“By increasing the availability of the SHSAT, we would allow our brightest students to flourish, improve our specialized high schools and increase the diversity of students who can take the test,” Sen. Addabbo said.

By Forum Staff

As the City Department of Education continues to try to figure out how to administer high school admissions for the upcoming year, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) has indicated that he wants to ensure that the Specialized High School Admissions Test remains in place—with some suggested improvements.

Addabbo recently noted that he believes that the SHSAT is a good tool to utilize for admission into New York City’s specialized high schools. Currently under State law, a student’s SHSAT score is the only criterion for admission to these schools. He said that he also understands the frustration expressed by many of his constituents as the DOE looks to alter the admissions process as it calls for greater diversity at specialized schools; but Addabbo reiterated that he doesn’t think that eliminating the SHSAT altogether is the right path forward.

Addabbo said that one area of concern is the costs associated with the test. Although the SHSAT itself does not require a fee, many of the test preparation courses and books are expensive, which could discourage students from low-income households from taking the exam. Addabbo said that these resources should be made more widely available to all students.

“By increasing the availability of the SHSAT, we would allow our brightest students to flourish, improve our specialized high schools and increase the diversity of students who can take the test,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Education. “After that, it is up to the students and their abilities to prove that they can in fact compete for a seat. By combining more widely available and affordable test prep options with adding to the specialized high school admissions criteria, I believe we can provide even more students across the city with the educational opportunity to attend these schools.”

The senator recalled when Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza met with the members of the Senate Education Committee in Albany on May 1, 2018 and spoke of the SHSAT. Addabbo said that at the time Carranza didn’t suggest an elimination of the SHSAT, but the use of “multiple measures” when evaluating a student for admission to a specialized high school.

Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carranza have called for the elimination of the SHSAT. File Photo

Of Carranza’s visit, Addabbo noted, “I believe that since many smart students are not good test takers or could have a bad experience when taking the SHSAT, measures such attendance, a GPA, extracurricular activities, volunteerism, or a student’s entire body of work could be considered during the admissions process, in addition to the SHSAT score.”

Addabbo also noted that Carranza stood by Mayor Bill de Blasio about a month after his visit to Albany and announced plans to eliminate the SHSAT.

Michael and Jonathan Manta

By Forum Staff

Howard Beach high school student, Michael Manta, last year established his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization aimed at getting fellow students to mentor middle schoolers on the high school application process and help with test prep.

And with the aid of an area elected official, Manta hopes to expand his program.

Manta is the co-founder and CEO of NYCMentors.org. He created the program in 2018 as a way to help his younger brother, Jonathan, navigate the high school admission process and expand his search outside of the local high schools. With Michael’s help, Jonathan was eventually accepted to The McCallie School in Tennessee.

Manta’s NYCMentors.org partners high-achieving underserved middle school students with high school students who are looking to give back and help these middle schoolers with the high school admission process, give them advice, and help with test prep, because many underserved middle school students do not have access to those resources, Manta noted.

“I really wanted to do something to give back,” he added. “There’s not really a program in New York City that has this type of mentorship. Having high school students working directly with middle school students, it gives them an older brother or older sister to get advice from. You don’t get that from just tutoring and test prep.”

Manta is now looking to grow his organization and has reached out to State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) for help.

“When Michael came to me with his program and told me he is looking to expand the number of students he would be able to reach, I knew I had to help,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “I have a daughter in high school and another in middle school, and I know how much of a resource my oldest will be for when my youngest daughter makes that jump into high school. I would love to be able to help students who may not have anyone to help them figure out the complex application process, and what other things a student may need to get into the high school they want—like joining clubs and extracurricular activities.”

Currently, NYCMentors.org can pair only 25 middle school students with high school mentors. They are looking for grants that will help them expand the student pool, but also keep the quality of mentorship. Manta is also looking to sign up additional mentors and mentees.

Manta also announced that NYCMentors.org will have a table at the 19th Annual Chess-in-the-Park Rapid Open on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Bethesda Fountain, Central Park and 72nd Street. NYCMentors.org will be at the event from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. signing up high school and middle school students who wish to participate in the program.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the program or who may want to volunteer to be a mentor can find more information at nycmentors.org, or can reach out via email at info@nycmentors.org.

