Governor Kathy Hochul this week announced that the Federal Highway Administration has completed the environmental review of the State’s congestion pricing program—Manha an Central Business District Tolling—following a 30-day public availability period of the Final Environmental Assessment.
e federal agency on Monday issued a Finding of No Signi cant Impact, con rming the conclusion of the Final Environmental Assessment, which includes mitigation measures to be undertaken by the program, that the program will have no signi cant environmental impacts.
e Central Business District Tolling Program was mandated by the State in April 2019 and modeled on urban congestion pricing programs around the world to reduce tra c congestion and raise needed revenue to improve public transportation. e program will charge vehicles a toll for traveling in Manha an south of and inclusive of 60th Street, excluding through-tra c on the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, West Side Highway, Ba ery Park Underpass, and roadway portions of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connecting to West Street.
e Environmental Assessment, prepared by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, an a liate agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, State Department of Transportation, and City Department of Transportation in consultation with the Federal Highway Administration, found the program is expected to meet its objectives by reducing congestion and overall vehicle miles traveled, with related regional air quality bene ts, while providing nancial support to capital upgrades for the MTA’s public transportation system.
Before a tolling rate structure can be set, the Tra c Mobility Review Board, a body required by the April 2019 State Legislation that established the Central Business District Tolling Program, will develop a recommended toll structure a er considering factors such as tra c pa erns, tra c mitigation measures, operating costs, public impact, public safety, vehicle types, discounts, peak and o -peak rates, air quality and emissions trends. e TMRB will provide a report explaining its recommendations, including the underlying review and analysis, to the Board of TBTA, which is coterminous with the MTA Board. e TBTA Board will adopt and establish the tolling structure.
If a tolling structure is adopted on a timeline as expected, toll collection could begin as early as May 2024, which gives contractors a contractually obligated 310 days to nish designing, developing, testing, and installing the tolling system and equipment.
Hochul touted what proponents of the plan have characterized as its myriad bene ts:
e assessment nds that across the 28-county area studied in the environmental review, of those who commute to work in Manha an’s Central Business District, only 11 percent drive and 85 percent use public
transportation. By reducing congestion and creating revenue for public transportation, the program will bene t millions of people every day. rough a package of mitigation measures, the program will also improve air quality in environmental justice communities.
Less tra c congestion: New York is the most congested city in the United States. Congested streets slow down buses, delay
A more equitable, accessible transit system: e program will generate net revenues su cient to leverage $15 billion for the MTA's 2020-2024 Capital Program, which includes transformational projects. e MTA's transit system, and particularly the bus network, promotes equity by serving low-income and minority populations. e funding will allow the MTA to progress on its aggressive timeline of completing acces-
Environmental Justice Technical Advisory and Stakeholder Working Groups, and six public hearings a er the release of the dra Environmental Assessment in August 2022. Nearly 950 speakers participated in early outreach sessions and public hearings, combined. Additional meetings were held separately for elected o cials, community boards, transit and environmental advocates, and other interested parties. TBTA and the State and City departments of transportation received and responded to more than 22,000 individual comments and more than 55,000 form submissions during the formal comment period.
e Environmental Assessment's Study Area
In consideration of public input, the Final Environmental Assessment analyzes the potential impacts of Central Business District Tolling on tra c congestion, transit, air quality and numerous other environmental indicators in 28 counties across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. e Study Area contains 22 million people, including 12.3 million residents residing in environmental justice communities, and ve Tribal Nations.
e Final Environmental Assessment assesses impacts to tra c and public transportation for a regional transportation network with 28.8 million journeys per average weekday, 61,000 highway linkage points, 4,600 tra c analysis zones, 44,267 bus stops or transit stations, 4,170 transit routes, and more than a dozen public transportation providers in addition to the MTA, including NJ T NSIT, PATH, ferries, and regional bus systems including Westchester County Bee-Line, NICE, and Su olk County Transit.
Still, everyone is not on-board with the plan. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said this week that the Garden State will be researching all legal avenues to sti e its advancement.
