Assemblywoman Joan Millman (Brooklyn) announced her support for legislation introduced to increase New York State’s minimum wage to $9.00 per hour, a full year ahead of schedule and index future increases to inflation (A.8343).

“A higher minimum wage helps everyone, from workers to businesses,” Assemblywoman Millman said. “Putting more money into the pockets of those most likely to spend it increases demand for products, and in turn, jobs. Statistics back up this claim. Ten states already index their minimum wage to inflation, and those states have reported positive economic results – high rates of growth in companies, job creation and payroll. Higher, fairer wages also result in better worker productivity and less worker turnover.”

Last year, the Assembly passed a law to increase the minimum wage to $8.00 per hour starting on Dec. 31, 2013, and to subsequently increase it to $8.75 per hour at the end of 2014 and $9.00 per hour on Dec. 31, 2015. The legislation introduced today would require the full increase to $9.00 per hour to take effect on December 31, 2014, a full year in advance, and would tie future increases to the annual rate of inflation according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

“Waiting two more years to earn $9.00 an hour is a long time,” Assemblywoman Millman said. “It’s a long time to try and support a family on wages that leave a worker below the poverty line. It’s a long time to agonize over how to afford prescription drugs and heating costs while still putting food on the table. It’s a long time to worry about how to pay the rent or mortgage on a full-time salary of less than $17,000 per year.”

The new legislation would also benefit food service workers by increasing the cash wage to $5.50 per hour immediately, to $6.20 per hour on Dec. 31, 2014, and by subsequently tying the cash wage to annual inflation. Moreover, the bill requires a wage board to conduct a review to ensure that cash wages are adequate to protect the health and livelihood of all workers in the hospitality industry.

Another piece of legislation introduced today would end to tax credits for employers who pay the minimum wage to students ages 16-19 years old (A.8344). These tax credits have unintentionally resulted in certain employers taking advantage of the credit by laying off older workers or only hiring younger ones.

“Taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize large companies who can afford to pay their workers a modest minimum wage,” Assemblywoman Millman said said. “Repealing the tax credits will save taxpayers millions.”

The state of California recently increased its minimum wage to $10 an hour, while New Jersey voters approved a measure to increase its minimum wage and index future increases to inflation.

The post Local Assemblywoman Moves to Accelerate Increase in Minimum Wage appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

State Senator Marty Golden has once again agreed to be a host site for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, offering free tax preparation services to those residents whom make less than $30,000 annually.

Appointments will be available at his district office located, at 7408 5th Avenue, on Thursdays and Sundays from February 16th through April 13th. Thursday appointments will be scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday appointments will be from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Senator Marty Golden stated “I once again look forward to helping hundreds of my constituents complete their tax returns at no charge.  For 16 years, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program has proven to be an invaluable service to those who qualify. This year will be no different in that we offer an opportunity  for low income constituents to keep the money in their pockets that they would otherwise have spent on tax preparation services.”

Appointments are necessary and can be scheduled by calling Senator Golden’s district office at (718) 238-6044.

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Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Goldy Monges, 15, last seen at approximately 7 PM on Saturday, January 11 at 1327 E. 7 Street in Midwood.

Monges is 5’2″, 150 lbs, with blond hair shaved on the left side. She was wearing a gray jacket, black and red shirt, black pants, and grey boots. The missing is in good physical condition.

Photo not reflect her current hair style.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

The post Midwood: 15 Year Old Girl Missing appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

Early Sunday morning, undercover officers assigned to the  Brooklyn South Anti-Crime team observed a 2014 Toyota Camry turn westbound onto Winthrop Street from East 51 Street, without signaling. The officers conducted a car stop at the location, and upon approaching the vehicle observed the front seat passenger, a 20-year-old male, attempting to place a quantity of marijuana within his waistband. The passenger was removed from the vehicle and searched, resulting in the recovery of the marijuana from his waistband along with 21 gift cards (20- Target store cards, 1- Visa gift card, valued at $24,000) and 14 forged credit cards removed from his pockets.

The suspect was then placed under arrest and removed to the 71 Precinct. During the course of the arrest processing, the suspect offered $10,000 to the officers for his release and property returned to him. The suspect, gets even dumber, and places a phone call to his twin brother, who arrived at the precinct with a plastic bag containing $4,000 and offered the money to the officers in exchange for his brother’s release and return of property. As a result, both suspects are arrested and charged as follows:

Sanchez, Jael, 20

Charges:

Possession of Forged Instrument

Bribery of a Public Servant

Criminal Possession of Marijuana

Sanchez, Jan, 20

Charge:

Bribery of a Public Servant

The post Dumb & Dumber: 2 Brothers Arrested After Attempting to Bribe Officers At A Traffic Stop appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

Shiva has just ended for the Stark family and the media frenzy has moved on to new targets. We have not. The horrific abduction and murder of Menachem Stark continues to shock our entire community to its core, and rightfully so.

