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• Alleged Mobster’s Trial Extended to Next Year, Because of His Poor Health

  28 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  By: Michelle Ayr

   

  On Thursday, Nicholas Angelo Santora was to have a hearing regarding his suspected association with the Bonanno organized crime family, at the New York County Criminal Court in Manhattan, with Judge Mark Dwyer.

  The alleged minor-boss of the crime family has been charged with perjury and enterprise corruption, for being allegedly involved in activities such as illegal gambling and drug trafficking, as well as lying in a court hearing while under oath, to the benefit of other mobsters with the Bonanno family.

  One of those mobsters was Vito Badamo, who pled guilty to pursuing enterprise corruption, allowing him to avoid trial. Santora followed in the tracks of Badamo and pled guilty for the same crimes, with his punishment being four and eight years in Rikers Island. In 2017, he was quoted on SILive as saying, “I did what I did. I took responsibility for what I did. I want to get on with my life, what’s left of it.”

  Because of the poor condition of his health, Nicholas Santora, known as “Nicky Cigars,” was unable to attend his hearing today and is currently in a hospital bed in Nassau County. The 75-year-old has been getting professional help dealing with head injuries allegedly caused by New York City Department of Corrections officers.

  “My father sustained multiple head injuries. I watched him deteriorate literally,” his daughter Gina Santora told Newsday in a telephone interview.

  On top of the charges against him, authorities said on Thursday that the Staten Island native and mobster is now also accused of operating a gambling company illegally in Connecticut.

  “Although, the federal crime took place in a different state, Connecticut still falls under the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, making those crimes available for punishment in New York,” Judge Dwyer said.

  There to defend Nicholas Santora was his attorney, Michael J. Alber, who spoke on behalf of the defendant privately to Justice Mark Dwyer. Alber then agreed to an extension of time for when the defendant would have to show up in court. “The lifespan of this trial has been immensely prolonged,” Alber said.

  The trial dates back to 2012, when Nicholas Santora was first accused of being a Mafia underboss, who would control illegal gambling and loan shark operations between March, 2010 and February, 2012. In 2012, Santora was convicted of  extortionate extending of credit, giving him 20 months in jail. Since 2013, Nicholas Santora has been held without bail under criminal enterprise laws.

  The next hearing is anticipated to be held in January of 2019.

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  Much Like Your Morning Subway, Your Primary Election Was Delayed

  14 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo: A voter at a booth at Brooklyn College’s Roosevelt Hall. Credit: Michelle Ayr

  By Michelle Ayr

  If you were wondering why the New York primary was held on a Thursday this year, you are not alone.

  New York State Law makes the first Tuesday after the second Monday of September the official date of primary elections. So many voters were surprised when it was announced that the election this year would be on a Thursday.

  Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill earlier this year, on Feb. 23, advancing the primary date by two days, to Thursday, Sept. 13, after state lawmakers pushed for the change.

  This year, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, during which religious Jews are limited in permitted activities, fell on Tuesday, Sept. 11.

  Zach Schaffer, the chair of Brooklyn Young Democrats Jewish Caucus, told Fox News, “Holding an election on Rosh Hashanah will unfairly impede on the ability of Jewish New Yorkers to participate in the election process.” Schaffer added, “We encourage our state legislators and Governor Cuomo to ensure that no New Yorkers have to choose between religious observance and civic participation.”

  Because Tuesday also fell on September 11, it was believed that casting a vote on the 17th anniversary of the terror attack might disturb some New Yorkers. It was not the first time that happened.

  In 2007, the primary was set back one week to September 18, after former Governor Eliot Spitzer signed legislation mandating that change. The concern was that it had fallen on Sept. 11 and some believed it would interfere with commemorations of the Trade Center attack. The election date was adjusted also in 2012, for the same reason.

  This year, as in 2012, there was another election peculiarity that confused many New Yorkers. Then, as is the case this year, there were two state primary days – one in June and another in September. That was puzzling to some New Yorkers, critics have said. Critics say New York should be doing more to make the state’s election process simpler.

  The competition between state primaries and World Trade Center commemorations goes back in time – all the way back to that horrific day, Sept. 11, 2001. There was a primary scheduled for that very day. It was postponed, of course, because of unspeakable blood shedding, pain and confusion.

