Saturday, May 4, 2019

Black Lives Matter vs the KKK: Racial Tensions Spark Anger in the USA


This report was published on YouTube on April 28, 2019. 

RT Documentary: After the end of slavery, African Americans were oppressed by laws that enforced racial segregation, but even after they won equal civil rights, they claim to have been held back by continued racism. In Episode 8, RTD finds out whether Black and White Americans can ever genuinely integrate. RTD meets Grand Wizard of the North Carolina KKK Chris Barker and his family, to understand the attitude of White supremacists to their African American neighbours. Media personality Tariq Nasheed and Hawk Newsome, a Black Lives Matter leader from New York City, talk about how White Americans avoiding their Black fellow citizens affects the African- American community.

John Lewis Reveals Critical Way He’d Have Described Trump To Martin Luther King Jr.

 
The civil-rights leader would also have highlighted the “great distance to go before we lay down the burden of racism” to the late icon if he was still alive.

Click here for the report.

Source: The Huffington Post

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Texas Officer Charged With Homicide For Shooting Black Man During Traffic Stop


A grand jury indicted Arlington Officer Bau Tran 8 months after he shot 24-year-old O'Shae Terry in the Dallas suburb. 

Click here for the report.

Source: The Huffington Post

House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on Puerto Rico


Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló (New Progressive) testifies before the House Natural Resources Committee on legislation aimed at stabilizing the island’s economy and boosting its efforts to recover from 2017's Hurricane Maria.

Court Certifies Class Action Against Trump Administration

 
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is suing the Trump administration on behalf of immigrant children who languished in detention centers across the country despite having sponsors waiting to provide homes for them. Alongside its partners at the Legal Aid Justice Center and Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox PLLC, the SPLC is asking the court to order the prompt release of children to family members and to stop the administration’s policy of sharing the identities of potential sponsors with immigration enforcement officials. Last week, a federal court certified the lawsuit as a class action. 

Click here for additional information. 

Source: SPLC

Venezuela's Maduro Shows Off Military Loyalty Days After Guaido's Attempted Uprising


Global News: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and top military figures made a show of unity in a television broadcast on Thursday just two days after opposition leader Juan Guaido urged the military to join him to oust the socialist leader. Maduro's display of military force sought to to reject claims by the United States and the opposition that the armed forces high command was prepared to turn on him, and gave order to armed forces to stop 'traitors' and 'coup plotters.'

Assange Supporters Block Road in London After Extradition Hearing


Global News: Protesters calling for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blocked a road near a London court on May 2, where a request by the United States to extradite him for one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information was heard earlier.

Justin Trudeau's 'Fakeness and Incompetence' Broke the Immigration System: Rempel


Global News: Speaking to reporters in Ottawa Thursday morning, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel blamed the current state of Canada's "broken" immigration system on Trudeau's "fakeness and incompetence." 

Rempel also said Trudeau has "wrongly defined" the immigration debate as being about politics as opposed to economic reality, stressing the need to base immigration quotas on the economic needs of the various provinces.

Working Parents in New York Invited to Learn How Paid Family Leave Helps Them When Fostering a New Child

 
To honor National Foster Care Month this May, New York today announced a new Paid Family Leave webinar to help employees use New York’s landmark Paid Family Leave to bond with a newly fostered child. The webinar explains how eligible, working New Yorkers can take job-protected, paid time off to bond with a foster child who was placed in their care within the last 12 months. It also touches on the other qualifying events Paid Family Leave can be used for, which include bonding with a child born or adopted within the last 12 months; caring for a family member with a serious health condition; or assisting when a spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is deployed abroad on active military service.

"New York understands that working parents need time to bond with their children no matter how they join their families,” Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Clarissa Rodriguez said. “Fostering a child may include periods of significant adjustment, for both child and parent. Having additional support can make all the difference in building strong families during this critical time, which in turn builds a stronger New York.” The webinar will be held on May 7 from 12:00pm-1:00pm and is free and open to the public. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. To register, visit https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/event/foster-care-webinar.


Additional Paid Family Leave Resources
 

The foster care webinar is part of New York’s ongoing campaign to educate workers and employers about New York Paid Family Leave, which went into effect on January 1, 2018. In addition to webinars, New York offers complete details on Paid Family Leave at PaidFamilyLeave.ny.gov. Help is also available via a toll-free Paid Family Leave Helpline at 844-337-6303. Both provide resources in languages other than English.

Paid Family Leave is employee-funded insurance that provides job-protected, paid time off from work to employees to care for family. In 2019, it provides up to 10 weeks off at 55% of pay, up to a maximum of $746.41 per week. Benefits will continue to rise until 2021, when Paid Family Leave is fully phased in, at which time eligible employees will be able to take up 12 weeks at 67% of pay, again to a maximum. Retaliation and discrimination are prohibited, and neither citizenship nor immigration status is a factor in employee eligibility.