As most know by now, the New York Post, headline and subsequent articles, created uproar the likes of which we haven’t seen in a very long time. What is still most troubling to me is the defamation of an entire community.  When the Post references an entire group of people “Hassidic”, while reporting about an individual that is sensationalist journalism at its worst.

As was discussed ad nauseum, aside from its despicable headline “who didn’t want him dead?,” the Post article was filled with stereotypes and inflammatory innuendo about the Chassidic community. As examples, “the millionaire Hassidic slumlord” “he is a Hassidic Jew from Williamsburg and we think he is a scammer” etc…

The use of the term “Hassidic Slumlord” is clearly inappropriate and intentionally provocative. Fair minded observers recognize the ramifications of negatively stereotyping individuals and communities. The Post, to no ones surprise, shrugged its shoulder and moved on to its next meal.

Let’s be honest. There is no justification for identifying the alleged misdeeds of one individual with an entire ethnic or social group. Portraying a landlord of Chasidic lifestyle as a “hasidic slumlord” is insensitive at best and disgusting at worst. In the aftermath of such a terrible tragedy I believe it was unconscionable. Lost in the blaring headline was an innocent family and close knit community reeling from the shock of Mr. Stark’s untimely demise.

I am a big First amendment supporter and the media certainly has a role to play in reporting the news. Its no great surprise, the Post seems far more interested in scoring cheap circulation points at the expense of a truly heinous crime than informing their readers with facts and information. To my personal dismay the coverage also symbolized the negative perception of Chasidic Jews overall and how they are viewed in the secular media. Like all sects and nationalities, one person or a group of people, should not represent the totality of that group. The word stereotype is mostly used in a negative connotation for exactly this reason.

As someone who is engaged in the profession of representing clients in the public relations arena, I am fully cognizant of the fact that perception is the first step towards reality. I’ve been trying to understand why it is that the Chasidic community seems to be held to a different standard.

Years ago, I was having a conversation with a non-Jewish friend of mine, a fellow who traces his heritage all the way back to the Mayflower.  I asked him why Orthodox Jews are often perceived in a negative light.

His answer was simple.  ”Because you are different.”

I asked him to elaborate.  And this is what he told me:  ”Anytime anyone separates themselves from the general population, be it by dress, tradition, or customs, they create a distinction that is inherently resented by others. That’s just the way it is.”
I didn’t really understand him then, but as time goes on I am beginning to realize how accurate his words are.

As I try to make sense out of the media’s coverage of this evil murder, I see no justification for any newspaper to have recognized Mr. Stark by his Chassidic identity. He was a Brooklyn born businessman who happened to be of Chassidic persuasion. I understand that reporting that would have been boring. Sadly, the media has allowed their insensitivity and dare I say, bias, to fester over time, and may no longer even realize that identifying a subject matter by his or her religiosity is simply wrong and unprofessional.

It should be obvious by now to even the most callous and indifferent reporter that Orthodox Jews are deeply sensitive to allegations of institutional impropriety. Other minorities and groups rightfully and vociferously protest being tarred and stereotyped as well. I would offer that people and groups that have bared the brunt of racism and intolerance over decades are especially attuned and sensitive to being paint brushed or labeled. I believe the NY Post’s front cover was greeted with outrage and condemnation by my community for this very reason. Clearly not understanding the origin and authenticity of that outrage, the Posts felt no need to apologize and that simply proves my point.

And so I ask myself how can we change the conversation and really get the media off our backs? I am more and more convinced that there are internal lessons to be learned from all of this. Perhaps our community needs to reassess how we are viewed by the secular world and how we must present ourselves outwardly to change that perception.

Entering the Business World:

We must educate our young and talented entrepreneurs who are entering the business world to their responsibilities.  These young people are bright and capable, but most have had no formal training in the challenges of entering the workplace. Many come straight out of insular backgrounds and enter the business world without the benefit of a minimal education in secular and accepted business practices.  As we’ve seen time and again, when certain violations do occur, they often become the subject of intense media scrutiny which shocks and dismays us.