  While some believe that, out of respect, there should be no voting on Sept. 11, there are some New Yorkers who say: What could be more patriotic than casting a vote on Sept. 11?

  “We need to be a voice for those that don’t have one anymore,” expressed Yvonne Greaves, referring to those who were killed in 2001. The 23-year-old was with her friend, Christopher D’Alessio, who said he “would be proud to vote on September 11.” D’Alessio added, “We would be showing that people are coming together to after such a tragic event, and that shouldn’t offend people. If anything, I’d think it’s honorable.”

  Some voters had a different opinion.

  A student at Brooklyn College, who was on her way out of the Roosevelt Hall polling place at Brooklyn College, agreed.  “I don’t see it as patriotic to vote on that anniversary,” said Sasha Zimmermann, “because it was a hard time for a lot of families that lost their loved ones, and they deserve to have that day.”

  Another voter, Aisha Thomas, concurred with the idea that the day already has a lot surrounding it. “I don’t agree with those to say to vote on September 11. It’s a day to mourn. We need to let that be a day for the Twin Tower anniversary,” said the 59-year-old.

  Years ago, Sheldon Silver, the since disgraced New York State Assembly Speaker, told AuburnPub, “Moving the primary election (from Sept. 11) is appropriate and it recognizes the importance of pausing to pay tribute to the victims of the terrible events that day.”

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  Democratic Progressives Take Crown Heights/Flatbush – Along with New York City

  14 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photos were supplied respectively by the offices of Zellnor Myrie and Sen. Jesse Hamilton

  By Dvorah Nelson

   

  With primary voting occurring all over the city on Thursday, a palpable energy could be felt in the neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Fliers hung on home fronts and on store fronts. People stood on street corners with pamphlets asking passersby to vote. Most important of all – there was a constant flux of voters in and out of the over fifteen polling places in the neighborhood’s state senate district. More than at any other time in recent local history, voters went strongly against an incumbent and in unison stated that they want one of their own to be their elected official.

  “Tonight we made history,” said the spokesperson for challenger Zellnor Myrie, who defeated incumbent Senator Jesse Hamilton. Hamilton was once a member of the so-called Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) that in recent years caucused with Republican senators in Albany, angering progressives who began surging in influence in the current Donald Trump era.

  “Together we defeated the IDC. We defeated regressive politics, and we set the stage for a progressive majority to take control (of the country) in November,” the spokesperson added.

  One Democratic political adviser in Brooklyn called Thursday’s developments a city-wide “wave” of opposition against the Democratic status quo.

  Senator Hamilton represents Senate District 20, which includes parts of Park Slope, Gowanus and East Flatbush. Hamilton’s office sits above a medical clinic, in a building that faces Medgar Evers College on the busy Bedford Avenue. Just down the road, his opponent, the newcomer Zellnor Myrie, has his office.

  With many New Yorkers calling for the uprooting of incumbents and all those who have cooperated with Republicans, Myrie may have a chance to follow the path of those like Alexandria Cortez-Ocasio, who is trying to get a new coterie of progressive newcomers to take on roles in New York, and U.S., government.

  While many voters on Thursday were reluctant to openly discuss who their favorite candidates were, the polling places were busy. There was barely any space for parking and there was a steady stream of confident, excited voters at many Crown Heights locations.

  Some residents, like Andrea Godbout, were particularly excited about Myrie. “He’s standing for a more progressive stance than Jesse Hamilton is,” she said on her way to her voting place.

  The need to take action against members of the now-defunct IDC was a strong part of Myrie’s campaign, as was the case with half a dozen other challengers of ex-IDC senators in the city. A spokesperson for Myrie early Thursday seemed confidant, as he noted the energy in the community. “The message of anti-IDC candidates that’s going to fight for progressive values will reflect what we see” when Myrie is declared the victory on Thursday night, the spokesman confidently said.

  Still some voters  stood behind Hamilton. Mica Soffer, publisher of an online Hasidic Newspaper called Hamilton “a longtime friend to the Crown Heights community, who stood up against anti-Semitism and hate crimes.” She praised Hamilton’s support of Israel, his opposition to the Iran Deal and his assistance to Crown Heights residents.

