VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 12
COMPLIMENTARY
JULY 2018
Unapologetically Delivering News To Communities Of Color in Westchester & Surrounding Areas
BLACK WESTCHESTER
JOSEPH F. SPIEZIO III: GARBAGE CAN GANGSTER,
MV DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER & CONFESSED FBI INFORMANT MOUNT VERNON - A CITY UNDER SIEGE
BY AJ WOODSON
FEATURES
PAGES 14-15
NAS & KANYE TACKLE POLICE CRIMINALITY WITH NEW SINGLE ‘COP SHOT THE KID’
BY AJ WOODSON
PAGE 19
RIP LESANDRO GUZMAN-FELIZ
BY LORRAINE LOPEZ
PAGE 21
JUSTICE FOR JUNIOR BY AJPAGE WOODSON 8
ORIGINS AND LUKE CAGE REPERCUSSIONS SEASON 2 WE’RE AMERICA BITCH! THE SYSTEMATIC IDEOLOGY OF TRUMPS ZERO REVIEW TOLERANCE POLICY OF DONALD J. TRUMP BY AJ WOODSON PAGE 19
BY DONATELLA MONTROSE PAGE 22
BY EDDIE ORTIZ
PAGE 20
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FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK Founded in 2014 by DAMON K. JONES AJ WOODSON Published by URBANSOUL MEDIA GROUP 455 Tarrytown Rd., Suite 1318 White Plains, NY 10607 (914) 979-2093 www.BlackWestchester.com
Email:
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Publisher DAMON K. JONES @DamonKJones
Editor-In-Chief AJ WOODSON
@BWEditorInChief
Copy Editors Brenda L. Crump News Reporters/ Writers AJ Woodson Damon K. Jones Lorraine Lopez (Latino Empowerment) Paul Anthony Cuesta Cynthia Turnquest-Jones Hector Santiago Dr. Robert Baskerville Ph.D. Donatella Montrose Judge Adrian Armstrong Rashad Bilal Paul Feiner A’tik Khalil
As Publisher of Black Westchester Magazine (BW), I would like to thank everyone for their support of our efforts to bring information to the people of Westchester County. As we embark on a new chapter for BW, we hope to continue to empower the reader on issues in their communities. Independent media like BW has become more than a mere institution; instead, the independent media acts as a direct participant in the traditional three-branch system of governance. What many fail to realize is that independent media serves a fundamental role in making democracies run efficiently, even though there are frequent clashes. Independent media system thus often “reflects the political philosophy in which Democracy indeed functions”. This being said, BW will not be disregarded as a trivial player in the responsibilities of being a check and balance system in the political process of the Black Communities of Westchester. BW’s purpose is not only to address the political process that affects the everyday lives of communities of colour in Westchester County. BW’s mission has also been to shine a light on the brilliant culture, morals, values and elegant lifestyle of Black people. It’s time to change the narrative on how Black people are perceived in media. As Publisher of BW, our doors are open to the public. From the publication, the website, our radio show and now the newspaper; our doors are open to the people. We do not do this for any grander position or status; we do it for the people.
A FEW WORDS FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Welcome to the July 2018 Edition of Black Westchester Newspaper! Our 12th issue!
This month we have a special investigative report on Joseph Spiezio, a lot of work went into it and I want to especially thank Dr. Robert Baskerville for his research and assistance in writing it. There was too much to fit in this issue so we will be continuing the investigative report in our August issue.