And Councilmembers Bob Holden (DMaspeth) and Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) have been leading area opposition to congestion pricing.
emergency vehicles and delivery services, raise the cost of doing business, and degrade our quality of life. e Final Environmental Assessment estimates a roughly 15-20 percent reduction in the number of vehicles entering the Central Business District, or about 110,000 to 143,000 fewer vehicles daily, about as many as enter Manha an on the Brooklyn Bridge today.
New York City buses serve a greater share of low-income and minority households compared to other modes of transportation, including subways. Local bus speeds have declined 28 percent in the Central Business District since 2010 and Select Bus Service in Manha an is 19-percent slower than SBS in other boroughs. While ongoing MTA initiatives such as the bus network redesigns have shown improvement in speeds, congestion pricing would not only improve travel times for bus service, but also paratransit service.
sibility improvements, along with performing necessary state-of-good repair work to the more-than-a-century old transit system.
A healthier, more sustainable future: Congestion pricing will improve overall regional air quality with one of the most comprehensive plans the region has implemented to support a greener future. e
Final Environmental Assessment found in all tolling scenarios an overall decrease in vehicle-miles traveled in the Central Business District and region overall, and that the program would encourage some commuters to shi from their vehicles to transit.
Over the course of the environmental review process, MTA and its project partners held 19 early outreach sessions, of which nine were focused on environmental justice communities, 10 meetings with
“ is could be the nal blow, penalizing hardworking middle-class taxpayers and seniors on a xed income who depend on driving into Manha an for crucial appointments,” Holden said on Tuesday. “Let’s hope o cials from outside the state step up to do what State o cials should have done: put an end to it.”
Ariola made a congestion pricing stop sign one of the pillars of her campaign platform. She led an opposition rally outside City Hall in May.
“ e MTA needs to reel in their spending before they pass on costs to ordinary New Yorkers. One recent NYU study, for example, found that the MTA spent nearly twice as much on consultants for the Second Avenue Subway than it did on actually digging the tunnel itself,” Ariola said at the event. “And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. is kind of reckless spending needs to be checked—a cash grab like congestion pricing will only continue to fuel their destructive, expensive, wasteful practices.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
Diwali, the pan-religious Festival of Lights, is now an official City public school holiday, Mayor Eric Adams announced this week.
“This is what victory looks like. This is what victory feels like. For over two decades, the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community has fought for this moment. People said this day would never come, but today we stand victorious inside of City Hall. Our time has come, and we have arrived at the table of power,” Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) said on Monday. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is to be enshrined in law. Diwali, at last, will be a holiday in our great city. So today we say to over 600,000 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain Americans across New York City, we see you. Today we say to families from India, Guyana, Trinidad, Nepal, and Bangladesh, we recognize you. Families just like mine. My family is like every South Asian family standing behind me today.”
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola said that “making Diwali a school holiday was something promised by many administrations and by many politicians in the past. It took THIS administration, THIS City Council, and THIS State Senate and Assembly to actually get this done. I am proud to be a sponsor on Res 0164, which calls upon City Schools to officially make Diwali a school holiday in NYC, and I would like to thank my partners in government, Assemblywoman Rajkumar and State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr.
(D-Woodhaven), for everything they did to make this historic milestone come to fruition.”
Addabbo noted that the bill calling for Diwali to become a public school holiday passed unanimously in the State Senate.
“[A]nd rightfully so,” he added. “Proving once again that Diwali has no boundaries. Diwali has no boundaries. It is to be celebrated by all. And I also want to thank my South Asian community, my South Asian friends. Thank you. Because for a person who's truly not South Asian, welcome me into the community, educating me about Diwali, why this is so important is because you spoke out, that's the perfect snapshot of how government should work, on a daily basis. People speak out, elected officials listen, we act, that's how it should work. So thank you.
“And who couldn’t embrace the message of Diwali?” Addabbo continued, “Light over darkness, good over evil, to face one’s challenges. That is the message of Diwali, and that’s the message that we should have each and every day, every one of us. And so the message of Diwali rings true not just on one day or five days of the calendar year, but each and every day we should have that message about facing our challenges. Good over evil. And Mr. Mayor, again, thank you because once again, you’re paving the road for this great city, the city of inclusion. We don't exclude anyone, we take everyone on board. We are the city of inclusion, we are the greatest city in the world. Thank you so much everyone, God bless you all. Thank you.”