“You are going to have to go back and study the history books to come up with a session that did more good than this session did,” Gov. Cuomo declared on Friday.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Ever since the 2019 Legislative Session wrapped up last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democrat-led Legislature have seemingly been on a victory lap, touting “historic progressive accomplishments” notched during what Cuomo has called the most productive Albany legislative confab “in modern political history.”
Even Mayor Bill de Blasio was effusive in his praise of the Executive and the Legislature.
“We haven’t seen a session this daring, productive, and progressive in decades,” Hizzoner gushed Friday.
Hyperbole aside, said “accomplishments” included:
• Passed the Jose R. Peralta DREAM Act, giving undocumented New York students the same advantages afforded to their citizen peers, including access to the Tuition Assistance Program and State-administered scholarships.
• Passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, creating what Cuomo has characterized as “the most aggressive climate change program in the nation” with goals to: reach zero carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2040; and directs State entities to work toward a goal of investing 40 percent of clean energy and energy efficiency resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the law creates the Climate Action Council comprised of the leaders of various state agencies and authorities as well as legislative appointments to develop a plan outlining how the State will achieve an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050, and eventually net zero emissions in all sectors of the economy.
• Made permanent the 2 percent property tax cap, building upon the approximate $25 billion in taxpayer savings since it was implemented in 2012.
• Funded the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with an estimated $25 billion raised through a promised congestion pricing plan, a new progressive mansion tax, and the elimination of the internet tax advantage.
• Enacted legislation in support of LGBTQ rights, including the elimination of the gay and trans panic defense—closing a loophole in State law that allowed individuals to use the gay and trans panic defenses after attacking another based upon that victim’s gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The governor also signed into law the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and a ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy.
• Enacted additional sexual harassment protections via a package of reforms that will lower the high bar set for employees to hold employers accountable under the New York Human Rights Law for sexual harassment by amending the requirement that conduct be “severe or pervasive” to constitute actionable conduct; extend the statute of limitations for employment sexual harassment claims filed with the Division of Human Rights from one year to three years; and protect employees’ rights to pursue complaints by mandating that all non-disclosure agreements in employment contracts include language stating that employees may still participate in government investigations conducted by local, state, and federal anti-discrimination agencies
• Enacted legislation extending the statute of limitations for second- and third-degree rape and expanding the civil statute of limitations for claims related to these offenses, allowing victims greater opportunity to obtain justice.
• Increased school aid by more than $1 billion, bringing total school aid to a record $27.9 billion. In addition, Cuomo noted that new reporting requirements will address imbalances in the distribution of resources by prioritizing funding at the individual school level in order to advance a more transparent, equitable education system.
• Delivered criminal justice reform by, among other aspects, eliminating cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent offenses, ensuring the right to a speedy trial, and transforming the discovery process.
“This was I believe, the most productive session in modern political history. You are going to have to go back and study the history books to come up with a session that did more good than this session did,” Cuomo added on Friday in an end-of-session media availability in the Red Room of the Capitol. “We laid out a 100-day agenda back in last December and said that this is a moment where we can make great change. You know change comes when the planets line up and the people are ready for change. Change is hard. The status quo is very difficult to overcome. It takes a lot of energy. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of advocacy. And it takes a lot of intelligence because it is not just, I want to change. Change to what? And what are the consequences of that change? It’s not just the political intent to make a change. It’s the legal effect of what that change is. It goes from politics to government. The political part is easy. I want to make change. Okay, the governmental part is hard. How do you do it and what are the consequences, et cetera? But we did it and the people were ready for change.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

Police were able to set the Howard Beach community at ease on Monday after several erroneous reports of a major shooting incident on Cross Bay Boulevard were splashed across social media platforms and even major newspaper screens, leading to at least one school lockdown.

“Nobody got shot in Howard Beach, residents were safe the whole time,” 106th Precinct Community Affairs Officer Mark Competello told The Forum.

According to police reports, a man was driving his SUV westbound on the Belt Parkway within the confines of the 113th Precinct on Monday morning when another vehicle pulled up to him and the driver unloaded three shots at the SUV.

The SUV driver then exited the parkway and flagged down the first cop he saw at Cross Bay Boulevard and 156th Avenue to report the incident. The motorist was not injured, cops said. However, he was taken into custody when records revealed an outstanding warrant attached to his name.

Saint Helen Catholic Academy in Rockwood Park was on temporary lockdown as a result of the activity in the area.

Mayor de Blasio noted that this year Equity and Excellence initiatives will reach more than 800 City schools.

By Forum Staff

  Equity and Excellence take front and center stage this year—the first full school year implementing the initiative since its formal introduction last September.

The targeted goal of the initiative is to support progress across all schools so that, by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time, two-thirds of graduates are college-ready, and all students are reading in 2^nd grade.

 These commitments build on critical administration initiatives including Pre-K for All, which provides every 4-year-old in the City with a free, full-day, high-quality pre-K seat, and the 130 Community Schools, which bring schools, families and communities together as partners to provide wrap-around services that increase opportunities and eliminate barriers to learning for underserved students.

In addition progress is slated to build in New York City schools across multiple measures: a graduation rate over 70 percent for the first time that puts the City on track to reach its 80 percent goal, the lowest-ever dropout rate, and the highest-ever rate of students enrolling in college.

  “With the investments we are making as part of our Equity and Excellence agenda, we are shaking the foundation of our education system,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

  The following is a breakdown of initiatives by-the-numbers breakdown for the 2016-17 school year:

Universal Literacy

Through Universal Literacy, every school will receive support from a dedicated reading coach who will work with teachers to ensure all students are reading on grade level by the end of 2^nd grade.

