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Will a Crime Wave in this PA City Shape the Election Outcome?

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By Tyler Day- RealClearWire

Scranton, the Electric City and boyhood home of President Joe Biden, will likely figure in the political headlines throughout the 2024 election season. That’s largely because it’s located in Northeastern Pennsylvania – one of the swingiest areas of arguably the most important swing state. The city received visits from both major party candidates during the 2020 campaign and has already seen a two-day presidential visit in 2024.

A prominent issue for Scranton and its surrounding communities is violent crime. During the first five months of 2024, the city recorded five homicides, far exceeding any annual total in recent memory. During all of 2023, Scranton saw three homicides, and in the years prior, it recorded one to two homicides per year. It wasn’t uncommon for the city to see zero homicides in a year, as it did in 2019.

Scranton residents are not used to this type of carnage so close to home. In March, a young man, Jose Miguel Tatis-Camilo, was shot during an armed robbery of a gas station convenience store; he died a few days later. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A few days later, a man was killed in his home during a drug-related robbery. In April, a gang-related beating and shooting took place near a city park that resulted in one dead. Later in April, in a dispute between two siblings, a man took his brother’s life. Finally, in May, an unresponsive male was found in a car; he had been shot following a drug deal gone bad.

Other acts of violence have also unnerved Scrantonians. Car theft has been rampant; one resident was carjacked at gunpoint. The year 2024 got off to a horrible start when Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin was shot twice in the head during a police investigation of gang-related shootings early on a January morning. Miraculously, the detective survived. Later that month, a juvenile was detained outside of Scranton High School with a firearm; he had planned to shoot a rival gang member. In April, attendees at a Scranton Preparatory School lacrosse game had to be escorted to their vehicles by police following gunshots nearby. In June, Scranton police and S.W.A.T. team members faced gunfire when responding to a domestic incident.

Scranton residents are wondering when the lawlessness will end. County commissioners recently approved sectioning off a wing of the county jail to hold juveniles since there is no more space at juvenile detention facilities.

The crime wave has been eye-opening for many longtime Scranton residents. Until recently, gang issues and shootings were not a concern for most. It’s true that many areas across the United States have seen an uptick in crime since the pandemic, and it is also true that many other small to midsize cities would be envious of Scranton’s relative safety, even now. That’s little consolation, though, for residents now fearful to walk around their own neighborhoods.

It remains to be seen if crime concerns will have an impact on the electorate. National polls consistently show that voters trust Republicans, often by wide margins, to handle crime. Most Scranton area Democrats, who have controlled city and county government for decades, take a more tough on crime and pro-police stance than many of their vocal, far-left counterparts in other areas of the country.

The Scranton area may be critical in races that decide the balance of power in Congress. Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey is, like Biden, a Scranton native. He faces a tough battle for reelection against Republican Dave McCormick.

The area is also home to one of the most competitive U.S. House races, where newcomer Rob Bresnahan is running against longtime Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright. Scranton and its surrounding communities are key to Cartwright’s reelection chances. If the general election results in the Scranton area are a few shades of blue lighter than normal in this traditionally Democratic area, it may be enough to put Bresnahan over the top, since the rest of the district is more friendly to the Republican.

The crime concerns could even have an impact on a critical statehouse race. Currently, Democrats hold a one-seat advantage in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The 118th District is one of the top seats Republicans are looking to flip. The 118th, represented by Rep. Jim Haddock, does not include Scranton but does include towns that directly border it. It’s easy to imagine voters there being concerned about violence spilling over into their communities.

The editorial board at one local newspaper isn’t having any of this, though. In its May 26, 2024, edition, the paper urged readers: “Don’t buy the rhetoric; crime is down across the board.” The editorial declares that public concerns about crime are “overblown,” magnified by “partisan rhetoric.” The paper assures Scrantonians that “our neighborhoods are safer than they have been in more than a decade.”

Come November, we’ll find out whether the paper or the public is right about crime in Scranton. And that verdict may well have ramifications beyond Pennsylvania’s sixth-largest city.

This article was originally published by RealClearPennsylvania and made available via RealClearWire.

IDF ordered to immediately draft thousands of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students

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shutterstock

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli military must begin the immediate drafting of thousands of yeshiva students, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructed the IDF following a landmark ruling by Israel’s high court.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled against the Israeli government’s decision to continue to issue annual draft deferments to full-time yeshiva students and to fund students relying on the deferments despite the court’s striking down of the draft law years earlier.

“The state does not have the authority to instruct a broad exemption from service and in the absence of a law, funding cannot be made from state coffers for yeshiva students who were not legally exempt from service,” the court ruled, noting that no new draft law had been passed since the prior one was struck down seven years ago.

Later on Tuesday, Baharav-Miara wrote to the IDF and various government ministries instructing them to begin implementing the court’s ruling, and demanding the immediate drafting of 3,000 yeshiva students and the freezing of funding for yeshiva students who are now liable for the draft.

Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon wrote that the army “is obligated to act immediately to implement the ruling to draft yeshiva students who are obligated to perform military service, in accordance with the needs of the army and its capabilities, and in accordance with its commitment to draft 3,000 recruits.”

In 2017, the court tossed out a 2015 Knesset law which largely restored the deferments system as it existed prior to a 2014 law, which encouraged yeshiva students to enlist in the military and set quotas for ultra-Orthodox recruitment.

While the court had granted delays in the implementation of the ruling due to the political quagmire of 2019-2020, the coronavirus pandemic, and the outbreak of the Gaza war, it refused to further extend the struck-down 2015 draft law beyond June.

An estimated 63,000 full-time yeshiva students are potentially eligible for the draft, the IDF has said, though the military is unable to induct more than 3,000 at this time.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders and media outlets quickly condemned Tuesday’s ruling, calling it a ‘declaration of war’ on the community.