Incumbent borough District A orney Melinda Katz crushed her two opponents in Tuesday’s Democratic primary on her way to a second term as Queens’ top law enforcement o cial.
Katz, who began her rst term in January 2020, garnered 71 percent of the vote, while retired judge and City Police Department o cial George Grasso, and defense a orney Devian Daniels, each earned roughly 14 percent, according to the City Board of Elections.
In another pertinent Democratic primary result, incumbent Councilwoman Lynn Schulman
won 54 percent of the vote, while her closest challenger, a orney Ethan Felder, earned a commendable 35 percent. Schulman represents Council District 29, which covers Richmond Hill, Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Kew Gardens.
“We won our primary by building bridges—the same way we are delivering results in the City Council,” Schulman said in a statement. “With the help of a broad coalition of diverse community leaders, colleagues in government, and organized labor, I spread across our Queens communities my vision for the change we need. Similarly, over the last year and a half, I have helped unite New Yorkers of every background who share our hopes and dreams.”
e Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced an expansion of the E-Hail pilot, tripling its participants to 3,600 paratransit customers beginning August 2023.
E-Hail is an on-demand service that offers Access-A-Ride customers the opportunity to book trips in real-time through existing taxi or for-hire vehicle service. e next phase of this program is set to run through February 2024, and could be extended through August 2024 a er a six-month review. is expansion will be launched with a larger, more representative sample of Access-A-Ride customers with a $4 co-pay and has two programs: one with a greater per trip subsidy, the Distance option, and the other with a greater number of subsidized trips per month, the HighVolume option.
e distance-based program will provide up to 25 trips a month for up to $40 each and the high volume-based program will provide up to 40 trips a month for up to $25 each. Customers can travel further than their allocation of $25 or $40 and pay the balance of the trip cost.
e customer co-pay for each program is $4 and will be fully applied to the cost of the trip, allowing customers to take a $29 trip or $44 trip before paying any additional cost.
E-Hail trips will be provided by Uber, Arro, Corporate Transportation Group and the Drivers Cooperative, with the potential for one or two more on-demand providers to be brought on soon.
Federal regulations allow for agencies to charge twice the fixed-route fare for paratransit services, which would mean a charge of up to $5.50 for Access-A-Ride’s traditional services of reserving a trip a day in advance. The MTA has elected to match the subway/bus fare of $2.75. E-
Hail is a premium service, much like express buses, and this expansion carries a $4 co-pay which falls below the amount that other organizations charge for their standard paratransit service. The additional 2,400 participants joining the pilot will be selected at random from AAR’s customer base based on factors such as borough, disability, and age.
The parameters set for this second phase are based on the findings from Phase 1 and structured comparably to ondemand paratransit services from agencies across the country making this a more fiscally sustainable pilot. The trip and subsidy allocations will impact a minority of Phase 1 participants, with only 14 percent of participants having taken 40 or more trips per month on average in spring 2023 and 22 percent having taken 25 trips or more.
According to MTA officials, by establishing a set number of trips per month and MTA subsidy per trip, the agency is able to expand the benefits of E-Hail to 2,400 additional customers, with an adjusted budget of $17.6 million for the E-Hail pilot, compared to the estimated $16 million allocated in the first phase. Additionally, the majority of Phase 1 participants will continue to benefit from the on-demand service with little to no modification in their travel patterns. Phase 1 participants will be assigned to a program based on their travel patterns in the first phase.
Participants in the E-Hail pilot will continue to have access to the standard AccessA-Ride service, which has no limit on travel within the AAR service area at the current transit fare of $2.75. e on-demand service is intended to serve as an additional option to traditional paratransit service, enhancing exibility and spontaneity for customers.
It used to be a common perception among physicians and other health care professional that the role of the community pharmacist was basically limited to lling prescriptions and following their orders.
But thankfully with progression of time and the advances in technology, the role of the community pharmacist in their patients health care has escalated to a point that serves the pool of patients dependant on their medications in ways it never has before.
Today, whether it's a ma er of the complex reporting of medication histories to health databases or the simple act of sending a fax, the need for pharmacies to collaborate and communicate with prescribers on many more levels than ever before has led to increased health and awareness among patients.