 Algebra for All

Through Algebra for All, by 2022, every student will have access to Algebra in 8^th grade, complete Algebra no later than 9^th grade, and there will be academic supports in place in elementary and middle school to build greater Algebra readiness.

AP for All

AP for All is adding Advanced Placement courses at underserved schools across the City; by fall 2021, students at all high schools will have access to at least five AP classes.

Computer Science for All

Through Computer Science for All, every student will receive computer science education in elementary, middle, and high school by 2025.

  College Access for All – Middle School

Through College Access for All – Middle School, by the 2018-19 school year, every middle school student will have the opportunity to visit a college campus.

  College Access for All – High School

Through College Access for All – High School, by the 2018-19 school year, every student will have the resources and supports at their high school to graduate with an individual college and career plan.

 District-Charter Partnerships

District-Charter Partnerships will pair district and charter schools to foster strong relationship and share best practices. Partnerships include facilitated conversations among schools, organized visits, and sharing of resources and strategies.

 Pre-K for All

Pre-K for All is in its second year of providing a free, full-day, high-quality pre-K seat for every four-year-old in New York City – better preparing our youngest students to learn and be successful in kindergarten and beyond.

.Community Schools

New York City’s 130 Community Schools recognize that in order for students to achieve academic excellence, we must support the whole child, as well as their family. Community Schools support students, engage families, and strengthen communities from all sides; integrating academics, health, youth development, and family engagement and providing access to critical programs and services like vision screening, mentoring, expanded learning programs, adult education, and mental health counseling. Each school is paired with a lead Community Based Organization partner that works collaboratively with the principal and the school community to do this work.

 “Anything is possible in the new school year, and that’s even more the case with our reforms to increase equity and excellence for all students. From improving reading instruction for our youngest learners through Universal Literacy, to putting our students on the path to college success through College Access for All – High School, these initiatives are going to make a real impact for students and families. I welcome back our students, families, and educators, and am excited about the work ahead,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

Students and CUNY leaders thanked the City Council for the investment, which has been earmarked for much-needed upgrades on campuses across NYC.

By Forum Staff

 City University of New York schools in Queens are set to receive some of the $73.3 million in capital funding allocated by the City Council and state Legislature for much-needed upgrades to CUNY campuses across the five boroughs.

On Monday, the Council Queens Delegation joined Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, CUNY Vice Chancellor for Facilities Judy Bergtraum and CUNY Queensborough Community College President Dr. Diane Bova Call to celebrate the $50.7 million investment. This comes in addition to $22.6 million in funding being granted through the state matching the Council’s FY2017 budget. According to CUNY, the money will support state-of-the-art technology upgrades, public space enhancements, science labs, art and media equipment, student service centers, and more to improve its 24 campuses.

“As the third-largest university system in the United States, CUNY offers a high-quality and remarkably affordable and competitive higher education that enables the pursuit of the American Dream,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.  “CUNY has been a critical door to opportunities for millions of New Yorkers and their families, and here in Queens we’re proud to be home to some of the best of CUNY schools. This multi-million dollar allocation of public funding is a direct investment into the public colleges of our borough so that CUNY remains able to meet the educational needs of its hard-working students.”

The $50.7 million in the FY2017 budget will be put toward 34 CUNY capital projects, including:

• $2 million to build a digital film center at Queens College
• $3 million to construct a cafeteria space at Queensborough Community College
• $2.5 million for a Student Success Center at Bronx Community College
• $2.5 million to build a hub for performing arts at Hunter College
• $2.5 million to renovate science labs at the New York City College of Technology
• $420,000 for the media/culture/television studio system at the College of Staten Island

 “CUNY continues to be the gold standard among public institutions of higher learning in this country,” said Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica). “Men and women from cities the world over enroll at its schools to pursue their postsecondary education, often beginning at the community college level. The University’s continued success is central to the future economic growth of our City and Southeast Queens, alike. Two-year and four-year schools like Queensborough and York College depend on consistent investments to ensure the expansion of their existing programs, and the innovation of others. The Council is proud of its relationship with CUNY, and demonstrates its appreciation once again with this near $51 million allocation towards its capital projects.”

“I asked could I sit with him and he said, ‘Sure, why not?’” Rudolph told Seminoles.com. “He told me his name was Bo, how much he loves Florida State. And we went from there.”

The picture quickly went viral – as did Bo’s mom Leah Paske’s touching Facebook tribute to Bo, Travis, and the moment.

