from their workers in order to line their own pockets.”

The investigation by the attorney general’s office revealed the defendant corporations failed to properly pay employees — usually carpenters and painters — for overtime by falsely filing them as independent contractors. Over 150 workers were affected and did not receive the time and half pay for working over 40 hours a week required by law.

The companies also under-reported the number of employees they actually had to the state Dept. of Labor during this time, the AG said, and falsified their state Quarterly Combined Withholding, Wage Reporting and Unemployment Insurance Return forms.

“Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York state is committed to exposing bad actors who steal wages from hard-working men and women,” said State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “Employee misclassification and records falsification are just some of the ways employers skirt their responsibilities to their workers and to the State … I urge any worker who feels they’ve been cheated out of their rightful pay to contact the Department of Labor for assistance.”

As part of the plea deal, the three corporations will be dissolved and Cesar Agudelo of Lotus-C and John Massino of RCM Painting and Johnco will be barred from bidding on public works contracts for up to five years.

About $371,000 will go to the workers as restitution while another $360,000 from the defendants will go to unpaid unemployment insurance contributions.

Schneiderman boasted a record of reclaiming $30 million for over 21,000 construction workers across the state and offered a reminder that employees can file complaints against employers through the AG’s Labor Bureau at 212-416-8700 or visit www.ag.ny.gov/labor/complaint-form.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The body of a newborn baby was discovered inside a garbage can at the Dutch Kills Playground in Astoria Saturday morning.

A passerby found the boy’s body, with its umbilical cord still attached, wrapped in plastic and called 911 just before 11 a.m.

First responders arrived at the park — located at 36th Avenue and Crescent Street, just behind PS 112 — and transported the child to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, according to the NYPD.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the death and disposal of the “full term baby boy,” who appeared healthy with no deformities or external trauma, is tragic and did not have to happen.

“New York’s Safe Haven Law allows a parent to leave a child [30] days or younger with an appropriate person or in a suitable location, such as a hospital, police station, firehouse or church where the parent promptly notifies an appropriate person of the child’s location,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, the mother of this baby did not adhere to the law and instead chose to stuff the infant in a bag and discard him in a garbage can.”

There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing by the 114th Precinct’s Detective Squad and the Queens North Homicide Detective Squad.

The Queens DA’s office notes that there is a Safe Haven Hotline in New York where a parent who wishes to leave their child, can call and the child will be picked up by child care workers. The number is 1-877-796-HOPE.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Bayside lawmaker’s bill passed unanimously in the state Assembly that would make any sexual activity between peace officers and those in their custody a felony due the “power dynamic” distorting what it means to consent in that situation.

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.

“The power dynamic between an individual in custody and a law enforcement officer is such that the person in custody is powerless to consent to sexual activity,” Braunstein said. “This legislation will ensure that individuals in police custody are free 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, Braunstein’s bill would make the offense punishable as a Class E felony.

“I was shocked to hear that the two NYPD detectives involved in the recent high-profile rape case in Brooklyn have offered the defense that the sexual contact was consensual,” Braunstein said in November when the bill was introduced. “The power dynamic between someone in custody and the officers themselves is such that the person in custody is powerless to consent to sexual activity. State law already prohibits sexual contact between correction officers and parole officers and those in their custody. The legislation I am introducing at the state level will amend the penal code to also include state and local police officers.”

The bill was picked up by state Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) in recent weeks, according to a spokesman for Braunstein, and has seen support from leaders at both city and state levels, including state 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.

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

The mayor’s office announced last week that out of the five boroughs, Queens had the largest improvement in terms of graduation and dropout rates.

The graduation rate in Queens increased by 1.7 percent to 77.8 percent in 2017, up from 76.1 percent in 2016, according to a chart from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office.

The dropout rate for Queens’ students is depicted in the chart as going down by 1.3 percent to 6.4 percent in 2017.

According to de Blasio, the city’s four-year high school graduation rate is the highest on record at 74.3 percent and the dropout rate is now the lowest ever at 7.8 percent.

“New York City is showing that when we invest in our students, they rise to the challenge and do better and better,” said de Blasio. “Our kids are graduating high school and going to college at record rates, while dropping out less than ever before. If we are going to make New York City the fairest big city in America, it starts with giving our kids the education they deserve, and we are executing this vision every day.”

The improvements in graduation rates and the decline in dropout rates were also seen across all ethnic groups as well.

Asian students had the highest percent gain in graduation rates, while the biggest decline in dropout rates was among black students.

Nearly 30 of the renewal schools across the city had improved, too.

Renewal schools are institutions that have struggled for a few years or were persistently struggling for several years, but receive funding in hopes that student test scores, college readiness and enrollment will turnaround within three years or face being shutdown, according to city’s Dept. of Education.