The ruling constitutes a “shattering of the status quo and declaration of war on the Torah world,” wrote Hamodia, mouthpiece of the Hasidic faction within the Knesset’s United Torah Judaism party.

2 Jewish toddlers murdered in Lakewood

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Police in New Jersey. (Shutterstock)

By World Israel News Staff/TJV NEWS

The Jewish community in Lakewood, New Jersey is reeling Wednesday after two young girls were murdered in their home Tuesday evening.

The incident occurred at the home of a well-known ultra-Orthodox Jewish family in the largely Orthodox enclave, when the two girls were drowned and stabbed in their home.

Both of the victims are said to be under the age of three.

 A mother in of the children has been charged with murder in the deaths of her two young children, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday.

Naomi Elkins, 27, of Lakewood Township, is accused of stabbing her 1-year-old child and drowning her 3-year-old.

New Jersey News 12 cited several neighbors who claimed that the girls were murdered by their mother before the information was released to the media

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ocean County Sherriff’s Office have launched an investigation into the murders.

“Our community has experienced a devastating tragedy and we understand that many of you have contacted us and wonder why we did not post about it,” Lakewood’s ultra-Orthodox leadership said in a statement.

“We want to assure you that our decision not to share the news is deliberate and guided by the wisdom of our rabbis who advised us to prioritize sensitivity and compassion at this difficult time.”

“In times of tragedy, our focus should be on supporting the families and individuals affected, rather than spreading news for clicks or attention. We believe that some things are too painful and hurtful to share without justifiable reason, and we choose to follow our elders’ instructions and the principles of common sense and the Torah.”

 

NBC: Biden’s Deputies Hunt for 50+ Migrants Delivered by Islamic State-Tied Smugglers

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Joe Biden (YouTube screenshot)

By Neil Munro

President Joe Biden’s deputies are hunting for at least 50 migrants who were delivered by a smuggling network with a claimed “tie” to the Islamic State jihad network.

NBC News reported the official leak two days before the 2024 presidential debate:

The Department of Homeland Security has identified over 400 immigrants who have come to the U.S. from Central Asia and elsewhere as “subjects of concern” because they were brought by an ISIS-affiliated human smuggling network, three U.S. officials tell NBC News.
While over 150 of them have been arrested, the whereabouts of over 50 remain unknown, the officials said, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is looking to arrest them on immigration charges when they are located.

The alarm follows Biden’s deliberate policy to admit millions of unidentifiable migrant men from more than 150 countries around the world. The inflow includes tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan, which was the home base for Al Qaeda’s attack on the Twin Towers in 2001.

Since the start of Fiscal Year 2021, almost 400 migrants who appear on the Terrorist Watch List have been detained along the border attempting to enter the United States.

In mid-June, the acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency told NewsNation that border agents often have no background information on the people who are caught and then released under Biden’s pro-migration policies.

RELATED — A Literal WAVE on the Rio Grande: Illegal Immigrants Wade Their Way into U.S.

Corrie Boudreaux via Storyful

“It’s quite common where there’s just nothing, where you don’t have anything, there’s no criminal convictions, there’s no threat information, or whatever on these individuals,” Patrick Lechleitner said.

“As soon as we become aware of any information, like this case we’re working and collaborating with the FBI, we went out and got them,” he said.

However, the accuracy, timing, and purpose of the leak claim to NBC are unclear.

The leaked report may be designed to help freeze or flush out the 50 remaining migrants, most of whom are likely working in jobs to pay their families’ smuggling debts.

There is no evidence in the NBC article to indicate if officials are exaggerating or downplaying the danger.

For example, the label — “ISIS-affiliated human smuggling network” — does not say if the network sought to smuggle jihadis into the United States, or if a former jihadi once used it to escape the region.

RELATED — NY Sheriff: We Need More Border Agents up North, ‘There Aren’t Enough People’ to Cover the Area

Overall, the article includes much tepid language that suggests officials want to downplay the terrorism risks while also showing the public that they are doing something:

The official added that since ICE began arresting migrants brought to the U.S. by the ISIS-linked smuggling group several months ago, no information has emerged tying them to a threat to the U.S. homeland.

Carelessness enforced by top government officials allowed migrant jihadis to destroy the Twin Towers in 2001, eight years after a similar had failed.

Since then, jihadi groups and individuals have repeatedly attacked nightclubs, offices, and political meetings.

Nonetheless, Biden’s pro-migration border chief, Alejandro Mayorkas, has welcomed millions of illegals and has chosen to not deport them until after they attack or rob innocent Americans.

Mayorkas is also trying to keep a lid on public concerns about his policy to import foreign workers, renters, and consumers — including many criminals and some potential terrorists.

RELATED — EXCLUSIVE: Migrants Push Small Children Under Texas Razor Wire as Thousand Cross Border

Randy Clark / Breitbart

There have been a few reports about Mayorkas scooping up various migrants from AfghanistanUzbekistanTajikistan — and deporting them.

But Mayorkas has been silent about a May 3 incident at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. In that incident, a truck was stopped at the gate and two men were detained. Since then, Mayorkas has ignored numerous requests for information from Republicans in Congress.

Todd Bensman at the Center for Immigration Studies reported on June 25:

Republican lawmakers have lodged five deadline information requests to President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security for information that would enlighten the American public about a Jordanian border-crosser’s May 3 truck-ramming attack on the Quantico Marine Corps Base in northern Virginia along with a co-conspirator here on a student visa.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has stiff-armed every one of them with a silent treatment that has infuriated Republican lawmakers who regard the thwarted Quantico truck attack as having propelled the out-of-control Southwest Border mass migration crisis, now in its fourth year, to a top-tier national security matter requiring urgent redress.
The border-crosser was one of two Jordanians claiming to be Amazon deliverymen who drove a large box truck to the base’s front gate and then hit the gas when diverted for investigation and despite “halt” orders. Marine sentries hit a button that deployed road obstructions, thwarting the Virginia base attack, then arrested the pair and turned them over to immigration officers.

