Queens Had Most Arrests In Child Porn Bust New Senior Housing Opens Doors In Richmond Hill 104th Council Talks Police Response To Knockdown Ctr. WE’RE ON TWITTER! FOLLOW US at www.twitter.com/timesnewsweekly Robbery Pattern In So. Rich. Hill scene on foot. Subsequent robberies occurred at 5 a.m. on Apr.19 in front of a Liberty Avenue location, where a 34-year-old male was confronted by four suspects that proceeded to punch the victim and steal his wallet containing $80; and at 5:20 a.m. on Apr. 21 at the corner of Liberty Avenue and 125th Street, when a 54-year-old woman— while walking to a bus stop—was approached by two suspects demanding her pocketbook. The perpetrators then pushed her against a fence, stole her wallet containing $5 and iPhone and fled in a black vehicle, police reported. The final robbery in the pattern happened at 10:45 p.m. on Apr. 30, in front of a 126th Street location. In this incident, one of the suspects pushed the 56-year-old man, while the other took his wallet which held $560 and credit cards. Two of the suspects are described as Hispanic males in their twenties. One is described to be 5’6”-tall and weighing 150 lbs.; the other is reported to be 5’7”-tall and weighing 165 lbs. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577- TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are strictly confidential. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 20- particularly hard hit by this problem,” she said. Borough President Melinda Katz was similarly approving of the improvement. “The construction of Richmond Place is a wonderful story about a public-private partnership that cleaned up a contaminated brownfield site and erected some much needed housing in its place,” she said. The buildings include approximate 200 “green design,” affordable units, with one third reserved for low-income seniors, according to a press release. The buildings also feature Solar Photovoltaic panels and are scheduled to receive a $336,876 energy efficiency incentive through New York State’s Energy Research and Development Authority. These energy efficiency measures are expected to save an estimated $80,435 annually. Energy use at Richmond Place and Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence are projected to be 23 and 25 percent less, respectively, than minimum energy code requirements mandate. Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence is a six story, 65-unit building, with 10 units set aside for those with special needs. The apartments are available to seniors 62 or older, earning no more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or $34,860 for an individual. Residents will share a ground floor lounge, community space, parking and a laundry room, and will have direct access to supportive services. Richmond Place is a seven story apartment building with 117 units. Three apartments were reserved for families earning up to 50 percent of the AMI, or no more that $41,500 annually. All the other units are available to families earning up to 60 percent AMI, no more than $49,800 for a family of four. Both buildings include primarily one and two bedroom apartments. The development was built on a former site of a commercial laundry facility and a joint gas station and repair shop. It was designated a brownfield due to soil contaminants and underwent remediation in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The total development cost for Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence was around $20 million, and approximately $33.9 million for Richmond Place. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 12- Mayor Appoints Job Task Force -CONTINUED FROM PG. 14- can: • Better integrate the $500 million investment in workforce programs and education resources to serve the unemployed and under-employed. • Combine economic development strategies with workforce development initiatives to allow more New Yorkers access to quality employment in industries where the city makes investments. • Address the skill gaps for lowwage workers by creating training programs that teach skills specifically geared to what today’s companies need. This will create a pipeline of homegrown workers who can fill the new opportunities being created by the city’s growing businesses; and ensure local employers seek, find and hire talent from the five boroughs. This fall, the task force will deliver a report to Mayor de Blasio with concrete recommendations on how the city can achieve the goals outlined above. “The work to change the way the city approaches workforce development and build a high-quality talent pipeline that is equipped with today’s most in-demand skills starts today,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. “I look forward to working with Jobs for New Yorkers to develop new, innovative ways to ensure that we’re providing the city’s businesses with the top-notch, homegrown talent to support the local economy and sharpen the city’s competitive edge.” “Workforce development is a bridge to connect the chasm of inequality that has held millions of New Yorkers back from reaching the American Dream and their full potential,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “Putting together some of our city’s smartest minds to tackle this challenge is the right approach. Connecting existing public and private resources in a strategic manner with the men and women that need the skills and opportunities is how Brooklyn and all of New York City can grow a stronger, more sustainable economic future for all.” “The Jobs for New Yorkers task force will engage in critically important work on two levels at once,” said Kimball. “In developing strategies to help New Yorkers secure quality employment, we are also working to increase the city’s economic resiliency—ensuring that millions of talented city residents keep multiple sectors of the economy thriving, strengthening and diversifying the five borough economic engine.” “Within these past few years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the burgeoning Queens tech community and the opportunities that it provides,” Jukay Hsu, founder of Coalition for