This 8-year-old Philadelphia girl became a barber before even starting
the 2nd grade. Now she gives free haircuts to neighborhood kids -- but
she has big dreams of cutting one celebrity's hair.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Governor Cuomo Delivers Remarks at Global Citizen Festival NY
This video was published on YouTube on September 29.
Source: NYGovCuomo
LGBTQ Info: Mayor de Blasio Holds Hearing on Intro. 954-A
Intro. 954-A, allowing individuals to change the sex designation on their birth records to conform with their gender identity.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
NY: Report and Advisory Board Review Commission Meeting #3
This video was published on YouTube on September 28.
A meeting of the Report and Advisory Board Review Commission was held on
September 26, 2018. In attendance were representatives from the Mayor’s
Office of Operations, the City Council, the Law Department, the
Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, the Office
of Management and Budget, and the Department of Records and Information
Services.
The Commission is tasked with reviewing the City's reporting and meeting
requirements, and making recommendation as to which should be waived in
the future.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
NYPD Sergeant Says Promotion to Lieutenant Was Blocked Due to His Support of Colin Kaepernick
A New York Daily News Exclusive
An
outspoken NYPD sergeant says his promotion to lieutenant was blocked
Friday because he backed Colin Kaepernick’s protests, the Daily News has
learned.
Sgt. Edwin Raymond, who scored No. 26 out of 1,325 sergeants on the lieutenants’ test, was supposed to be promoted if not for questionable allegations filed by cops in his command regarding his handling of two domestic violence complaints, he says.
“It is unfortunate. I did a press conference in support of Colin Kaepernick, using his status to put a spotlight on issues in policing that need to be fixed,” Raymond, 33, told The News. “Because of the controversy a lot of cops criticized him. Me being aligned with him was seen as standing with the enemy.”
Ed Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said the case is yet another example of a double standard ingrained in the NYPD’s disciplinary system.
“Decisions
are made on the sly, and there are people who have pending charges and
still get promoted, and others whose promotions are held back for
reasons that are never explained,” Mullins said. “If this doesn’t appear
to be retaliation, then I don’t know what is.”
Click here for the full article.
Legislation Signed Allowing Pets on Public Transportation in a State of Emergency and Evacuation
Governor Andrew Cuomo today signed legislation (S.7112/A.4956) to authorize pets boarding any public transportation service in the event of a state of emergency and evacuation. This legislation expands existing law to include Port Authority Public Transportation and is consistent with current emergency operation plans pertaining to the needs of animals and pet owners.
"For many New Yorkers, their pets are members of their families, and no one should be forced to abandon them in the event of an evacuation," Governor Cuomo said. "I'm proud to sign this commonsense, humane legislation to bring comfort to pet owners in times of distress."
During Superstorm Sandy, many pet owners refused to evacuate when requested because they could not take their companion animals with them to safety. This situation to refuse evacuation not only jeopardized the lives of residents and defenseless pets, but also the emergency personnel struggling to evacuate them.
Senator Andrew Lanza said, "I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this bill into law. Last year we worked together to ensure that pets could be transported on MTA buses and trains in the event of a state of emergency evacuation order. This bill expands the scope, ensuring that the same companion animal measures are in place for all public transportation provided through the Port Authority. This law will help ensure that the lives of residents, defenseless pets and emergency personnel struggling to assist with evacuations are not unnecessarily jeopardized."
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal said, "Pets are like family, and no one should be expected to leave a beloved family member behind to fend for themselves in a natural disaster. This law will ensure that all New Yorkers - both two- and four-legged - can escape to safety on all available means of public transportation, including those operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"For many New Yorkers, their pets are members of their families, and no one should be forced to abandon them in the event of an evacuation," Governor Cuomo said. "I'm proud to sign this commonsense, humane legislation to bring comfort to pet owners in times of distress."
During Superstorm Sandy, many pet owners refused to evacuate when requested because they could not take their companion animals with them to safety. This situation to refuse evacuation not only jeopardized the lives of residents and defenseless pets, but also the emergency personnel struggling to evacuate them.
Senator Andrew Lanza said, "I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this bill into law. Last year we worked together to ensure that pets could be transported on MTA buses and trains in the event of a state of emergency evacuation order. This bill expands the scope, ensuring that the same companion animal measures are in place for all public transportation provided through the Port Authority. This law will help ensure that the lives of residents, defenseless pets and emergency personnel struggling to assist with evacuations are not unnecessarily jeopardized."