The fact is when identifiable members of our community are alleged as being involved in criminality, it makes all of us the subject of sensationalist reporting. It is as if the media is lecturing us — “Look, you dress and act a certain way, you are holding yourselves to a higher standard, yet you don’t seem to be living up to those same high standards.” Certainly, the vast majority of our community is proper and law abiding citizens. But let there be no doubt, the media enjoys honing in on the few bad stories. That will never change. Yes, it’s unfortunate and unfair, but reality nonetheless. Maybe we might consider expending as much energy preventing misdeeds with proper education and preparation so we need not have to expend as much defending them.

That’s why I propose that any member of our community who intends to enter the business world be offered the opportunity to get formally trained in a fully accredited program in their chosen profession, be it real estate, finance, retail, or others.  Very often, our children go straight from Yeshiva into the ‘real world’ without any practical training or knowledge of applicable laws and rules of business.  I don’t pretend that this will solve all of our problems or end the double standard towards us in the media, but I believe knowing and understanding individual responsibility is a good first step towards a better future for our people.

I cannot stress enough how much negative damage is generated for all of us through media coverage like this truly tragic story.  It reverberates way beyond the scope of the individuals in this story.  It is not just about Menachem Stark and his alleged business dealings.  It impacts every single Orthodox Jew who engages in any commercial activity with members of the non Orthodox world.

Yes, we need to confront and condemn newspapers like the New York Post who have defamed all of us and have behaved in a heartless manner towards a grieving family.  But we are also required to address the rising stories of white collar crime and shady business dealings when we see them, even if they are few and far between.

As someone who is engaged in public relations in both the Orthodox and non- Orthodox Jewish world, I can only recommend that we address this issue both on an educational level and on a societal level.  It is incumbent upon us to stop glorifying those individuals whose wealth is amassed through unscrupulous sources and not in accordance with our code of ethics.

Let me be very clear: I am not writing these words to address Menachem Stark. I am shaken by his murder and truly heartbroken for his family, not only for the obvious loss of a cherished husband and father but also for the fact that his reputation and that of our community were also assassinated along with him. I am writing this here and now because the conversation is unavoidable. We need to place value on the public’s perception of our community. This requires introspection.

It is my fervent hope that my words will be understood in its proper context.  Believe me when I say that, as a proud Orthodox Jew, I am deeply hurt on a personal level when members of my community are unjustly and unnecessarily maligned.  It need not be.

If my words will change even my own personal behavior then it would have been worthwhile to state my position public on this matter.

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With the holiday of fruit trees known as TuB’shvat celebrated this Thursday, Masbia Soup Kitchen Network is taking the opportunity to applaud the USDA’s bonus purchase of fruits and vegetables to feed the hungry. On January 6, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s intent to purchase up to $126.4 million worth of fruit and vegetable products, to be distributed to needy families under The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which supplies soup kitchens and food pantries with much needed commodities. The products to be purchased include tart cherries, processed apples, cranberries, fresh tomatoes, wild blueberries, and raisins. This purchase will expand efforts to provide high-quality, wholesome, domestically-produced foods to support low-income families in need of emergency food assistance.

For people living in poverty, who are trying to stretch every dollar of their SNAP benefit, formerly known as food stamps, or of what they earned to feed their family, highly nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables are not the grocery items that end up in their shopping cart. “Therefore it is very helpful to be able to supplement nutrition for people in need with fresh fruits and vegetables”, said Alexander Rapaport, executive director of Masbia Soup Kitchen Network. “I commend president Obama and the Dept. of Agriculture for going forward with this. Fresh fruits and vegetables also have an advantage that they are acceptable foods for all. With many hungry New Yorkers who would eat only Kosher or Hallal diets, fresh fruits and vegetables do not require any certification”

Masbia serves about 500 dinners every night to hungry men, women and children in a restaurant setting, and every Thursday distributes about 1000 grocery bags for families in need.

This Thursday, January 16^th, Masbia’s chef Ruben Diaz will help celebrate TuB’shvat by featuring fruits in the dinner menu, including mandarin chicken, olive pasta, and an almond-green bean medley. As a special additive to our weekend pantry program, families and individuals will also receive dried fruit, donated by a community member, and frozen blueberries, purchased by USDA’s TEFAP. With the addition of the USDA’s bonus purchase of fruits and vegetables, Masbia looks forward to providing our clients with more fruit and vegetable options in the weeks ahead.