“Biden spent three-and-a-half years chumming the water — now the sharks are here,” Rep. Brian Babbin (R-TX) told Bensman. “Biden is deliberately enabling the next 9/11-style attack on U.S. soil.”

NYC Public School Teachers Group Behind Pro-Hamas Walkouts Funded by Soros-Linked Foundation

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Teachers Unite is led by co-executive directors Charlotte Pope and Bella Week. The organization’s leadership has connections to the UFT, one of New York’s most influential and far-left wing unions. Credit: teachersunite.org

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A group of New York City public school teachers promoting pro-Hamas student walkouts has received significant funding from the Tides Foundation, a social justice philanthropy linked to billionaire George Soros, according to a report that appeared on Saturday in The New York Post. This revelation sheds light on the financial backing of controversial actions in the city’s public schools.

Teachers Unite, a registered non-profit organization based in Manhattan’s Financial District, was granted $11,000 in 2023 from the Tides Foundation, as was reported by The Post. This foundation is known for supporting progressive causes and initiatives. According to tax filings and the organization’s website, Teachers Unite aims to “develop the leadership skills of progressive educators” and combat the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

In recent months, Teachers Unite has been at the forefront of organizing and promoting anti-Israel walkouts in New York City public schools. The group has actively held organizing meetings across various schools and shared materials encouraging student participation. As per the information provided in The Post report, on their Instagram account, they posted an eight-page toolkit for walkout participants, featuring slogans like “Free Palestine from the river to the sea” and calls to “Protect teachers facing retaliation from administration and parents for teaching about Palestine.”

Teachers Unite is led by co-executive directors Charlotte Pope and Bella Week, who do not appear in city payroll records. The organization’s leadership has connections to the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), one of New York’s most influential and far-left wing unions. The Post reported that at least one recent board member of Teachers Unite is a UFT member, indicating a close relationship between the two entities.

In 2022, Teachers Unite reported nearly $400,000 in revenue, according to IRS filings. As indicated in The Post report, the salaries of the executive directors reflect their significant roles in the organization, with Bella Week earning $66,000 and Charlotte Pope receiving $12,000.

The involvement of Teachers Unite in promoting politically charged student walkouts has sparked controversy and debate. Critics argue that such actions politicize the educational environment and potentially disrupt the learning process. Supporters, however, see these activities as vital expressions of free speech and political activism, particularly concerning social justice and international issues.

The funding from the Tides Foundation aligns Teachers Unite with a broader network of progressive organizations supported by George Soros. As was described in The Post report, Soros’s philanthropic efforts often focus on social justice, education reform, and civil rights, making his involvement in this context both notable and contentious.

The group has received significant financial backing from several progressive foundations, including the Tides Foundation, Radfund, and the Communities Transforming Policing Fund.

The Post report saoid that the Radfund focuses on aiding “frontline communities” and addressing “structural inequality,” while the Communities Transforming Policing Fund promotes alternatives to traditional policing and incarceration.

According to their annual report, Teachers Unite derives 80% of its funding from these three groups and several other similar organizations.

The Tides Foundation also supports WESPAC, another nonprofit that funds Within Our Lifetime and National Students for Justice in Palestine. The Post reported that these groups have been active in organizing campus demonstrations since the October 7 attacks on Israel. The encampments and protests that emerged across universities this spring indicate a broader network of coordinated activism.

Most Alerts from the NYPD’s Gunfire Detection System are Unconfirmed Shooting

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A gunfire location and detection system long used by the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies nationwide is sending police officers to respond to loud noises that don’t turn out to be confirmed shootings 87 percent of the time

By: AP

A gunfire location and detection system long used by the New York Police Department and other law enforcement agencies nationwide is sending police officers to respond to loud noises that don’t turn out to be confirmed shootings 87 percent of the time, a city audit released Thursday has found.

The low rate of confirmed shootings through ShotSpotter means police officers spent thousands of working hours responding to unfounded reports of gunfire, said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, whose office conducted the audit.

“The evidence shows that NYPD is wasting precious time and money on this technology and needs to do a better job managing its resources,” he said in a statement. “Chasing down car backfires and construction noise does not make us safer.”

Among other recommendations, the Democrat called for the city not to renew its contract with SoundThinking, the California-based company that developed ShotSpotter, unless a more thorough performance evaluation is conducted.

The NYPD paid the company more than $45 million between 2014 and 2023, according to the comptroller’s office. A three-year renewal reached in 2021 would bring the total contract amount to nearly $55 million when it expires in December. The system utilizes more than 2,000 acoustic sensors to detect gunshot activity citywide.

A spokesperson for the NYPD referred to the department’s response, included at the end of the audit.

The seven-page reply says, among other things, that the comptroller analysis fails to acknowledge that officers responding to ShotSpotter alerts serve as a form of crime deterrent simply by investigating the scene.

It also says its difficult for the department to determine exactly how many ShotSpotter reports result in a “confirmed shooting” as those are only ones in which shell casings, firearms, property damage, videos, witnesses, victims or other forms of evidence are also identified.

SoundThinking, in an emailed statement, said its reviewing the report but believes it is “gravely misinformed in its assessment of data and the value of ShotSpotter as a critical public safety tool.”

The company argued that the comptroller’s office looked at the wrong metrics and that system is not just accurate and effective but also saves lives in communities hit hardest by gun violence.