Queens, said. “As New York City continues to grow in the new digital economy, we must ensure that New Yorkers in every neighborhood—particularly in our low-income and diverse communities—have access to the skills training and entrepreneurship opportunities that will increase economic mobility, and enable our businesses to thrive.” “Shifting the city’s workforce development model to ensure that we tap into the talent right here in the five boroughs will not only meet employer needs but also connect New Yorkers to jobs with familysupporting wages and real career paths,” said Torres-Springer. “I look forward to working with the mayor and my colleagues on the mayor’s jobs task force to help connect businesses with the talent they need, and create a city with shared opportunities for economic security.” in announcing the indictment last Wednesday were U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch; U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara; Police Commissioner Bill Bratton; Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown; and Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson. “It must be remembered that the images involved in these cases are of real children being sexually abused and that each time an image is viewed, traded, printed or downloaded, the child in that image is being victimized again,” Brown said. “Each of these defendants—five of whom presently have cases pending in Kings County—is responsible for re-victimizing the children who appear in these despicable videos each time they view or share the files,” Thompson added. “These are real children whose abuse and victimization has been videotaped for the entertainment of an unfortunately large population of twisted individuals.” Hayes thanked the NYPD, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New York State Police, among other law enforcement entities, for their assistance in the investigation. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 19- of-life problems, from traffic congestion to disorderly behavior. Manson noted the precinct could not take a side for or against the Knockdown Center, but would work to ensure that the facility’s events are safe and pose few negative impacts on the community. “The Knockdown Center is not going away,” he told residents. “We told the owners that their major responsibility is to be a good neighbor.” Outside of the Knockdown Center, the 104th Precinct—along with reinforcing officers provided by other NYPD commands—patrolled surrounding streets and escorted visitors to and from the nearest subway station—the Jefferson Street L train stop in Bushwick, about a mile away. Following the M.I.A. concert, Manson reported, police issued 29 summonses for drinking or urinating in public and arrested five individuals who had outstanding warrants. The commander stated Maspeth residents and the Knockdown Center can expect similar police coverage at the facility’s large events planned in the weeks to come. “Every time there is a big event, we are going to be there,” Manson assured. Following the May 16 rock festival, he noted, police observed— and received complaints from nearby residents about—loud noise emanating from the Knockdown Center. Manson declared it an acoustic problem, as the loud music blared every time the doorways into the venue opened. Police advised the Knockdown Center operators to install a second set of interior doors to help abate noise levels. According to Manson, the facility plans on rearranging its concert stage to keep as much sound inside the facility as possible. Other news Overall crime remains up for the year, but recent crime stats over the last four weeks indicate a downturn, according to Manson. He reported decreases in burglaries, robberies and felony assaults, and the precinct is making “substantial” arrests. Auto thefts and grand larcenies remain problematic for the precinct, the commander noted. He reminded residents to safeguard their property in order to prevent themselves from becoming victims of crime. The 104th Precinct continues to crack down on businesses selling alcohol to minors, Manson said. Two businesses with repeat violations have been shut down, and the precinct has requests to close four more shops through the NYPD’s Nuisance Abatement program. During the crackdown, police send individuals pretending to be minors into bars, restaurants and grocery stores attempting to purchase alcohol. Violations are issued if the store clerks fail to request identification from the buyer. Manson urged residents to contact the 104th Precinct if they suspect a business is illegally selling alcohol to minors. On the roads, accidents causing injuries have dropped while the 104th Precinct surged in issuing various moving violations to drivers, he added. Year-to-date, there have been 219 injuries in car accidents around the command’s confines, a 42 percent drop from the number reported at the same time in 2013. Additionally, 104th Precinct officers have issued hundreds of more tickets to drivers for violations such as failure to yield to pedestrians, failure to obey a stop sign, speeding, making improper turns and texting while driving. “It seems to be working,” Manson said of the ticket blitz. Residents living near Ridgewood’s Mafera Park urged the 104th Precinct to again close the park down at night to prevent illegal loiterers and other quality-of-life problems. They also asked that police inspect an ice cream truck with an excessively loud generator parked nearby as many as 11 hours per day. The captain stated officers would work to clear the park at dusk and check the ice cream truck’s sound levels. * * * The next 104th Precinct Community Council meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King Regional High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village. For more information, call the 104th Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 1-718-386-2431. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 14- HAVE YOU READ A BOOK WITH YOUR CHILD TODAY? 55 • TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014
RT05292014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above