Here is that post in its entirety:

Several times lately I have tried to remember my time in middle school, did I like all my teachers, do I even remember them? Did I have many friends? Did I sit with anyone at lunch? Just how mean were kids really? I remember one kid on the bus called me “Tammy Fay Baker” bc I started awkwardly wearing eye liner in the sixth grade, I remember being tough and calling him a silly name back, but when he couldn’t see me anymore I cried. I do remember middle school being scary, and hard. Now that I have a child starting middle school, I have feelings of anxiety for him, and they can be overwhelming if I let them. Sometimes I’m grateful for his autism. That may sound like a terrible thing to say, but in some ways I think, I hope, it shields him. He doesn’t seem to notice when people stare at him when he flaps his hands. He doesn’t seem to notice that he doesn’t get invited to birthday parties anymore. And he doesn’t seem to mind if he eats lunch alone. It’s one of my daily questions for him. Was there a time today you felt sad? Who did you eat lunch with today? Sometimes the answer is a classmate, but most days it’s nobody. Those are the days I feel sad for him, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He is a super sweet child, who always has a smile and hug for everyone he meets. A friend of mine sent this beautiful picture to me today and when I saw it with the caption “Travis Rudolph is eating lunch with your son” I replied “who is that?” He said “FSU football player”, then I had tears streaming down my face. Travis Rudolph, a wide receiver at Florida State, and several other FSU players visited my sons school today. I’m not sure what exactly made this incredibly kind man share a lunch table with my son, but I’m happy to say that it will not soon be forgotten. This is one day I didn’t have to worry if my sweet boy ate lunch alone, because he sat across from someone who is a hero in many eyes. Travis Rudolph thank you so much, you made this momma exceedingly happy, and have made us fans for life! #travisrudolph#gonoles #FSU #autismmom #fansforlife

By Michael V. Cusenza

The Queens Library this week unveiled the new location for its Archives and launched the Digital Archives website that pledges online access to more than 12,000 items from the QL collection.

The Archives has moved down to the lower level of the Central Library in Jamaica from its second-floor space. On Tuesday morning, Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott, elected officials, library staff, Queens historians and members of the community toured the new location, which features climate-controlled storage to better preserve the thousands of valuable items that document the social, economic, and political history of the four counties on Long Island: Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk.

“These archives…are an opportunity to learn from the contributions of others,” said City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans).

The Library describes its Digital Archives as “the online repository” for selected maps, photographs, manuscripts, newspapers and books documenting Queens, Brooklyn and greater Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties).

“The site is constantly growing to provide researchers from around the world with expanded and enhanced access to the Library’s local history collections,” according to QL.

For example, Forum staff browsed the Newspapers and Periodicals collection (naturally). Almost immediately we were afforded access to editions of the Corona/East Elmhurst Transition Press from the 1970s, issues of The Wave of Long Island from the late 19^th Century.

“There are so many people in Queens with so many personal stories, and journeys,” added State Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans).

Also at digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org is a link to the Queens Memory Project: a collaboration of the Archives at Queens Library and Queens College Libraries’ Department of Special Collections and Archives. Among QMP’s goals are “to record borough history as it happens and empower residents from all ethnicities and walks of life to document their lives in the borough.”

The Project combines historical and contemporary photography, maps, news clippings, and other documents with oral history interviews of current “World’s Borough” tenants. The Memory Team needs you to help create and maintain the projects digital archives by contributing memories, photos and stories.

According to the Library, project coordinators want to know about your life in Queens now and in years past, so it can be documented and preserved for future generations. Did you emigrate from another country? What did you experience? Do you have photos of your neighborhood from years ago? What was your school or your children’s school like?

Library customers are invited to bring in their family photos, documents and other memorabilia. Staff will digitize the materials on-site and return them the same day. Customers with receive a free flash drive containing the digital copies of their materials. The scanned images become part of the Queens Memory website and will be shared with the Digital Public Library of America.

“Many items that can help add to the history of Queens are sitting in closets and basements all over our borough,” said Joanne King, recently retired director of Communications at the Library.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

As the Vetrano family this week raised the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect who brutally murdered daughter Karina in Spring Creek Park earlier this month, investigators expanded their search into Brooklyn and indicated that the case may not reach a conclusion any time soon.

“It’s a tough one,” a law enforcement official familiar with the case told Newsday. “It isn’t going to be a question of good detective work, it is going to be a question of luck.”

Karina Vetrano, 30, was beaten, strangled, and sexually assaulted in the evening hours of Aug. 2 on her daily run inside Spring Creek Park.

On Tuesday, Karina’s father, Phil, bumped up the reward to $200,000.

“Please share and spread the word,” he wrote on the reward’s GoFundMe page. “And please keep the donations coming.”

As of Wednesday evening, the Karina Vetrano Memorial Reward Fund had raised more than $265,000 in two weeks. The NYPD’s reward also increased in recent days to $35,000.

Additionally, St. John’s University, Karina’s alma mater, announced on Monday that a memorial Mass for the Howard Beach native has been scheduled for next month.

“The St. John’s University community is deeply saddened by the recent deaths of alumna Karina Vetrano and current student Arshell Dennis III, who lost their lives due to senseless acts of violence in New York City and Chicago this summer,” the school posted to its Facebook page.

