Additional Security Personnel Deployed Ahead of the NYC Marathon

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the deployment of additional security personnel to further enhance the protection of the more than 51,000 runners and over 2 million spectators expected to attend the New York City Marathon on Sunday. At the Governor's direction, the New York State Police, National Guard, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will all increase deployments and patrols at high-profile locations in New York City, including airports, bridges, tunnels, and mass transit systems. In total, thousands of officers will be deployed this weekend to ensure the safety and security of the event.

Specifically:

The New York State Police will double the number of Troopers working at posts throughout New York City, including JFK and LaGuardia Airports.

The New York National Guard will triple personnel deployment, with placement in strategically identified locations along the marathon route.

The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has activated the State Emergency Operations Center and will have key personnel on site at the NYPD's Joint Operations Center. Officials are closely coordinating with local and federal officials.

The Port Authority Police Department will more than double personnel deployment and add patrols at airports, bridges, tunnels, and other high-profile locations.

The MTA Police and MTA Bridges and Tunnels will add personnel and patrols at key locations throughout New York City.

"Despite the cowardly attack in lower Manhattan this week, athletes from around the globe are flocking to this great city to run the New York City Marathon this weekend," Governor Cuomo said. "While there is no apparent threat, we are ramping up security across New York City with patrols and resources from various state law enforcement agencies out of an abundance of caution. These brave men and women will be out in full force to ensure the safety of New Yorkers during tomorrow's marathon, and I look forward to another year of this storied New York tradition."

State Police & National Guard

At the Governor's direction, the National Guard is tripling personnel deployment and the State Police is doubling the number of Troopers working at posts throughout the city for the marathon this weekend, including at JFK and LaGuardia airports. This deployment includes canines and members of the Bomb Disposal and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Units.

Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is closely coordinating with New York City Emergency Management in advance of this weekend's event, and yesterday, Commissioner Roger Parrino participated in a pre-planning tabletop exercise with the NYPD, FBI, and other partners. Additionally, the Office of Emergency Management's regional coordinator will staff the New York City Police Department's Joint Operations Center to ensure that federal, state and local resources are coordinated throughout the weekend. The State Emergency Operations Center was also activated earlier this morning. OEM staff will increase and enhance monitoring operations of the marathon and other various large public gatherings.

Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

The Port Authority Police Department will more than double personnel deployment and add additional patrols at airports, bridges, tunnels, and other high-profile locations. Certain personnel will be equipped with heavy weapons and counter terrorism measures will be placed at crossings and other Port Authority facilities. Additionally, the Port Authority Emergency Operations Center will be activated on Sunday, November 5 beginning at 7 a.m. Port Authority officials will monitor activities during day and provide assistance as needed.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The MTA Police Department will step up its uniformed and plainclothes presence in Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal as well as other major stations throughout the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road network. Additionally, MTA Police and MTA Bridge & Tunnels will deploy additional personnel in key locations along the marathon route, as well as canine teams and large vehicles. Special Operations Division, and Detective Division officers will be utilized as part of this deployment and railroad customers will see surge patrols, increased step-on/step-off patrols of trains, and random bag checks at various locations.

Behind the scenes, the MTA Police Department, MTA New York City Transit security and MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officers share intelligence information and coordinate their threat response with other police and security agencies to ensure a seamless web of protection throughout the region.

New York State Police and the New York National Guard members have been assigned to high-profile MTA locations for more than a year, and they are helping secure these locations as well as reassuring the public that the authorities are dedicated to ensuring their safety. The MTA closely monitors large public events that occur in or near its facilities and will provide heightened awareness of activities there.

The MTA works closely with the NYPD to secure New York's subways and buses, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officers are using a mix of visual and technological surveillance to ensure safety at its seven bridges and two tunnels in New York City.

In addition to mobilizing additional security, the state is working with the FBI and other agencies to assist victims of Tuesday's terrorist attack.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo 

Shields and Brooks on GOP Bid for Tax Reform, Russia Probe Indictments

 

This video was published on YouTube on November 3, 2017. 

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s news, including the Virginia governor’s race, suggestions by Donna Brazile that the Democratic primary race was rigged for Hillary Clinton, the GOP tax overhaul plan and the Russia probe indictments. 

Source: PBS NewsHour

Trans Woman Murdered in Texas; 23rd in U.S. This Year

Stephanie Montez was found shot to death on a road in the suburbs of Corpus Christi.