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal said, "Pets are like family, and no one should be expected to leave a beloved family member behind to fend for themselves in a natural disaster. This law will ensure that all New Yorkers - both two- and four-legged - can escape to safety on all available means of public transportation, including those operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
'SUNY Votes' Initiative Launched
In
support of greater student participation in the forthcoming state and federal
elections this November, the SUNY Student Assembly- in partnership with the
State University of New York- has launched a multi-pronged “SUNY Votes”
Initiative.
The
initiative has three primary components- promoting voter registration, informing
students on where and how to vote, and sharing information on the races and
candidates for statewide and legislative office that will appear on the ballot.
To
promote voter registration, the Student Assembly has partnered with campus
student governments to host on-campus voter registration events, where students
can fill out the necessary paperwork to become registered voters.
Through
many conversations with students, the Student Assembly learned that a key
reason many students choose not to vote, even if they are registered, is a lack
of information on the races and candidates on the ballot- particularly in
midterm and off-year elections. Students need access to information on the responsibilities
of the various elected offices on the ballot, and the biographies and platforms
of the various candidates running for those offices, in order to make an
informed choice in the voting booth.
The
Student Assembly and SUNY have partnered with BallotReady, a non-partisan
start-up, to create an exclusive online platform where SUNY Students can go
through a sample ballot ahead of Election Day and learn about the races and
candidates up this year. Students will also be given information through this
SUNY Votes online platform, on where their polling location is, and how to
request an absentee ballot.
“We
have heard time and time again that young people do not turn out to vote- but I
know for a fact that is not because they care less about the issues facing our
state and nation,” said Michael Braun, President of the SUNY Student Assembly
and Trustee on the SUNY Board. “Students want to be responsible voters, to be
able to go to into the voting booth confident that they are making the right
choices based on their values. Through our SUNY Votes Initiative, we will help
students across our state make these hugely impactful decisions.”
The
SUNY Votes Initiative will continue through Election Day 2018.
Source: SUNY SA
Monday, October 1, 2018
Former Newspaper Editor's Novel Examines the Crash of Flight 587
Howard Schwach, a retired teacher, had already authored several young adult educational books, when he became the managing editor of a local community newspaper. He turned on his police scanner on the morning of November 12, 2001 and heard the first news that a large commercial aircraft had crashed four blocks from his home. The tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 587 became the genesis of the novel "American 587 Heavy: A Novel of Terrorism and Betrayal".
Synopsis: Ron Staller was a happy man. The retired teacher had, shortly before the 9-11 terrorist attacks, become the editor and publisher of the “Beachcomber,” a community paper in New York City’s borough of Queens. Now, two months later, Staller was on his way to work when his quiet life literally crashed on his head in the guise of American Airlines Flight 587. While state and federal officials were quick to say that the deadly crash was an accident caused by the erratic flying skills of the first officer, dozens of locals eyewitnesses, many of them police officers and firefighters, thought differently. Staller, working with local police detectives, is driven to believe that there was more to the crash than what was reported by the NTSB and other federal agencies. Working hard on the evidence and thwarted by federal agencies, the detectives, joined by a suspicious NTSB investigator, Staller’s police sergeant son and a Muslim Newsday reporter, begin to see the truth. Will the government, however, allow that truth to be told.
Did the first officer cause the crash by overflying the rudder? Did a design defect cause the tail to fall off over Jamaica Bay? Was terrorism involved? Read and decide for yourself!
Source: outskirtspress.com
Did the first officer cause the crash by overflying the rudder? Did a design defect cause the tail to fall off over Jamaica Bay? Was terrorism involved? Read and decide for yourself!
Source: outskirtspress.com
A Warning for Every Broadcast News Organization in America
Good Night, and Good Luck was released in November of 2005 and directed by George Clooney. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Plot: In the early 1950s, the threat of Communism created an air of
paranoia in the United States and exploiting those fears was Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. However, CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly
decided to take a stand and challenge McCarthy and expose him for the
fearmonger he was. However, their actions took a great personal toll on
both men, but they stood by their convictions and helped to bring down
one of the most controversial senators in American history. (Source: IMDb)
In this scene, Murrow, portrayed by David Strathairn, explains what will happen if networks and their executives continue to dismiss honesty, integrity and truth-telling for entertainment and ratings. Keep in mind that Murrow issued the warning in the late 1950s.
