North Brooklyn Pols Slam State’s BQE Plans

Matthew Fischetti on February 15, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

NorthBrooklyn elected officials and advocates slammed the state on Monday, after the State Department of Transportation told Streetsblog that Hochul administration has no intention of addressing the state portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Earlier this year, the Adams administration announced a public engagement session for redesign of the BQE due to funds available from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BQE is split into two major parts: one dubbed BQE Central, the city owned part which stretches from Atlantic Ave. to Sands St; and the second being BQE North and South which is under state purview.

The officials took their frustration to Jaime Campiz Playground on Marcy Ave, more commonly known as “Green Grass”, which lies right across from the BQE.

“This is not about division. From Greenpoint to Brooklyn Heights. From Bay Ridge, down further south – we are unified. And we are all claiming that we want to see a corridor-wide plan. And it needs to happen now,” Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said at the press conference.

On Thursday, after Streetsblog broke the story over the state’s lack of plans, 18 elected officials across Brooklyn released a statement condemning the state’s decision to just provide technical assistance rather than a full redesign.

For years, the city and state has considered different ways to redesign and fix the crumbling highway. The BQE was originally designed to carry 47,000 vehicles a day but carries an estimated 150,000 vehicles per day now, according to Curbed.

““New York State DOT’s refusal to commit to participating in NYC DOT’s visioning process for their portions of the BQE is completely unacceptable and irresponsible. This historic opportunity to rebuild the BQE extends beyond the Triple Cantilever and our communities deserve a forward thinking vision that redesigns the entire BQE and addresses the significant environmental justice impacts of the thruway,” their statement read.

Greenpoint and Brooklyn Height Councilman Lincoln Restler did not hold back his words at Monday’s press conference.

“One thing that we all learned when we read the Power Broker is that highways can be racist,” Restler said, referencing the 1,336 page tome that chronicles city planner Robert Moses’s implementation of highways.

“Infrastructure can be racist. The BQE is racist. It has caused enormous harm to communities all throughout Brooklyn,” he continued.

Restler also specifically called to move forward with the BQGreen proposal which would add a decked 3.5 acre park

Williamsburg Councilwoman Jennifer Gutiérrez noted that perhaps Brooklyn needed to remind the state what it means to be an environmental justice community.

“It means that since the BQE, since Robert Moses, it has been our communities that have had to breathe the fumes that have to deal with the environmental issues of this racist highway. It’s us dealing with the risk every single day and not state DOT,” she said. “What it means to be an environmental justice community is to be unapologetic, and what we demand and in the future that we see for all of us, for many of us that are here, the damage is done. We don’t stand here for ourselves. We stand here for our descendants. We stand here for our future.”

While not in attendance on Monday, Emily Gallgher’s Chief of Staff represented the Assemblymember, who’s exchange with the State DOT Commish raised the concern of the state not being interested in a full redesign of the bridge.

“We are not going to kick the can down the road any further,” Andrew Epstein said. “We’re going to tackle this racist infrastructure once and for all and we’re going to bring New York State DOT to the table as soon as we possibly can.”

Editors Note: Emily Gallagher is a former columnist for the Greenpoint Star.

New North Brooklyn Air Quality Report Released

Matthew Fischetti on February 15, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

A new report studying air quality in North Brooklyn found “concerning but not conclusive results” results.

The study, completed by North Brooklyn Neighbors in collaboration with NYU Grossman School of Health, analyzed the air quality across the neighborhood over a 13 month span, measured from November 2020 to December 2021.

The study measured three different types of air pollutants: Volatile organic Compounds (VOCs), a broad group of chemicals which are typically used as industrial solvents; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), naturally occurring chemicals found the occur from combustion of oil or gasoline; and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), , which are tiny particles or droplets found in the air defined by their size.

The study sampled five sites across North Brooklyn: Satmar Matzah Bakers at 427 Broadway, United Transit Mix 318 Boerum Street, Entrance Ramp to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at Roebling and South 4th Streets, Scheel Corporation at 28 Franklin Street and McGuinness Boulevard.

The report does note that the testing cannot “positively identify that the contaminants found are attributable to the specific facilities that we tested near” and calls for additional monitoring to have a more comprehensive report.