By Trudy Ring

This article was published on November 1, 2017. 

A transgender woman has been found shot to death in south Texas, in the 23rd known homicide of a transgender person in the U.S. this year.

Stephanie Montez, 47, was found along a county road near Robstown, a suburb of Corpus Christi, October 21, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports. She had been shot in the chest, abdomen, and shoulder. She was misgendered in initial police and media reports and was not identified as transgender until last Friday.

“She was one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet,” Montez’s longtime friend Brittany Ramirez told the Caller-Times, adding, “She just had a great outlook on life. She was very supportive of everyone. … I don’t know why anybody would do this.” Montez loved to dance and often performed in drag shows, Ramirez said.

The Nueces County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate Montez’s death. Corpus Christi LGBT activists have scheduled a Trans Rights Rally to be held Saturday at 2 p.m. outside the federal courthouse in Corpus Christi.

The rally is being held “to bring awareness to fact that we’re not covered under hate-crime laws or anti-discrimination laws,” PFLAG Corpus Christi president Kathy Huff told the Caller-Times. “I’m so overwhelmed with getting this stuff done for Stephanie to make sure that she gets the dignity she deserves.” Texas’s hate-crimes law covers crimes based on the victim’s sexual orientation but not gender identity, and the state’s anti-discrimination law does not cover either characteristic. 

Click here for the full article.

Source: The Advocate

Senate Confirms Judge Opposed by 27 LGBT Rights Groups

Despite the warnings numerous LGBT organizations made about Joan Larsen's views on civil rights, the Trump nominee will now sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.

By Ariel Sobel

With a 60-38 Vote, Trump's nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Joan Larsen, has been confirmed to the lifelong position. Lambda Legal and the National LGBT Bar Association were among the 27 LGBT rights groups who sent a letter to the Judiciary Committee protesting Larsen's confirmation.

The letter argued that Larsen was unfit to be a U.S. Circuit judge because her “views on civil rights issues are fundamentally at odds with the notion that LGBT people are entitled to equality, liberty, justice and dignity under the law.”  

While serving in Michigan's Supreme Court, Larsen has had a record of voting against hearing custody cases that dealt with same-sex parents. In speeches to the Federalist Society, she criticized the Obama administration for not defending the antigay Defence of Marriage Act. She has also argued for a law that made sodomy illegal in Texas; she wrote in 2004 that she disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision to strike it down.

Larsen was previously on Donald Trump's shortlist for the Supreme Court. At the time, he stated he was looking for justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Instead, she will serve in U.S. Court of Appeals, which is one court level below.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Advocate

Hate in the White House

The following column was submitted by the editors at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

President Trump's pick to lead NASA, U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, faced criticism this week for his skepticism of climate change and his conservative stances on homosexuality.

But it was Bridenstine's associations with anti-Muslim extremists like Frank Gaffney Jr. that was perhaps the most alarming revelation to emerge from his Senate confirmation hearing.

Gaffney is the founder of the anti-Muslim hate group Center for Security Policy (CSP), known for propagating paranoid conspiracy theories about the supposed infiltration of the federal government by the Muslim Brotherhood. Gaffney's CSP is so extreme that it has been banned from participating even in the conservative conference CPAC.

But Gaffney isn't too extreme for Bridenstine. The representative from Oklahoma has appeared on Gaffney's radio show seven different times. Even so, when Sen. Tammy Duckworth pushed him Wednesday to explain their association, Bridenstine denied knowledge of Gaffney's Muslim-bashing.

"Ma'am, I am not aware of that," Bridenstine told Duckworth. "I didn't know that he had ever made those comments. If I did know that, I would have refuted it."

It was the same story with David Horowitz. He's the founder of an anti-Muslim hate group whose mission, according to its website, is to "combat the efforts of the radical left and its Islamist allies to destroy American values."

In 2012 — and again in 2016 — Bridenstine attended the David Horowitz Freedom Center's conference but denied knowing that we have designated it an anti-Muslim hate group.

"I am not aware of that," Bridenstine told Duckworth.

It is clear that people with ties to extremists like Gaffney and Horowitz cannot be effective leaders for all Americans. Yet Bridenstine appears likely to be confirmed to lead NASA — and others who have extremist ties are already in positions of power within the Trump administration.