Common sense tells us that pharmacists are like rst responders where medication is concerned. e integral role we play in today's complicated health care system is continually expanding and contributing to ensuring a standard of excellence in patient healthcare that can save more lives.
To begin with, pharmacists are well aware that we can’t always rely on patients to remember some important details or in some cases, to tell the whole truth when faced with questions about their medication adherence. Key communication with physicians and other members of a patients healthcare team is working everyday to address these critical issues.
Over 95% of community pharmacists and physicians agree that mutual cooperation among themselves is a vital tool in improving patient outcomes .
Additional areas of the bene ts of healthcare professionals working together include making recommendations to modify patient's drug therapies and providing drug information to aid in the selection of medications.
Pharmacists play a key role in assisting with medication insurance claims, helping patients navigate their way through the o en frustrating and confusing world of health coverage.
We also now assist in the adjustment of medication dosages, provide information about drug interactions, help patients adhere to a proper schedule of medication and the management of side e ects.
Admi edly there are some concerns with barriers that exist in the expanding integration of pharmacists and physicians, such as the potential for the fragmentation of patient care, concern over liability where shared responsibility and information exists and of course the amount of time needed to invest. But none of those have put a damper on the willingness to work together to guarantee the be er health of our patients. and it is obvious in the medical community that there is a widespread desire for the continuance of these relationships that clearly bene t our collective patients.
Until next week...
or 718-880-1644
A er rescheduling due to smoke hazards earlier this month, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) hosted a Con Edison Customer Assistance Day Event at her Ozone Park district o ce on Wednesday, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) to help constituents resolve any issues they may have regarding their Con Ed bills. Representatives from the utility setup shop inside the 101st Avenue o ce from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“As Con Edison celebrates its 200th year in business, it is great to see them doing their part to help their customers and our constituents—especially during these di cult economic times,” Ariola said. “I am proud to open up my o ce for anyone who might have any issues with their bills, and I want to thank my colleagues for being a part of this day. Together, we can help to lighten the nancial burden that too many people are sadly struggling with due to their utility bills.”
e City Council on ursday passed several legislative actions from the Council’s previously unveiled Mental Health Roadmap.
According to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens), chairwoman of the Commi ee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction, the council’s roadmap is an ongoing e ort focused on addressing existing challenges in the City’s mental healthcare landscape and strengthening the infrastructure and investments in community-based solutions to improve mental health outcomes for New Yorkers.
e pieces that were approved on ursday include:
exposed the challenges of accessing care. e OCMH’s website o ers a wide-ranging index of mental health resources. is bill ensures that people who need help can access this online portal with the ease and transparency.”
Introduction 1006-A, sponsored by Councilman Erik Bo cher (D-Manha an), would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop and implement a public awareness campaign and conduct outreach on mental health and behavioral health programs in New York City that provide low-cost and no-cost services, speci cally to those who do not qualify for health insurance based on federal guidelines.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet there is still so much stigma associated with seeking help,” said
ing that the federal government do more to assist the mentally ill,” Holden said. “Under our current system, too many of our mentally ill are in jail cells, homeless shelters, and on our streets. By freeing up Medicaid funding, states will be incentivized to provide more inpatient psychiatric care. We need to get people o the streets and into hospital beds. I thank the New York City Council for taking swi action and urge the federal government to get this done.”
Resolution 583, sponsored by Councilwoman Rita Joseph (D-Brooklyn), calls on New York State to subsidize the education and licensing costs of City University of New York (CUNY) students who commit to working in the public sector in the mental health professions, which historically experience
closely with New York City to achieve their shared goal of developing 35,000 units of supportive housing.
Resolution 589, also sponsored by Powers, calls on the federal government to ensure that calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline program are routed based on geolocation rather than area code, so people are routed to appropriate services based on their current geographic location rather than simply the area code of their phone.
“Today, we are passing legislation as part of the City Council’s Mental Health Roadmap, including my resolutions demanding more efcient supportive housing development, true insurance parity for mental health services, and improvements to the 988 crisis hotline system,” said Powers. “People experiencing mental health crises can no longer wait for urgently-needed assistance from all levels of government. Congratulations to my colleagues passing other important items on mental health today, and I look forward to taking the additional steps outlined in the roadmap that will put our city on stronger footing.”