Every sample collected found elevated levels of Benzene, a type of VOC, above the level the state determines to be a safe standard. Benzene, a common byproduct of the plastics industries, is known to be carcinogenic and cause other serious health effects like anemia with longtime exposure.

The report also found that fine particulate matter, PM_2.5, exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual standards in five out of eight cases. PM 2.5 is known to cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system in the short term while long-term exposure is associated with increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease.

The report also notes that while not all samples exceed the state’s guidelines, that residents should be wary about the amount of exposure.

“It is important to note that while presumably based in science, exposure guidelines are also subject to politics. Just as it was once acceptable to smoke inside a restaurant, we now do not accept that as protective of human health,” the report reads “Frequently, when guidelines are updated, levels which were deemed safe become more conservative.”

Assemblywoman Gallagher told the Greenpoint Star in a statement that her office is actively exploring state legislation that “improves air quality data collection, transparency, and mitigation.”

“Greenpoint and Williamsburg have long suffered from poor, sometimes dangerous air quality as a result of a toxic industrial legacy and destructive infrastructure like the BQE,” Gallagher said in a statement. “I am committed to working closely with our federal and local partners to make sure everyone feels empowered with the real-time facts they deserve.”

Editors Note: Emily Gallagher is a former Greenpoint Star Columnist

Outdoor Weddings & Events In Brooklyn Using Tent Rentals

webadmin on January 30, 2023

Do your favorite dates involve hiking, picnics, and spending time outdoors? Then a public park may be the perfect spot for your wedding ceremony and reception. Not only will the natural landscape serve as a beautiful backdrop for pictures, but choosing a park as your venue can also help you save money on an event space, decorations, and more. However, planning a wedding in a public park also comes with a unique set of challenges, like the fact that you need to obtain certain permits and the possibility of bad weather. If you’re thinking about hosting your party, ceremony or reception in a park, here are 10 important things you need to consider first (aside from the fact you will probably end up needing to rent a tent for the party).

How Accessible Is The Location?

Whether you’re considering having your wedding at a small park in your hometown or somewhere within a larger national park, you’ll quickly realize that the most idyllic spots are often located well within the area’s grounds—not on the outskirts. Since more remote locations aren’t easily accessible by car, some guests, including elderly loved ones, may have trouble reaching the destination. Even if it’s easy to drive right up to your preferred spot within a park, you’ll need to consider whether or not it will be feasible for vendors to park and unload, and whether or not you’ll be able to set up chairs for a ceremony.

Are There Associated Access Fees?

Some public areas and national parks require a fee for admission. Determine whether or not wedding guests will have to pay upon arrival, and consider paying for your guests’ fees ahead of time, if so. You could also offer transportation (like shuttles or buses) into the park as a nice gesture.

How Many Permits Do You Need?

Since most parks are public spaces, anyone can use the property, but you’ll likely need to acquire a permit for hosting a wedding. Apply to the permit office as soon as possible to ensure approval and availability. While most permits are free, you may need to pay an application fee, which is usually anything from $20 to $200. Make sure you’ve applied for all necessary permits—you may need one for the ceremony and reception and another for amplified sound.

Are There Rules & Regulations?

Most public parks have regulations regarding noise and time restrictions, alcohol use, permissible guest count, and rentals. Talk to authorities about the rules before the wedding, and understand the consequences for breaking them. If any of these are deal-breakers for you—say, you can’t have live music in your favorite park—then you’d be better off looking for a different venue instead.

What To Do In Case Of Bad Weather?

Does your preferred park have a lodge, covered patio, or gazebo that you could use should the weather turn on you? Will the town’s permit office allow you to put up a rented tent in the event of poor weather? Make sure you understand your backup options before booking. Another important question to ask: What happens to the park in the event of severe weather? Some of these public spaces close in heavy rain, snow, or extreme heat or cold, so you may need a back-up location if this is the case. Just remember, In terms of the actual comfort level of the party tent in hot or cold weather, there is nothing to worry about as special heating & cooling for party tents are a common item at rental companies in Brooklyn.

Will Other People Be Around?