“As the needs for notorious food continue to rise due to cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) and expiring unemployment benefits, Masbia and other emergency food providers are grateful for all help to meet basic needs,” states Beau G. Heyen, Masbia’ Chief Development Officer. “Our hope is that more work can be done on the local, state and federal level to continue to provide for these individuals and families in need.”

Emergency food providers, like Masbia, anxiously await final decisions on the Farm Bill in Washington and potential slashes to state funding. “Now, more than ever, our network of soup kitchens relies on the support of donors to ensure that we are able to feed those in need regardless of what happens in Albany and DC,” added Heyen.

To learn more about Masbia Soup Kitchen Network please visit www.masbia.org or follow Masbia on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Brooklyn Soup Kitchen Applauding USDA Announcement of Fruit and Vegetable Bonus Purchases to feed the Hungry & Celebrating TuB’shvat appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

Photo: Assemblyman Dov Hikind’s Office

In response to yesterday’s incident involving a 10-year-old boy who fell into an open manhole while walking along 13^th Avenue in Boro Park, Councilman David G. Greenfield is asking the city Department of Environmental Protection and the NYPD to review its response to the incident in order to prevent a similar accident from occurring again in the future. The child fell into the uncovered manhole at 13^th Avenue and 49^th Street at about 8:40 a.m. According to the DEP, it was notified that the manhole was uncovered at 8:28 a.m. after a resident submitted a 311 complaint. The DEP immediately dispatched a crew to the scene, and an NYPD officer was assigned to secure the scene in the meantime. At some point soon after, the child tumbled into the 20-foot hole before being rescued by two Verizon workers and Hatzolah members. While the youngster avoided serious injury, the outcome could have been much worse, prompting Councilman Greenfield to request that the NYPD and DEP investigate the city’s exact minute-by-minute response to the reports of the open manhole.

“First and foremost, I am relieved that this child only suffered minor injuries and will make a full recovery. Obviously this incident could have had a much worst outcome, which is why we need to immediately look into the city’s response beginning with the first 311 report of the broken manhole cover. We also need to know why the manhole cover was missing. After all, it is incumbent on the city to ensure that its infrastructure is maintained and properly working, and to have a plan in place for when situations like this arise,” said Councilman Greenfield.

Councilman Greenfield is also praising the quick thinking of Verizon workers Mike Kroski and Tom Prestia, who were passing by when the child, Moshe Altman, fell into the manhole, as well as Hatzolah volunteers for their quick response. The Verizon workers and a Hatzolah volunteer used a ladder to help Moshe climb out of the dark, watery underground space and kept him calm until first responders reached the scene.

“These men from Verizon are to be commended for not hesitating and stepping up to help a fellow New Yorker in need. It is very fortunate that they were in the area at the time. I would also like to thank Hatzolah for once again answering the call and being there during an emergency in our community. We are very fortunate that this story had a happy ending, and we must take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” concluded Councilman Greenfield.

The post Greenfield Calls on DEP and NYPD to Investigate Cause & Response to Open Manhole Into Which Child Fell Into Yesterday appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

A car-break-in suspect had to be rescued from the icy water off Manhattan Beach after he jumped into the drink in a futile bid to escape capture.

Steven Fishman, 20, was allegedly spotted by campus security breaking into a vehicle in a parking lot at Kingsborough Community College at about 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The suspect made a run for it with guards close behind, and jumped into the freezing water by the oceanside campus, authorities said.

He quickly floundered and started screaming for help, cops said.

Members of the FDNY scuba team searched the water for about 30 minutes, found the suspect, jumped in and lifted him onto the rocky shoreline, cops said.

They then placed him onto a backboard and loaded him into an ambulance, officials said.

Fishman was taken to Coney Island Hospital for treatment of hypothermia.

He was arrested and charged with petit larceny, resisting arrest, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of a vehicle, cops said.

Source: NYPD Blotter

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Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced an interagency working group dedicated to implementing his “Vision Zero” plan and preventing traffic fatalities. The mayor charged the New York Police Department, Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Taxi & Limousine Commission with developing a comprehensive roadmap to eliminate deadly crashes, especially those involving pedestrians. So far this year, there have been 11 New Yorkers killed in traffic—seven of them pedestrians.

The working group’s report will be released publicly and serve as the blueprint for the Administration’s Vision Zero initiative, a broad strategy aimed at reducing traffic fatalities to zero within 10 years. According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, being struck by a car is the leading cause of injury-related death for children younger than 14, and the second leading cause of injury-related death for senior citizens.