“We mourn the passing of Karina and Arshell and send our heartfelt condolences to their families, keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

“Join us for the Memorial Masses at St. Thomas More Church in their honor. The Mass for Karina Vetrano is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. on Friday, September 2, 2016. The Mass for Arshell Dennis III will take place at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, September 9, 2016.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and the nonprofit group First Book looked to body-slam illiteracy last week by leading a Reading Celebration at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens for 350 members.

WWE Superstars Cesaro, Darren Young, Lana, Apollo Crews, Sin Cara, ring announcer JoJo, and NBC

Universo’s Yarel Ramos read “Nino Wrestles the World” to 200 club members in grades K-5. The Superstars also participated in a question and answer session with 150 middle- and high-school members.

Additionally, WWE donated 1,000 books to the Richmond Hill club.

“I want to thank WWE and First Book for this incredible opportunity,” said John DeCristoforo, chief executive officer of the Atlantic Avenue BGCMQ. “The event was a tremendous success and most importantly, the kids had an amazing experience. I also want to thank the WWE Superstars for taking time out of their schedules to visit the Club and for delivering such positive and inspiring messages to our kids. It was a great way to end our Summer Camp program.”

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz recently hosted a celebration of the 70^th Independence Day of the Republic of India. In her remarks at the Borough Hall bash, Katz said those of Indian heritage that live in Queens contribute to the diversity of the World’s Borough and have made it a more prosperous and welcoming place.

Posing with the borough president are Riva Ganguly Das, India’s Consul General in New York (Katz’s l.), Assemblyman David Weprin (rear r.), City Councilman Barry Grodenchik (rear, third from r.) and members of the City Correction Department’s Desi Society, which represents correction officers of South Asian heritage.

By Michael V. Cusenza

“It’s really an honor…a real distinction.”

MediSys Health Network Vice President Angelo Canedo, Ph.D., beamed with palpable pride last Friday morning as he described the significance of blemish-free verification as a Level I Trauma Center.

“It means that we can truly serve our community with the best of trauma care,” Canedo continued. “That’s our honor and privilege.”

Canedo was joined by Bruce Flanz, president and CEO of MediSys Health Network and JHMC, and the hospital’s trauma care team in announcing that JHMC received a perfect score on its trauma verification survey conducted by the American College of Surgeons. The accredited organization of experts in the trauma field reviewed Jamaica’s capabilities through an intense three-year audit, and verified that it meets the standards for Level I Trauma status – without a single deficiency.

“It’s the highest order of trauma center,” Canedo said. “It means that you should be able to handle the simplest and most complex of cases. Officer Healey was certainly a complex case.”

Canedo referred to NYPD Officer Kenneth Healey, who helped JHMC mark the occasion last Friday. Healey shared his own harrowing experience and detailed how Jamaica’s Trauma Service saved his life.

On Oct. 23, 2014, Healey and three fellow uniformed police officers – Joseph Meeker, Taylor Kraft, and Peter Rivera – were on a foot post on Jamaica Avenue near 162^nd Street around 2 p.m. when they were approached by a freelance photographer who asked them to pose for a picture. As the officers obliged, a man identified as Zale Thompson, 32, charged at them with a hatchet in his hand. Unprovoked and not speaking a word, Thompson then swung the hatchet at Meeker, striking his right arm. Thompson, who later was characterized by Bratton as a “self-radicalized” Muslim, continued swinging the hatchet, striking Healey in his head, causing him to fall to the ground.

As Thompson continued his assault, Bratton said, Kraft and Rivera opened fire, killing him. Healey’s brothers in blue lifted him into a police vehicle and rushed him to nearby Jamaica Hospital, where he “received life-saving treatment from the Trauma Team” and remained in critical condition for days.

Healey survived his wounds and made it all the way back to the job last December. On NYPD Medal Day, he received the Medal of Honor, and his former 103^rd Precinct colleagues Joseph Meeker, Taylor Kraft, and Peter Rivera earned the Combat Cross.

Jamaica has been a State-Designated Level 1 Trauma Center each year since 1987. According to JHMC, Healey is just one example of the more than 1,700 patients its Trauma Service treats annually, making it one of the busiest in the New York-Metropolitan Area.

Canedo told The Forum that JHMC definitely will rely on the new national trauma distinction when it applies for federal funding down the road. However, for now, it seems that Canedo and his colleagues are savoring a certain perfect score.

“It is, in our opinion, in our DNA,” Canedo said. “Our whole hospital responds to trauma.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced a policy change that would dramatically expand the number of agency-registered marijuana manufacturers.

Right now, incredibly, there is only one entity authorized to produce marijuana to supply researchers in the United States: the University of Mississippi, operating under a contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

According to the DEA, the policy change should provide researchers with a more varied and robust supply of marijuana; and will allow additional entities to apply to become registered with DEA so that they may grow and distribute marijuana for Food and Drug Administration-authorized research purposes.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) noted that she’s been urging the DEA for more than a year to change its “antiquated policies” on medical marijuana.