The August 2018 issue will be the One Year Anniversary of the newspaper, we are very excited. We would like to thank all of you because we could not have gotten this far without you. August will also be the 4 Year Anniversary of The People Before Politics Radio Show. July 15th will be the 4 Year Anniversary of BlackWestchester.com so as you can see we have a lot to celebrate and feel blessed about. Don’t wait until the last minute to advertise in the August issue and sponsor the 4 year anniversary show of PBP Radio. Email us at AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com to inquire about our Anniversary Advertising Specials. Do not wait too long if you are interested because we already have a few advertisers locked in. We crammed as much as we could in this issue, #JusticeForJunior, Trumps Zero Tolerance Policy, the immigrant chidren who were seperated from their parents, The Janus Report, the latest news from a black point of view and even a few reviews, on the new Nas & Kanye single, ‘Cop Shot The Kid’ and Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2. With that I wanna thank you for picking up a copy of the July 2018 issue, if you have a business and want to get copies to carry in you store for your customers to pick up a copy, hit us at BlackWestchester@gmail.com. Enjoy the issue, email us and let us know what you think. Thank you to all our supporters, advertisers, distributors, writers, photographers, editors and everyone who had a hand in us bringing you another edition on Black Westchester. Send us your feedback and let us know what you think of this issue and let us know subjects / topics you would like to see us cover in the future by sending an email to BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com. Peace and Blessings AJ Woodson Editor-In-Chief
Photographers AJ Woodson Shane Samuels Graphic Designers AJ Woodson Paula S. Woodson For Advertising Rates AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com Letters To The Editor BWEditorInChief@gmail.com
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6 BLACK WESTCHESTER
BW NEWS
JULY 2018
BLACK WESTCHESTER NEWS SOME IMMIGRANT CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM PARENTS DUE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DRACONIAN POLICY ARE BEING HOUSED HERE IN WESTCHESTER
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, June 19th that immigrant children who have been separated from their parents are now being housed in private facilities in Westchester County. The governor did not identify the facilities, but 10 agencies in the state have contracts with the federal government to provide services to unaccompanied foreign children, according to Lohud. Those include four in Westchester: The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, Abbott House in Irvington, Leake & Watts in Yonkers, and Lincoln Hall Boy’s Haven in Lincolndale, a hamlet in Somers. In a statement on the mistreatment of Immigrant Families at the border, Westchester County Executive George Latimer called on the federal government to cease separating the children from their parents. “Like many Westchester residents I am heartbroken and outraged over the mistreatment of immigrant families at the border – especially the children who are being separated from their parents. While we, as a County, are committed to tolerance, transparency and keeping families together – this Country currently is not. Earlier we were informed that some of these children, who are being ripped from their families, are being placed in facilities in Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Lincolndale and Yonkers. They do not belong here – they belong with their mothers and fathers. I am calling on the Federal Government to halt this practice of breaking up families and ripping children away from those who love them immediately. I applaud Governor Andrew Cuomo for taking this matter to the Courts for redress.” President Donald Trump’s administration has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy that includes separating immigrant children from their parents after they cross the Mexican border with the U.S. The administration said it is following federal law and are urging Democrats to pass a new law to address the separation of illegal immigrant families at the border. “All we need is good legislation and we get it taken care of,” Trump said Tuesday. “We have to get the Democrats to go ahead and work with us.” But the practice has increased pressure on the White House. U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D - Harrison, called the policy “immoral and illegal,” and “tantamount to child abuse.” “Using the lives of thousands of young children as bargaining chips for the president’s boondoggle border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration is shameful and runs counter to our national character and to the values of decent people everywhere,” Lowey said in a statement. “History will condemn the Administration for this unjustifiable and cruel policy, as it will House Republicans if they fail to act.” Congressman Eliot L. Engel, who called for the resignation of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, is an original cosponsor of H.R. 6135, the Keep Families Together Act, legislation just introduced to prohibit the Trump Administration from separating families at the border. The Keep Families Together Act would ban the Department of Homeland Security from separating children from their parents, restrict prosecution of asylum seekers, increase child welfare training for border agents, ensure transparency, and reunite separated families. The President could end this horrific policy of family separation at any time, but he refuses to do so and has instead falsely blamed Congress for the practice.
FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR CHILDREN AT THE MOUNT VERNON PUBLIC LIBRARY
(Mount Vernon, NY) – Once again, The Mount Vernon Public Library, is partnering with The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), The New York State Education Department and The Mount Vernon City School District to provide free meals to children when school is out for the summer. Anyone age 18 or younger may come and eat. The Summer Food Service Program will begin on Monday, July 9th and end Friday August 17th. Breakfast will be served from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. and lunch will be served from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. For further information please contact Cathy Webb, Community Outreach Coordinator at 914-668-1840 ext. 236 or email cwebb@wlsmail.org.