G-Man
New 'Dark Money' Documentary Shines Light Into the Shadows Cast by the Super-Rich
By Jon Schwarz
If you, like most Americans, believe you’re being screwed by
the U.S. political system, and would like to know exactly how the
screwing functions, tune into “Dark Money,”
a new documentary premiering Monday, October 1 on PBS. The film,
directed by Kimberly Reed, is one of the most expert dissections ever
conducted of the subterranean tentacles quietly strangling U.S.
democracy. (“Dark Money” was co-funded by Topic Studios, which is part
of First Look Media, along with The Intercept.)
The movie is largely about the last decade of politics in Montana.
This long-term, close-to-the-ground focus is cinematically unique, and
makes it possible for “Dark Money” to illuminate three startling facts
about how America now works.
First, the corporate hard-right is systematically investing in
politics at an incredibly granular level, down to state and local races.
Second, they’re not just trying to crush Democrats. Leaked documents
examined in the movie show conspirators discussing a plan to “purge” all
Republicans who don’t share their worldview — an ideology so
conservative that it hasn’t been seen in full flower in the U.S. for 100
years. In fact, the politicians who appear in the film are largely
Republicans who’ve been successfully targeted for the right-wing purge,
who speak wistfully about Montana’s evaporating history as a small-d
democracy.
Third, dark money, while just one tributary of the Mississippi of
cash flowing through the U.S. political system, is a key tool of the
corporate right. It gets its name from the fact that certain kinds of
nonprofit corporations — unlike political campaigns and even Super PACs —
currently do not have to disclose their donors.
Click here for the full article.
A Preview of the New Supreme Court Term
Bloomberg News Supreme Court reporter Greg Stohr previewed the new Supreme Court term that began that day.
Click here for video.
Juan Williams Discusses 'What the Hell Do You Have to Lose?'
Author and Fox News Political Analyst Juan Williams discusses his latest book, What the Hell Do You Have to Lose? Trump’s War on Civil Rights.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Should Democrats or Republicans Be Optimistic for Midterm Elections?
This report was published on YouTube on September 30.
Source: PBS NewsHour
'Future Hope' Column: (Dr.) Kavanaugh and Mr. Judge
By Ted Glick
Watching
Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate committee last Thursday
reminded me of Spencer Tracy in the movie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Tracy
played the character of a psychotically sick, middle-aged man, a
mild-mannered, well-respected medical doctor operating within London’s
elite society who had a very, very dark side when it came to substance
abuse and abuse of women.
It
wasn’t easy to watch Kavanaugh as he went on and on. He seemed to be on
the verge of an emotional breakdown from beginning to end. Multiple
times he came close to crying out loud. He must have reached for water
15 times. His facial expressions, what looked like his tongue constantly
moving back and forth and up and down inside his mouth, as well as his
over-the-top anger, did not come across well in the important category
for a Supreme Court judge of “temperament.”
Kavanaugh
was so upset because his cover was blown by three courageous women who
charged that they had been victimized by him when he was a young man
palling around with Mark Judge, an admitted former alcoholic of dubious
character.
I
don’t know if Kavanaugh’s apparent behavior in high school and college
continued as he grew older. But it is a fact that he is a former clerk, a
co-worker in the Bush administration and a long-time friend of former
Appellate Judge Alex Kozinski, “known to sexually harass his clerks.”
Click here for the full article.
Source: tedglick.com
SPLC President: Kavanaugh's Lies Should Disqualify Him from the Supreme Court
The following statement was submitted by Richard Cohen, President of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
Christine Blasey Ford's testimony last week was not simply credible,
it was compelling. From Brett Kavanaugh, we heard repeated lies.
He lied about making disparaging references to teenage girls in his high school yearbook.
He lied when he tried to minimize his history of heavy drinking.
Earlier, he almost certainly lied when
he denied having access to files that were obviously stolen from
Democratic senators when he worked in the Bush administration.
His lies and his temperament — screaming at senators about a
wide-ranging conspiracy against him — prove that he has absolutely no
business on the Supreme Court of the United States.