Source: NYS Workers' Compensation Board 

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

H&R Block Issues Response in the Wake of Governor Cuomo's Call for the Company to Be Investigated


Earlier today, From The G-Man reported that Governor Andrew Cuomo has called on the New York State Department of Financial Services and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to investigate TurboTax, H&R Block and other major tax return preparers following recent reports that these companies allegedly used Google advertisement and website features to deceptively hide additional tax filing options from low-income individuals who are eligible to file their taxes for free.

"The allegations against these major tax return preparers are disturbing, and New York will not stand idle as the public's interest is undermined in order to pad the profits of wealthy corporations," Governor Cuomo said. "I am calling on the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Taxation and Finance to investigate these claims to help ensure New Yorkers are protected. We have zero tolerance for these deceptive practices and those responsible will be held accountable for these egregious actions."

Americans with an adjusted gross income of $66,000 or less are eligible to file their taxes for free through the Free File Alliance -a partnership between the IRS, tax software providers and states - including New York. According to the reports, the websites of the tax software providers steered consumers into paying for services when they were eligible to file their taxes for free, and hid these free filing options from Google searches.

From The G-Man contacted H&R Block's corporate office today via email and requested comment on the directive issued by Governor Cuomo. The following statement was submitted by Susan Waldron, who serves as the company's director of communications.

"H&R Block is proud to have helped millions of Americans file their returns under the Free File program. As a member of the Free File program, we provide the program’s broadest offer for Americans to file their taxes for free, including allowing taxpayers between the ages of 17 and 51 whose income is less than $66,000 to file both their federal and state returns for free.

"We are pleased that consumers’ use of H&R Block’s Free File program grew 8.3 percent this tax season, exceeding the Free File program growth of 6.8 percent.

"H&R Block offers multiple free filing options including the H&R Block Free File program, which is part of the IRS Free File program. In addition, consumers can choose other options to get their taxes filed for free with H&R Block. These options include our free online product, our MyFreeTaxes partnership with the United Way, and our partnership with Military One Source. Our goal is to avoid consumer confusion about our free options. We have updated our practices to make H&R Block’s Free File offer even easier to find."

Federal Reserve News Conference


Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a news conference on the economy and monetary policy.

Click here for coverage. 

Source: C-SPAN 

Cuomo Calls for Investigation on Tax Preparers' Alleged Tactics to Reduce Access to Free Tax Filing Options


Governor Andrew Cuomo today called on the New York State Department of Financial Services and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to investigate TurboTax, H&R Block and other major tax return preparers following recent reports that these companies allegedly used Google advertisement and website features to deceptively hide additional tax filing options from low-income individuals who are eligible to file their taxes for free.

"The allegations against these major tax return preparers are disturbing, and New York will not stand idle as the public's interest is undermined in order to pad the profits of wealthy corporations," Governor Cuomo said. "I am calling on the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Taxation and Finance to investigate these claims to help ensure New Yorkers are protected. We have zero tolerance for these deceptive practices and those responsible will be held accountable for these egregious actions."

Americans with an adjusted gross income of $66,000 or less are eligible to file their taxes for free through the Free File Alliance -a partnership between the IRS, tax software providers and states - including New York. According to the reports, the websites of the tax software providers steered consumers into paying for services when they were eligible to file their taxes for free, and hid these free filing options from Google searches.

Click here for the full announcement.

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Two Reporters Take on Italy’s Mafia in the Wake of Death Threats


DW Documentary: Italian investigative journalists Federica Angeli and Paolo Borrometi report on the mafia. But their work comes at a price: both they and their families have received death threats. 

Click here for additional information. 

'Yellow Vest' Protesters Clash with Riot Police at Paris May Day Rally


Global News: This was a live stream and may contain violence, viewer discretion is advised. 

Thousands of protesters gathered in Paris on Wednesday for the annual international labour day march, joined for the first time by "yellow vests". Some 7,400 police were deployed to secure the march and clashed with protesters in spurs of violence.

Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN: The United States is Acting Like a Rogue Nation


This report was published on April 30.

Global News: Venezuela's ambassador to the UN Samuel Moncada, told reporters in New York that the U.S. was behaving like a "rogue state" in regards to it's involvement in the ongoing Venezuelan political crisis. 

Moncada also denied that his government has used any live ammunition to quell continuing protests in Caracas and elsewhere. 

Furthermore, Moncada says his government is not concerned about the ongoing protests in Venezuela and are confident Maduro will stay in power.

After Backlash, Personal Voter Information Is Removed by New York City


The Board of Elections reversed its decision and removed online access to its voter registration books after many raised privacy concerns.