BY AJ WOODSON
“Our country has long been known as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to those seeking a better life. The Trump Administration’s family separation policy is a betrayal of our American values,” Engel shares with Black Westchester. “It is unconscionable that President Trump is using the lives of vulnerable parents and children as a bargaining chip to demand his anti-immigrant policies and border wall. I refuse to stand by and allow young children to be torn from their parents’ arms and sent to detention centers and tent cities in the desert. I’m proud to support this critical legislation to end President Trump’s cruel and inhumane family separation policy.” TRUMP CAVES TO POLITICAL PRESSURE SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER President Trump caved to enormous political pressure on Wednesday, June 20th and signed an executive order meant to end the separation of families at the border by detaining parents and children together for an indefinite period. “We’re going to have strong — very strong — borders, but we are going to keep the families together,” Mr. Trump said as he signed the order in the Oval Office. “I didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated.” Latino Empowerments Lorraine Lopez says it’s a great start but the issue is still there, families are just being detail together as opposed to seperately “The President, after insisting, lying, and stating that his administration was not responsible and had no choice, did a quick and dramatic turnaround after caving in to the American People and countries all around the world as well as the Pope. Unfortunately, the “zero tolerance” order is still in affect, which means that folks will still be detained but families not separated. No word yet on how they will reunited those that have already been separated. What Trump does not realize is how the 2000 plus children seperated from their parents already will be phycologically affected. Many blame President Obama’s drone war as a recruitment tool for ISIS, same can be said about this dragonian policy. These children will be easy targets for recruit of not only terrorist groups like ISIS but gangs like MS-13 and others, because of their hate of the country that ripped them from their parents arms.” Congressman Engel agrees. “President Trump’s new Executive Order fails to solve the problem that he created. Migrant families will still be detained together indefinitely, and there is no plan to reunite the thousands of children already separated from their parents. In America, we should not have to choose between separating or incarcerating children,” Engel shares with BW after Trump’s signed the Executive Order. “We’ve seen children in cages, and heard their cries. Now, we’ve found out that these children are being shipped thousands of miles across the country. Reports indicate that thousands of children have been ripped from their families and are being held at more than 100 shelters in 17 states. I’ve confirmed that children are being held in my district, in New York – 2,000 miles away from their parents, without any indication of when they will be reunited. We need to know where each and every child is being held. Every single one of them.” Latimer shares with BW in closing; “Let us all remember that Westchester County, along with New York State and the United States, was built on the backs on immigrants. They are part of the fabric of our home and they deserve to be treated to humanly.” [see The Original & Repercussion of Trump’s Zero Tolorance Policy on Page 20]
FROM PRISON TO PLATINUM
THE STORY OF JOHNNIE BUNTING JR
BY AJ WOODSON
Johnnie Bunting Jr., is the proud new owner of the Platinum Hand Car Wash located at 40 W. Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon NY. His story leading up to this is quite an interesting and very inspiring one. Like many innercity youth, Johnnie ran the streets in his younger years. Johnnie was arrested at the age of seventeen, in 1989 for murder, and served 25 years, seven months and five days incarcerated, before being released on January 6, 2015, with Life parole supervision. Since his release, he has been on a tireless mission to help educate, guide, and mentor the youth. He has spoken at schools all around Mount Vernon: Mount Vernon High, Mandela, Thorton, AB Davis, Benjamin Turner, and Grimes. He has also spoken at Fordham University and Hunter college concerning the subject of solitary confinement and it’s affect on the human psyche. He received his Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from TCI college in June of 2016 with a 3.8 GPA (magna cum laude). He started his first business, Krhyme Publishing, while in prison and published two of his own novels, Son of Solomon (won an editor’s choice award) and Enterprise Corruption. He has formed more businesses since his release, and his corporation, Bunting Enterprises, Inc. purchased Platinum Hand Car Wash on June 1 and had his Grand Opening on Sunday, June 24th. Johnnie has been hiring young people from the community in hopes that having them earn an honest living will keep them from facing the temptation to go to the streets for money. He has also done work with NewFlex Youth, Inc. in Mount Vernon as a coach and mentor to the children in our community. Johnnie has been discharged from parole supervision after serving three years because of his numerous accomplishments and his stellar behavior. He serves as an example to innercity youth everywhere, how one can turn their life around and to not have to let mistakes of the past, dictate their future. BW Publisher, Damon K. Jones stopped by the Grand Opening to get a car wash. BW salutes Mr. Johnnie Bunting Jr, who went from Prision To Platinum!
