Winner of Vol. 71, No. 26
What’s inside?
Podding numbers
the Pulitzer Prize
Thursday, August 6, 2020
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Shedding new light on NYPD complaints Despite a judge’s order, details about allegations against various officers come to light. But will it create true transparency?
By KIRSTYN BRENDLEN kbrendlen@riverdalepress.com
It’s been just a few weeks since state lawmakers repealed Section 50-a, a state law that kept police records confidential unless a court order declared otherwise, or the officer themselves allowed the records to be released. That meant it was difficult for the public — or even public defenders and advocacy groups — to get a hold of details about police
officer behavior, especially when interacting with those they are tasked to protect and serve. But now, even in the midst of a rather heated court battle, that information EMILIO is no longer be- MELENdEz ing kept secret. ProPublica — taking advantage of
the fact it wasn’t a party to those lawsuits and current injunction stopping the release of the data — published a database detailing complaints against nearly 4,000 officers. These were complaints made to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent oversight agency that is supposed to serve as a watchdog for the New York Police Department. The board consists of 13 members, chosen by the city council, the mayor and
The fury of Isaias
Is it safe to go back to school? If not, some parents have a different idea. It’s just not one many people can afford. Page A3
the police commissioner. While the board can make recommendations on disciplining officers they find to be operating outside of established protocol, final decisions on what happens to officers is generally left up to the police commissioner. The work the board did generally remained secret, rarely any information publicly coming out of their investigations. But that changed with the ProPublica daCOMPLAINTS, page A4
Another year goes by with no changes to budget process By KIRSTYN BRENDLEN kbrendlen@riverdalepress.com
Going to POTS Teens get the idea of using their gift for music, and turning it into a meal ticket for those in need. Page A5 MICHAEL HINMAN / Photos
Winning a BRIO The Bronx is known for its artists, but see who stood out among the best inside the borough. Page A7
Tropical Storm Isaias didn’t spare much of anything along its east coast path of destruction, including New York City and other parts of the northeast Tuesday. Even when the storm was still more than 50 miles away, strong winds pulled down large tree limbs, damaging cars — like this one on West 259th Street, and blocking roads, like a branch just around the corner on Riverdale Avenue.
The process to set and approve the New York state budget is nothing new. Planning can begin as early as summer, rolling through several phases before the governor submits his own executive budget to lawmakers, who the hold hearings and propose changes. In the end, Gov. Andrew Cuomo can line-item reject any changes the legislature suggests. That’s because New York uses what’s known as an executive budget process, meaning the governor has most of the control over what ALESSANdRA goes in. And while BIAggI talk of a budget usually suggests allocating money, the state budget also can change laws. The most recent budget, for example, legalizes gestational surrogacy in New York, works to expand ebike legalization, and bans the “pink tax,” which puts additional charges on sales like menstrual products. For some lawmakers, though, that’s part of the problem. They say the executive branch just has too much power over the budget, leaving elected state senators and Assembly members without much influence. That’s why state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi has joined forces with ManBUDGET, page A4
SAR teen proves no one is ever too old to learn something new By RAPHAEL LASSAUZE rlassauze@riverdalepress.com
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community’s elders are among its most important groups of people. The history of the area, individual experiences that reflect what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, are tales best told by its longtime residents. However, in recent months, interactions between senior citizens — especially those living in nursing facilities — and their community became increasingly impossible because of the coronavirus pandemic. For Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy student Isaac Ohrenstein, the connection between youth and elders — students and mentors of age — should always be present and strong. “I began working with a senior living facility when I was in seventh grade,” Ohrenstein said. “Back then, I lived in St. Louis, and I’m in St.
‘At the start, I explained iPhones and iPads. Most are actually not working with computers. Especially in senior living facilities, they’re trying to learn FaceTime and now other face-to-face videoconferencing apps.’ — Isaac Ohrenstein
Louis now for family. With technology, however, I can still teach and interact with seniors no matter how far away I am.” Ohrenstein has worked with seniors for years, teaching them the strange world of digital technology, continuing that even after he moved
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to Riverdale a couple years ago. But within months of his arrival, he began volunteering at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, as though he’d been there all his life. Josephine Catalano, the volunteer services director at the Palisade Avenue facility, remembers how much the residents appreciated Ohrenstein’s tutoring. “We’d always get tech questions from residents,” Catalano said. “Isaac would come in on Sundays and have a list of residents that needed help.” Many seniors have issues adjusting to digital devices, systems of communication and media they never experienced at a young age, when learning new functions is easiest, Catalano said. Having an actual teenager detail how those devices work might be an easier way for seniors to learn. “At the start, I explained iPhones and iPads,” Ohrenstein said. “Most are actually not working with OHRENSTEIN, page A4
4705 Henry Hudson Pkwy
Courtesy of Isaac Ohrenstein
Isaac Ohrenstein, a junior at SAR Academy, has been tutoring residents of the Hebrew Home at Riverdale how to use technology they may not be used to using, such as an iPad. 5635 Netherland Avenue