  A staunch contrast could be seen Thursday in the respective offices of Hamilton and Myrie. While Hamilton’s offices remained empty, the door shut, the well decorated walls and plush chairs dimly lit by a single light, Myrie’s office was bustling: Volunteers sat at tables in Myrie’s office, folding chairs against the walls, making phone calls and coming in and out collecting pamphlets to hand out on the streets outside. It was a palpable excitement that contrasted with  the cold and quiet emptiness at Hamilton’s office.

  Despite various attempts, Senator Hamilton could not be reached for comment.

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  Met Breur Revives Jack Whitten, and His Captured History, Through His Sculptures

  09 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo taken by Dakota O’Brien

   

  By Dakota O’brien

   

  The Met Breur, located on Madison Avenue and dedicated to showcasing the work of contemporary artists, is now host to a new exhibition – Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture, 1963- 2017. The renowned artist Jack Whitten, best known for his abstract paintings, has now been given a posthumous opportunity to fill the third floor of the Met Breur with his unique sculptures.

  The walls, filled with texturized pieces that walk a thin line between painting and sculpture, radiate the artist’s Southern African-American routes, as well as his time in New York and the Greek island of Crete. Themes such as place, memory, family, power, roots and migration, are manifes in over 40 sculptures made of carved wood (often black mulberry), combined with found materials such as shells, pebbles, and Styrofoam, as well as more personal additions like family photographs and even the artist’s own American Express credit card.

  The exhibition pays special attention to Whitten’s acknowledgement of his black identity, featuring sculptures created by enslaved African Americans in the 1840’s, as well as pieces by unknown artists from African nations such as Nigeria and Ghana. These sculptures served as both context and inspiration for the late artist, and laid the foundation for his fascination with paying homage to his blackness, most notably in his Black Monoliths series.

  Whitten was born in Alabama in 1939 and was living in Queens when he died in January of this year.

  Using techniques such as raking and scraping of acrylic paint and embedding of tiles, Whitten dedicated his creations to black icons – Mohammed Ali, Barbara Jordan, Maya Angelou, Ornette Coleman, and others. While the images featured on the canvases emerge subtly, they introduce central characteristics of the respective subjects. In Black Monolith XI (Six Kinky Strings for Chuck Berry), red wires cascade over the vibrantly colored tiles, symbolizing the rock ‘n’ roll legend’s guitar playing talent.

  Whitten’s interest in African and African-American symbols is revealed most poignantly in his sculpture Homage to Malcolm, created in 1965, the year the activist was assassinated. The sculpture, made of carved wood embedded with nails, pays tribute to the tradition of the Kongo people, “nkisi n’kondi” figures. These figures, which also have sharp figures embedded into them, are believed to have spiritual significance and power, and operate as “spiritual vessels and protective forces.” The allusion to the Central African tradition is suitable for its subject, as Malcolm X stood out for his pride in his African roots and black nationalist beliefs, and was often seen as a leader and protector of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s.

  The ‘nkisi’ tradition reappears in two of Whitten’s sculptures, The Guardian I, for Mary and The Guardian II, for Mirsini, made for his wife and his daughter, respectively. The sculpture for his daughter contains ‘secret’ materials, only known by Whitten himself; while the sculpture for his wife contains materials such as locks of her actual hair, bus tickets, sage leaves, and olive leaves, all behind a piece of glass, viewable to the audience. Consistent with his reverence for the ‘nkisi’ beliefs, each material inside the sculptures holds spiritual relevance.

  The two pieces not only highlight thematic elements such as family and roots, but they reveal Whitten’s ability to combine these themes in different settings he lived in, such as, in this case, the island of Crete. In Whitten’s work, his time in Crete becomes apparent in the materials he used, which have Cretan origins, but also in the appearance of Greek and Mediterranean themes. One such piece is Afro American Thunderbolt, invoking the idea of the Greek God Zeus, while also alluding to the Black Power Movement that was gaining attention during the era the artist was creating the sculpture. The piece, covered in copper wire, reminds the audience of Whitten’s reliance materials to drive his themes home, and the copper reflects the idea of power.