“It should focus on full awareness of gunfire as it occurs, rapid response, and most importantly, lives saved,” the company said of the audit.

According to Lander’s audit, unconfirmed shootings ranged from 80% to 92% of alerts during the eight months that his office audited the system between 2022 and 2023. That resulted in police officers investigating more than 7,000 incidents that did not turn out to be confirmed shootings, the audit found.

More than 160 cities nationwide use ShotSpotter, according to the company’s website.

(AP)

Outrage Directed at DA Bragg After He Dropped Charges Against Columbia Protesters

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DA Alvin Bragg of Manhattan dropped charges for pro-Hamas insurrectionists. Credit: Wikipedia.org

By: Donny Simcha Guttman

Embattled, controversial District Attorney Alvin Bragg of Manhattan, last week dropped charges for pro-Hamas insurrectionists who illegally seized rooms in Columbia University a month ago. A representative from Bragg’s office said to the NY Post, “We bring charges based on the facts, evidence, and what is provable in a court of law, and the Office continues to prosecute an array of cases stemming from campus protests. As we said in court, the defendants whose cases were dismissed had no criminal history and there was extremely limited video evidence, which made it challenging to determine the specific actions of each individual.” In response, in recent days, Jewish and pro-Israel protesters have demonstrated their outrage against DA Bragg.

Yola Ashkenasie, a Jew who attends Columbia called Bragg’s decision to the Post “a betrayal of the safety and trust of all New Yorkers like myself. As a student, I witnessed the chaos and fear that gripped our campus. Students, especially those who lived on campus, feared for their safety, unsure if they or their dorm rooms were targets. Personally, I did not return to campus until graduation because of how physically aggressive and completely out of hand this incident became.” Columbia Professor Shai Davidai also said in response to Bragg, ”I’m appalled as a father. I’m appalled as a Jewish man. And I’m appalled as a taxpayer. This is what we pay for. We pay for that guy to do his job, and he refused to do it. It could be one of two things he gets to decide for himself. He’s either a coward or an antisemite. What I’ve been seeing all around the country is not just scary. It’s disgraceful, because once again, once again, we Jews are left to fend for ourselves.”

Protesters including Ashkenasie also recently protested in front of Bragg’s office with signs saying, “You can prosecute Trump but not masked Jew haters?” and with chants like, “Bragg, Bragg punish the crime, make these criminals do their time!” Bragg has in recent months been in the news mostly for his prosecution of former and possible future President Donald Trump, for what many have called “legal warfare.” The case’s legitimacy and legal standing have been questioned by constitutional experts like Jonathon Turley and others. Bragg has also controversially throughout his tenure been known for being an advocate of progressive criminal justice reform policies like not prosecuting “low-leveled” crimes like marijuana misdemeanors, refusal to pay for public transportation fare, prostitution, and resisting arrest.

Michelle Ahdoot, director of End Jew Hatred said to the Post on taking action against Bragg, “These criminals need trial and consequences. Alvin Bragg’s failure to impose consequences on these criminals, on these very anarchists, is paving the way for lawlessness everywhere. And if Bragg isn’t doing his job and refuses to prosecute for whatever reason, we don’t care what the reason is, then we’re asking the DOJ to take over— both to investigate and prosecute these crimes and to investigate Braggs’s failure to protect civil rights of minority New Yorkers, our Jewish civil rights.”

Since Hamas’s horrific attack against innocent civilians on October 7th, Israel has been fighting an existential defensive war against the terror group, but sympathetic liberal groups on college campuses, including on Columbia, have been setting up illegal encampments to support Hamas and “Palestinian rights.”

Fed-Up NYC Residents Roiled Over Crime Spike Linked to Illegal Aliens

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Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) told protesters at a recent rally, “There are other places now that the migrants from that base camp can go. We need to be able to go to our national park and enjoy it.” – Photo Credit: Facebook

By: Donny Simcha Guttman

In recent months, New York City has continued to accept illegal aliens as a result of the “right to shelter” law. The law requires the NYC government to provide anyone who needs housing with a place to stay. Illegal aliens have been placed in different “tent cities” throughout New York City including Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. As a result of a spike in crime, including a gun crime as reported in the NY Post recently, politicians and activists gathered to protest outside the Field. Fed-up residents including Brenda Lee of Marine Park told the Post, “Illegals are being prioritized over New Yorkers and many, many New Yorkers feel that this crisis is just not debatable and there’s no end in sight. We need to speak up about exactly what, you know, where this is gonna go and where, how is it going to end? Is it gonna end?”

As a result of these “tent cities” for illegals, local resources of the community have gotten redirected to those that violate US Immigration Law, instead of taxpayers like Lee. In response to the outrage, City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) told protesters at a recent rally, “There are other places now that the migrants from that base camp can go. We need to be able to go to our national park and enjoy it. That was taken from us. It’s been taken from us this summer and it must not be renewed.” City councilman Jaime Williams (R- Brooklyn), who also spoke at the rally said, “Today we’re saying ‘no more.’ It’s time that we take our community back, our city back, our state back. But let this be known that we are sending a very clear message to those individuals that are acting like thugs that we need our borders closed.”

The Post recently reported on domestic assaults, assault arrests, including a gun bust that police conducted on the site. On top of illegals breaking the law the moment they enter the country, these privileged criminals continue to break the law within the confines of housing paid by taxpayers. Besides the outpouring of crime that has resulted in these government-paid housing areas, dangerous weather throughout winter and the summer has caused the area to be evacuated multiple times. As former Republican mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa told protesters, “This isn’t about politics. It’s about what’s right and wrong. This rally says we support immigration – legal immigration. It’s not safe for the migrants. It’s a flood plain and it’s horrible for the neighborhood and the quality of life. We’re going to keep the pressure on until we close Floyd Bennett Field.” These crimes are on top of the recent murders by illegal aliens of Laken Riley and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.