Resolution 592, sponsored by Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), calls on the State and federal governments to expand the availability of mental health professionals for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates for behavioral health services.
“New York City is experiencing a mental health crisis which requires a comprehensive approach along with substantive resources to help those in need,” Schulman said. “Resolution 592 calls upon the Federal and State government to increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for behavioral health which will ensure every New Yorker has access to a ordable and equitable mental health services.”
Adams and Lee unveiled the Mental Health Roadmap in April.
Introduction 706-A, sponsored by Councilman Shaun Abreu (D-Manha an), would require the Mayor’s O ce of Community Mental Health to maintain a public, searchable online database of available mental health services in New York City on its website. is would improve access to mental health resources for New Yorkers.
“Every New Yorker is guaranteed low to no-cost mental health care — only many don’t know how to nd the services they require in the rst place,” said Abreu. “Locating information on mental health service providers — whether it’s contacts at specialized clinics, types of resources, or technical details about insurance and payment methods — should not be an added burden to those already seeking treatment. e bill advances our commitment to providing mental health services in a user-friendly and culturally competent manner. e pandemic not only worsened a burgeoning mental health crisis, it
Bo cher. “ at’s one reason why outreach and education campaigns are so critical. We need to break down the stereotypes and misinformation around mental health and encourage people to prioritize their wellbeing. By making information about mental health services more accessible and understandable, we can create a culture where seeking help is not only accepted but encouraged.
e council’s commitment to this e ort is not just commendable, it’s necessary for the overall health and wellness of our city.”
Resolution 88, sponsored by Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), calls on Congress to pass and the President to sign legislation to fully repeal the Institutions for Mental Diseases Exclusion from the Social Security Act that would allow the use of Medicaid funding for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
“With the passage of Resolution 0088, the city is speaking with one voice, demand-
high turnover rates and sta ng shortages.
“No New Yorker should have to wait months to get the mental health services they desperately need and as the sponsor of Reso 583, I am calling upon the state to put its money where its mouth is,” said Joseph. “Reso 583 urges the state to subsidize the education and licensing costs of CUNY students who commit to working in the public sector in the mental health professions, which historically experience high turnover rates and sta ng shortages. Enough is enough.”
Resolution 587, sponsored by Majority Leader Keith Powers, calls on the New York State O ce of Mental Health to expand enforcement of mental health and substance use disorder insurance parity and apply for federal grants to enforce insurance parity, so insurance discrimination is reduced as a barrier to mental healthcare access.
Resolution 588, sponsored by Powers, calls on New York State to collaborate
“New York has been amid a mental health crisis which was evident even before the pandemic, that greatly exacerbated the hardships experienced by residents all over the city. Today, the City Council is outlining its plan to address years of inequities across our mental health infrastructure to improve the quality of care and create be er mental health outcomes for New Yorkers,” Lee said in April. “ is roadmap will be a continuous e ort to provide evidenced-based solutions that expand preventative and supportive care, invest in our mental health workforce which includes a wide network of New York City nonpro t and community-based organizations, and reduce the interactions between individuals experiencing mental health-related illness and the criminal justice system. New Yorkers must be aware of the resources our City has to o er in times of crisis, and I am con dent that these legislative and budgetary e orts outlined in the Mental Health Roadmap will enhance the delivery of services and improve the various insu ciencies we have observed for years throughout our healthcare system.”
By Forum Sta
Mayor Eric Adams, City Department of Education Chancellor David Banks, and City Department of
Healthand Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan on Tuesday announced that all public schools — from pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 — will soon be required to facilitate two-to- ve minutes of mindful breathing practices in schools every day.
Tuesday’s announcement aims to increase physical and mental health, enhance social-emotional learning, and improve New York City public schools’ culture. As part of this initiative, the city has already begun a rollout of a citywide professional development program for educators in mindful breathing practices.
Yoga and mindfulness integration into school communities addresses and supports signi cant social and emotional needs of the youngest New Yorkers. Studies show that mindful breathing practices support students’ ability to feel secure and receptive while learning — leaving positive impacts from the integration of these practices into the school experience, Adams noted.