The Brian Piccolo Middle School (MS 53) and the Robert Vernam School (PS/MS 42) are the two renewal schools in Queens on the chopping block for this year, according to Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

The graduation rate for 28 renewal schools increased by 5.7 percent to 65.7 percent, according to the mayor’s office. The dropout rate for students at renewal schools went down by 2.2 percent to 16.4 percent in 2017.There were 12 renewal schools in Queens as of Fall 2017.

Last year also saw the highest numbers ever for city students taking and passing Advanced Placement exams, said Fariña. This year also saw the highest college readiness rate on record, and 64 percent of high school students graduated on time.

With the SATs now being free of charge for juniors, 61,800 students took the exam last year, according to the chancellor.

For the second year in a row, city students outperformed their upstate counterparts in English, while elementary to middle school students made gains in state english and math subjects, said Fariña.

De Blasio and Fariña hope that through the Equity and Excellence for All initiative, which has introduced education to students as young as three and is strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier, that the graduation rate will be 80 percent by 2026.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

First Lady Chirlane McCray toured the city last Saturday as part of her “Weekend of Faith in Action Against Domestic Violence” to promote NYCHope, an online portal for communities to educate themselves on abuse, seek help or learn how they can help someone they know who may be a victim.

McCray’s rounds took her to the Muslim Center of New York, located at 137-58 Geranium Ave., in Flushing, where she spoke to the congregation about the city initiative.

“We all know that Islam is a beautiful, life-affirming religion, of justice and peace, and a powerful force generosity and kindness,” McCray said. “But these days, it’s too often portrayed as a religion of oppression and violence, especially toward women. Domestic violence is a topic that is difficult for anyone to talk about, but members of the Muslim community must feel they must defend against the barrage of misconceptions. There’s extra pressure not to expose private struggles and pain, not to air dirty laundry, as some people say.”

McCray invoked the words of the Prophet Muhammad to explain why it is important for the community to have open conversations about issues within families and communities, even if it is uncomfortable.

The creation of the NYCHope portal was set in motion by the city’s Domestic Violence Task Force, co-chaired by McCray and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill. By visiting www1.nyc.gov/nychope/site/page/home, residents can learn about how to identify domestic violence, organize safety plans and find family safety centers.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The results of a city-funded feasibility study shows that reactivation of the LIRR’s Lower Montauk Branch, commonly known as the QNS Rail, could see 5.6 million riders annually, as well as provide service as a freight line, at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion.

The unused 8.5 miles of elevated right-of-way runs from Jamaica Center to Hunters Point, but low ridership caused the MTA to discontinue service in 2012.

Former Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley funded the study with $500,000 from the city’s FY 2017 budget and it was performed by AECOM, which found that to restore commuter service would cost $1.1 billion and another $1.1 billion to make the tracks compatible for freight.

“Too many of our Queens communities are transportation deserts,” Crowley said. “Our hard-working residents lack decent, local access to public transit, and then wind up spending too much time commuting on unreliable service.”

The study, released in a city Dept. of Transportation report, claims that about 180,000 residents, 95,000 jobs and three important industrial zones are within a half mile of the tracks. Housing costs along the line are 60 percent less than the city average, and it would bring relief to transit riders on the over-burdened E, F, G, and L subway lines.

The DOT touted the fact that reactivation of the track would cost 90 percent less than the 2nd Avenue Subway — about $2.5 billion per mile — since the MTA already owns the right-of-way, and claimed the project would spur development on 129 million square feet of unused land without requiring a zoning change.

But Crowley’s successor, who won a narrow victory over the incumbent in the November 2017 general election, saw the study as little more than wasted funds on a project that will never happen amid turmoil currently rocking the MTA.

Councilman Robert Holden (D-Glendale) pointed out that the city, state, and MTA are still arguing over how they should split the $800 million needed to fund MTA Chair Joe Lhota’s short-term plan to stabilize the ailing subways, which City Hall is reluctant to pay for.

“This study was a colossal waste of money that could have otherwise been used to benefit my district…. Instead, those tax dollars went to fund a study for a project that is both infeasible and undesirable,” Holden said. “Despite projected population growth in the area, I don’t believe renewing service to the Branch is the best solution to the transit issues faced by Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven, and Woodside…. The fact that half a million dollars in Speaker’s funds were spent to procure this study shows a complete lack of understanding of the community and its transportation needs.”

With stops in Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgwood and Richmond Hill, the QNS Rail could see a weekly ridership of 21,000 people and has already been approve by the five community board within its range.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Rowdy attendees disrupted a Feb. 8 School Construction Authority meeting at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens, protesting against one school’s closure and a lack of funding for repairs and additions at others.

Parents, students, and teachers from PS/MS 42 railed against the Far Rockaway renewal school’s closure — which Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced last year — repeating chants of “Save 42!” before the meeting even began.

The school issued a press release days after the meeting, stating that it only reached five out of its seven target goals for improvement. But the learning house managed to incrementally increase its math and ELA scores by 10.5 points, received an 86-percent score for rigorous instruction, and clocked a 97.3-percent teacher-attendance score from the DOE, according to the Feb. 13 release, which noted the Far Rockaway school’s effective leadership and collaborative teachers.