Since public parks are open to anyone, a bride and groom can’t banish passersby from the space. Kids may be playing baseball 50 feet from your cocktail hour, and their parents may sneakily snap a few photos of your beautiful reception. If you can’t welcome the idea of potential onlookers with a happy attitude, find a more secluded spot for your vows.

Does This Space Match My Preferred Dress Code?

Outdoor weddings are usually low-key, meaning that an elegant ball gown may look out of place in a park setting. If you’ve been dreaming of a black-tie celebration, complete with women in gowns and men in tuxedos, a park might not be the right setting for you.

Will The Town Limit My Rentals And Décor?

In order to keep a public park in tip-top shape, some local authorities may forbid certain items, like fire pits or in-ground stakes. Check with the park administration before reserving rentals, and don’t be afraid to get creative with your big day aesthetic. Since parks are naturally beautiful, you can rely on the surrounding scenery as a major decorative element, but if the idea of not having your dream tent makes you upset, start looking elsewhere.

Are There Public Restrooms?

Most public parks have restrooms or portable bathrooms scattered throughout the grounds. Plan your ceremony and reception near a restroom for convenience. Or, if your ideal spot isn’t close to these facilities, make sure the park allows you to bring in portable toilets. Flush units cost around $300 a piece, while no-flush options run for considerably less (although these aren’t the most elegant options for a wedding).

How Will We Serve Food?

Just like with rentals and décor, parks may have restrictions about outside food, beverages, and cooking equipment. Since they don’t want waste or food containers to harm wildlife, they may ask you to eat only in designated areas. Ask the management about food restrictions, then plan your meals accordingly.

Contributed With Help From Our Brooklyn Downtown Star & Queens Ledger Featured Party Rentals Company: Party Buster NYC 1111 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226 (718) 789-9200 https://www.partybuster.com/.

Brooklyn second highest county with barriers to well-being: report

glendaleregstg on January 25, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

A new report found that Kings County has the second highest overall barriers to well-being in all of the Empire State.

Commissioned by the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, the report measures well-being based on 18 different measurements which are grouped into five major “barrier clusters.” The clusters include six major categories like housing, health, education, youth and community.

Kings County also clocked in as the second highest ranking borough in terms of burdens to housing. The housing cluster was measured by tracking how many severely rent burdened households there are (paying over 50% of income on rent), overcrowding rates and the amount of students in temporary housing.

Brooklyn was ranked as having above average barriers in the economic security category (11th highest), education (seventh highest), and community (third highest). The only categories where Brooklyn did not rank as “above average” were in health (34th highest) and youth (20th highest.)

While Brooklyn ranked high overall in the state, most of the individual 18 indices to measure barriers to well being decreased from 2018 to 2020. The only measurement that did increase during that time span were the rates of students in temporary housing increased from 10 percent to 10.7 percent.

“Data are essential for informing meaningful actions that build a more equitable future for New York’s children, youth and families”, Bijan Kimiagar, Associate Executive Director for Research at CCC and author of the report, said in a statement. “Our Child and Family Well-being Index for New York State highlights how barriers to well-being exist in every county across the state, and so do opportunities to overcome these barriers. By focusing where in the state families face multiple, overlapping barriers to well-being, and looking at each county’s unique set of strengths and needs, we hope to spur budget, legislative and programmatic actions to improve child and family well-being both locally and statewide.”

The report indicates support for a number of policies to alleviate the issues that Governor Hochul signaled support for in her State of the State address including indexing the minimum wage to inflation and increasing affordable housing production. But the report also argues that the state most go further and support measure such as funding universal school meals, expanding the Empire State Child Credit to increase credits for lower income families and ensure all who qualify can receive the credit.

“Our state must do more to increase incomes and combat poverty and I urge the Governor to make this a top priority in the upcoming budget,” Queens Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi and Chair of the Committee on Children and Families said in a statement.

“Expanding the Empire State Tax Credit will make a real impact on the lives of New York’s families and uplift incomes. So often child welfare involvement begins not because of abuse or neglect but due to poverty. Uplifting incomes will keep children out of the child welfare system, prevent family separations, and prevent generational trauma,” he continued.