  One of the last sculptures in the exhibit commands the center of the floor, hanging from the ceiling and suspended by a green fishing line. The black mulberry piece, spanning almost six feet from top to bottom, is gutted in the center and filled with fishing materials, drawing on the time Whitten spent in Crete and the water that surrounds the island. However, the sculpture’s name leaves a more haunting sentiment to its onlookers – The Death of Fishing – which is eerily reminiscent of the lynching of blacks in the United States throughout the Jim Crow period. Those who pass by look on with solemn expressions, as the exhibition floor remains silent and as Jack Whitten’s legacy radiates.

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  Putin’s Propaganda Machine Faces Lawsuit Across the Ocean

  07 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo: Dr. Alexander Goldfarb, Marina Litvinenko, and attorney Bertrand ‘Randy’ Sellier. Credit: Oscar Montenegro

   

  By Oscar Montenegro

   

  After months of raising funds and planning, a lawsuit filed against two Russian media outlets accused of being propaganda platforms for Russian President Vladimir Putin is going forward.

  During a press conference in front of the United States District Court in Lower Manhattan, Dr. Alexander Goldfarb, a Russian-American microbiologist, along with his attorney Bertrand Sellier and a supporter, Marina Litvinenko, announced they filed a civil lawsuit against two prominent Russian media outlets, Channel One Russia and RT America (Russia Today).

  “From the beginning, the Russians created a false narrative to deflect blame on the murder of Alexander Litvinenko,” Sellier said.

  According to Goldfarb, he is a victim of ‘malicious defamation’ by both outlets, after they accused him of murdering his friend, Alexander Litvinenko and his own wife. The Russian outlets also accused Goldfarb of being an agent of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Marina Litvinenko is the widow of Alexander Litvinenko, and has offered her support to Goldfarb during this lawsuit.

  These accusations come in the aftermath of the poisoning of former Russian military intelligence officer, Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, England in March. As in Litvinenko’s case, this poisoning has been blamed on the Russian government. Pushing the claim that the Russian government had nothing to do with these poisonings, both One Channel Russia and Russia Today broadcasted several programs about the Litvinenko case, accusing Goldfarb of being the murderer. They provided no evidence for their claim.

  Alexander Litvinenko was a former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service who was living in London when he was poisoned and died in November 2006. On his deathbed, Litvinenko accused Putin of ordering his murder.

  One Channel Russia and RT are funded by the Russian government and the latter, in the words of Putin himself, is on a list of “core organizations of strategic importance to Russia.” Both outlets are considered state-controlled media. Yesterday’s development in New York comes two years after a British judicial inquiry established that two Russian agents, Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun, poisoned Litvinenko. Both are believed to be in Russia.

  When Marina Litvinenko was asked who she believes murdered her husband, she said, “This case is hard to bring to justice because the people who committed this crime are in Russia, and decided to destroy my friend [Goldfarb], who helped us.” She says the probability that Putin ordered her husband’s murder is “very high.”

  Litvinenko said the world doesn’t know how to fight against Russian propaganda and has done little to stop it. She also mentioned how dangerous this all is to democracies in the West and around the world, when outlets like One Channel Russia and RT spread disinformation.

  When asked whether he is scared of consequences from their lawsuit, Sellier said, “I’m not.” He added that he would not be traveling to Russia anytime soon. Responding to the same question, Goldfarb said he also had no intentions of visiting Russia.

  Goldfarb said he didn’t have much of a reaction when the Russian media  accusations first came out, branding them as expected Russian state propaganda. But after hearing people call him a murderer, he had a “creepy feeling” and realized these kinds of accusations can have serious consequences.

  Sellier said he and the others with him yesterday want a retraction of all accusations made by One Channel Russia and RT. Also, they want compensation for emotional distress and for the costs associated for the lawsuit.

  Thirty thousand dollars has been raised on Goldfarb’s Go-Fund-Me pages, both in English and Russian, to help cover costs for this case.

  When asked by a reporter if Sellier had a message for Putin, he chuckled and said, “It’s all in the case copy I gave you.”

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  Rapper Under Fire After Death of Homeless Man

  07 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo: Grandmaster Flash and its crew, from back in the day. Created by Sugar Hill Records to promote the rap group.

  By Marcus Ayala and Benjamin Rubin

  The case of the rapper who allegedly killed a homeless man was adjourned until October 24.