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JULY 2018
BW NEWS
BLACK WESTCHESTER7
CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL WIN PRIMARY TAINTED CRACK IN MOUNT VERNON BY A’TIF K. COLEMAN
BY AJ WOODSON
U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel declared victory in the June 24, 16th District Democratic party Primary. Engel, who was first elected to Congress in 1988, overwhelmingly defeated his three primary challengers, Scarsdale Businessman Johnathan Lewis, Mount Vernon Businessman and Activist Derickson K. Lawrence and Bronx Activist Joyce Briscoe. His most prominent rival in the race, Lewis, who put forth at least $650,000 of his own money towards his campaign, received significantly fewer votes. Congressman Engel, as the second-highest fundraiser among incumbents last quarter, seems to have seen his efforts paid off. Engel faces no Republican opposition in the general election. Democrats outnumber Rebublicans 251,841 to 62,717 active registered voters, according to the state Board of Elections. The 16th Congressional District - one of 27 districts in the state - encompasses the southern half of Westchester County (Arsley, Bronxville, Eastchester, Hastings-on-Hudson, part of Greenburgh, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye, Scarsdale and Yonkers) and the northern part of the Bronx.
THE GREENBURGH REPORT
GREENBURGH SUMMER INTERNS LEARN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS THEIR MAJOR LEARNING EXPERIENCE—LOBBYING NYS TO REPAVE NYS ROADS THAT THE STATE OWNS BUT ARE IN HORRIBLE CONDITION BY PAUL FEINER
interns are working on an exciting initiative. Many of the roads in Greenburgh are owned by NYS. Unfortunately, the last time NYS repaved a road they own was over three years ago. Many of their roads are in horrible shape—potholes, craters. One thinks you’re on the moon or in Mars, not in NYS! It’s outrageous that NYS owned roads upstate are maintained but they are not maintained or repaved here in Westchester. Are we living in a third world community? The student interns will learn activism this summer. They will strategize – figure out how they can effectively lobby and pressure NYS to do their job and repave roads in horrible condition. They will organize rallies (honk if you hate potholes!). They will tape you tube video’s – showing the potholes and bad road conditions. They will meet with State Legislators and representatives of the NYS State Department of Transportation. They will write letters to the editors to local papers. They will hold press conferences and meet with editorial page editors. They will seek meetings with either the Governor or with members of his staff. They will put up posters all over town. Some of the sections of roads in the town that need to be repaved: Dobbs Ferry Road. Saw Mill River Road. Hillside Ave. Central Ave, Grasslands Road, Broadway in the river villages. The goal: turn today’s students into political activists. Teach them that government officials respond to activism. We want the students to be creative with their lobbying, to learn how government works and to get the satisfaction that their voices can be heard. Here is the link to video from last years internship. I will prepare a video highlighting 2018s experience at the end of the summer. https://youtu.be/z9rgwTDiFBw
This summer I anticipate that about 30 high school and college students will intern at Greenburgh Town Hall. The summer internship program is being coordinated by Judith Beville, Town Clerk; Tim Lewis, Town Attorney and myself. Participating students work in different departments in our town government -learning how day to day government functions. The student interns also attend and are invited to speak at Town Board work sessions on Tuesday mornings--getting first hand experiences in learning how laws are made. And listening to the give and take discussions. Their presentations are televised on TV. Another initiative the students are involved in: hosting their own cable TV program about the community. They interview prominent members of the community--some who are nationally known. Among residents who have expressed interest in interacting with the students are Meredith Veira, previously with the TODAY Show, Judith Cheng-Hopkins former Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations for peacekeeping support (one of the most prominent women at the United Nations) and Joe Queenan, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. We started the internship program at Town Hall about ten years ago. Over the course of six to eight weeks, students work on projects re- PAUL FEINER, Greenburgh Town Supervisor lated to local government issues that engage them in building upon their research, reading, writing and speaking skills as well as the opportunity to produce public service announcements and video presentations related to their projects to be aired on cable access television. A major goal for the program “For students to take ownership in specific projects as they identify a need in the community, come up with solutions, organize programs or projects, interact with elected officials and community leaders and, hopefully, get interviewed by reporters. This summer the student interns