The DOE’s Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program is the first Yoga Alliance-approved yoga and mindfulness program in a public school system nationwide. Yoga Alliance is the nation’s
largest nonprofit association representing the yoga community. The Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program is building the capacity of school staff to integrate yoga and mindfulness into DOE public schools to engage students, teachers, and staff.
In March 2023, in partnership with the Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program, DOE began to roll out a professional development program to train educators and other school staff in the implementation of mindfulness breathing practices and tools that can be used in the classroom to support the social and emotional needs of students and the wellness of their entire school community. The professional development sessions are virtual and available to all staff. Educators also have access to online resources to aid in facilitating these practices. In order to ensure schools are free to implement this work in the ways that best suit their school community, school leaders will be empowered to implement this initiative in individualized ways, but all City public schools will soon be required to offer all students mindful breathing practices in school every day.
“ e mental wellbeing of our students is a top priority for New York City public schools. ese are the future leaders of tomorrow, and it’s important that our young
people have a robust tool belt of practices to guide them inside and outside the classroom,” Banks said. “I’m thrilled that we’re enabling our educators to support our kids in this way, and I look forward to continuing to partner with our school leaders and partners across the city in furthering this essential work.”
“We all have a responsibility to support the well-being of young people,” Vasan added. “Incorporating mindfulness into
the school day — where they spend the majority of their time — will benefit our young people in their daily lives and for the future, teaching them healthy coping skills which will help them navigate the unpredictable journey of life. I’m proud to work with an administration dedicated to supporting mental health and wellbeing, especially of our children, and commend New York City public schools on this initiative.”
Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced on Friday that a orney and former FBI agent John Magri was arraigned on charges of promoting a sexual performance by a child for allegedly sending child sexual abuse materials from a computer in his Forest Hills home.
Magri, 57, of Dartmouth Street, in Forest Hills, was arraigned ursday night on an 18-count complaint charging him with six
counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony; six counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child; and six counts of obscenity in the third degree.
According to the charges: Magri’s activities were discovered during an investigation into the sharing of child sexual abuse materials online. e investigation turned up more than 700 les from an IP address tied to Magri. e les included videos with children approximately six years old and younger. One showed an infant.
e NYPD secured a search warrant for Magri’s residence. e warrant was executed Wednesday by the NYPD and Magri was arrested.
Two laptops – including one under Magri’s bed – a hard drive and a cell phone were recovered from the primary bedroom. Investigators also recovered a desktop computer, modem and ve ash drives from a home o ce, a desktop computer from a living room and a laptop from under a bed in a secondary bedroom.
A forensic review of the laptop found un-
der Magri’s bed revealed numerous videos and images depicting child sexual abuse materials, including several involving infants.
“ e horri c allegations against the defendant are all the more disturbing given that he was someone who had sworn to uphold the law. e exploitation of children simply will not be tolerated,” Katz said. “ ank you to our law enforcement partners for their work on this investigation.”
If convicted, Magri could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz recently announced that Suzette Olin has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for the shooting death of Shaka Ifil, her daughter’s boyfriend and the father of her grandchild, in his Woodhaven home in July 2020.
Olin, 68, of Far Rockaway, was convicted by a jury in March of manslaughter in the first degree and criminal
possession of a weapon in the second degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant sentenced Olin last Wednesday to 23 years in prison followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
According to the trial testimony:
On July 26, 2020, at approximately 2 p.m., a neighbor called 911 a er discovering I l, 40, lying on the oor of his 91st Avenue apartment with a gunshot wound to his back.
e victim told police that his girlfriend’s mother shot him. He died later that day at a local hospital due to gunshot injuries to several major organs and blood vessels.
Security camera video showed a woman who appeared to be smoking a cigare e get out of an Access-A-Ride car service vehicle near I l’s home at about 1:51 p.m. July 26, 2020, and then leave the home at 2:01 p.m. e woman was identi ed as Olin and a DNA test of a cigare e bu found in the apartment was linked to her.
An investigation revealed that three days before the shooting, Olin’s daughter filed a domestic incident report with police alleging Ifil broke a door in their apartment. Police responded, and bodycam footage showed the broken door. The girlfriend did not appear to be injured.
