Friday, March 29, 2019

One of the First African American U.S. Marines Lives in Sacramento


This report was published on YouTube on February 19, 2019. 

It's 'Feel Good Friday' on From The G-Man 

After watching this report, feel free to scroll down and review other heartwarming and humorous features and news stories. "Feel Good Friday" was created to counter the relentless 24/7 news coverage of all things Trump and troubling events that are occurring in this country and abroad. 

America needs a break from the barrage of negative news reports, and From The G-Man is happy to oblige. 

You and your loved ones have a good and safe weekend. 

"G-Man"

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Psychiatrist Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber on the Questions to Ask to Help Screen for Suicide Risk


Democracy Now!: Extended web-only conversation with Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, founder and director of The Columbia Lighthouse Project. Gerstenhaber is the principal author of the Columbia Protocol, a short list of questions that can help screen people for suicide risk.

Promises, Tamales and Even Truth-Telling: Chicago’s Mayoral Race Hits the Final Stretch

 
In the campaign to succeed Rahm Emanuel, candidates Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle talk neighborhoods and look for votes.

Click here for details. 

Source: ProPublica

U.S. to Cut Aid to NGOs Helping Other Groups Supporting Abortions

 
C-SPAN Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters at the State Department that the Trump administration would withhold funding from any non-governmental organizations which provided funding for or lobbied in favor of abortions. He said it was a policy designed “to protect human beings.” He also answered questions on the president’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty claim over the Golan Heights, and the treatment of Uighur Muslims by China. 

Click here for video.

Has Algeria's President Been Deposed?


Al Jazeera English: Al Jazeera's Andrew Chappelle reports on the social media users' reaction to the army chief's call for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to rule, with some seeing Bouteflika's removal as a victory for the protest movement.

NRA and One Nation: What is the Gun Lobby Hiding?


This report was published on YouTube on March 25. 

Click here to read the synopsis. 

Congestion Pricing in Manhattan, First Such Plan in U.S., Is Close to Approval


After years of hesitation, the governor and lawmakers reached agreement on the plan, which would help to provide badly needed financial assistance for mass transit.

Click here for details. 

Source: The New York Times 

New York Suburb to Declare Measles Emergency, Barring Unvaccinated Children from Public


Rockland County’s move to limit the movement of unvaccinated minors is its latest effort to fight New York State’s worst measles outbreak in decades.

Click here for details. 

Source: The New York Times 

NYPD Auxiliary Cop Goes from Homeless to Harvard, Hopes to Inspire Others

  Auxiliary Police Officer Athena Capo-Battaglia

Click here for details. 

Source: The New York Daily News

Assistance Available for New York Farmers Impacted by Extreme Weather

 
Assistance is available for farmers impacted by extreme rainfall and wet weather conditions last summer. Last week, the federal government declared 12 counties across the state as natural disaster areas. With these designations, farmers in the impacted areas may be eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, from the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. 

"As extreme weather becomes the new normal, we must protect our farmers who all too often bear the brunt of these weather events with damaged crops and land," Governor Cuomo said. "In the wake of the excessive rainfall experienced in these counties last year, the declarations will ensure farmers have access to emergency funds they need to help get them back on their feet and recover from these devastating losses." 

Click here for the full announcement. 

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

NYS Surplus Vehicle and Equipment Auction Scheduled Statewide


The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) today announced that the following surplus vehicle auctions have been scheduled through the month of June.

For information on specific items and terms of sale, click here, email state.surplus@ogs.ny.gov, or call (518) 457-6335.

Wednesday, April 17 at 9:30 a.m.
State Office Building Campus
1220 Washington Avenue, Albany

Tuesday, April 23 at 11:00 a.m.
Aviation Center at Republic Airport
885 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale

Wednesday, April 24 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Transportation
(Includes NYS Police East Farmingdale Vehicles)
375 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip

Wednesday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Transportation
272 Violet Avenue, Poughkeepsie

Thursday, May 9, at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Transportation
241 Colesville Road, Binghamton

Wednesday, May 15 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Transportation
5450 South Bay Road, North Syracuse

Thursday, May 16 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Police – Troop D
Route 5, 261 Genesee Street, Oneida

Tuesday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Saratoga Tree Nursery
2369 Route 50, Saratoga Springs

Wednesday, May 22 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
(Includes NYS Police – Ray Brook Vehicles)
87 Fish Hatchery, Saranac Lake

Wednesday, June 5 at 9:30 a.m.
NYS Department of Transportation
4717 Southwestern Boulevard, Hamburg 

Source: NYS Office of General Services

Friends of Maple Grove Announces Event Schedule for April

 The Performance Center at Maple Grove

The following listing was provided by Friends of Maple Grove

Sat. 4/6/19, 1890 Gilded Age Tea from 5 p.m to 7 p.m, at the Celebration Hall at the Center. Fee for members.  Pre-payment required. Featuring the music of Frank Howson (1841-1926) and Gilbert & Sullivan with the Undertones; lecture about architect James E. Ware who designed the Victorian Admin Building at Maple Grove by author Patrick Wing Dedicated to Frank Howson (1841-1926) composer, conductor, & musical director and James E. Ware (1846-1918) prominent architect at Maple Grove.