This week we announced a new tool, one we're calling Hate in the White House. It's a monthly roundup not only of the Trump administration's associations with hate groups like CSP and the David Horowitz Freedom Center but of the infiltration of extremist ideas themselves into the administration's rhetoric and policymaking.

You can see instances of extremism in October here, and anticipate another roundup at the end of this month.

The fact that hate has moved from the fringes of society to the White House means it's even more important for us to call it out.

The Steel Apple: Ratcheting Up Security for the NYC Marathon

 

Additional security measures are being taken ahead of the New York City Marathon this weekend to enhance protection of more than 51,000 runners and over 2 million spectators expected to attend the event. 

At the Governor's direction, the State Emergency Operations Center will be activated with State OEM staff beginning Saturday morning and state agencies, including the New York State Police, National Guard, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are increasing security at high-profile locations in New York City, including airports, bridges, tunnels, and mass transit systems. These are precautionary measures in place for this high profile event.

"New Yorkers continue to mourn the eight lives that were lost tragically in Lower Manhattan this week, but we are resilient and we will not be deterred by this cowardly attack," Governor Cuomo said. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are stepping up security measures at the Marathon with additional patrols and resources from an array of state law enforcement agencies. We have the finest security forces on the globe and they will remain vigilant throughout the weekend. The Marathon is an important New York tradition, and I look forward to a great race."

State Police & National Guard

The New York State Police continues to work with the NYPD, city and federal officials, and other state and local law enforcement partners, to enhance security in the New York City metropolitan area.  At the Governor's direction, the State Police is doubling the number of Troopers working at posts throughout the city for the marathon this weekend, including at JFK and LaGuardia airports. This deployment includes additional canine teams, and members of the Bomb Disposal and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Units. The National Guard will also deploy additional resources and increase surveillance of large public gatherings and critical infrastructure including transportation hubs.

Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has been in contact with New York City Emergency Management in advance of this weekend's event, and Commissioner Roger Parrino is participating today in a pre-planning tabletop exercise. Also, the Office of Emergency Management's regional coordinator will staff the New York City Police Department's Joint Operations Center to ensure that federal, state and local resources are coordinated throughout the weekend. At 6 a.m. on Saturday, November 4, the State Emergency Operations Center will be activated. OEM staff will increase and enhance monitoring operations of the marathon and other various large public gatherings. DHSES remains in a state of readiness and is prepared to disseminate information to our public safety partners statewide as necessary.

Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

The Port Authority Emergency Operations Center will be activated on Sunday, November 5, beginning at 7 a.m. Port Authority officials will monitor activities during day and provide assistance as needed.  Additionally, the Port Authority Police Department will be adding patrols and personnel, including roving patrols. Certain personnel will be equipped with heavy weapons and counter terrorism measures will be place at crossings and other Port Authority facilities.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The MTA Police Department will step up its uniformed and plainclothes presence in Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal as well as other major stations throughout the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road network. Additionally, MTA Police and MTA Bridge & Tunnels will deploy additional personnel in key locations along the marathon route. Special Operations Division, and Detective Division officers will be utilized as part of this deployment, as well as police canine teams and units with heavy weapons provide extra protection and a noticeable sign of increased security. Railroad customers will also see surge patrols, increased step-on/step-off patrols of trains, and random bag checks at various locations.

Behind the scenes, the MTA Police Department, MTA New York City Transit security and MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officers share intelligence information and coordinate their threat response with other police and security agencies to ensure a seamless web of protection throughout the region.

New York State Police and the New York National Guard members have been assigned to high-profile MTA locations for more than a year, and they are helping secure these locations as well as reassuring the public that the authorities are dedicated to ensuring their safety. The MTA closely monitors large public events that occur in or near its facilities and will provide heightened awareness of activities there.

The MTA works closely with the NYPD to secure New York's subways and buses, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officers are using a mix of visual and technological surveillance to ensure safety at its seven bridges and two tunnels in New York City.

In addition to mobilizing additional security, the state is working with the FBI and other agencies to assist victims of Tuesday's terrorist attack.