“This is an important first step toward helping countless children who suffer from seizures get the medicine they need,” Gillibrand said last Thursday. “It’s past due that we expand opportunities for medical research, and now the DEA needs to take the next step and remove marijuana from Schedule I. It shouldn’t take an act of Congress for the DEA to get past antiquated ideology and make this change, but in the meantime I’ll continue urging my colleagues to pass our bipartisan legislation on behalf of the children and families who are suffering.”

Gillibrand is the sponsor of the bipartisan Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act. The bill would reschedule marijuana to Schedule II from a Schedule I drug to recognize that it has accepted medical use, and would amend federal law to allow states to set their own medical marijuana policies. The bill would also permit Veterans Affairs doctors to prescribe veterans medical marijuana to treat serious injuries and chronic conditions. The legislation would not legalize the drug in all 50 states; rather, Gillibrand clarified, it would respect the states that set their own medical marijuana programs and would prevent federal law enforcement from prosecuting patients, doctors and caregivers in those states.

The DEA has consistently denied petitions to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.

“Based on the legal standards in the CSA, marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance because it does not meet the criteria for currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, there is a lack of accepted safety for its use under medical supervision, and it has a high potential for abuse,” the agency reasoned.

Still, the DEA policy change has many proponents of medical marijuana feeling cautiously optimistic.

“Expanding upon existing research could provide a science-based treatment foundation that will help engage more physicians and in return benefit even more patients, here in New York State and beyond,” said Stephen Dahmer, M.D., chief medical officer of Vireo Health of New York – a physician-led company that provides cannabis-based medications and patient care. “We strongly support passage of the bi-partisan CARERS Act; legislation that would acknowledge the scientific evidence that cannabis has accepted medical use and give states greater ability to regulate their own medical cannabis programs. Today is encouraging, but additional reforms are overdue at the federal level necessary to improve the accessibility and affordability of medical cannabis for our patients.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Future members of the City’s Finest were on display on Monday in Brooklyn as 2,000 young New Yorkers graduated from the NYPD Youth Police Academy in a ceremony at Barclays Center.

The six-week Police Department initiative connects the city’s youngest residents with their officers during summer vacation and affords them the opportunity to get to know the cops in their communities, according to the NYPD.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton presided over the event.

“Take a look at the NYPD as a career because we want you, we want the young men and women of NYC,” he said to the graduates.

The summer program is free for city kids ages 10 to 16. Members of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau run the academy, which includes five-day-a-week classes on anti-bullying, health awareness, gang resistance, and drug prevention in all five boroughs. Kids also participate in fitness activities, arts and crafts and field trips.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

The Queens Library on Monday unveiled a plaque honoring a beloved member of the Forest Hills community and devoted patron of the North Forest Park branch.

Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott joined branch staff to pay tribute to Frank D. Esposito, who passed away in 2013, leaving a $50,000 bequest to the North Forest Park Library.

According to the Library, Esposito, who had lived in Forest Hills since 1969, served his country with distinction in Vietnam. When he returned from the war in 1971, he went to work for the City Board of Education as an electrician.

While he worked days, he went to the City College of New York at nights, and earned his college degree four years later. This enabled him to become a supervisor of mechanics, and at the end of his nearly 37-year career with the Board of Education, he was in charge of 300 people and served 1,100 schools all over the five boroughs.

“Mr. Esposito loved his library, and he loved the dedicated people at North Forest Park,” Walcott said. “This plaque represents the permanency of his engagement, and his contribution to the longevity of the library.”

“Frank really cared about people, more than himself,” said his wife, Lisa Wong-Esposito. “He felt like the staff at North Forest Park were part of his family, and he believed that education and knowledge are the greatest foundations in anyone’s life. What better place to give to than the library? I hope this gift encourages more people all over the city to give back to their local libraries.”

By Forum Staff

Fifty new soccer fields will be installed in underserved neighborhoods across the five boroughs over the next five years, thanks to the New York City Soccer Initiative – a public-private partnership that will invest millions of dollars in the pitches and after-school programming for 10,000 students, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday.

The four partners of the Initiative – the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, New York City Football Club and adidas – have pledged to invest a total of $3 million to build and maintain the fields and provide free programming for City school children focused on healthy, active living and mentorship.

The program will provide after-school soccer and mentoring programs, such as soccer clinics, festivals and youth summits to promote safe, active and connected communities, de Blasio said. The Soccer Initiative will also include a partnership with the City’s Young Men’s Initiative, providing young men of color with mentorship opportunities.

Through the construction of the new fields, the NYCSI will aim to connect more young people to soccer, expand the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s soccer after-school program – Soccer for Success ­– and repurpose underutilized spaces in the City’s most underserved neighborhoods.

All of the communities being selected to host the New York City Soccer Initiative fields are focuses of the Mayor’s Building Healthy Communities Initiative, the Parks Department’s Community Parks Initiative, or the Young Men’s Initiative.