Overall, the report found that the Bronx had the greatest overall barriers while Saratago County has the fewest barriers overall.

The Citizens Committee for Children of New York is a nonprofit that studies childhood welfare throughout the state and releases the report annually.

Exclusive: Lincoln Restler’s One Year Interview

Matthew Fischetti on January 18, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queeensledger.com

After years in working in local reformer politics, as an aide for Mayor DeBlasio and stints at local non-profits, Lincoln Restler was ready to take on City Hall.

The politically adept council member represents the 33rd district which stretches waterfront Brooklyn nabes like Greenpoint down to Brooklyn Heights. In his first year of office, he has introduced over a dozen pieces of legislation – ranging in wide scale reforms like the city giving first preference to non-profit developers when selling land to planting over 3,000 trees in the district.. He has released a climate action roadmap, which combines legislative priorities with organizing strategies to try and make the district the first carbon-neutral in the county.

Our paper decided to catch up with the councilmember to reflect about the challenges and successes in his first year of office.

“I’m really proud of the work that we’ve been able to do. I love this job, I thought I would love it. But until you’re actually in it, doing it every day didn’t realize just how much I would enjoy it,” Restler said in a recent interview.

Restler described his legislative philosophy as being driven largely by constituent services complaints. After being inundated with complaints about helicopter noise and placard abuse – he introduced legislation to ban non-essential helicopter use and banning placard abuse.

“The three key prongs of the office are having a really rigorous and robust constituent services operation to solve every problem. You develop proactive organizing plans across our district to address issues at the neighborhood level and then sponsor and pass transformative legislation that addresses the inequities in our city,” said Restler.

While Restler has introduced many pieces of legislation, most of them are still sitting in committee, even while having co-sponsors from a majority of the council.

“2022 was a year for a whole new city government in New York, not just to the mayor setting up this whole administration, but a new speaker and 80 percent of the council are freshmen members,” Restler said.”And so it’s taken us a little bit of time to develop our priorities and consensus in this legislative council, under Speaker Adams, but I think we’re really starting to hit a groove and the passing rate packages built in the summer and fall.”

Back in March, Restler was appointed as co-chair of the Progressive Caucus with Shahana Hanif. The caucus, which represent a majority of the council, unveiled their formal agenda, a cadre of 20 bills that had been introduced throughout the year – including legislation relating to banning solitary confinement, abolishing the gang database and establishing a public bank.

“we’re making steady progress in driving those pieces of legislation forward. You know, as the largest caucus in the council, when we’re organized, we are in a very strong position to see our priorities enacted. The speaker, I think, listens to and cares about what her members want. And when we’re organized as a caucus, we can come forward as a large compelling, you know, influential block of votes to say, these are our priorities,” Restler said.

“The reality is that Eric Adams is committed to austerity, politics and austerity budgeting. City government has been hollowed out as it is, and it is severely hurting our city agency’s ability to generate affordable housing, to connect New Yorkers to public assistance and food stamps,” he added.

When pushed about voting for the original budget, Restler expressed regret.

“I think there was a lot of misinformation and misleading information. I think there was a lot of deliberately misleading information provided by the administration and in advance of the last budget that hid the severity of the cuts that they were imposing on our neighborhood school,” he said. The councilman emphasized that although he has allocated funding out of his discretionary budget and testified in oversight hearings, that “I should have known better, and I should have pushed harder. And I regret voting in favor of a budget that cut funding from our schools.”

Restler took the opportunity to critique the Mayor’s November Plan – a budget update which included cuts to libraries and other services.

“We were sorely disappointed with the November plan that the mayor released imposing nearly an additional billion dollars in cuts to the universal 3k program cuts across our city agencies. It’s clear where his priorities lie. His commitment to austerity budgets is unacceptable. And we as a council, we must fight back to stop.”

In the following months, Restler said that he was looking forward to introducing more legislation: specifically relating to rooftop solar, battery storage and improving conditions of homeless shelters.

Brooklyn State of the Borough returns

Matthew Fischetti on January 18, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

The State of the Borough is back in Kings County.

After a decade of not having one, elected officials and members of the public attended Brooklyn Beep Antonio Reynoso’s first State of the Borough last week at the New York College of Technology.