This week, the fate of the Supreme Court apparently rests on a
handful of senators whose votes are not yet known. Here is their contact
information:
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Phone: (202) 224-4521
Phone: (202) 224-4521
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Phone: (202) 224-3954
Phone: (202) 224-3954
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Phone: (202) 224-6665
Phone: (202) 224-6665
Please call them and let them know that lying is not acceptable for a
Supreme Court justice. Urge them to vote “no” on Kavanaugh’s
nomination.
Raise the Age Law Now in Effect in New York
Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that the Raise the Age law is now in effect. The law removes 16-year-olds who have committed a criminal act as of midnight today from the adult criminal justice system and places them in age-appropriate settings where they can receive needed services and treatment to avoid recidivism. Those 16-year-olds who are arrested for non-violent offenses will have the same opportunities for diversion and community-based services as youth 15 and under. Meanwhile, 16-year-olds charged with serious offenses will be processed as adolescent offenders in a Youth Part of criminal court and placed in specialized secure detention facilities for adolescents instead of adult jails. The law will extend to 17-year-olds on October 1, 2019.
"At a time when President Trump and this federal government are taking us backward, New York is moving forward with bold criminal justice reform," Governor Cuomo said. "By raising the age of criminal responsibility, New York is putting an end to an injustice that falls disproportionately on people of color and once again proving that we are the progressive beacon for the nation. In New York, we will never stop fighting for a more equal and more just society for all."
"New York is leading the nation with our bold progressive agenda, while the Trump administration and Republicans in Washington continue to threaten our progress and our values," Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. "We're raising the age of criminal responsibility to remove 16 and 17-year-olds from the adult criminal justice system and place them in settings with proper services and treatment. We championed this cause of ending the injustice of treating teenagers as adults. Now we must extend justice and fairness to those who are held before trial simply because they cannot make bail. We will continue to fight to ensure that people of color and individuals in high-needs communities are given equal opportunities to live their lives to the fullest."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"At a time when President Trump and this federal government are taking us backward, New York is moving forward with bold criminal justice reform," Governor Cuomo said. "By raising the age of criminal responsibility, New York is putting an end to an injustice that falls disproportionately on people of color and once again proving that we are the progressive beacon for the nation. In New York, we will never stop fighting for a more equal and more just society for all."
"New York is leading the nation with our bold progressive agenda, while the Trump administration and Republicans in Washington continue to threaten our progress and our values," Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. "We're raising the age of criminal responsibility to remove 16 and 17-year-olds from the adult criminal justice system and place them in settings with proper services and treatment. We championed this cause of ending the injustice of treating teenagers as adults. Now we must extend justice and fairness to those who are held before trial simply because they cannot make bail. We will continue to fight to ensure that people of color and individuals in high-needs communities are given equal opportunities to live their lives to the fullest."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Iran Strike on Syria: A Move by Iran 'To Send a Message to Rivals in Syria'?
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Theresa May 'Wishes She Wasn't Here' as Conservative Party Conference Kicks Off
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Friday, September 28, 2018
Former White Supremacist Mourns the Death of His Black Godmother
Scott Shepherd is pictured with Rebecca Scott Hawkins, the woman he credits with saving his life. "I love and miss her so much already," said Shepherd.
By Gary Glennell Toms
If there were organizations or individuals with racist views, chances are Scott Shepherd was closely associated with them. Shepherd, who spent the early part of his life in Mississippi and Texas, attended college in Mississippi and Georgia.
If there were organizations or individuals with racist views, chances are Scott Shepherd was closely associated with them. Shepherd, who spent the early part of his life in Mississippi and Texas, attended college in Mississippi and Georgia.
After
graduating, he relocated to Memphis, Tennessee; where he was introduced
to the white nationalist movement and went on to obtain a high-ranking
leadership position within a number of white nationalist organizations.
Shepherd was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan and served as Imperial
Wizard, Grand Wizard, and national leader of the Omerta Knights of the
Ku Klux Klan.
His
other affiliations included the National Association for the
Advancement of White People and The European-American Unity Rights
Organization, both founded by former Louisiana Congressman and Klansman
David Duke.