Click here for the report.

Source: The New York Times

New York State Legislature Passes Suite of Bills That Protect Air, Water, and Health


The following announcement was made on April 30 by Environmental Advocates of New York

Albany – Today, in honor of the 49th Anniversary of Earth Day, the New York State Legislature passed a package of bills that will protect our air, water, and environment. Many of these bills have been passed by the Assembly in recent years but had not advanced in the Senate. 

Peter M. Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York said, “For too long, common-sense environmental measures that would protect our air, water, and health had little chance of becoming law in New York. Now, in just one afternoon, the Legislature is making up for lost time by passing a suite of bills that help protect New Yorkers’ health and precious natural resources. The actions today by the Senate and Assembly will help ensure all New Yorkers have the right to clean air, water, and a healthful environment and defend us against toxic chemicals in our drinking water and our children’s toys, as well as harmful pesticides sprayed on our foods.”

Legislation that passed today includes:

Environmental Rights – This bill provides an amendment to the State Constitution that would guarantee New Yorkers a right to clean air and water. Comprised of 15 words, this ‘Green Amendment’ would amend Article 1 of the State Constitution to include: “Each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.”

The Child Safe Products Act – This legislation protects children from avoidable illness and toxic exposure by requiring disclosure and reporting of dangerous chemicals used in children’s products and empowers the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to ban a variety of dangerous chemicals, such as formaldehyde and asbestos.

Chlorpyrifos Ban – This bill will phase out the use, distribution and sale of this dangerous pesticide.  This bill will immediately prohibit the aerial spraying of Chlorpyrifos, and seriously limit its use in agriculture applications, leading to a full ban of all product uses by December 1, 2021.

Environmental Justice Zones – This bill incorporates environmental justice principles into New York State agencies’ decision-making processes and makes permanent the Environmental Justice Advisory Group within the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Environmental Advocates of New York's mission is to protect our air, land, water, wildlife and health. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, EANY monitors state government, evaluates proposed laws, and champions policies and practices that will ensure the responsible stewardship of our shared environment. EANY works to support and strengthen the efforts of New York's environmental community and to make New York a national leader.

The Climate and Community Protection Act

We expect that the commitment and cooperation shown today will inform the way forward as the Legislature focuses on combating climate change by passing landmark legislation in the form of the Climate and Community Protection Act. Sponsored by Senator Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) and Assembly Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), the bill will create a blueprint for New York to achieve an economy-wide shift to 100% renewable energy.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren Demands Action on the ‘Epidemic’ of Black Maternal Mortality


Time’s up on merely “observing and debating the effects of bias and racism,” said the Democratic presidential candidate. 

Click here for the report.

Source: The Huffington Post

Malcolm X on 'Front Page Challenge', 1965: CBC Archives


This report was published on YouTube on April 7, 2010. 

From The G-Man urges viewers to listen carefully to the late minister's statements and consider how applicable they are to the current racial and social climate in America and abroad. 

Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Canadian Military Surveys Flood Relief Efforts in Ottawa


Global News: Members of the Canadian military surveyed flood relief operations on Monday in west Ottawa, where sandbags are being filled but some walls of protection have already been broken. 

 Ottawa has been inundated with flood waters as levels continue to rise, with some homes flooded as a result and waters are expected to peak on Wednesday. 

The city declared a state of emergency last week and said voluntary evacuations were likely.

Monday, April 29, 2019

Atlah Church is Classified as a Hate Group. It’s Able to Run a School Anyway.


Pastor James Manning runs a school inside Atlah World Missionary Church. Former students say he psychologically abuses kids, teaches them to hate gay people, and convinces parents to abandon their children.  

Click here for the report.

Source: The Huffington Post

Sarah Sanders Speaks to Reporters


White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders answered questions on an upcoming meeting with Democratic leaders on infrastructure spending, President Trump’s plan to send undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities and his response to a shooting at a California synagogue. 

Click here for video.

Source: C-SPAN 

Boeing Shareholders Meeting News Conference

 
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg made a statement on the 737 MAX airplane then took questions from reporters.

Click here for video.

Bill Signed Banning Offshore Drilling in New York Waters



Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo, joined by Billy Joel, signed legislation (S.2316 (Kaminsky)/A.2572 (Englebright)) to ban offshore drilling in New York State waters. 

The legislation will bar the state from granting permits for drilling, or oil or gas exploration in offshore areas controlled by the State. The ban will protect New York's waters and coasts by making it more difficult for oil and gas drilling to occur close to coastal New York, even in waters controlled by the federal government. 

In addition, the legislation prohibits the leasing of State-owned underwater coastal land that would authorize or facilitate the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas. 