Maternal Health Care

One of the main focuses of Reynoso’s first term as Borough President has centered around improving the maternal health conditions in Brooklyn. A 2021 report from the city found that a third of all New York City pregnancy deaths occur in Kings County.

“One in every three pregnancy-related deaths in New York City are happening here, in our borough.Right here in Brooklyn, Black women are dying at 9.4 times the rate of their White counterparts because of pregnancy-related complications.It’s one of the greatest inequities, greatest injustices that we’re bearing witness to,” Reynoso said in his speech.

In order to tackle the issue, Reynoso has allocated the entirety of his 2023 funding, which totals $45 million, to funding maternal healthcare improvements across the borough’s three public hospitals. Reynoso also instituted a maternal task force back in April made up of eight black women OBGYNs, mental health workers, doulas and other experts to inform policy.

The Borough President’s office has also spent $250,000 on a public health messaging campaign this year to connect at-risk residents with a resource guide influenced by the task force’s recommendations. Most recently, Reynoso was able to help provide 500 free baby boxes that contained baby materials as well as post-partum resources after giving a $100k grant to

Comprehensive Planning

One of the other major accomplishments Reynoso highlighted in his speech was the launching of the borough’s comprehensive planning effort. Reynoso criticized the status quo of New York not having one, unlike many major metro areas.

“Yet, despite being the most populous city in the country, New York City is noticeably lacking a plan like this–and instead of planning, we have a piecemeal zoning approval process that we all know isn’t getting the job done,” Reynoso said.

Reynoso emphasized that his comprehensive planning will center around public health and housing outcomes.

“The key to comprehensive planning is to have a clear objective, and our focus is set squarely on the intersection of housing and public health. Because of decades of racist city planning and a long legacy of segregation, our communities of color are clustered in the areas with the poorest housing conditions, the least access to resources, and the worst health outcomes,” Reynoso said.

In his speech, Reynoso also emphasized that building wouldn’t be limited to nabes that have seen development in recent years – like Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg or East New York – but would also focus on areas that have not had rezonings in decades.

“It’s no coincidence that 90 percent of childhood lead poisoning cases involve children of color,or that our neighbors in eastern Brooklyn are dying sooner, with the highest rates of premature mortality in the entire borough,” he added.

Looking forward

Reynoso outlined four major policies for the upcoming year, including: providing permanent houses for nonprofits, increasing Black-owned business in Brownsville, Community Board Reform, and a “solar saving plan”.

In terms of providing permanent homes for nonprofits, Reynoso said the move was so that the organizations could eliminate wasted time on finding facilities or negotiating with landlords, and focus more on providing their services.

“Because listen, the people of Brooklyn can’t keep building a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities when their money is all caught up in just surviving. And that applies just as much to our nonprofits as it does to our low-income tenants,” he said.

Reynoso said in his speech that he would be working with the Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation to help spurn new business. Of the first groups selected in the program, a smaller group will be selected to receive free space on underused commercial corridors in Brownsville.

“Black unemployment in New York City stands at 9.7 percent compared to 5.5 percent of their White counterparts. At the neighborhood level, Brownsville alone has an exceptionally high black unemployment rate of 11.2 percent,” Reynoso said in his speech.

Reynoso’s solar plan focuses on providing a “large-scale” central solar plant to help lower-income New Yorkers who cannot take advantage of roof solarization. A 2019 report from the Mayor’s office found that 32 percent of Brooklyn families in 2017 were “utility burdened,” spending more than 6 percent of their income on utilities – prior to recent rate increases.

The last major policy Reynoso said he looks to work on this year is related to community board reform. Reynoso stated that he wants to reform the unclear responsibilities divided between mayoral agencies and the borough president’s office. The new guidance from the Beep’s office would Reynoso also emphasized that his office wants to provide greater diversity, in all aspects of the word.

“I’m not just talking race and ethnicity. I’m talking about interests, education, or ability status. Do you drive a car or take public transportation? Do you own a home or are you a renter? Are you a single parent? Are you a NYCHA resident?Nearly one-quarter of Brooklyn is 18 years old or younger, but most applicants and appointees to community boards last year were ages 45-64. So, we’re also talking about age,” he said.