In
effort to teach what he described as "uneducated" whites about the
movement, Shepherd created The National White Rights Association and The
White Rights Organization. The Mississippi native also had connections
to "pro-white" organizations in South Africa and other countries. These
connections included extremist and anti-government groups. Some were
labeled militia or mercenary groups and were considered paramilitary,
such as The Civilian Material Assistance Group (CMA), an anti-government
and anti-Communist organization with operations in Central America.
Shepherd
was a candidate for state representative and governor in the state of
Tennessee in the late 80's and early 90's and proudly campaigned as a
white nationalist.
Today,
Scott Shepherd has a very different view on race in America, which is
largely due to a 10-day stint in a county jail in Nashville and
interactions with people of color. He now speaks out against the white
nationalist movement and other racist organizations he loved and
supported. The man who spent the majority of his life vehemently
campaigning for racial separation has become an advocate for racial
harmony and the recipient of numerous death threats from individuals and
organizations associated with the white nationalist movement. Despite
the threats to his life, he is determined to prevent others, especially
young people, from falling victim to the propaganda and recruitment
tactics used by the white nationalist movement and other racist groups.
Shepherd credits his lifelong relationship with his godmother, Rebecca Scott Hawkins,
as part of the reason for what many have described as "an incredible
transformation". On September 27 of this year, Hawkins, whom family and
friends lovingly called "Miss Becky", passed away peacefully in her
sleep. She would have celebrated her 104th birthday on October 3. "I'll
never be able to explain how this compassionate, loving and remarkable
woman impacted my life, and to say I love her would be an
understatement. "I'm so thankful to have had her in my life.," Shepherd stated.
"Miss Becky" and Shepherd during her 103rd birthday celebration.
The former Klansman also noted that Miss Becky was always there and never turned her back
on him, even when he was doing and saying the most hateful things as an
international spokesman for the movement. "Without question, it was her
faith in God, her faith in me, and her love that brought me through
those dark years," he said. "Heaven gained a new angel today. I, and my
family, will miss her dearly.
She was my backbone, my source of strength and my heart! She was a
mother and grandmother who, all around, held my heart. I love and miss
her so much
already, and I ask that people please pray for her family and mine. Fly
high, Becky. You
deserved it all. I love you, and I always will."
'Jobs Alliance,' Funded by Trump Backer, Tries to Block Gas Plants That Would Bring Jobs to West Virginia
Murray Energy, one of the nation’s largest coal producers, is paying for lawyers trying to block natural gas plants that would support a growing industry.
by Ken Ward Jr., The Charleston Gazette-Mail
This article was produced in partnership with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network.
Three years ago, a group of residents in West Virginia’s
northern panhandle formed a new group, the Ohio Valley Jobs Alliance,
and declared themselves a “voice for local jobs.”
A few months later, however, the group’s first major action was aimed not at creating jobs, but at blocking them.
In November 2015, the alliance, known as the OVJA, filed a legal appeal to challenge a key permit for construction of the Moundsville Power project, a natural gas-fired plant in Marshall County.
The move was puzzling. Backers of Moundsville Power
said the project would be a significant boost for the area, providing
500 jobs annually during a three-year construction period and 30
permanent jobs once it was operational. Supporters said the project was a
way for residents to capture more economic gains from West Virginia’s booming natural gas industry.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
Challenged by Long Island Lawmakers, Police Will Look Into Treatment of Immigrant Families Who Reported Missing Children
Spurred by reporting from ProPublica, Newsday and This American Life, Suffolk County police will revisit cases in which parents allege misconduct.
At the behest of county lawmakers, the Suffolk County Police
Department said Thursday it will look into what went wrong when Latino
families came to the department in 2016 and 2017, desperate for help
finding teenage children who had disappeared, only to have their
concerns ignored and their children labeled runaways.
It turned out that many of the missing had been murdered by members
of the gang MS-13, some of them buried in Suffolk County woods known as
the gang’s “killing fields.”
The county executive and the head of the Police Department also have
agreed to meet with advocates for immigrant and Latino Long Islanders in
the coming days.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
SPLC Report: Racial Profiling in Law Enforcement is Widespread Across Louisiana
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has unearthed evidence of widespread racial profiling in Louisiana and
found that law enforcement agencies across the state have failed to
create policies to prevent it. Louisiana’s incarceration rate is among
the highest in the nation, and the targeting of people of color
undoubtedly contributes to the disproportionate imprisonment of African
Americans in this state.
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: SPLC
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