New York State Office of Victim Services

The FBI has established a Victim Resource Center in Lower Manhattan to help victims of the Oct. 31, 2017, terrorist attack in the Tribeca neighborhood. The New York State Office of Victim Services has staff on site at the Center to assist individuals who may be may be eligible for services.  Victims and family members are not required to be residents of New York State to be eligible for help. The Office of Victim Services helps eligible individuals with crime-related compensation and expenses, including, but not limited to medical and counseling expenses; burial and funeral costs; occupational or vocational rehabilitation; lost or damage of essential personal property; and lost wages or support. For more information or help, find a victim assistance program, complete this form or call the agency: 1-800-247-8035.

"If You See Something, Say Something"

New Yorkers are reminded to stay alert to their surroundings, and to report any suspicious activity. Reports can be made to the Counter Terrorism Center at the New York State Intelligence Center via its terrorism tip line: 1-866-SAFENYS (1-866-723-3697); or by email: ctcenter@nysic.ny.gov.

New Yorkers can also download the See Something, Send Something app on your smartphone to inform authorities of a potential threat. Click here for more information.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Conservatives Introduce Measure Demanding Mueller’s Resignation

 Robert Mueller

By Kyle Cheney

Three House Republicans on Friday moved to pressure special counsel Robert Mueller to resign over what they contend are “obvious conflicts of interest,” the latest instance of rising GOP resistance to his Russia probe.

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), introduced a measure that, while nonbinding, would put the House on record describing Mueller, a former FBI director, as unfit to lead the probe because of his relationship with James Comey, his successor at the bureau.

“[B]e it Resolved, That House of Representatives expresses its sense that Robert Mueller is compromised and should resign from his special counsel position immediately,” the resolution states.

Mueller is investigating whether any Americans aided Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election as well as whether figures in the Trump administration may have obstructed justice in part by moving to oust Comey in May, when the FBI’s Russia investigation was picking up steam. Mueller was appointed by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein after an uproar following President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Comey. 

Click here for the full article.

Source: Politico

Pressure is Mounting in Mueller's Russia Investigation

Source: CBS News

In Puerto Rico’s Highlands, Hurricane Maria Has Exploded Fault Lines of Poverty & Austerity

Source: Democracy Now!

Trump & Media Focus on Muslims After Attack in NYC, Even as NYPD Says Islam Played No Role

This report was broadcast on November 2. 

Source: Democracy Now!

News Briefing: Rep. Pelosi Discusses Taxes

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi holds a news briefing to discuss the Republican tax proposal.

Source: PBS NewsHour

'Flashback Friday': Hurricane Donna Hits The Rockaways

Source: Marty Nislick

Trailblazers in Black History: Teddy Pendergrass

 

This video was published on YouTube on April 23, 2017. 

Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American singer–songwriter and composer. He first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade. In 1982, Pendergrass was severely injured in an auto accident in Philadelphia, resulting in his being paralyzed from the chest down. 

White College Student Charged with a Hate Crime for Trying to Poison Her Black Roommate

This report was broadcast on November 2. 

Source: Roland S. Martin

Trump on Asia Trip, Disappointment with DOJ

Source: CBS News

No Prison Time for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

Source: CBS News

Points of Contention in GOP Tax Plan

Source: CBS News

Justice Department Accuses ACLU of Misleading Attorneys About Pregnant Teen's Abortion

Source: CBS News

Jeff Sessions Under Scrutiny Over Russia Testimony

Source: CBS News

City Council Member Found Dead With Broken Skull In Eastern Ukraine, Murder Probe Launched

 

Police in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine have launched a murder investigation after a city council member in the government-held Luhansk region city of Syevyerodonetsk was found dead, his skull broken.

Serhiy Samarskiy's body was found outside his apartment building shortly after midnight, regional police spokeswoman Tatyana Pohukay wrote on Facebook on November 3.

She said an investigation on suspicion of "premeditated murder" has been opened.

Click here for summary. 

Bonus report: Wife of Man Accused of Plot to Kill Putin Shot Dead Near Kyiv

Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Jenna Abrams, Russia’s Clown Troll Princess, Duped the Mainstream Media and the World

 

Roseanne Barr and Michael McFaul argued with her on Twitter. BuzzFeed and The New York Times cited her tweets. But Jenna Abrams was the fictional creation of a Russian troll farm.

By Ben Collins and Joseph Cox

Jenna Abrams had a lot of enemies on Twitter, but she was a very good friend to viral content writers across the world.

Her opinions about everything from manspreading on the subway to Rachel Dolezal to ballistic missiles still linger on news sites all over the web.