The issue of illegal immigration continues to overflow America ever since President Joe Biden’s repeal of many Trump-era immigration policies, including Title 42, Remain in Mexico, etc. Illegal immigration rates at the border continue to skyrocket as a result of the Biden administration’s open embrace of open borders. In recent months, Biden and Democrats have proposed shutting down the border once there are 5,000 illegal encounters at the border.

NYC Food Delivery Workers Slam ‘Greedy Apps’ in Heated City Council Hearing

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City Council member Shaun Abreu said that the move cost delivery workers an estimated $85 million in lost gratuities. Credit: Facebook.com

By: Hadassa Kalatizadeh

On Friday, Grubhub, Doordash and UberEats were on the hot seat at a City Council hearing, in which seven laws were proposed to regulate the delivery business. As reported by the NY Post, the three- hour long City Council hearing featured complaints from delivery

drivers who griped about low tips and safety conditions. The proposed bills focused on safety and payment, with particular emphasis on gratuity and paycheck breakdowns for employees. Representatives from the food delivery apps were present, as were delivery drivers.

“We need protection against these greedy apps that care more about their profits than our safety,” Doordash deliveryman Antonio Solis told the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protections.

Last year, minimum wage laws for delivery workers, who had been considered essential workers during the pandemic, nearly tripled. Thereafter, Doordash and UberEats changed when they prompt customers to leave a tip, to after the order has already been placed.

The food delivery giants wanted to lighten the load on customers after having raised their own prices. City Council member Shaun Abreu said at Friday’s hearing that the move cost delivery workers an estimated $85 million in lost gratuities. Abreu proposed legislation that would require the apps to move the tipping page back to when the order is being placed. Abreu also took shots at how the apps disclose information about their pay rates, which changed after the minimum wage law took effect in April. “We want to know how people’s pay is being calculated,” Abreu said. “The fact that we are fighting these apps on this is insane.”

Meanwhile, Council member Oswald Feliz, introduced a proposal that would require delivery companies to provide free bikes to workers and to ensure that the bikes meet safety standards. “Last year we had 97 fires due to e-bikes,” Feliz said. “It’s not acceptable that [the big companies] look away and wait for someone else to resolve the issue.” If passed, New York would become the only city to implement a law forcing the apps to provide bikes.

Another proposed bill seeks to put the app companies on the hook to ensure that the mopeds are legally registered. A GrubHub representative pushed back on the proposal. “We are not the DMV or DOT and can’t enforce [that a moped] is properly registered and licensed,” the rep said.

Doordash responded with an email saying their customers have already pulled back because of the escalated delivery costs which came with the increase to the minimum wage. “We estimate that there have been more than 850,000 missed earnings opportunities for Dashers like you,” the email states. In the email, Doordash promised to eliminate tipping entirely if the proposals are enacted.

A spokesperson for Uber Eats told The Post that this year alone, customers have left $25 million in tips for the delivery drivers. “Instead of attempting to over-regulate one piece of the industry, the Council should focus on better pay and protections for the thousands of delivery workers who have no minimum wage, or a tipped minimum wage,” the rep said.

Uber Locks Out NYC Drivers to Dodge Minimum Wage Requirements

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Bhairavi Desai, president of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, represents 28,000 professional drivers in NYC. Credit: Wikipedia.org

By: Hadassa Kalatizadeh

Uber Technologies has started locking out New York City drivers from its app when there is low demand, in an effort to dodge a minimum wage rule. Lyft has also threatened to do the same. As reported by Crain’s NY, some NYC drivers say their wages have dropped by up to 50 percent.

Uber and Lyft are pointing to a six-year-old pay rule in New York that, among other objectives, forces the ride apps to pay drivers for their idle time in between rides. The lockouts, initiated in May, attempt to limit how much non-passenger time drivers can log and be paid for. As a result, drivers are complaining that they must now work longer hours to earn the same amount as before. The lockouts happen without warning or notice, so that drivers have a harder time planning work shifts and working with Uber as a full-time job. The lockouts can sometimes last more than an hour. An Uber spokesperson said that access to the app is dependent on rider demand at that specific time and place. If the demand falls too far below supply, the company will temporarily shut drivers out.

Nikoloz Tsulukidze, who drives full time for Uber, said that he has been getting shut out of the app four or five times a day. “I used to work 10 hours and make $300 to $350,” Tsulukidze said. “Now, I just worked 10 hours and barely made $170. I was so disappointed.

I’m paying for my gas and cannot make money.” Similarly, Wesly Dorsainvil, another full-time Uber driver, said he used to earn between $300 and $400 per shift, but lately has been making between just $170 and about $200.

Bhairavi Desai, president of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, which represents 28,000 professional drivers in NYC, commented saying Uber “mismanaged” by initially allowing a surplus of drivers onto the platform, and is now punishing workers for it. Also to combat the excess drivers, as of April 2023, Uber froze new driver sign-ups, “largely due to” the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s pay rule, as per a statement on the company’s website. New drivers are now on waitlists to add their names.

As per Bloomberg, in mid-May, Uber sent its New York City drivers an email urging them to “let the TLC know the effect their rules have had” on their actual earnings. Desai said that Uber is ultimately “gaming the system,” by using a TLC regulation as an excuse to take “time that should be paid under the law and making it unpaid.” Desai said that the union would mull going on a strike if the lockouts continue.

Per Crain’s, the TLC’s minimum-pay formula calculates non-passenger time as an industry average—so that if Lyft drivers aren’t busy, Uber needs to increase driver pay and vice versa, because non-passenger time gets higher on average. This has led Uber and Lyft to blame each other for lockouts.