“These new soccer fields will be essential in keeping our young New Yorkers safe, active and connected with the community. With this partnership, we are tackling inequalities in all its forms – including in our parks and outdoor spaces,” de Blasio said. “In the city of immigrants, with so many different languages and cultures, the New York City Soccer Initiative will be one of the great tools we use to unify young New Yorkers. My thanks to the Mayor’s Fund, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, New York City Football Club and adidas for coming together and building a meaningful program.”

Initiative fields will be constructed to ensure year-round functionality, the mayor added. And NYCFC has pledged to create a fund to support the ongoing maintenance of the pitches. The first eight sites are:

1. J.H.S. 166 George Gershwin – Brooklyn
2. Cypress Hills Houses, Brooklyn
3. Irwin Altman Middle School 172, Queens
4. South Jamaica Houses, Queens
5. Millbrook Playground, Bronx
6. Eagle Academy for Young Men of Staten Island
7. Harlem Lane Playground, Manhattan
8. P.S. 083 Luis Munoz Rivera, Manhattan

“Growing up in Queens, some of my earliest memories are of learning to play football in Flushing Meadows Corona Park,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights). “The announcement today of the New York City Soccer Initiative to build new football facilities in underserved communities will give more children in our great city a chance to play the beautiful game. With the growth of football’s popularity, as well as the South American population, these pitches will provide greatly needed relief to our current facilities that overwhelmed with use. I applaud the Mayor, the New York City Football Club, adidas, and the U.S. Soccer Federation for partnering up to provide the kids in communities like mine the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime.”

By Forum Staff

The administration last Sunday released “AccessibleNYC” – the City’s first-ever report on the state of people with disabilities, and interagency plans to improve the quality of life for the population across the five boroughs.

According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities is collaborating with dozens of City agencies to catalog current and forward-looking efforts to enhance accessibility and inclusion in transportation, education, employment and health, as well as City services, institutions and resources.

“Being a life-long New Yorker and a wheelchair user, I understand from experience the complexity that people with disabilities face on a daily basis – from navigating our streets to obtaining needed services,” said MOPD Commissioner Victor Calise, an Ozone Park native. “This is truly an unprecedented undertaking: never in the history of NYC government have so many City agencies worked together on a comprehensive report to advance the interests of New Yorkers with disabilities. I am confident that the progress we make will be unprecedented as well.”

The range of programming, policies, and initiatives in the 98-page analysis include:

• Disability Service Facilitators in key City Agencies: The City has created additional full-time positions in key agencies that work closely with MOPD and act as liaisons to New Yorkers with disabilities, including the Department of Transportation, the Human Resources Administration, TLC, and the Department of Parks and Recreation.
• Business Development Council: MOPD’s Business Development Council provides strategic advice on best practices in outreach, recruitment, training, hiring and promotion of people with disabilities in the workforce.
• Expanding employment opportunities: MOPD’s NYC: AT WORK initiative, with support from the Poses Family Foundation, will connect talent to businesses and provide access to employment opportunities for a minimum of 700 unemployed or underemployed people with disabilities. The Department of Education is also partnering with MOPD to build transition centers across the City to prepare students with disabilities for successful employment opportunities in the future.
• Upholding 55-a Civil Service Titles: MOPD and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services are collaborating to encourage agencies to utilize the 55-a Program – which permits applicants for non-competitive positions to bypass the Civil Service Exam – to employ qualified individuals with disabilities.
• Creating more accessible housing for NYC: MOPD will host a housing day for builders and developers to ensure they understand the New York City Building Code requirements, the federal Fair Housing Act, and the implications of receiving City, State, and federal funds.
• Accessible vehicles for all, on call: By working with TLC, the City is expanding dispatch services for wheelchair users across the five boroughs so that residents can have an accessible taxi dispatched on-demand or by reservation.
• Supporting students with disabilities: MOPD is working in partnership with the Department of Education to provide support to students with disabilities, families and educators to offer work-based learning opportunities and professional learning experiences to ensure that students graduate prepared for their post-secondary plans, including college, career and independent living.

“In the past, the needs and rights of people with disabilities were considered by government on a piecemeal basis. The creation of a Disability Agenda for NYC should provide a blueprint for the future that insures integration, participation, social opportunity and employment for New Yorkers with disabilities,” added James Weisman, president and CEO of the United Spinal Association.

By Forum Staff

Two donors, who wish to remain anonymous, recently presented a $50,000 challenge grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens in Richmond Hill, the nonprofit announced this week.

The grant will match – dollar-for-dollar – all donations from new and existing supporters for the rest of the year, up to $50,000. The funds raised will be used to produce educational and recreational afterschool and summer programs, hire and train staff, and maintain the Atlantic Avenue facility.