One website devoted an entire article to Abrams’ tweet about Kim Kardashian’s clothes. The story was titled “This Tweeter’s PERFECT Response to Kim K’s Naked Selfie Will Crack You Up.”

“Thank goodness, then, that there are people like Twitter user Jenna Abrams to come to the celebrity’s wardrobe-lacking aide,” reads a Brit & Co. article from March of 2016.

Those same users who followed @Jenn_Abrams for her perfect Kim Kardashian jokes would be blasted with her shoddily punctuated ideas on slavery and segregation just one month later.

“To those people, who hate the Confederate flag. Did you know that the flag and the war wasn’t about slavery, it was all about money,” Abrams’ account tweeted in April of last year.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Daily Beast 

Mayor de Blasio & Police Commissioner O’Neill Hold Briefing on Crime Statistics

 

Source: NYC Mayor's Office

Lt. Gov. Hochul on the 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote in NY

 

November 6 will mark the 100-year anniversary of the day that New York State granted women the right to vote, three years ahead of the rest of the nation.

In advance of this historic event, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul sat down to talk about New York's celebration of the Centennial.

Click here for video.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Brooklyn Hospitals Among Worst in the Nation, Study Finds

Thirteen Brooklyn hospitals had the worst scores for the number of objects left in patients, blood clot incidents, patient falls and more. 

By Kathleen Culliton

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Objects left in patients, accidental cuts during surgery and dangerous blood clots are just a few of the problems that hospital patients have to worry about in Brooklyn, a borough riddled with some of the nation's worst hospitals, a new study found.

Thirteen Brooklyn hospitals earned two Fs, six Ds and five Cs in a study that measured how likely a patient was to risk further injury or infection in hospitals across the U.S., the healthcare nonprofit Leapfrog Group announced Tuesday.

The borough failed to earn a single A or B for its hospitals, but two hospitals were honored with the rare distinction of an F — only 15 out of 2,632 hospitals failed Leapfrog's examination completely — and seven broke records for problems that included patient falls and ICU training. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: Patch.com 

Feliz Family, Bronx Pols to Hold Candlelight Vigil for Zoila Feliz

On November 3 at 6:30 p.m., a candlelight vigil will be conducted by the family of Zoila Feliz, Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, Senator Ruben Diaz, Councilwoman Annabel Palma and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. 

On November 1, 2017, Feliz was found dead by her mother Margarita Feliz inside their apartment on Stratford Avenue in the Soundview section of the Bronx. The victim’s son, Jaylen, who turned two- years-old on the day of the killing, was found standing by his mother’s body, but was not physically harmed. 

Zoila's 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, and the father of Jaylen, has since been arrested and is facing murder, manslaughter, assault and weapons possession charges. 

The vigil will be held at 1161 Stratford Avenue in the Bronx. 

Source: The Office of State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz

New York State Procurement Council To Meet November 8

 

The next meeting of the New York State Procurement Council has been scheduled for November 8, at 11 a.m., in Meeting Room 6, North Concourse Level, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York.

The meeting agenda will be available at the OGS website approximately two business days before the scheduled meeting date.

This meeting is subject to the Open Meetings Law and will be recorded. The meeting also will be webcast live here.

Access to the recording will be available on the OGS website within two business days following the meeting.

For more information, please contact procurement.council@ogs.ny.gov.

Source: The Office of General Services

SUNY Student Assembly to Meet at SUNY Plattsburgh

The Executive Committee of the Student Assembly for the State University of New York will meet to conduct business on November 11 on the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, New York.

The meeting will be held at State University College at Plattsburgh, which is located at 101 Broad Street.

All meetings of the Student Assembly are open to students and the general public. Information on specific times and locations and with instructions for accessing meeting documents, will be made available online or by email to Arthur Ramsay, Senior Director of Communications.

Source: SUNY SA 

UpFront - Guns, the NRA and Donald Trump

Source: Al Jazeera English

Lebanon Faces Criticism Over Appointment of Ambassador to Syria

Source: Al Jazeera English

Former Hong Kong Leader Avoids Conviction in Bribery Case

Source: Al Jazeera English

Italy Seizes Huge Drugs Haul Intended for ISIL Fighters

Source: euronews.

Syrian Army Retakes Deir al-Zor from ISIL

Source: euronews.

New Zealand Offer to Take 150 Refugees from Papua New Guinea Camp

Source: euronews.