The Governor signed the bill in direct response to the Trump administration proposal to open U.S. coastal areas to drilling. 

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Sailors Report Enduring Concerns About Navy Readiness and Leadership


Sailors from every active fleet responded to a ProPublica callout, noting a continued lack of training, widespread exhaustion and an acute sense of vulnerability.

Click here for the report.

Source: ProPublica

Times Exposé Reveals SEALs Were Encouraged to Stay Silent About Civilian Murders


Democracy Now!: Navy SEALs who witnessed their platoon chief commit war crimes in Iraq were encouraged not to speak out, and told they could lose their jobs for reporting him at a private meeting with a superior officer last year, according to a new report from The New York Times.

Newt Gingrich: Kamala Harris Most Likely to Be Nominated in 2020


CBS News: Former Republican congressman Newt Gingrich is weighing in on the 2020 race. The former House Speaker says he believes Senator Kamala Harris is most likely to win the Democratic nomination out of the 21 candidates running. He's also giving CBSN an inside scoop into his new book, "Collusion: A Novel."

Chabad of Poway Rabbi Says Call from Trump Was 'So Comforting'


Global News: Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was injured in the Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting, recounts the heroics of founding member Lori Kaye and an off-duty border patrol agent who helped disrupt the shooter. 

The 60-year-old Kaye was a founding member of a Southern California synagogue congregation that was targeted in an anti-Semitic attack as it gathered for a service on the last day of Passover.

Behind the Counter, a New Political Force Takes on the New York Post and Trump

 
Yemeni-American bodega owners in New York City organized a boycott of the newspaper over what they see as anti-Muslim bias.

Click here for the report.

Source: The New York Times

Democrats in N.Y. Find Unexpected Foe in Campaign Finance Overhaul


An effort in New York to provide public financing for elections has laid bare divisions among Democrats and the unions that typically support them.  

Click here for the report. 

Source: The New York Times

Cuomo: 'Unlike You, President Trump, New York is Not Afraid to Stand Up to the NRA'


Statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Response to President Trump

"President Trump: Since December 2012 there have been 2,029 mass shootings in the United States. 74,600 Americans have died from gun violence since you were elected. You have done nothing but tweet about it.

"The scourge of gun violence is a national crisis plaguing our country and killing our children. It demands action. And action, Mr. President, requires true leadership.

"The only thing illegal is the gun lobby's insurance scheme. Unlike you, President Trump, New York is not afraid to stand up to the NRA. I will continue to fight for the children of this state. As for the NRA, we'll remember them in our thoughts and prayers."

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo 

Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Challenge Your Property Assessment

 
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded property owners—homeowners and businesses—that the deadline to challenge their property assessment is the fourth Tuesday in May in most communities.

That day, May 28 this year, is known as Grievance Day.


Tentative assessment rolls, which list the assessed value of each property, are generally made public in the beginning of May. You can access the rolls on your town’s or city’s website, or by visiting your local assessor’s office.

“This is the time to verify that the market value determined for your property is fair and accurate,” said Executive Deputy Commissioner Andrew Morris. “If you wait until your tax bill arrives, it’s too late to challenge the value assigned to your property, or to ensure that you’re receiving all the exemptions you deserve.”

If you believe the market value listed on the assessment roll for your property is significantly higher than the price for which the property could be sold, visit the Tax Department’s Contest your assessment webpage.

Your local Board of Assessment Review will review your case based on the information you provide. When you file for an assessment review, you must provide a market-value estimate of your property. You can support that estimate with documentation about the sale of comparable homes or properties in your community. A recent appraisal can be helpful, but isn’t necessary.

Visit the Tax Department’s How to estimate the market value of your home webpage for more information.

Property tax exemptions on the assessment roll

Assessment rolls also list the property tax exemptions each property receives. If you applied for an exemption that you’re eligible to receive and it doesn’t appear on the assessment roll, you can use the grievance process to appeal to the local Board of Assessment Review. (Exception: If the exemption is a STAR exemption that has been denied at the Tax Department’s direction, you may only appeal the denial to the Tax Department).

Dates vary

While Grievance Day is the fourth Tuesday in May in most communities, the date does vary. Confirm the date with your assessor. You can find assessor contact information in the Tax Department’s Municipal Profiles application. Search for or browse to your city or town, and then select Local Officials Addresses.

Resource information: find assessments on your city or town website; learn about the information on the assessment roll; and watch videos about assessments and the grievance process.

Source: The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Synagogue Shooting 'An Affront to Humanity,' Poway Mayor Says


CBS News: Steve Vaus, the mayor of Poway, California, spoke to CBSN about the deadly shooting at Chabad of Poway that left one person dead and three others injured. He called the shooting "an affront to humanity" and said hate "has no place" in his city.