Reynoso also noted that he is specifically looking to place two members between 16 and 18 years old on each of the borough’s 18 community boards. Applications for the community board are open until February 14.

End of year legislation signed by Governor

Matthew Fischetti on January 5, 2023

By Alicia Venter

aventer@queensledger.com

As the year came to a close, Governor Kathy Hochul had a busy two weeks. She became the first woman to be sworn into a full term as governor of New York on Jan. 1, and in the month prior, she signed numerous pending state legislation into law.

Notably, she signed a bill that prohibits discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status and immigration status is illegal in New York.

This law will expand the protections from the NYS Division of Human Rights, which currently investigates cases in which individuals have been potentially discriminated against due to their immigration status.

State Senator John Liu and State Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz came together with activists on Dec. 29 in front of Flushing Library to applaud the signing of this bill (S6586A/A6328A).

“We appreciate Governor Hochul for signing this legislation in recognition that our state is made greater by the vast contributions of talented and aspiring people from everywhere in the world who adopt New York as their new home,” Liu said in a statement. “Unfortunately, even as they pursue the American Dream, they are stymied by obsolete federal laws and byzantine bureaucracies that prolong their path to citizenship and subject them to bias and discrimination. This bill will help provide equal opportunity in employment, housing, and other needs that all New Yorkers should have access to.”

The first state program in the nation allowing individuals to be reimbursed for the costs of kidney and liver donations came from the governor’s office this week.

The legislation (S.1594/A.146A) amends the public health, tax and social services laws to enact the “New York State Living Donor Support Act,” which will establish a program to cover the extra costs that come with organ donation for New York residents who donate to a fellow New Yorker. The law comes in an effort to eliminate financial barriers to organ donation and, as a result, reduce wait times for organ transplants and address the organ shortage in New York.

As of publication, there are over 8,000 people on transplant wait lists, most of whom are awaiting a kidney, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

A legislative package (S.3897/A.8936-A) supporting pedestrians, bikers and transit riders included increased funding for “Complete Street” projects.

A Complete Street is a roadway designed for all roadway users — not just drivers.

This includes pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit riders as well as motorists. It also makes an effort to focus on children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

With this legislation, the state’s contribution to the non-federally funded portion of the project increases to 87.5 percent.

New legislation (S.3959-B/A.7822-C) will require the non-voting transit dependent representative be moved into a voting position on transportation authorities’ boards. In short, this new legislation will provide a vote — and a voice — to riders who permanently rely on transit services including bikeshares, buses and paratransit.

To protect existing labor laws on behalf of workers, Hochul signed legislation (S.5994C/A.1338C) that establishes a registration system for contractors and subcontractors engaged in public work and covered private projects. This law will require contractors and subcontractors to provide a series of disclosures about their businesses every two years with the Department of Labor.

The department will determine whether a contractor or subcontractor is fit to registers based on previous labor law and workers compensation law violations, including prevailing wage requirements. This law will create a publicly available database.

Furthermore, notable previously signed laws that are set to go into effect in 2023 include the establishment of a task force and annual report to examine social media and violent extremism.

The Electric Vehicle Rights Act, which prevents a homeowners association from adopting or enforcing any rules or regulations that would effectively prohibit, or impose unreasonable limitations on the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station, is set to go into effect on Jan. 21.

In this year, student-athletes will be able to receive endorsement compensation, and New York schools will be prohibited from taking away the scholarships or eligibility of any athlete making money from such endorsements.

New Brooklyn oncology center

Matthew Fischetti on January 5, 2023

By Brooklyn Star Staff

news@queensledger.com

A new oncology center has opened up in Flatbush Brooklyn.

The nearly 39,000 square foot facility, located at 2236 Nostrand Avenue, opened its door to patients on January 2, 2023. The new facility will be operated in conjunction with the New York Cancer and Blood Specialists and Memorial Medical Care, a practice of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center physicians, according to a release.