MOUNT VERNON - A man is still on the loose after selling a deadly batch of “tainted crack cocaine” to several people, killing a 28- year old Mount Vernon resident. Police were called to 156 South Third Ave were they found several people suffering from a serious overdose from using a drug laced with a dangerous opioid. Although, authorities have not released her name, recent Facebook posts identity her as Ti’Asia Bartee - a young mother of two. According to News12.com, two other women overdose on the same drug and was administered a drug called Narcan - an opioid antagonist use to reverse an opioid overdose. They were rushed to an area hospital and was listed in serious condition. Those two woman also suffered a previous overdose. Neighbors in the area say the drug use is at all time high and they have seen little to no response from the city. Mayor Richard William Thomas conducted a quick neighborhood meeting the same day as the overdose had it was LIVE on Facebook. Residents were seen talking and voicing their concerns with the Mayor. They made it clear there has been a lack of police presence. The mayor was given several opportunities to respond to their claim, but did not give a clear, precise plan as to what the city is doing to resolve this issue. When asked by a resident what is the city is doing to stop the drug flow, the Mayor mentioned the amount of rats traps he placed in the area and how he is focusing on garbage clean up. This crack cocaine may have been tainted with morphine or any other opioid. This illegal drug can cause lifelong effects and may not be cured by Narcan. All illegal drugs are dangerous and can have potentially life-threatening consequences for our residents. It’s also a security concern for the resident’s living in this neighborhood that needs to be taken seriously. The Mayor and The City Council should be focusing on improving the relationship with the police and community. This location is a drug den and the mobile command unit presence is mandatory. Drug Counselors and City Outreach Program should have been called and sent to this location for support. Drug addicts have no ambition, but do to do drugs. When the community is faced with these overdoses, there needs to be a “go team” available and sent to that location. The “go-team” should include a drug counselor, an outreach program and a detective. The public is doing their job by calling the police and the city. It’s time the city do its job and put and end to drug trafficking in Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Shawn Harris issued a warning that bad drugs were being sold in the community and that his department is working diligently to track down the individual(s) who sold this laced drug.Once police apprehend this person, he can face a slew of charges, including drug trafficking, and drug possession.
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ZETA NU OMEGA CHAPTER SPONSORS MINI-MODEL UN CONFERENCE AT MERCY COLLEGE
Dobbs Ferry - The Zeta Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. partnered with the United Nations Association - USA Westchester Chapter to sponsor a Mini-Model United Nations conference on June 2 at the Dobbs Ferry Campus of Mercy College (555 Broadway). Model UN is a simulation of the UN organization and its participants take roles of “delegates” from various countries and debate current issues. With several chapter members and students in attendance, Professor Michiko Kuroda, of the International Relations and Diplomacy Program ( IRDP) of Mercy College and a panel of smart and spirited IRDP Mercy college students trained and practiced with participants in preparing for a conference as “delegates”. The subject matter and current issue was on Climate Change and participants represented different countries including but not limited to Canada, Japan, China, France and the United States. Participants acted as diplomats, made speeches, negotiated, drafted resolutions and adopted resolutions during the day long program. It was recognized that climate change is a complex problem through the viewpoint of the several countries represented during the simulation. Remarks were made by Zeta Nu Omega Chapter President Kristel Johnson and Dr. Brenda Smith, who is the Vice President of UNA-USA and also serves as Zeta Nu Omega Chapter’s co-chairman of the Environmental Ownership committee. Everyone who attended built a bigger capacity to the views of other countries and all left the conference with a stronger knowledge and understanding of the great work of the United Nations.