Reps from the William Cullen Bryant High School also attended the session, where they complained about a host of issues including broken lockers containing rat feces, damaged auditorium seats, an antiquated sound system, peeling paint, asbestos, and an athletic field with broken turf that resulted in one student’s injury.

“When the paramedics said ‘wiggle your feet’ and she couldn’t wiggle them, I honestly didn’t think she would be able to walk again,” the school’s Assistant Principal Bill Manolios said about his student’s accident on the field.

The U.S. Department of Education classified the high school at 48-10 31st Ave. in Astoria as “Title 1,” which means a large percentage of its pupils come from low-income families, and its principal told meeting attendees that investing in the facility is critical to her students’ success.

“A majority of our students, 90 percent, are low-income,” said Namita Dwarka. “Our students are doing amazing things, but in order for us to show them that they could reach their capacity and full potential, we need to create a really good environment for them.”

William Cullen Bryant is one of five schools with arts students performing at a March 19 competitive showcase at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre, in Manhattan, but the rehearsal space in its dilapidated auditorium is lacking compared to those at other nearby schools, according to a faculty member.

“The chancellor and the mayor are talking about equity and access, but what we have is not comparable,” Art Director Allissa Crea said in reference to the facilities at the Frank Sinatra Arts High School, a few blocks away on 35th Ave. in Astoria.

SCA Project Manager Danielle Schaaf said that she will help the school get in touch with someone about the asbestos and decrepit lockers, but that auditoriums and fields are not considered high priorities, and that their renovations are typically funded by City Council or the Borough President via Resolution A grants.

And SCA spokesman Bed Goodman told attendees that the organization is amending its previous budget of approximately $15.5 billion to incorporate an additional $940 million towards capital-construction projects including new clean-energy boilers, pre-schools, physical-education spaces, seats, and repairs to some schools’ existing exteriors.

But a leader of the Queens High School Presidents’ Council took issue with the capital plans, arguing they neglected the needs of local high schools by largely focusing on improvements at pre-K and intermediary learning houses.

The civic honcho noted that the Academy of American Studies at 28-04 41st Ave. in Long Island City still lacks an auditorium, despite locals requesting to add one for 20 years, and that a previous proposal to build a new hall at the school was abandoned in recent plans for it.

“You as a planning group have to understand that every high school deserves basic facilities,” said Nancy Northrop. “These buildings will last 100 to 200 years.”

But Schaaf said the previous proposal Northrop referenced did not include adding an auditorium, and that building one would likely require Resolution A funding.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Parents and caregivers with small babies and toddlers would have easier access to places of entertainment under legislation written and introduced by state Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) which will make spaces more accommodating and family friendly.

The Family Accommodation in Entertainment Act would help bring down the barriers and solve the problems that overwhelm parents when they try to attend events with their young children and can’t find a decent place to change diapers, leave a stroller or breastfeed with privacy.

“This is a practical way to ease the burden on parents and babysitters who want to enjoy entertainment outside their homes,” Simotas said. “If we’re going to claim the moniker of ‘family-friendly’ let’s really help moms and dads who have to grapple with diapers, strollers, feeding and keeping babies safe just to attend an event.”

The new legislation would require places of entertainment such as stadiums, arenas, convention centers, theaters, gardens or other places of amusement to provide accommodations, if readily achievable, including high chairs and booster seats, changing tables in all public restrooms, stroller parking and a private, hygienic location for nursing or pumping breast milk. In addition, public restrooms would have at least one stall with a child protection seat mounted on the wall so that parents and babysitters can use the bathroom without having to juggle the baby.

Christine Serdjenian Yearwood, the fonder and CEO of UP-STAND, an organization that advocates for pregnant women, said, “These accommodations enable parents, caregivers, and children to safely and fully participate in public life and our economy.”

During her 11 years in Albany, Simotas has become a champion of family-friendly and child protection legislation. Measures that she has sponsored or introduced have included establishing the “newborn health and safe sleep pilot program,” permitting pregnant women to enroll in the state health insurance exchange at any time, prohibiting day care centers from using toxic toys, among others.

Kathleen Boyle, founder of the Queens-based Postpartum Project, which advocates for new parents, applauded the introduction of Simotas’ Family Accommodation in Entertainment Act.

“Access to family friendly facilities will greatly aid new mothers: in the first few months of motherhood, establishing a social support system makes a huge difference,” Boyle said. “If new moms know they can care for their children and themselves whenever they go, they will be happy patrons of local establishments.”

A Better Balance co-founder and co-president Dina Bakst is another supporter of the legislation. A Better Balance is a group whose goal it is to make society more hospitable to families.

“It’s time our laws catch up with the reality of modern parenting and ensure that all parents, regardless of gender, have access to the resources they need to care for their families,” she said.

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

Comment on this story.

Source: Times Ledger