“This will be a top-to-bottom effort to take on dangerous streets and dangerous driving. We aren’t going to wait and lose a son, a daughter, a parent or a grandparent in another senseless and painful tragedy. Our top responsibility is protecting the health and safety of our people. From tougher enforcement to more safely-designed streets and stronger laws, we’ll confront this problem from every side—and it starts today,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The working group will report to the mayor by February 15 with concrete plans to:

• Dedicate sufficient NYPD resources and personnel to deter against the most dangerous behavior, especially speeding and failing to yield to pedestrians;
• Improve at least 50 dangerous corridors and intersections annually to discourage dangerous driving;
• Significantly expand the number of 20 mph zones across the city;
• Pursue a traffic safety legislative agenda, including home rule on traffic cameras, so New York City can deploy red light and speed enforcement cameras based on safety needs.

As immediate measures:

• Mayor de Blasio announced that speed cameras recently installed on New York City streets will begin issuing tickets on Thursday to enforce the speed limit on dangerous streets.
• Police Commissioner Bratton announced the NYPD is increasing the number of personnel assigned to the Highway division, which enforces against serious traffic violations. Since taking office, the Commissioner has increased personnel dedicated to the Highway Division by 10 percent, with the goal of increasing staffing by 50 percent, to a total of 270 officers.
• Mayor de Blasio also committed to personally meet with victims’ families in the coming weeks and work in close partnership to enact the Vision Zero plan.

The mayor made the announcement near Northern Boulevard and 61st Street, the dangerous Woodside intersection where 8-year-old Noshat Nahian was struck and killed in the crosswalk while walking to school in December. Immediately after taking office, Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton dispatched a crossing guard to the intersection to protect school children navigating the dangerous street.

Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton emphasized that additional and more rigorous enforcement against dangerous violations—like speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians—would be central to their efforts—representing a significant new undertaking for the NYPD.

“Our job is to save lives. We will be just as aggressive in preventing a deadly crash on our streets as we are in preventing a deadly shooting. Our police are going to enforce the laws on our streets consistently and effectively. This is going to be central to our work to keep New Yorkers safe. We will put the personnel and resources in place to protect New Yorkers,” said Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.

“This is our top priority. It is our job to get ahead of this epidemic on our streets. We know what the tools are, and we are going to immediately set to work on the concrete plans to put them into action. We are going to build on what’s working, fix what’s broken, and make sure that nothing is held back as we make our streets safer,” said Under Secretary for Policy at the US Department of Transportation and incoming NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

“Traffic crashes rank among the city’s leading causes of injury-related deaths and hospitalizations, but they are preventable,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. “We are committed to working with other city agencies to improve traffic safety and reduce pedestrian fatalities in New York City.”

“Public safety must always be at the forefront of what we do. Whether it’s our drivers and passengers, or the people who share the streets with them, we want to do our part to protect every New Yorker,” said TLC Chief Operating Officer Conan Freud. “This working group will enable us to do that more effectively and comprehensively with our partners across the city than ever before.”

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FDNY firefighters in Brooklyn saved three women, including one in a wheelchair, from a 2-alarm fire on Jan. 15.

“All units did a great job extinguishing the fire and saving lives today,” Battalion 39 Chief James McDermott said.

Fire was first reported around 12:27 p.m. in the Pink Houses on Stanley Avenue.

When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke and fire blowing out the two windows. People were shouting that there were people trapped.

Firefighters from Ladder 107 made their way to the fourth floor. Firefighter Lawrence Hollingsworth said there was so much smoke, “we weren’t able to see anything at all.”
They found one unconscious woman in the hallway, and immediately rushed her downstairs to receive treatment from EMS members.

Firefighter Hollingsworth said he felt a woman’s wheelchair in the doorway of the apartment. He said it appeared she had been trying to escape, but got caught on debris and was overcome by smoke.

“She was not conscious, so we just wanted to get her to an area of refuge as quickly as possible,” he said.

He and Firefighter Damion Waite pulled her to the floor, where there was more oxygen, then to the stairway and downstairs, where EMS members began treatment.

While downstairs, they said a teenager was trying to get back inside to save his dogs, but they would not allow him upstairs.

Capt. Glenn Radermacher, Ladder 107, said they then heard a sound from behind the wheelchair, about 10 feet into the apartment. It was a third victim, who Firefighters Hollingsworth and Waite carried downstairs.

He said they located the dogs and provided CPR, but were unable to save them.

“There was no visibility and clutter everywhere, it was a difficult situation,” he said.