   

  On Aug. 1 of last year, a homeless man was allegedly stabbed to death by rapper Nathaniel Glover “aka” Kidd Creole of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Glover believed the homeless man was hitting on him and was attempting to rob him when things became bloody on that day, it is alleged.

   

  On August 23, 2017 Glover pled not guilty to second degree murder at Manhattan Supreme Court.

   

  Then, two weeks later, Glover told the court that he had a mental illness. He was held without bail.

   

  According to reports, Glover believed that the homeless man named John Jolly was making a pass at him after the two had walked by each other near E. 43 St. and Lexington Ave. The two men got in each other’s faces after Glover turned around to confront him, police say.

   

  Glover allegedly pulled out a steak knife and stabbed Jolly twice in the chest with a steak knife that was secured to his forearm by rubber bands. It is believed, based on a surveillance video, that Jolly was intoxicated.   

   

  Jolly refused to tell detectives who attacked him or even that he was attacked, police say. He was taken to Bellevue hospital where he was pronounced dead.

   

  Glover threw the knife used in the stabbing down a sewage drain near his Mount Hope home in the Bronx, according to police.

   

  Glover’s court appointed attorney Eric M. Sears told Brooklyn News Service, “The court has the video of the interaction but not the homicide.”

   

  Glover’s attorney said he believes there’s only one video, though some reports have said there are a number of videos from that night. Glover has lately worked at various service jobs, a change from his glory days. For a time, Glover worked for Trans Perfect, doing maintenance. He was working as a midnight security guard in a building close to where the stabbing took place.

   

  Having once made the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Glover had of late been living in a rundown Bronx rooming house.

   

  Both men had prior arrests. Glover had three prior arrests for criminal possession of a weapon and Jolly had 17 priors dating back to 1983, including for rape. He spent five years in prison for beating and raping a 42-year-old woman in 1997 and did three years on a weapons charge.

   

  Jolly lived in a homeless shelter by the Bowery.

  Grand Master Flash’s most memorable lines from the group’s glory days of rapping were these:

  “It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
  “How I keep from going under.”

  And having gone under, the question now for Glover is whether, and how quickly, he will rise up.

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  ‘Bad Apples’ Won’t Stop City from Having a Good J’Ouvert, de Blasio Says

  03 Sep 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo: Left is Brie Etienne, whose family is from Haiti, and with her, Chauncey Adams, whose family is from Trinidad. They are friends and attended the 2018 J’Ouvert festivities together. Ron Howell took the picture.

  By Hannah Grossman, Dev Nelson and Marcus Ayala

  At a press conference Thursday, Mayor de Blasio said “bad apples” won’t ruin this year’s J’Ouvert Celebration, as he and other city officials announced how they would keep this year’s event free of violence.

  J’Ouvert, a Caribbean celebration, which in the past has been marked by murders and shootings, will take place on September 3. City officials on Thursday said that this year will feature the same stringent security as last year. The J’Ouvert march, which is followed by a larger parade on Monday afternoon, will begin at Grand Army Plaza and will end two miles south down Nostrand Avenue.

  In 2015 Cuomo aide Corey Gabay was killed when he found himself amidst in the middle of a gun fight between rival gang members, the Crips and Folk Nation. Despite heightened police presence and security measures the J’Ouvert celebration in 2016 also featured violence. Four people were shot and two were killed. Last year was a breath of fresh air, police said, as there was relatively little violence in comparison to other years at the J’Ouvert festivities.

  This was largely a result of increases in police, an alcohol ban, checkpoints with metal detectors, and hundreds of light towers. This year police will continue the 2017 model with minor expansions.

  As a result of last year’s stringencies, one of the biggest complaints were that the spirit of J’Ouvert was missing. In fact J’Ouvert means “day break” or “morning,” and is supposed to be celebrated before sunrise. For security purposes, the city moved the time of the parade to 6 a.m.

  In addition, some locals complained that they are unhappy with the increased police presence. Tianoa Toures, a local resident who works for a Caribbean installation outside of the J’Ouvert parade said that the police presence doesn’t make her feel more comfortable. “It’s kinda sad that it has to get to that point,” she said.

  In prior years residents and officials have considered ending the celebrations because of the violence. Jumaane Williams,  a Brooklyn councilmember and gun violence activist, said, “There were calls to shut down the parade, and people would think that we don’t care about the violence. We absolutely do. We want people to celebrate culture. While everybody was focused on this day, there was violence in the other 365 days a year.”