In a June 14 email, Lyft announced that it, too, would soon “have to” begin temporary driver freezes. “The current NYC pay formula is broken,” said Lyft spokesperson CJ Macklin. “It forces rideshare companies to limit when drivers can earn, and therefore how much they can earn,” he said.

“The city’s rule bizarrely holds Uber responsible for Lyft’s failures,” said Uber spokesperson Freddi Goldstein.

Adams Admin Looking for Corporate Sponsor to Name NYC Ferry After

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The New York City Ferry system. Credit: nyctourism.com

By: Benyamin Davidsons

The New York City Ferry system, which has been financially in the red, is looking for ways to help make ends meet. As reported by Crain’s NY, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is looking for a corporate sponsor for the Ferry system. The administration has announced

that the ferry name is up for grabs, and that a private company could pay to secure naming rights for the entire NYC Ferry system — including the system’s name, logo and the exteriors of its boats, as per plans outlined Monday by the city’s Economic Development

Corp. On Monday, the EDC, which oversees the ferry system, announced it will hire a consultant to set up the potential “revenue-generating naming rights and sponsorship brand partnership.”

The idea for a corporate sponsor had initially been suggested in a 2022 Adams administration financial improvement plan known as NYC Ferry Forward. That plan had been successful in raising the fare for a one-way ride from $2.75 to $4 for casual riders, while offering discounts for low-income, senior and disabled riders. The ferry system was launched in 2017 by former-Mayor Bill de Blasio. It has been a money losing venture, with taxpayers subsidizing the system roughly $8.55 per ride last fiscal year, down from $12.98 three years earlier.

The EDC hopes that once it appoints a consultant, they can begin fielding potential sponsors later this year and negotiate a deal with a brand partner in 2025, as reported by Crain’s. Also, besides for renaming “NYC Ferry” itself, the Request for Proposal says the eventual sponsor could showcase its name on the 38 boats, employee uniforms, and on signage across NYC. “With the release of the RFP to find an agency that will assist in securing a ferry sponsorship package, we are implementing another key element of Ferry Forward toward ensuring long-term financial stability for a service New Yorkers have come to love,” Andrew Kimball, EDC’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

On Monday, an ad was placed seeking a consultant who would work to “refine the NYC Ferry brand positioning,” which basically entails finding potential sponsors and inking a multiyear naming-rights deal. The RFP has a July 25 deadline.

“NYC Ferry vessels are visible from over 100 miles of New York City waterfront for approximately 16 hours per day,” the RFP says, in a pitch for potential sponsors. “NYC Ferry vessels operate in a low-clutter environment with limitations on alternative advertising/floating billboards or other aspects.”

Per Crain’s, Sean Campion, director of economic development studies for the watchdog Citizens Budget Commission, said the sponsorship idea is a step in the right direction for the struggling ferry system. He noted that this type of sponsorship was utilized by the MTA and the Citi Bike system, helping them to earn $200,000 annually from Barclays to include the company’s name in Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue station. “Any option to raise revenue is good and will offset the need for the relatively high subsidy that NYC Ferry has needed since it was first created,” Campion said. Campion’s watchdog group has previously suggested raising the ferry rate from $4 to $7 to match the cost of an MTA Express Bus.

Last fiscal year, the NYC Ferry set a record offering 6.6 million rides. The system spent $78 million in operating expenses, while bringing in just $21.5 million in revenues, leaving a hefty operating loss. The system has seven routes, running mostly along the East River.

 

NYC Crackdown on “Ghost-License Plates” Results in Capture of 2005 Murder Suspect

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The NYPD has been cracking down on “ghost licenses”–Credit: nbcnewyork.com

By: Donny Simcha Guttman

In a recent New York Police Department crime bust of “ghost license plates”, murder suspect Pedro Bonilla, from the Bronx was caught. In recent years, the NYPD has been cracking down on “ghost licenses” which are unregistered plates bought to evade law enforcement, and thus are illegal. Criminals and murderers generally buy such plates as police only have access to legitimate license plates and not the fake paper versions, which have been in circulation. During one such bust, the NYPD caught 200 “ghost plate” owners, where they discovered in the group Mr. Bonilla, a convicted felon with a slew of assaults. The NYPD charged him with assault, weapon possession, and resisting arrest. In another one of these discoveries, the NYPD caught another “ghost plate” car driver who had outstanding warrants in Virginia for a dealership fraud scheme.

As a result of the crackdown, police car chases have drastically increased. NYPD data from 2022-2023 shows a 600% increase in police car chases, due to toll evaders, and murderers, trying to escape authorities. In recent months, a group of 33 NYC council members wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, “The sale and use of fraudulent paper plates has created new challenges in New York City: cars using such plates cannot be easily traced, and thereby pose a street safety threat to New Yorkers. These cars are being used to violate traffic laws without accountability since they can avoid speed cameras, red light cameras, and other parking rules; and are being used for other major crimes.

They are also being used to illegally avoid tolls enforced by cameras. Some states provide paper plates for periods as lengthy as 90 days, which has led to communities being unnecessarily overwhelmed with paper plates on their roads. This not only creates confusion but also makes it needlessly challenging to determine which plates are fraudulent.” Politicians have requested federal law enforcement to join local police in the effort to catch these criminals, as local resources are spread thin. Furthermore, local politicians want to hike the penalties for “ghost plate’ drivers from the current price range of $65-$200 to $1000 and $2000 for first-time and second-time offenders respectively.

In 2024, the NYPD and MTA officials conducted 21 operations, which resulted in catching those who have evaded tolls, fees, and other unpaid vehicle-related debts; collectively they owe $1.5 million. Furthermore, police have done 1,266 vehicle seizures, 276 arrests, and nearly 10,000 summonses according to the NY Post.