Simultaneously, firefighters from Engine 225 were preparing to extinguish the fire. Lt. Jeff Callaghan said the fire was in a rear bedroom.

“There was fire coming out the top of the [bedroom] door,” he said. “So we had to act fast.”

Clutter in front of and behind the bedroom door made it difficult for firefighters to make their way inside to battle the fire. Firefighters quickly moved debris and another firefighter took the bedroom door off its hinges to get inside.

“With zero visibility, we just did our job, what we’re trained to do,” Firefighter Hollingsworth said.

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Earlier today, Aleksander Efrosman, the investment manager of Century Maxim Fund, Inc. and AJR Capital, Inc., was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 188 months following his conviction for wire fraud. Efrosman, who fled the United States, was extradited from Poland and pleaded guilty on October 18, 2012. In addition to the prison term, Efrosman was ordered to pay restitution of approximately $4 million.

The sentence was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Philip R. Bartlett, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, New York Division.

“This case proves the old adage: ‘You can run, but you cannot hide.’ Aleksander Efrosman stole over $5 million from unsuspecting investors and fled the country, then engaged in a globetrotting effort to escape justice. But the coordinated efforts of law enforcement resulted in his capture. Today, Efrosman has finally been held to account for his betrayal of his clients’ trust,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “As proved again today, this office will relentlessly pursue and prosecute the perpetrators of investment fraud schemes.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service for their assistance in this case.

From January 2004 through June 2005, working from offices in Brooklyn and Staten Island, Efrosman defrauded investors by soliciting investments purportedly for the purpose of trading in the stock market and the foreign currency exchange market. Efrosman falsely told investors that he had a history of profitable trading and that the investments would be protected by a “stop-loss” mechanism which ensured that no trade lost more than 3 percent. Based on these misrepresentations, Efrosman raked in over $5 million from more than 100 investors. Efrosman did not invest the funds as promised, but instead used the funds for his personal benefit, including gambling over $3 million at the Foxwoods casino.

Efrosman fled the United States in 2005 with millions of dollars of investor funds. He first traveled to Cozumel, Mexico, then to Panama and ultimately to Poland, where he assumed the identity of “Mikhail Grosman” and obtained a high-quality fraudulent Russian passport. In the meantime, federal agents in the United States pursued leads as to Efrosman’s whereabouts. In a coordinated multinational effort, law enforcement authorities in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland tracked, located, and ultimately arrested Efrosman in Krakow, Poland on May 28, 2010.

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On December 14, US Customs & Border Protection officers selected Ciara Ryan for a random baggage examination. Ryan, 38 was returning from Colombia and had two bags in her possession. The first bag was examined by officers and was found to have a strong odor of glue coming from it. Upon further inspection, CBP found alterations to its bottom; within the alterations were several suspected counterfeit U.S. $100 bills.

A black leather satchel also in her possession was examined and found to contain more suspected counterfeit bills concealed within its lining

Ms. Ryan was placed under arrest and a total of 1,500 counterfeit $100 bills ($150,000) were seized. She will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.

“The responsibilities of a CBP officer are vast,” said Robert E. Perez, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations. “Despite the multi-faceted challenge our officers encounter every day, they are ever vigilant in their efforts to protect the United States. This seizure speaks to the diverse CBP mission.”

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Kings County District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson announced today the appointments of Leroy Frazer, Jr. as Chief of Staff, and Coleen Balbert as Chief of Sex Crimes.  Mr. Frazer joins Thompson’s administration after serving 34 years in the New York County District Attorney’s Office.  Ms. Balbert also worked in the New York County District Attorney’s Office as Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit.

As Executive Assistant District Attorney for External Affairs in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Frazer supervised the Office of Legislative Affairs and the Community Affairs Unit.  He also served as the Coordinator of the New York State Law Enforcement Council and Legislative Secretary for the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York.  Mr. Frazer joined the Office in 1980, serving initially as an assistant district attorney in the Trial Division where he prosecuted street crime cases ranging from larcenies to homicides.

“District Attorney Thompson’s choice of Leroy Frazer as his Chief of Staff is first-rate,” said former New York County District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau.  “He is an outstanding lawyer and prosecutor, and is respected not only by his colleagues, the defense bar and judiciary, but also by community leaders.  He will be a great asset to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.”