“Our innovative collaboration will give area residents the best of both worlds — world-class cancer care overseen by some of the best cancer centers in the country, all available closer tohome in a comfortable setting,” Jeff Vacirca CEO of New York Cancer and Blood Specialists, said in a statement. “We are excited to open our doors in this community which has such great culture and diversity, as well as opportunities to make a positive impact.”

Patients who have more complex cancer care, including surgery, will have access to Memorial Sloan Ketterings various outpatient programs across New York City. In King County, there is a Memorial Sloan Kettering Brooklyn Infusion Center located at 557 Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn. There are over a dozen different locations throughout New York City that potential patients could utilize.

In Our Opinion: LaSalle is wrong pick for Chief Justice

Brooklyn Star on December 28, 2022

Last week, Governor Hochul nominated Hector LaSalle as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Empire State. Her choice to nominate him and not seeing the coming backlash demonstrates a serious lack of political adeptness.

Back in November, The Governor published a Daily News op-ed outlining her criteria for a chief justice. Among requirements like being able to manage the large court system, Hochul wrote:

“The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken — with decisions such as Dobbs vs. Jackson, taking away a woman’s right to choose, and New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs. Bruen, tossing a century-old law protecting New Yorkers from the proliferation of guns. We are now relying on our state courts more than ever to protect our rights. We need our courts to defend against this Supreme Court’s rapid retreat from precedent and continue our march toward progress.”

Now, with LaSalle’s nomination, Hochul has nominated someone who curtailed investigations into crisis pregnancy centers. LaSalle also allowed Cablevision to sue union members as individuals for defamation over their criticism of the telecom company’s response to Hurricane Sandy, circumnavigating protections normally afforded to union members.

The news created a backlash with a handful of state senators saying they would vote no or expressing skepticism. Multiple unions, including the powerful 32BJ SEIU, came out hard against the nomination, labeling him as anti-worker.

LaSalle’s nomination is historic. If confirmed, he would the first Latino Chief Justice to preside over the Court of Appeals. But his record would also help move the court more rightward.

In response to the backlash, Hochul said that “I never wanted to have a political litmus test.” This statement alone shows Hochul’s weak politics, entertaining the fantasy idea that justices are completely neutral just because they wear a robe.

It’s a political appointment. Full Stop.

Even if his record on these issues didn’t personally bother us, the nomination shows a critical misunderstanding of current political winds. All the eyes are on the courts now, and having someone with these views is not tenable in the modern Democratic Party – where issues such as labor and abortion rights are key issues.

John Catsimatidis-Owned Oil Company Refuses to Sign Union Contract at Greenpoint Refinery

Brooklyn Star on December 28, 2022

John Catsimatidis-Owned Oil Company Refuses to Sign Union Contract at Greenpoint Refinery

Claudia Irizarry Aponte, The City

This article was originally published on Dec 23 5:00am EST by THE CITY

Left to right: Union rep Vic Castellano with Asaaf John and Andre Soleyn at Greenpoint’s United Metro Energy worker strike, April 29, 2021. — Union rep Vic Castellano, left, with Asaaf John, center, and Andre Soleyn at Greenpoint’s United Metro Energy worker strike, April 29, 2021. | Gabriel Sandoval/THE CITY

United Metro Energy, the Brooklyn-based oil company owned by radio host and former GOP mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis, declined to sign a longstanding, industry-wide collective bargaining agreement that expired last Friday, Dec. 16.

The contract had represented only three truck drivers, who haul fuel from the Greenpoint refinery, as members of Teamsters Local 553 for decades. But additional United Metro workers, including about two dozen technicians and mechanics, have been on strike for union recognition since April 2021.

In an interview with THE CITY on Thursday, Catsimatidis said — as United Metro executives have in recent months — that the company was never bound by the agreement, a matter Local 553 is disputing with the federal National Labor Relations Board.

Overall, that contract spans some 800 workers in New York City and is negotiated by the New York State Energy Coalition (NYSEC), which deals with labor contracts with unions across the state on behalf of several energy corporations.

United Metro’s refusal to sign the master agreement was largely seen by workers as an attempt to further thwart the efforts of striking workers at the expense of the facility’s three union members.