In recent years in liberal progressive New York City, efforts from the Progressive Caucus on the City Council have launched efforts to defund the police budget or to create further obstacles for the men in blue. NYC budget predictions in recent years forecast a recession for the government, due to the government’s aggressive Covid policies, which still affect the city four years later. The compounding problems are forcing politicians to make tough decisions on what to cut in the budget.

This year alone, a political fight ensued between NYC Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council about reducing the police budget as a way to balance the budget; the effort ultimately failed. Further consequences of progressive policies remain a forefront issue for New Yorkers in the city and surrounding suburbs. State Democrats, like NY Governor Kathy Hochul, have been attempting to make the political fortunes of national Democrats easier by introducing legislation and policies that are more moderate than proposals from the past.

Elon Musk: Disney’s ‘Woke Propaganda’ Killing ‘Star Wars’

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Tech tycoon Elon Musk. Photo Credit: AP

Warner Todd Huston(Breitbart)

Entrepreneur Elon Musk took a swipe at Disney’s failing Star Wars universe of programs and said that the “woke propaganda” the Mouse House is pushing is more “deadly” than the Death Star to the film series.

Musk took aim in particular at Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who is responsible for the trajectory of the Star Wars universe of comics, books, films, and TV shows.

Kennedy has taken heavy criticism for the last decade of Star Wars entries, but is taking heat for her most recent decision to give LGBTQ activist and director Leslye Headland — the former personal assistant to convicted sex abuser Harvey Weinstein — the green light to helm the latest TV series offering, The Acolyte, which is being derided for its “lesbian space witches” and for being a thinly disguised paean to queerness.

Musk jumped onto a June 21 X post that mocked Kennedy as a “franchise killer,” and wrote “She’s more deadly than the Death Star!”

Disney’s The Acolyte has rung in as the lowest fan-rated Star Wars series to date and is being widely mocked for Hedland’s radical agenda dripping from every corner of the series.

Hedland, who is an open lesbian, has admitted that she chose the two leads, Amandla Stenberg — a radical gay activist and actress — and Charlie Barnett, because they both identify as part of the LGBTQ community.

She also accepted the labeling of her series as “arguably the gayest Star Wars by a considerable margin,” and when she was presented with that argument during a press junket, she replied, “I’m, frankly, into it.

The showrunner also quixotically insisted that if you are a harsh critic of her series because it is queer, you are unsophisticated and “reductive.” But if you are a gay fan and like it because it is queer, you are a wonderful and discerning viewer.

For her part, Kennedy has also pushed the hardcore LGBTQ agenda and recently insisted that Star Wars does not have to be “representative of all people” and that she will favor the left-leaning narrative despite what critics think about her decisions.

 

 

This is not the first time that Musk has blasted Kennedy. On Saturday, he wrote an X post claiming that Kennedy is “super bigoted against men.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

Nassau County Legislature Approves Bill to Bar Transgender Athletes at County-Owned Facilities

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“This is not a transgender ban,” said John R. Ferretti Jr., a Republican legislator from Levittown, noting that transgender women could still compete, only that they must play in men’s or coed leagues. Credit: Facebook

By: Ellen Cans

On Monday, the Nassau County legislature voted to ban transgender athletes from competing at county-owned facilities, unless they play as the gender they were assigned at birth, or on coed teams.

As reported by the NY Times, the Long Island county which is led by Republicans, has been debating the topic for months. Back in February, the county executive, Bruce Blakeman, issued an executive order to institute a ban to keep transgender players from skewing the playing field, and gaining an unfair advantage, especially when competing against female players. In May, a judge ruled that Mr. Blakeman did not have the authority to impose the ban.

That decision is still being appealed by Mr. Blakeman. The court had ruled that only a legislative body has authority to pass such a ban. Thats when the vote was set up at the legislature. With its Republican majority, the Nassau County Legislature voted 12 to 5 in favor of the ban, with two legislators being absent. The bill now only needs to be signed into law by Mr. Blakeman.

The bill states that sports leagues or organizations that apply for permits to use county parks department facilities must designate their teams as male, female or coed with all members adhering to the gender assigned to them at birth. The topic has gained steam particularly in reference to women’s sports, where many say that transgender women have a strong biological advantage.

Transgender advocates had come out in large numbers to oppose the ban, filling the chamber’s public seating, holding pink and purple signs that read “trans women are women.” The public comment period lasted more than an hour—with everyone the speakers advocating for transgenders. Per the Times, one of the speakers during the comments period was Susan Gottehrer, the director of the Nassau County chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, which was part of the push to have Mr. Blakeman’s original order struck down.

“This is banning people from government property,” Ms. Gottehrer said. “Let’s think very carefully before we do that.”

Also, all the Democratic members of the Legislature criticized the bill, noting that the money being used to address this cause could have been used for a wide array of issues. The most heated part of the session, was undoubtedly when Arnold W. Drucker, a Democratic legislator, compared the barring transgender athletes from county facilities to Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jewish people. “Aren’t we doing the same thing here?” he asked, gaining a round of applause from the gallery.

“Absolutely not,” Ms. LaGreca replied, calling the comparison “extremely insulting.”

“This is not a transgender ban,” said John R. Ferretti Jr., a Republican legislator from Levittown, noting that transgender women could still compete, only that they must play in men’s or coed leagues.

In April, a Siena College poll found that 66 percent of New York voters said that they believed that high school athletes should be required to compete in the gender category they were assigned at birth.