Anti-War Plea from Pope as He Prays for WW2 Victims

Source: euronews.

A Nuclear Waste Dump for Eternity?

Source: FRANCE 24 English

Burma in Denial Over Rohingya Crisis: A FRANCE 24 English Exclusive

'Puigdemont's Fate is Now in the Hands of Belgium'

Source: FRANCE 24 English

All That Glitters: Gold Prices Decline Over Economic Optimism

Source: FRANCE 24 English

Balfour Declaration: 100 Years On, UK's Jewish Homeland Statement Still Divides

Source: FRANCE 24 English

Egypt Pyramid Discovery: Secret Chamber Discovered in Giza

Source: FOX News

Eye on Africa: President Kenyatta Wins Vote Boycotted by Opposition

Source: FRANCE 24 English

Crimes Against Journalists: 900 Reporters Killed in Past Decade

Source: FRANCE 24 English

President Trump Picks Jerome Powell for Fed Chair

Source: CBS News

Chuck Norris Says Wife Was Poisoned with MRI Chemical

Action star Chuck Norris is facing a legal battle, taking on San Francisco-based McKesson and other drug companies in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit. It claims a chemical known as gadolinium, commonly used in MRIs to improve clarity, poisoned his wife Gena Norris and nearly killed her. Betty Yu of CBS station KPIX-TV reports.

Source: CBS News 

DL Hughley on the Inconsistency of Donald Trump's Administration

Source: MoorInfo

Keith Olbermann: Is This the End… of Trump’s Sanity?

The Power of the Pen: Bills Signed into Law

On Thursday, November 2, 2017, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1329, the "Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living

Adjustment Act of 2017," which Provides for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the beneficiaries of veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation equal to the Social Security COLA;

H.R. 1616, the " Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017," which authorizes a National Computer Forensics Institute within the Department of Homeland Security's United States Secret Service; and the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to award grants to State and local governments to combat white collar crime;

H.R. 2989, the "Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act,"

which establishes the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission to plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities to honor Douglass on the bicentennial anniversary of his birth.

S. 190, the "Power And Security Systems (PASS) Act," which exempts external power supplies used by home safety devices from certain energy efficiency standards;

S. 504, the "Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017," which permanently authorizes the Department of Homeland Security's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card program;

S. 920, the "National Clinical Care Commission Act," which establishes a National Clinical Care Commission within the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate and make recommendations on the use of Federal resources in combating complex metabolic or autoimmune insulin-related diseases; and

S. 1617, which designates the checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located on United States Highway 77 North in Sarita, Texas, as the Javier Vega, Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint.

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary 

Oval Office Chat: President Mauricio Macri of Argentina

President Trump spoke yesterday with President Mauricio Macri of Argentina to express condolences on behalf of the American people for the loss of Argentine lives in the New York terror attack.  President Trump underscored his full support of the ongoing investigation. He reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to work with close partners and allies like Argentina to prevent these cowardly acts of terror from happening.  The two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen the strong bilateral ties between the United States and Argentina.

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

President Trump Signs the 'Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act'

Statement from The President

Today, I am pleased to sign into law, H.R. 2989, the "Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act", which will create the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission, which will be responsible for planning, developing, and carrying out activities to honor Frederick Douglass on the 200th anniversary of his birth.  Our Nation rightly honors the life of Mr. Douglass, a former slave who became an outstanding orator and a leader of the abolitionist movement.  I also welcome the participation of the members of the Congress in the valuable work the Commission will perform.  Consistent with Signing Statements issued by President Obama and President Reagan regarding similar legislation, I understand that, with respect to their work on the Commission, the members of the Congress and their appointees "'will be able to participate only in ceremonial or advisory functions'" and "'not in matters involving the administration of the act in light of the separation of powers and the Appointments and Ineligibility Clauses of the Constitution.'"  (Public Papers of the President, Barack Obama, Vol. I, 2009, page 756 (quoting Public Papers of the President, Ronald Reagan, Vol. II, 1983, page 1390)).  All Americans have much to learn from the life and writings of Mr. Douglass, and I look forward to working with the Commission to celebrate the achievements of this great man.

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

President Trump Amends Puerto Rico Disaster Declaration

Today, President Trump made additional disaster assistance available to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for Public Assistance projects undertaken in the Commonwealth as a result of Hurricane Maria during the period beginning on September 17, 2017, and continuing.