Ms. Balbert served as Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit in the New York County District Attorney’s Office where she supervised more than 50 assistant district attorneys, investigators and support staff in their handling of all sexual assault and human trafficking cases.  Her role also included conducting inter-office training on investigation techniques, trial strategy, medical and DNA evidence, as well as trainings for law enforcement and non-law enforcement agencies.  In 1998, Ms. Balbert began her career as an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office, where she was a member of the Trial Division until 2006.

“With the appointments of Leroy Frazer and Coleen Balbert, my administration continues to fulfill its commitment to legal excellence and high standards in prosecution and law enforcement,” said District Attorney Kenneth Thompson. “Leroy Frazer is an outstanding prosecutor, with vast experience in law enforcement and management. Coleen Balbert is one of the finest sex crimes and human trafficking prosecutors in the country.  In their roles within my administration, they will both be valuable members of the executive team and leaders in criminal justice. The people of Brooklyn will be well served by these critical appointments.”

In December, District Attorney Thompson appointed Mark Feldman, a distinguished former state and federal prosecutor, as Chief Assistant.

The Kings County District Attorney’s Office is one of the largest prosecutorial agencies in the nation, serving over 2.5 million people in Brooklyn.  On November 5, 2013, District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson was elected to the Office, and he began his tenure on January 1, 2014.

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Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

The post Alternate Side Rules Suspended Monday, January 20 appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

The Brooklyn Bridge will be closed Manhattan-bound from midnight Friday to 7 am Saturday, from midnight Saturday to 9 am Sunday, and from midnight Sunday to 6 am Monday. The eastbound BQE exit onto the bridge closes 30 minutes earlier, the northbound FDR Drive exits close up to an hour earlier, and   other Brooklyn ramps onto the bridge shut down 5-15 minutes earlier.

One Manhattan-bound lane on the lower level of the Manhattan Bridge will be closed on Saturday from 7 am to 2:30 pm to facilitate NYCDOT bridge repairs.

One of four eastbound lanes to Brooklyn on the Williamsburg Bridge will be closed on Saturday from 6 am to 2 pm to facilitate NYCDOT bridge maintenance work.

One lane in each direction on the Metropolitan Avenue Bridge over Newtown Creek will be closed on Sunday from 7 am to 2 pm to install electrical equipment.

The 86th Street Central Park Transverse Roadway between Central Park West and 5th Avenue will be closed on Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm for Parks Department tree pruning operations.

The following streets in Manhattan will be closed on Monday from 10 am to 12:30 pm for the New York City Martin Luther King Jr. Parade:
* Broadway between 125th Street and 126th Street
* 125th Street between Broadway and Lenox Avenue
* Lenox Avenue between 125th Street and 140th Street

The post Weekend Bridge and Street Closures – January 18-20 appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

The new City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Councilmembers Brad Lander, David Greenfield & Chaim Deutsch, State Assemblyman David Weprin, and a representative of Mayor Bill DeBlasio were just some of the heavyweights that packed into the dining room of Ezra Friedlander, CEO of The Friedlander Group, to celebrate Tu B’Shevat – a holiday celebrating trees, fruits and rebirth, also called the New Year for Trees. The program was officiated by Rabbi Steven Burg of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Mark-Viverito visited Boro Park Wednesday, January 15,2014 for the first time since elected as speaker on January 8th. The speaker attended the annual Tu B’Shvat seder at the home of Ezra Friedlander, CEO of The Friedlander Group, along with the Jewish community’s three Council members – David Greenfield, Brad Lander (who was the leading force behind Ms. Mark-Viverito’s candidacy for the Speakership) and Chaim Deutsch – and various government representatives, community leaders and activists.

“They’re part of the community. They work for the community. They represent the community. So it’s only natural to welcome them, that we celebrate the holiday together and we thank them for what they’re doing on our behalf,” Friedlander said. “It’s one little family.”

It was the second year in a row Friedlander held the party allowing prominent members of the city’s Orthodox Jewish community to mingle with elected officials.

“I was invited and obviously I have colleagues that are here. There are a lot of important leaders here,” said Council Speaker Mark-Viverito. “My responsibility and role is to build relationships and to really learn about other communities and other cultures.”

The Speaker, for her part, joked as she compared herself to one of the fruit on the table - Sabras (prickly pear fruit), as having the image of a tough woman but with a soft part from inside. (The Sabra fruit is thorny on the outside with a thick peel that must be removed, to get to the sweet soft meaty inside).

Ms. Mark-Viverito spoke of the need to work together in eliminating any type of racism, bigotry and any type of violence in the City of New York. “One of the wonderful things about living in New York, is that you’re able to travel, and if you make a commitment and really want to learn, and learn about other people’s cultures and understand each other. You break down some of that anger and ignorance that leads sometimes to hatred,” she said.