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8 BLACK WESTCHESTER
JULY 2018
LESANDRO GUZMAN-FELIZ - JUSTICE FOR JUNIOR
SURROUNDING AREA NEWS NEWS ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA, DUTCHESS & PUTNAM COUNTIES, LONG ISLAND & THE FIVE BOROS LESANDRO GUZMAN-FELIZ JUSTICE FOR JUNIOR
BY AJ WOODSON
M
ore than 1,000 people lined up in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx on Monday, June 25th to mourn the slain teen and NYPD hopeful stabbed to death by gang members in a savage mistaken-ID slaying. Officials said six suspects in the Wednesday, June 20th murder of 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz are expected to face an extradition hearing in New Jersey on Tuesday, June 26th . M o u r n e r s flooded Southern Blvd. outside the R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home near E. 149th St, forcing police to shut down the block. “I hope they go to the end and find all the people who were involved in this criminal case,” said his mother Leandra Feliz, who believes there were more gang members involved and is calling for justice. “Somebody had to show my son to those people. Somebody had to show my Junior to those killers. It can’t happen any more with any other kid.”
EIGHT SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN BRUTAL SLAYING OF“Thank BRONX TEEN On Sunday, June 24th, a multi-state operation led to eight God they caught him,” his mother, Leanarrests in connection with the teen’s death. One of the suspects, identified by police as 19-year-old Kevin Alvarez, appeared before a judge Monday, June 25th and was formally charged with four counts of second degree murder, manslaughter and gang assault. His attorney says he entered a plea of not guilty. The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office says six others were apprehended in Paterson Sunday, and one more suspect was arrested in the Bronx. Cheers erupted in front of a memorial Sunday as word of the arrests spread.
dra Feliz said. “They have to pay — what they did to my son. My son was innocent.” Police said the Lesandro, known as Junior to friends and family, was killed Wednesday when a group of men dragged him out of a bodega on Bathgate Ave and 183rd Street and then stabbed him in the neck. The teen was able to run to Saint Barnabas Hospital, where he collapsed and died outside the ER. Neighbors say the suspects are affiliated with the Trinitarios, a New York-based Dominican gang.
SCOTT LAROCK JR HOLDS CARDI B DONATES $8,000
BRONX BOROUGH PRES. RUBEN DIAZ JR’S FEET TO THE FIRE TO SLAIN BRONX TEEN JUNIOR GUZMAN-FELIZ’S FAMILY BY AJ WOODSON AFTER SENSELESS KILLINGS IN BRONX BY AJ WOODSON
The senseless and brutal death of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, left The Bronx as well as many throughout the entire country, in mourning and in outraged. His death has particularly struck a nerve for Belcalis Almanzar, better known professionally as Cardi B. In response to the recent news, the 25-year-old, Bronx born and bred rapper reportedly donated $8,000 to Junior’s family GoFundMe campaign. Cardi reportedly made the large donation under her government name, Belcalis Almanzar on June 24, the Daily Mail reports. The “Be Careful” artist also shared a message on Instagram in memory of Junior. “R.I.P. These Bronx streets are ruthless. What piss me off the most is that these BX cops be harassing the shit outta people then they see a boy bleeding to death and ask what happen,” she wrote in a caption attached to an image of Junior laying lifeless on a hospital bed. “How bout you call the ambulance like ya be calling for back up when ya see nikkas smoking in front of a building !!!!! People be like”call the police! Call the police!!” As of the publishing of this article, the Guzman-Feliz GoFundMe page has reportedly raised $300,772, exceeding its initial goal of $15,000, and is still accepting donations. to make a donation go to https://www.gofundme.com/ k97bf-justice-for-junior.