“We are extremely grateful to these two anonymous donors for their generous investment and confidence in our organization,” said John DeCristoforo, chief executive officer of the BGCMQ. “These individuals recognize that the greatest asset of our community is our youth and we need to provide them with meaningful, positive opportunities so they can learn and grow into responsible adults.”

DeCristoforo added that the grant “could not have come at a better time as we recently experienced a significant loss in funding for our teen program. Since every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, no gift is too big or too small to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the children we serve each day.”

The Richmond Hill club, which has been open since 1957, annually serves nearly 1,400 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 from Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Jamaica, Howard Beach, Kew Gardens, and parts of Brooklyn.

“My hope is that this challenge grant will inspire other businesses and individuals in the community to support the Club and the great work it’s doing for at-risk youth in Queens and surrounding areas,” said one of the anonymous donors. “Places like the BGCMQ need our help because they serve as a beacon of hope in our community and improve the lives of our children.”

According to DeCristoforo, donations can be made online at metroqueens.org; by calling (718) 441- 6050 x 202; or by mail at BGCMQ 110-04 Atlantic Ave., South Richmond Hill, NY 11419.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Resorts World Casino New York City has mapped out a massive, $400 million expansion that its parent company hopes will transform the highly successful South Ozone Park entertainment facility into a Big Apple destination.

Ryan Eller, president of Resorts World NYC, presented the proposal last week to the State Franchise Oversight Board. The State must approve the plan before any shovels hit dirt.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the 750,000 square-foot expansion project calls for the creation of a 400-room hotel, 140,000 square-foot convention space, a spa, and food and retail amenities.

Additionally, the gaming floor will expand as well, with 1,000 more video lottery terminals to be phased in on top of the 5,500 VLTs already humming at the racino that opened on the Aqueduct Racetrack grounds in the fall of 2011.

“Resorts World is extremely proud to be one of the largest contributors to New York’s education system, having already generated more than $1.5 billion for the state’s education fund in less than five years of operation,” said Michael Levoff, senior vice president of Public Affairs for Genting Americas. “This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York’s education fund and the state’s horse racing industry – while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community. Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs.”

South Queens community leaders seem to be giving the plan a preliminary thumbs-up.

“Plans for expansion at Resorts World are a step forward towards the concept of a destination resort that has been part of the discussion with them since that concept was presented to the community back in 2010,” said Betty Braton, long-time chairwoman of Community Board 10. “We look forward to working with them as current plans take shape to ensure they are sensitive to community concerns and impact is positive. Our experience during the last five years with casino officials is that our concerns do factor into their decision making. We’re certain that will be the case as this new project moves ahead.”

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he sees a lot of positives.

“The proposal…has the potential to reap huge economic benefits on not only the surrounding neighborhood of Ozone Park, but the entire borough of Queens and state. This project would create over a thousand jobs in construction, design and other fields during the planning and building stages as well as thousands of long-term positions at each of the new facilities once the project is completed. Local job creation is crucial to our economy and such a large influx of job opportunities is rare. With a portion of gaming money from casinos across New York being given every year to fund and support education, an additional 1,000 VLTs and gaming at the site would also benefit schools throughout the state, as that funding would continue to grow. Resorts World is already the biggest contributor to this fund in all of New York State, illustrating the popularity of the gaming facilities at this location and how expanding the opportunity to play and experience the new amenities would only lead to more crucial dollars for state education and revenue.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

An elected state official this week called on the City to consider installing road signs warning drivers of locations that have a high concentration of autistic children.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach), whose 23^rd Assembly District includes the Howard Beach nonprofit New York Families for Autistic Children, has penned a letter to the Department of Transportation, urging the agency to set up “Autistic Child Area” signs around facilities that cater to autistic people, special needs schools, and parks utilized by autistic children. Goldfeder said that the posts will alert drivers, and ensure that they take extra precautions, and cited signs that warn motorists that they are entering an area with deaf children as an example.

The Autistic Child Area signs, Goldfeder added, will communicate that drivers may not be able to rely on traditional means, like honking, to prevent accidents.

“I have made traffic safety around our schools a priority and I know firsthand how scary it can be to have cars speeding around areas where our kids gather,” he said. “New signs making drivers aware of special children will ensure that they take extra precautions when they are near a facility that is used by people with autism, to give parents some peace of mind when they drop off their children with special needs.”

In the letter, Goldfeder requested that DOT investigate potential areas where such signs can prove useful, like Cross Bay Boulevard near the NYFAC Autism Center.

“Kids with autism are unpredictable, they can jet out into the street at any given time. If people knew that an area had autistic kids, they could be more aware. They could look towards the sidewalks, and knowing that just because a kid is walking down the sidewalk doesn’t mean they’re not going to jet out,” said NYFAC President and CEO Andrew Baumann. “I have a facility that deals with children with autism, so safety signs would help a lot. Anything that is going to make the community more aware is beneficial to us.”

DOT officials have indicated to The Forum that they have received Goldfeder’s request for signage, and said they are in the process of reviewing his request.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com