The Spiral in Hudson Yards Lands New Leases, Raising Occupancy to 80%

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The skyscraper, dubbed The Spiral, landed new commercial leases, raising its occupancy levels. The Tishman Speyer tower announced five new leases were inked, for a total of 129,500 square feet of space. Credit: Wikipedia.org

By: Hellen Zaboulani

The skyscraper, dubbed The Spiral, landed new commercial leases, raising its occupancy levels. As reported by Realty Check, the Tishman Speyer tower announced five new leases were inked, for a total of 129,500 square feet of space. The 2.8 million square-foot tower in the Hudson Yards district will boast 81 percent occupancy, thanks to the new leases. The new deals include HSBC which added an additional 35,400 square feet of space to its US headquarters lease, bringing the banking giant’s total square footage at the tower to more than 300,000 square feet.

Also, two other investment management firms, which have not yet been identified, signed leases for a combined total of close to 90,000 square feet. One of those firms is reportedly moving from Manhattan West, while the other is relocating from Related’s Hudson Yards complex. Additionally, Global tech firm XR Extreme Reach took on 13,400 square feet at The Spiral, moving from 1633 Broadway. Lastly, Asset manager Fifth Wall is relocating to the tower with a 6,700 square foot lease, moving from its current office in 1 Little West 12th street, as per the Post. Details and terms of the leases were not yet available. The asking rents for office space at the Spiral have typically ranged from $125 to $225 per square foot.

The 1031- foot tower, on the block bounded by Hudson Boulevard, Tenth Avenue and West 34th and 35th streets, was opened in 2023. Other notable marquee-named tenants at the colossal tower include: asset manager Marshall Wace, which took on 79,000 square feet of space in the tower last summer; Pfizer; AllianceBernstein; Turner Construction, which was the building’s general contractor; NY Presbyterian Hospital; Baker Tilly; and Debevoise & Plimpton.

The skyscraper was given its name for the outdoor gardens that spiral around the facade of the building in a continuous green pathway, designed by architects BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group. The building boasts a top-floor ZO Clubhouse amenity center and lounge with an open-air terrace featuring panoramic views of New York City. In March 2023, the Spiral won the CoStar Impact Award for best commercial development in the NYC region.

Per the Post, the 66-floor tower still has construction going on at the major ground-floor restaurants, slated to open in 2025. Restaurants planned for the space include a Peruvian-Japanese place on the northwest corner of 10th Avenue and West 34th Street by Erik Ramirez and Juan Correa who also run the Llama San and Llama Inn. Also, Michelin-starred chef Gabriel Kreuther will be launching two new concepts on the Hudson Boulevard side of the tower.

The new leases bode well for commercial real estate, which was slow to recover after the pandemic and with remote-work patterns that were hard to shake. Back in August, a year after the building’s opening, it had been at 75 percent occupancy. The Hudson Yards District, officially west of Ninth Avenue most prominently featuring the 26-acre Hudson Yards complex owned by Related Cos, boasts good trains and commuter resources.

Former WeWork Space Converted into First NYC Site for Flexible Leasing Firm ‘The Square’

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The Square space can accommodate up to 700 people. It offers “enterprise” suites for larger teams of 25 to 100 employees. It offers medium size “flex” suites, for teams of 10-25 people, starting at about $7,500 monthly, per the Square’s website. Credit: thesq.com

By: Hellen Zaboulani

The former We-Work space on three floors of the building at 205 Hudson St., will survive as co-working space—but under a different business model. As reported by Realty Check, the 63,000 square feet of space, formerly leased off by WeWork, will become the first New York location for The Square— a landlord-managed flexible workspace facility. The Square’s business model is slightly different and some sections will be redesigned, but it is still co-working space. Hines, which owns the boutique office building in a joint venture with Trinity Church Wall Street and Norges Bank Investment Management, will make direct licensing agreements — similar to leases — with users, for as little as several hours or as long as several months. By contrast, WeWork had itself leased blocks of space and then subleased to their clients. The Square already has similar flexible workspaces in Washington, DC, Houston, TX, Salt Lake City and Mexico City.

The 63,000 square foot space will be opening this summer. Annie Draper, Hines’ director of workplace services, said, “It’s clear there is a universal shift towards greater flexibility, and Hines is leading the way in redefining the office model and creating new products that cater to our clients’ needs.” She added, “The Square is a vertically integrated flexible workspace that combines the highest-quality amenities and services. As demand for a diverse array of workspace options has become increasingly essential, we’re thrilled to bring this offering to New York City.”

The Square space can accommodate up to 700 people. It offers “enterprise” suites for larger teams of 25 to 100 employees. It offers medium size “flex” suites, for teams of 10-25 people, starting at about $7,500 monthly, per the Square’s website. It offers small private offices, for 1-10 persons, starting at $700 per month. Also offered are on-demand short-term facility rentals. All users gain access to the building’s food and beverage offerings including daily breakfast and snacks, mail and package services, Wi-Fi and unlimited printing, a dedicated staff, and common spaces — including a rooftop lounge. The building also has a fitness center, wellness rooms, enhanced HVAC standards, event programming, in addition to event space, private meeting rooms and private phone rooms and a brand new Fogarty Finger-designed lobby.

Per the Post, the 200,000 square-foot building is part of Hines’ 13-building Hudson Square portfolio, spanning a total of roughly six million square feet. The building, situated in the Northern portion or Tribeca, is located at the intersection of Canal and Hudson Streets, within a short walking distance of the no.1, A, C, and E subway lines. The 12-story tower boasts views of Midtown Manhattan. The building was constructed in 1928, and was renovated in more recent years. Other tenants at 205 Hudson St. include event space Tribeca Rooftop, CUNY, Headway and Serhant.

The co-work place concept still has its allure, despite WeWork’s downfall. Particularly for small business, the fully furnished flexible lease-term space can be a boon.