On September 27, 2017, President Trump authorized a 100 percent Federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for 180 days from the date of the declaration.         

Under the President’s order today, the Federal share for Public Assistance has been increased to 90 percent of the total eligible costs, except for assistance previously approved at 100 percent.  Recognizing the Commonwealth’s election to participate in alternative procedures authorized under section 428 of the Stafford Act, the President has authorized assistance conditioned upon having extra controls on project cost estimation and project management in place to facilitate the expeditious rebuilding of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, to allow for cost-effective activities that reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, or suffering from a major disaster, and to ensure sound stewardship of Federal tax dollars.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor Cuomo Addresses GOP Tax Plan

Source: NYGovCuomo

Governors Cuomo and Rosselló Announce Team to Help Prepare Puerto Rico Secure Federal Funding

Source: NYGovCuomo

SPLC Releases Law Enforcement Training Video in Wake of White Supremacist Violence

 

In response to violent white supremacist rallies like we saw in Charlottesville, we’ve released a new training video to help law enforcement agencies prevent bloodshed while protecting the rights of both speakers and protesters when hate groups stage rallies in their town. A detailed event response checklist includes tips about the research police should do ahead of a hate group rally.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) 

Buyouts Won’t Be the Answer for Many Frequent Flooding Victims

Even after Hurricane Harvey, the best efforts by Harris County officials to purchase the most flood-prone homes won’t make a dent in the larger problem — worsening flooding, and a buyout program that can’t keep up.

by Lisa Song and Al Shaw, ProPublica, and Neena Satija, Texas Tribune and Reveal

This story was co-published with The Texas Tribune. 

HOUSTON — After four sleepless days fighting to keep her home dry during Hurricane Harvey, after losing her car, after nearly getting electrocuted by a fallen electric box as she waded through brown muck in what wound up being the third flood to hit her property in three years, Maurine Howard wants out.

“I can’t go through this again,” she said. “I don’t have it in me.” The 2015 flood was minor enough she mopped it up with towels, but her house flooded badly last year when a city water pipe under her patio burst open during heavy rains. Then Harvey destroyed the entire first floor.

Howard, a longtime nonprofit director who calls herself a “mouthy person,” left a message with the mayor’s office demanding that the government buy her house.

If only it were that easy.

Experts see buyouts as a cornerstone of disaster recovery, a way to take the most chronically flooded homes and turn them into open space so they can improve drainage and lower flood risk for the surrounding area.

It’s hard to find another county in America that has accomplished more buyouts than Harris County. Since 1985, the Harris County Flood Control District — the main entity managing buyouts in the Houston area — has spent $342 million to purchase about 3,100 properties. But thanks to a decadeslong trend of increased flooding in Houston, caused by a combination of urban sprawl, lax building regulations and intense rainstorms linked to climate change, buyouts haven’t kept up with the destruction.

At the rate Harris County has been going, it would take more than three decades to acquire the 3,300 or so homes on the district’s priority buyout list — a drop in the bucket compared to the number of properties that flooded these past three years alone. Hurricane Harvey damaged at least 69,000 properties in the county, according to preliminary figures that are likely an underestimate. Devastating floods also hit the county in 2015 and 2016.

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Source: ProPublica

Saving Our Youth: Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (GRIP)

 

The Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (GRIP) empowers youth to leave or avoid gang life. The program works closely with local law enforcement, schools and other nonprofits to help at-risk young people develop a positive self-image and a hopeful vision for the future.

Youth participate in group activities and one-on-one mentoring based on their individual needs, including the following:

Jovenes - Participants learn life skills while exploring Latino culture. Once each month, youth go on field trips to dance performances, fishing trips, cultural celebrations, college tours and more.

Boxing - A local boxing gym engages youth in a positive extracurricular activity that increases self-esteem and develops self-discipline. Transportation is provided.

Tattoo Removal - For many youth, removing visible gang tattoos is an important step to disengaging from gang life, but the cost is prohibitive. Plastic surgeons and nurses donate their time to Neighborhood House to perform laser removal treatments free of charge.

One-to-One Mentoring - Individual meetings give youth support and information, help them develop goals, and evaluate progress.

Special Events - Cultural and educational events and field trips expose youth to new and positive experiences outside their routine environment.

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Source: https://www.minnesotahelp.info