“Gun violence will never be tolerated,” Katz said. This defendant will now serve a long prison sentence for her actions.”
Mayor Eric Adams, City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, and City Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim recently announced a new action plan to expedite investigations into complaints made via 311 about potentially hazardous conditions involving lithium-ion ba eries at bike shops and bike repair shops within the ve boroughs. Additionally, Mayor Adams and administration ofcials announced a joint comprehensive outreach and education campaign to educate bike shop and bike repair shop owners about the dangers presented by lithium-ion ba eries and best practices to avoid res.
e announcement comes on the heels of a deadly re at 80 Madison Street last week caused by a lithium-ion ba ery at the e-bike shop—just the latest in the 108 lithium-ion ba ery res across the ve boroughs so far this year—that resulted in four deaths. Year to date, there have been at least 13 deaths and 66 injuries in NYC due to lithium-ion ba eries.
Kavanagh indicated that the FDNY is encouraging New Yorkers who see questionable activity related to lithium-ion ba eries at bike shops and bike repair shops to call 311 and lodge a complaint. Questionable activity for charging lithium-ion ba eries may include large numbers of ba eries being charged close together, mazes of extension
cords, sale of ba eries that appear to be refurbished, or informal charging centers that do not appear to be properly licensed businesses. Members of the FDNY will respond to the complaint within 12 hours and take necessary action to relieve any hazardous conditions on the premises. Actions may include issuing violations and, in some cases, vacate orders. e FDNY has also instructed members to prioritize any complaint related to lithium-ion ba eries and respond and in-
vestigate as soon as possible.
Under today's announced partnership, FDNY and SBS teams will focus on educating the public on the safety risks associated with a er-market ba eries, and those that have been repaired. e teams will conduct educational outreach at every bike shop and bike repair shop in New York City over the coming weeks. e SBS mobile recreational vehicle has high visibility and will be deployed to help promote FDNY messaging
for safe practices for lithium-ion ba eries. FDNY's Fire Safety and Education Unit members will also pass out educational materials in multiple languages in neighborhoods all over the city. FDNY and SBS will utilize their targeted outreach teams to speak directly with business owners in addition to working with community partners to expand their reach as well.
“While e-bikes are an important part of our transportation network and essential to many small businesses, our message is clear: ere will be zero tolerance for any activity that puts New Yorkers at risk. We have been sounding the alarm for months about lithium-ion ba eries and the dangers these items when used improperly can pose to New Yorkers. But we are commi ed to leading the nation in identifying proactive ways to both increase enforcement against those improperly using lithium-ion ba eries while simultaneously educating users on how to best use these products,” Adams said. Still, some say more needs to be done by lawmakers.
“We need to roll out stricter legislation to control the sale and use of these ba eries,” said City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park), chairwoman of the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management. “It is clear they pose a danger to the public, and we cannot let this danger continue unchecked!”
By Forum Sta
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Sunday announced that 173 electric mobility charging and storage stations are coming to the city. Schumer and Gillibrand said that $25 million in federal funds will go towards the construction, and electrical work needed to make this project complete. e project will fund the engineering and installation at 53 outdoor New York City Housing Authority sites. Engineering and construction aspects include electrical supply, utilities, drainage, re safety requirements, security, safety, lighting, and accessibility.
Schumer explained how the Big Apple received this federal award as he also detailed how over the past few years, there have been a growing number of res across the city, Long Island and beyond caused by lithium-ion ba eries used in e-bikes and escooters—o en spurred during charging. ere were 216 of these ba ery res last year, a dramatic increase in res from the 44 that occurred in 2020. is year, there have already been 30 ba ery res in Gotham, which have le 40 injured and 2 dead.
e emergency funding for NYCHA comes from the federal Department of Transportation via the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and
Equity ( ISE) grant program. e funding will be used to install electric micro-mobility charging and storage stations at ythree NYCHA developments across all ve boroughs in New York City. e project will vastly reduce or eliminate potential re hazards linked to lithium-ion ba ery micro-mobility devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters.