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  Changes to NYC’s Marijuana Laws Are ‘Smoke and Mirrors’

  31 Aug 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  Photo: Second from left is Councilmember Rory Lancman; third from left Councilmember Donovan Richards; speaking Jillian Modzeleski of Brooklyn Defender Services; next to Modzeleski is Councilmember Antonio Reynoso. [by Benjamin Rubin]

  By Oscar Montenegro, Ben Rubin and Dakota O’Brien

  Ten thousand.

  This is how many fewer arrests could occur with enforcement changes coming to the current marijuana laws in New York City which take effect on Sept. 1. Some have seen this as a step in the right direction in police relations and towards the legalization of marijuana.

  But not everyone feels this way.

  During a rally Thursday morning, New York City Councilmembers Donovan Richards and Rory Lancman, both Democrats and both from Queens, along with Chris Alexander of the Drug Policy Alliance and others spoke about the flaws these changes have. They said that the city’s marijuana policies will continue to disproportionately affect people of color, notably immigrants and those with a criminal history hoping to have a fresh start.

  Councilmember Antonio Reynoso, a Democrat representing parts of Brooklyn and Queens, was also at the protest held outside City Hall.

  Lancman described the old and new policies as “fundamentally discriminatory and rooted in racism.” He spoke about how this new policy will continue making lifetime criminals out of people whose only offense is smoking or possessing marijuana.

  “For all practical purposes, marijuana possession and smoking is legal in New York City, if you are white,” Lancman said. “But if you are a person of color, then you are going to be arrested, summonsed, prosecuted at rates that would make the Jim Crow South blush.”

  Richards and Lancman have been vocal critics of Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD’s changes to the current marijuana police policies. According to city police, 16,925 people were arrested in 2017 for low-level marijuana possession or smoking in public. This is a one-percent drop from 2016.

  Eighty-six percent of those arrested were black or Latino. The New York State Health Department released a study saying that communities of color do not use marijuana more than other groups do.

  The new policy, in general, will have police officers issue summonses instead of making arrests for marijuana possession or use. However, an arrest will be issued if the suspect doesn’t have identification, if there is an outstanding warrant, a criminal history, or if the suspect is on parole or probation. Smoking while driving or sitting in a car will also lead to arrest, as will the selling of the drug.

  Lancman said, “This is an intolerable situation in 2018 in NYC.”

  According to Lancman, the new policy, just like the old one, endangers undocumented immigrants and “puts a target on their back,” because they will face deportation if they are arrested and must go to court to defend themselves.

  Richards stressed the need to “change the code,” and make marijuana summonses civil and not criminal. “Just like drinking in public, these summonses should not result in an arrest warrant, not immediately and not ever,” Richards said. He also said he hopes for the support on the state level from individuals like State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

  Alexander of the Policy Alliance was present and spoke about how the main issue with the policy is that “prior involvement in the criminal justice system determines future involvement.” Also, he criticized de Blasio’s sincerity in saying he wants to end racial disparities in the city. He said the mayor is “sharpening the tool they already had to target communities of color.”

  Lancman urged constituents to stay cautious after the change goes into effect. He suggested that people contact his or Richards’ office if a police officer isn’t following protocol on this issue. He urged citizens also to stay engaged with advocacy groups. He called on the public to demand that de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O’Neal revisit this issue, since racial disparities continue.

  As for any future legislation, 2019 looks like the earliest time that the state could put this matter to a vote. Governor Andrew Cuomo and de Blasio have both been critical of marijuana policies, as applied on both state and city levels. But they have recently warmed to the idea of legalizing marijuana. During his Wednesday debate with challenger Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo said “the benefits (of legalization) outweigh the risks.” Cuomo said mass incarceration has worsened because of unfair marijuana laws.

  How bad have these unfair marijuana policies been? According to Lancman, they have been “just like Stop and Frisk.”

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• Cold Case Killer Faces Mother at Sentencing

  01 Mar 2018 by journalism / No Comments

  By ALAIN GAILLARD

  The defendant who pleaded guilty two days ago to the horrifying 2008 murder of a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison in Queens Supreme Court Thursday, concluding a difficult case that had baffled detectives for almost a decade.