The Speaker said that the relationships she has managed to build over the years in government with the community has made her a better person and a better legislator, and is an example for others. “We need to make an effort to reach across and learn from each other’s experiences and cultures,” she stated. “Being a Latina, and understanding that a lot of times people are not understanding me – who I am and who I represent – I know the importance of reaching across.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams also highlighted the event, noting that this marks his first joyous Jewish event since entering Borough Hall.

“It was very appropriate to welcome Speaker Melissa-Mark Viverito and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Tu B’shvat which is known as Rosh Hashanah for the trees with their own recent oath of office which is symbolic of a fresh start to our borough and city,” said Ezra Friedlander.

Reporting by Jacob Kornbluh and Robert Lewis

Photos and Video by Shmuel and Dov Lenchevsky

The post NYC Council Speaker Mark-Viverito At Tu B’Shvat Party in Boro Park appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

At around 2:30 PM on Wednesday, Police Officers Jeff Boardman and Anthony Isaac, assigned to the 84th Precinct, responded to a report of an unconscious child inside of a Bank of America, located at 350 Fulton Street. Upon arrival, officers Boardman and Isaac were met by a 29 year old mother and her unconscious and unresponsive 3 month old boy in her arms.

Officer Boardman immediately checked the child’s vital signs and opened his mouth to clear any potential breathing obstruction.  Officer Boardman then began chest compressions until the child regained consciousness and began to breathe on his own.

EMS personnel then arrived on the scene and placed an oxygen mask on the child to assist with respiration before transporting him to Brooklyn Hospital.

Little Jaylen Taylor is listed in stable condition.

3 month old Jaylen Taylor, along with his mother Sunnia Carberry

The post Two Officers Rescue Unconscious 3 Month Old Steps from Brooklyn Borough Hall appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis  today joined Sen. Martin Golden, MTA Board Member Allen Cappelli, representatives from the Guild for Exceptional Children and members of the Transit Workers Union for a press conference calling on the MTA New York City Transit Board to fully restore the B37 bus route. After years of fighting by elected officials and community groups, the MTA Board has agreed to a partial restoration of the B37 route; however this would only restore service from Bay Ridge to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center.

“For three years I have fought alongside my colleagues, community groups and transit advocates to restore the B37,” said Malliotakis. “While we were successful in getting the MTA to agree to a restoration, reinstating the route only to the Barclays Center simply isn’t adequate. The majority of our constituents use this bus to get downtown, to the courts system, borough hall or medical appointments; all of which would still be out of reach under the partial restoration. While I’m pleased to have the bus partially restored, a full restoration is absolutely critical for the people of Bay Ridge and all of Brooklyn. I want to encourage anyone who uses the bus regularly to join us as we make our appeal to the MTA board on January 27.”

Senator Marty Golden, a member of the Metropolitan Transit Capital Review Board, stated, “The planned restoration of the B37 bus line is a tremendous victory for the riders, families and businesses of Brooklyn who had relied on this service prior to its elimination. However, the plan to end the route at the Barclays Center at Atlantic Avenue is miscalculated, and will fail to meet the needs of Brooklyn’s commuters. Another ten more blocks, as was previously the case, makes traveling in Brooklyn significantly more practical, and I urge the Metropolitan Transit Authority to continue to put the needs of their customers first.”

MTA Board Member Allen Cappelli said, “Senator Golden and Assemblywoman Malliotakis have been strong advocates in bringing about transportation equity in southern Brooklyn and throughout the region. I’m pleased to stand with them today to urge the MTA to finish the job and complete the B37 restoration.”

Should the partial restoration plan be enacted, service on the B37 would be available along 3^rd Avenue from Shore Parkway to Atlantic Avenue, but would terminate at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway complex. From there, riders would be forced to transfer to the B41, B45, B63, B67 and B103. The MTA Bus Company is also studying the feasibility of adding new stops along the B103 route to supplement service previously provided by the B37. However, those stops would not service all the previously-used locations.

Residents who wish to express their support for full restoration of the B37 can attend the NYC Transit and Bus committee meeting of the MTA Board. The meeting will be held on Monday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the MTA headquarters, 347 Madison Avenue, Fifth Floor, Manhattan.

The post Malliotakis & Golden Join Colleagues And Supporters To Call For Full Restoration Of The B37 appeared first on BrooklyNews.com | Local Brooklyn News.