“That’s all part of the fight to undercut the union effort that we started, and he seems to be getting away with it,” said Andre Soleyn, a terminal operator and union leader on strike at the terminal since April 2021. “So he is definitely using that as a perch to come against us as a group to prevent us from getting what we deserve.”

The new contract that went into effect on Dec. 16 includes a $5.50-hour increase over the three-year life of the agreement — the “largest increase ever,” according to a memo sent to Local 553 members — and the addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday.

Mayor Eric Adams meets with Greek American leaders at Gracie Mansion on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. — John Catsimatidis, right, attended a meeting Mayor Eric Adams held with Greek American leaders at Gracie Mansion, Feb. 15, 2022. | Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

“We are abiding by whatever terms everyone else is abiding by. And if they make an agreement with the rest of the industry, we will most likely abide by that, too,” Catsimatidis said.

“Somebody shows it to me, whatever agreement they abided by, with the other people, we will abide by it,” he added.

In response to Catsimatidis, Local 553 secretary-treasurer Demos Demopoulos said in a statement to THE CITY on Thursday: “I expect Mr. Catsimatidis to be a man of his word and that he will honor his commitment to abide by and sign the Industry Agreement when I present it to him.”

600 Days on Strike

Even as it honored the terms of past industry-wide agreements settled in 2017, United Metro Energy claimed — in a Sept. 20 letter from president John McConville to NYSEC CEO Rocco Lacertosa — that the company was not bound to the contract that expired on Dec. 16 in the first place, because it did not sign the contract.

United Metro, McConville wrote, “is not bound by the current Master Contract with Local 553. To the extent that any such agreement is in effect — which it is not — it will not renew after December 15, 2022.”

Local 553 charged the company had “unilaterally canceled a valid collective bargaining agreement” in an unfair labor practice charge it filed against United Metro with the NLRB in October.

“For the employees that are covered under that contract, they have been paying all the wages, benefits and medical, vacation schedule — everything that’s covered under the master contract,” Demopoulos said last Wednesday. “So it’s ridiculous for them to claim now that they’ve never been covered under that contract, when for years, they’ve been more or less honoring that contract.”

Catsimatidis is the CEO of Red Apple Group, a conglomerate of energy, real estate, media and grocery companies, including Gristedes food markets, which have a longstanding collective bargaining agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500.

The dispute adds another chapter in a multi-year labor dispute at United Metro Energy, which distributes heating oil to New York City schools and hospitals and the MTA, as well as diesel fuel to gas stations. About two dozen of its Greenpoint refinery oil technicians, terminal operators and fleet mechanics are on a strike that has stretched for more than 600 days.

Those workers voted to join Teamsters Local 553 in 2019 and went on an indefinite strike in April 2021, more than two years after fruitless contract negotiations began.

United Metro workers earn hourly wages averaging $12 below the industry average, according to Local 553.

‘Always Welcome’

“Basically, they’ve just been dragging out negotiations,” union rep Vic Castellano told THE CITY last year. “And we wouldn’t take this action if they were negotiating the way they claim to be. Nothing should take over two years.”

In April, a year after the strike began, Local 553 called on Mayor Eric Adams to halt a $52 million contract with United Metro brokered by his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, because of the dispute. The mayor’s office said it could not sever the deal because the company is in compliance with local regulations, the New York Post reported.

Catsimatidis told THE CITY that the workers “are always welcome to come back to work.”

“Check my record — in 50 years in labor, in New York City, I’ve been a CEO for 50 years, we’ve never had a strike. And the union just on a Monday morning, decided to put these people on strike,” he said.

United Metro responded by firing nine terminal operators at the onset of the strike in 2021 — union leader Andre Soleyn among them. The company was ordered by the NLRB to reinstate the nine employees in July of this year; those workers are separate from the truck drivers whose contract the company is disputing.

The company complied, and all but two of those workers remain on strike, taking other jobs to make ends meet while holding the line.

“There’s a certain resolve that the guys have, and that’s because we all have families that we need to take care of, and we want them to do better than we did,” Soleyn said.

THE CITY is an independent, nonprofit news outlet dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

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John Catsimatidis-Owned Oil Company Refuses to Sign Union Contract at Greenpoint Refinery

600 Days on Strike

‘Always Welcome’

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