  Rashon Venable, 25, was escorted into the Queens courtroom by two policemen, his hands cuffed behind his back and holding a manila envelope containing a sheet of paper with a few words of apology he would later read to victim Sabrina Matthews’s family members and friends present in the courtroom.

  “Why did you do that to me? You took away my baby. I miss my baby, I miss her voice,” said the victim’s mother, Sherida Matthews with tears in her eyes, as she was given permission to say a few words to her daughter’s killer. “Do you know what she could have accomplished? She wanted to be a teacher and a doctor.”

  On Nov. 9, 2008, Sabrina’s father found the lifeless body of his half-naked daughter in a pool of blood with her throat slashed in the bedroom of her Cambria Heights home. It took investigators eight years to finally match the DNA from Sabrina’s crime scene to Venable’s DNA on file from a sexual assault he committed in Pennsylvania in 2009, on his 17th birthday. Venable was arrested on Nov. 7, 2016.

  “All I can say, I have regrets and remorse for my action eight years ago,” said Venable. “An innocent life has been lost because of my action. I am sorry for your loss. I will try to be a better person than I was in 2008.”

  Judge Kenneth Holder spurned the killer’s apology, saying that he was one of the most violent people to ever stand in his courtroom. “What is stunning,” the judge continued, “is that you say she was your friend. She made you angry and that is why you killed her.”

  Speaking to journalists after the sentencing, the mother also rejected out of hand the killer’s apology. “This guy was born criminal,” she said. “It is a good thing he is behind bars, so he won’t be able to kill other young girls,” she said.

   

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• BC Vending Machines Still Sell Unhealthy Snacks

  22 May 2017 by journalism / No Comments

  Student Nikki Orozova relies on vending machines at Brooklyn College for afternoon snacks. (Michelle Cummings)

  By MICHELLE CUMMINGS

  It’s noon and you’ve been on campus for an hour. You didn’t eat lunch because you woke up late and did not have time to stop on the way.  Now, you’re trapped in class on an empty stomach until the 2:15 p.m. break. There is a vending machine just down the hall, fully stocked with goodies to tide you over. When the break finally arrives you make your selection and then horror of horrors, it gets stuck. The little spiral holding your item didn’t turn enough for the product to drop.

  Alas, another student faces up to the afternoon rush for sugar.

  For all the discussion on campus about good health and nutrition, colleges continue to sell snacks to students that are too high in sugar and salt, and don’t seem especially eager to provide healthy alternatives. Larger sizes for soda allow for higher prices, of course, and although bottled water is also offered, its price is similarly high.  Options matter.

  Researchers at Boston University recently published a study that shows excess sugar, especially from sugary drinks, can cause brain damage.  According to the study, titled “Sugary Beverage Intake and Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease in the Community,” soda is linked to brain shrinkage.

  The most recent research from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) suggests that people who drink sugary beverages frequently are more likely to have poorer memory, smaller overall brain volume and a significantly smaller hippocampus, an area of the brain linked to learning and memory.

  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes 39 teaspoons of sugar per day, three pounds per week and up to 13 pounds in one month.  That’s 155 pounds per year, much of it in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, sports drinks, iced tea and energy drinks.  The American Heart Association recommends no more than nine teaspoons of sugar for men and six teaspoons for women per day.

  On third floor of Boylan Hall, the Georgian-style building that houses Brooklyn College’s administration and many classrooms, the Pepsi vending machine is filled with 20-ounce bottles of sugary drinks.  The Grape Crush has 71 grams of sugar, or about twice what experts say should be the maximum daily intake for men, and three times that for women. The Mountain Dew has 77 grams. Further down in the display, there are iced teas and juices that have less sugar – 33 grams for Brisk – but still well beyond anything that can be called healthy.

  Sugar makes life sweeter.  However, added sugar provides essentially no nutritional value.  So, what is the difference between good and bad sugar?  The American Heart Association defines healthy as naturally occurring “good sugar found in fruits and veggies.”  When coupled with fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, sugar is a great source of energy.  Bad sugar is characterized by empty calories.