Sun. 4/7/19, Literary Sunday from 12:30 p.m to 2 p.m. at the Victorian Admin Building. Featuring Queens writers:  Sangu Iyer and Malcolm Chang.  Free and open to all.  Limited seating.  RSVP requested to maplegroveliterarysundays@gmail.com or 518-928-3361. Dedicated to the writers at Maple Grove including Don Marquis (1879-1937) columnist & author of plays, books and poems (Archy & Mehitabel) and Kate Halliday Claghorn (1863-1938) author of College Training for Women; suffragette; PhD Yale 1896.

Sat. 4/13/19, Democracy Conversation from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Victorian Admin Building.  Free admission with RSVP.  Light Refreshments. Sponsored by Humanities NY and moderated by Jo-Anne Raskin.  Dedicated to John Henry Sutphin (1835-1907) at Maple Grove, served 30 years as deputy county clerk and chairman of the Democratic County Committee.

Sat. 4/20/19, Matthew Greybil in Concert from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Celebration Hall at the Center. Free admission with RSVP.  The program will include a selection of Mozart, Brahms, Chopin and Stravinsky.  Dedicated to world renowned pianists and teachers Josef & Rosina Lhevinne and George King Raudenbush (1899-1956) conductor & composer at Maple Grove. Wine & Cheese reception to follow with the opening of an art exhibit by Randy Faerber & Joe Stouter from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Center. Dedicated to renowned Haitian painter Eduard Wah (1938-2003) at Maple Grove.

Happening in Harlem: MLK: Up Close & Personal

Click on the flier to increase its size. 

For additional information, contact Michael Green at (646) 488-9576, Chiquita at (914) 297-8286, or J B Morgan at (917) 330-0132.

Email queries can be submitted to shadesoftruththeatre@gmail.com.

Source: Michael Green

Monday, March 25, 2019

Charlottesville Students Walk Out, Demand Reform After Racist 4chan Threat

 
By Andy Campbell

Students at Charlottesville High School in Charlottesville, Virginia, walked out of classes on Monday, issuing a list of demands to the school district days after they were targeted by a racist threat on 4chan.

The walkout, organized by local activist and student Zyahna Bryant and the high school’s Black Student Union, was framed around pushing the school district for cultural reform and increased safety ― particularly salient concerns in a city where white supremacists held a large and deadly rally less than two years ago. By one estimate, some 200 people joined the Black Student Union and marched through McIntire Park in protest.

“There can be no reconciliation without redistribution of resources for black and brown students,” Bryant told HuffPost Monday afternoon.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Huffington Post

Anti-Communism.....Then and Now (A Special Report)


THE G-MAN INTERVIEWS: STEVEN JONAS, MD, MPH 

Noted Historian Explains the Differences and Similarities
Between the McCarthy Era and the Trump Presidency 

Welcome. 

My guest for this installment is Dr. Steven Jonas, Professor Emeritus of Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University in New York. Dr. Jonas has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited over 35 books, and many of his articles and reviews have appeared in both academic and lay literature on health policy, health and wellness, athletics, and politics. 

He is a columnist for Op-Ed News and serves as a contributing writer for "From The G-Man", which is this show's sister site. 

He is also the author of The 15% Solution: A Political History of American Fascism, 2001-2022. The book was originally self-published in 1996, and a third version, with a new author preface, was published in 2013 by Punto Press. 

Dr. Jonas’ latest book is entitled "Ending the ‘Drug War’; Solving the Drug Problem", which was published by Punto Press in 2016. 

The interview was conducted on March 20. 

HUD’s Inspection System Gets a Poor Grade in Congressional Watchdog’s Report

 
The Government Accountability Office’s findings mirror those of an investigation by The Southern Illinoisan and ProPublica, which documented numerous cases in which substandard housing complexes received passing — and even glowing — scores from HUD.

Click here for details. 

Source: ProPublica

Violent Far-Right Extremists Are Rarely Prosecuted as Terrorists

 
Terrorism's Double Standard

Since 9/11 federal prosecutors have applied anti-terrorism laws against 34 right-wing extremists compared to more than 500 international terrorism defendants.

Click here for details. 

Source: The Intercept_

Beto O'Rourke to Join Other Presidential Contenders at National Action Network Convention

 
New York — Rev. Al Sharpton announced today former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) will join the field of presidential candidates speaking at this year’s National Action Network (NAN) Convention in New York next week. The full schedule of plenaries, panels, and workshops can be found here: https://nationalactionnetwork.net/newnews/2019-national-convention-agenda/.
 