Schumer and Gillibrand said that since their inception, micro-mobility devices have been an important form of transportation that help people meet their transportation needs. e increased popularity of micromobility devices has also raised concerns about safety challenges associated with the charging and storage of lithium-ion ba erypowered micro-mobility devices in NYCHA apartments. e agency, despite these challenges, remains commi ed to its mission of providing safe, e cient, and environmentally responsible transportation options for all of its residents.
e $25 million award will be used for NYCHA’s proposed project, “Safe Access for Electric Micromobility” (SAFE Micromobility). e project proposes to install 173 electric micromobility charging and storage stations at y-three NYCHA developments across all ve boroughs in New York City. As of April 2023, there have been sixty-three reported res caused by lithium-ion ba eries, resulting in dozens of injuries and ve deaths.
e increased availability of outdoor charging and storage stations is intended to reduce or eliminate potential re hazards linked to lithium-ion ba ery micro-mobility devices, such as e-bikes. Providing safe storage and accessible charging infrastructure will help to alleviate many of the safety concerns associated with micromobility transportation for NYCHA residents, while also helping to reduce carbon emissions in New York City.
Schumer and Gillibrand are also pushing a bill that would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate
a consumer product safety standard with respect to rechargeable lithium-ion ba eries used in personal mobility devices, and for other purposes.
According to FDNY, lithium-ion ba eries are used in various devices. ese batteries are commonly used in cell phones, laptops, tablets, electric cars, and scooters. Lithium-ion ba eries store a large amount of energy and can pose a threat if not treated properly. Like any product, a small number of these ba eries are defective. ey can overheat, catch re, or explode.
LYMNOS T
LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 05/26/2023. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Michael Angelidis, 13628 62nd Avenue, FL 2, Flushing, NY 11367. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Da Feng Enterprises LLC, Arts of Org led with SSNY on 01/09/23. O . Loc.: Queens County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: e LLC, 166-44 20th Rd, Whitestone NY 11357. Purpose: to engagein any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of COZY CABIN RENTALS LLC Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/31/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: MICHAEL LIPARI, 189-23 39TH AVE. APT 120, FLUSHING, NY, 11358, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of ACELAND VAULT LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/24/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: GASTON ACEVEDO, 6740 164TH ST, APT 5L, FRESH MEADOWS, NY, 11365, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity
Notice of Formation of NEW FARRINGTON GA GE LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/01/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: NEW FARRINGTON GA GE LLC, 3366FARRINGTON STREET, SUITE 200, FLUSHING, NY, 11354, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of LIAISON BOOKKEEPING SERVICE LLC Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/25/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: ICI SHEED, 48-18 VERNON BLVD, LONG ISLAND CITY, 11101, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of CARSTEN LLC Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/12/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: CHRISTOPHER LEJUEZ F NKEN, 17505 115TH AVENUE, QUEENS, NY, 11434, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
MONEY MEAL CAPITAL Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/07/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: YU-HUA CHEN, 7363 BELL BLVD, APT 2K, OAKLAND GARDENS, NY, 11364, USA Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice Of Formation of MTNS Brokerage LLC. Arts. of Org. led w/SS of NY on 6/9/23, O ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of process to principal business address: 3043 47 St., Ste 3, Astoria, NY 11103. Purpose: For any lawful act.
Notice Of Formation of SAKU 6611 LLC Arts. of Org. led w/SS of NY on 4/11/23, O ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of process to principal business address: THE LLC, 14003 58TH RD, FLUSHING, NY, 11355, USA. Purpose: For any lawful act.
OMNEEL, LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/27/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: e Company, 3 Dakota Dr., Ste. 300, Lake Success, NY 11042, C/O Abrams Fensterman, LLP. Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice of formation of PINK BOULEVARD 2 LLC. Articles of Organization led with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 6/12/2023. O ce located in QUEENS. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 4321 247TH ST, LI LE NECK, NY 11363. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
DING DONG REALTY LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/12/23. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 35-20 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
MYLA GROUP LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/23/2023. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: e LLC, 27-17 154th St, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Y CLEANING SERVICES LLC
Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/20/2023. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: YERSY RODRIGUEZ ALVAREZ, 19816 47TH AVE, APT 2, FLUSHING, NY,11358, USA. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
131-22 111TH AVENUE LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 02/22/23. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Shameer Khan, 111-12 132nd Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