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines healthy:

  • Fewer calories (less than 40 for snacks and cereals, less than 150 for candy)
  • Limited added sugar (less than 5 grams)
  • Lower fat (less than 3 grams per serving)
  • Healthier fats
  • No trans fats
  • No artificial colors or flavors
  • Lower sodium (less than 140 milligrams per serving)

  Empty calories in beverages and highly processed, packaged products is what you’ll find hiding in vending machines on most college campuses.  The lack of healthy snacks is cause for concerns for some.

  “Sugary snacks are not conducive to a learning environment,” said Maxinee Black-Arias, dean of nursing at the Manhattan-based Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences.

  Offering convenient and nutritious options is no small task.  Students have very little time between classes to stop by a cafeteria. Since hunger interferes with concentration, vending machines often save the day.

  Some students would like more culturally relevant choices. Amber Ferrin, a junior at Brooklyn College, prefers plantain chips to potato chips.  Ferrin is also concerned about price.  Ferrin said, “75 cents for a tiny bag with like five chips in it versus a $2 larger bag with mostly air.  Really?  We need a happy medium.”

  “There are no real choices in the vending machines, just junk,” said Black-Arias.  “As leaders and proponents of health we must model better eating habits.  Providing students with convenient, healthier food options shows we value nutrition and student’s overall health.”

  But some options are available, said Joe Gallopini, director of food service at Metropolitan Food Services at Brooklyn College. “We offer healthy items like nuts, but they don’t sell nearly as well as candy and chips,” he said. Gallopini says that for some, vending machines often become the go-to snack source and that the choices made are not always the healthiest.  “People who rely on vending machines are not the same people concerned about healthy snacks,” he said. “These are two very different consumers.”

  Excess sugar consumption is linked to higher risk of heart disease.  As national intake has increased, so have obesity levels.  The Centers for Disease Control reportsthere are 86 million pre-diabetics in America and 29 million living with Type 2 diabetes.  “The biggest problem we face today is overweight people. It is especially true for young adults. Gen X and Gen Y are the unhealthiest generations of young people and will likely tax the healthcare system with future obesity-related illness,” Black-Arias says.

  According to the Healthy CUNY 2011 report, the consensus was that all would like to see healthier options in campus vending machines.  Improvement such as snacks and chips that had been reformulated to have fewer calories, less saturated and trans fat, and/or salt were made. “In the past we have tried carrying healthier snacks like pop-corn, nuts, Nature Valley granola bars and Wheat Thins after the students complained, but then the product didn’t move,” said Gallopini.

  About two years ago, students started a petition calling for healthier options in the vending machines at Brooklyn College.  “Students need to know the power they have when they voice their frustrations collectively,” Diedra Brisco, Brooklyn College journalism major and senior, said. “There is strength in numbers.”

  Metropolitan Food Service manages 100 standard vending machines on Brooklyn College campus. FastCorp Vending provides ice cream vending machines.  What they do not have is a refrigerated machine that stocks healthier alternatives.  Nutritious snack options such as fruit cups, hummus, cheese, Greek yogurt, kefir, chocolate covered nuts and organically dried fruit require refrigeration.

  Demand for a healthier version of the vending machine may be met with surprising receptivity. Gallopini said that to change the vending machine options to add healthier snacks, “Just ask, we’ll stock it.”  He said Metropolitan is open to brand-specific products and suggestions compatible with the current machines on the Brooklyn College campus.

  One of the biggest challenges is meeting the needs of everyone. According to Carl Jeff of Vendrite, it is possible to offer students healthier snack choices without sacrificing convenience or taste.  “The future of vending may rest in micro markets,” he said. “Reimagine a commissary-type micro market as an opportunity to effect significant change in the daily lives of most on the go students.”

  Micro markets are a new food service option.  Fair trade snacks, unsweetened beverages and fresh fruit are available 24/7 in a self-service system at Virginia Science and Tech.

  Trips to the vending machines are inevitable.  Can they be made healthier?  In a study, published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health in 2014, researchers conducted an experiment with 200 college students. Scientists replaced high-sugar, salt and fat snacks sold in two campus vending machines with healthier options to find out how students responded.  The results suggest students who were aware of the healthier snack choices were excited to have alternatives. Promoting healthier choices did not affect sales.

  “Students will consume what is available,” Black-Arias said. “ If we can influence this behavior with better choices, we can consider that winning.”

   

   

   

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