“What are you going yo do?,” Scott LaRock Jr. asked Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “I’m from down the block. What are you going to do? Kids keep dying out here. You are not doing any activities in the park. You got a huge budget, spend some of it on these kids, they are getting killed. How long are you going to allow this? Instead of fishing and going back to your mansion. We got to live here, bro. It’s your job to do something man...” Scott “La Rock” Sterling, Jr. is the son on legendary DJ Scott LaRock who was senselessly killed in the streets of the Bronx, 31-years-ago on August 27, 1987. His death is one of the many still unsolved murders of Hip-Hop Artists, a list that include Biggie and Tupac. From its start, BDP which also included lengedary lyricist KRS-One, was impactful in both the development of hip-hop’s political and social activism and giving a sincere voice to the reality of life in the South Bronx. Scott Jr. has been very vocal on social media about Ruben Diaz Jr, and other politicians coming by with camera crews for photo-ops, after the June 20th death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, an aspiring police officer, who was dragged out of a Bronx bodega by several local gangbangers and hacked at him with knives in a case of mistaken identity. “We got all these parks and community centers, when you going to open them up, and make them free for the kids like they used to be? How long you going to watch these kids die, for real? Why these kids gotta pay” Scott Jr continued to asked Diaz, Jr. “When I was a kid I could go into the P.A.L. on 183rd and Webster and it was free, cause I lived in the area. Now they gotta pay $100, these people can barely pay their rent. Don’t you think if these kids had a place to go, they wouldn’t be on the streets getting killed? As soon as they started closing the P.A.L., The Boys & Girls and places like that, I know myself from personal experience, I myself was on these streets bugging out, because I had no place to go. Why they gotta pay, if there’s money in the budget?” Diaz didn’t seem to have answers to the questions. On his Facebook page Scott larock Jr., vowed to keep the pressure up until something is done!
CARMELO AND LA LA ANTHONY AMONG 1,000 MOURNERS FOR SLAIN BRONX TEEN
Carmelo and La La Anthony spent part of La La’s birthday Monday, June 25th visiting the home of Junior, the slain 15-year-old boy to provide condolences and gifts to the murdered child’s family. Lesandro Guzman-Feliz known to many as Junior, was brutally stabbed to death after being dragged out of a corner store on June 20th. When La La was contacted by the boy’s sister and informed he was a huge Melo fan ... she brought the fomer New York Knicks Small Forward to his fam’s doorstep. “This is what I wanted to do for my birthday today,” La La said of the trip. “Thank you to the gram for connecting me to this family. I wanted to offer our love and support to Lesandro ‘Junior’s’ family. His sister reached out and told me he loved Melo.” Anthony, now with the Oklahoma City Thunder, made an emotional visit with his television personality, New York Times best-selling author, business woman, producer and actress wife, Alani Nicole “La La” Anthony to the apartment of Lesandro’s family. The couple spent about 20 minutes with Junior’s relatives. Anthony gave them a signed white Knicks jersey, a pair of white, orange and blue Air Jordans and an Oklahoma Thunder jersey. In NBA news: As the deadline passed Saturday, June 24th, Carmelo Anthony did not exercise the early termination option on the final year of his contract to join the 2018 free-agent class. As a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder again next season, he will earn $27.9 million in 2018-19 to complete the five-year, $120 million contract he signed with the New York Knicks in 2014.