NAN’s Annual Convention is historically one of the largest civil rights conferences in the country and will address the pressing political issues facing Black and Brown communities 2019. In addition, it will be the largest single gathering of presidential hopefuls before the Democratic debates this summer – with all but three declared candidates scheduled to address convention attendees.
 
“Donald Trump has injected a lot of noise into American politics,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of NAN. “Our annual convention exists to cut through the noise and focus on the issues and policies that truly affect Black America and the civil rights community by inviting local and national politicians and leaders to help foster policy discussions that lead to innovative solutions.”
 
With plenaries and panel appearances from nearly a dozen presidential contenders, the convention will be an essential forerunner to the 2020 Democratic presidential debates as the candidates make their case to the African American community – a critical constituency that has consistently carried the party on its back in recent elections. Presidential contenders addressing the convention will include Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA),  Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN), former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (D-TX), Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
 
Appearances from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Eric Holder, Stacey Abrams, Valerie Jarrett, and Tom Perez round out the impressive list of national political figures that will appear at the convention.
 
“NAN has mobilized Black voters at every level of the democratic process for decades now,” said Ebonie Riley, NAN’s DC Bureau Chief. “Politicians have historically ignored issues that resonate with the black community. Our annual convention has always been an opportunity to hold national leaders accountable to a black specific agenda. Our convention continues to serve as the foremost place for presidential candidates to discuss the policies that directly affect black voters.”
 
The convention will feature panels, plenaries, and workshops dedicated to dissecting the most pressing political issues of our time, including social justice and economic equality, immigrant rights, diversity, and the media, women’s empowerment and leadership, and consumer privacy and its impacts on communities of color. Each panel will feature a diverse array of political leaders, commentators, academics, clergy, and corporate leaders.
 
As in previous years, this year’s convention will feature NAN’s Keepers of the Dream Awards, honoring the leaders and luminaries that have shown their dedication and commitment to upholding the legacy and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
Founded in the spirit and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., NAN is one of the foremost civil rights organizations in the country and has already hosted a series of influential events this year featuring leading 2020 presidential contenders. The NAN Annual Convention will take place over April 3-6 at the Sheraton Times Square.
Source: Mercury

Jewish Council for Public Affairs 2019 Annual Conference Recap

 
The following statement was provided by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. (JCPA)

JCPA convened over 250 Jewish professionals and civic leaders February 9-12 in Washington D.C. for our JCPA2019 National Conference and 75th Anniversary Gala. If you missed the Conference and Gala, or participated and couldn't catch the full series of powerful plenaries and programs, you're in luck; we've prepared two robust recaps for you chock full of videos, photos, and resources.
To see the JCPA2019 Conference Recap click here.

To see the JCPA 75th Anniversary Recap click here.

What to Do If You Receive a Letter from the Tax Department

  
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today explained what taxpayers should do if they receive a letter or notice asking for more information about claims made on their tax returns.

“First, if you receive a letter from us asking for documentation to support what you claimed on your return, don’t panic; it doesn't mean that you did anything wrong,” said New York State Taxpayer Rights Advocate Margaret Neri. “The Tax Department simply needs to ensure that refunds only go to those entitled to them and that returns filed are accurate. The goal is to ensure compliance and stop questionable refunds, not to delay refunds.”

Wages and withholding letters

One of the most common letters we send, for example, requests information to verify the amount of taxes withheld from wages. If you check the status of your 2018 refund, which you can do using our Check your tefund status! tool , you may have received a message indicating that we sent you this letter or are sending it to you.

Similar letters request additional information regarding your claims of itemized deductions, child and dependent care expenses, college tuition expenses, business losses, and so on.

Read the letter you receive carefully to review the different ways you can respond, but keep in mind that we can’t process your return or any refund you're claiming until we receive and review the requested information.

The best way to respond

The most effective way to respond to a letter is using our Respond to Department Notice online service. If you don’t have an Individual Online Services account, you will need to create an account to take advantage of this service.

Visit Respond to your letter for step-by-step guidance, as well as to view two helpful demonstrations: Responding to a Department Notice and Individual Account Creation.

Click here for more filing information.

Source: The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Happening in Harlem: Screening of 'The Burial of Kojo'


The following statement was submitted by ImageNation. 

The Burial of Kojo is an official selection of the 2019 Pan African Film Festival and the 2018 Urbanworld Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Winner. 

A stunning feature film debut, Samuel "Blitz" Bazawule tells the story of two brothers through the eyes of a gifted girl who travels beautiful lands that exist between life and death. Bazwule's vision of the familial narrative is told through the lens of magical realism and Afrofuturism. 

Click here for the screening times and additional information.

Phyllis Yvonne Stickney Joins the Peace Cafe

 Click here on the flier to increase its size.

This month's Peace Cafe will feature actress-comedienne Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. Stickney has appeared in the films New Jack City, Malcolm X and Women of Brewster Place, to name a few. 

Members of the Harlem community, especially women of all ages, are invited to join the Peace Cafe in its celebration of Women's Month.

Source: Street Corner Resources