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JULY 2018
ACROSS THE NATION
BLACK WESTCHESTER 9
NEWS WITH A BLACK POINT OF VIEW
BW POLITICS - CONGRESSIONAL BLACK WHITE UPS EMPLOYEE FIRED CAUCUS DEFEND MAXINE WATERS IN TRUMP FEUD FOR POSTING RACIST REMARKS BBY AJ WOODSON Gwendolyn
Carder, a White human resource supervisor of a United Parcel Services in Atlanta was terminated once offensive Facebook comments were exposed of her insinuating that a Black man got what he deserved after being hit by a police car. Carder shared her bigotted view in response a Channel 2 WSB’s story to Timmy Patmon, a Black man, who was struck by Athens-Clarke County Police Officer Taylor Saulter’s vehicle.
According to Atlanta’s WSB-TV Channel 2, Officer Taylor Saulters used poor judgement and excessive use of force striking Patmon with vehicle when apprehending him. “Thugs deserve it. If a family member so be it. However, I do no have any thugs in my family that I am aware of. Seems to be people of color who are the problem,” Carder wrote in the comment section to the WSB-TV story on the channel’s Facebook page. The woman’s neighbor Marshea Washington, a Kennesaw resident, was upset after learning that her neighbor made those disturbing remarks. She made a racist statement,” Washington told WSB-TV. “It does bother me that she would generalize us and make us as if we are thugs, because I’m not raising thugs, and I’m raising three African sons.” The day after Channel 2 reporter Neferitti Jaquez sent a screenshot of the post to the Atlanta’based company, Carder was fired from UPS’ local office off of Fulton Industrial Blvd. She worked with the company for 25 years.
UPS released the following statement “UPS has no tolerance for hate, bigotry or prejudice. The company embraces diversity and inclusion as one of its core values. The comments Ms. Carder shared in response to WSB-TV’s story do not reflect UPS’s values or culture,” the UPS statement read. Carder was not available for comment with Jaquez went to her Kennesaw, Georgia home to get her side of the story. After her dismissal Carden wrote a post about being fired on her Facebook page that was short of any apologetic sentiment for the racial insensitivity of her comment.
STUDY FINDS POLICE KILLINGS DAMAGES THE MENTAL HEALTH OF BLACK PEOPLE AND BLACK COMMUNITIES BY DAMON K. JONES
The study, published in The Lancet - a weekly peerreviewed general medical journal - found that when U.S. officers shoot and kill unarmed Black people, it has a negative impact on the mental state of Black Americans in those states Researchers pored over mental health survey data and a database police shootings to solidify their findings, which they described as “observable and real.” As someone who has worked closely with families of victims of unjust police killings, I can say first hand that it takes an enormous toll on the mental stability of family members and friends. How does someone respond to the criminalization of a loved one? From the fist public report, the narrative is taken away from the victim, even when the victim is a black cop. New York State has a history since the 1960’s that black cops in plain clothes or off duty have been shot, shot at, or killed by their white counterparts. These type incidents have never happened in reverse where are uniform black cops shoots a plain clothed or off duty white cop. Should we be surprised at this report? The police are doing today what there was originally designed to do to black people since the emaciation proclamation. Venkataramani, a health policy professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and fellow researchers Jacob Bor of Boston University, Alexander C. Tsai of Massachusetts General Hospital and David R. Williams of Harvard University, described their study as an attempt at examining the measurable harms of state-sanctioned violence on the broader psychological and mental well-being of African- Americans, The New York Times. Previous research has found that the chronic stress caused by experiences of racism can impact mental and physical health in myriad ways from higher rates of hypertension to increased incidence of breast cancer. Racism is always the “pink elephant” in the room the everyone is afraid to talk about even black leaders today in 2018. The more studies show that racism plays a role in police policies, practice and culture the quieter are our local leaders. There are many studies that support this position.
The American Psychological Association has called “exposure to racism and discrimination” a cause for unusually high levels of stress unique to African-Americans. In 2012, the American Journal of Public Health dedicated an entire issue to the public health inequities based on race, including the “psychological distress” of racial discrimination. And the American Public Health Association released a policy statement explicitly affirming that “police brutality and excessive use of force are widely reported and have a disproportionate impact on people of color” and urging federal and state lawmakers to acknowledge and address the health consequences of police violence on people of color. There should be no debate in 2018, that black communities and black people are under siege. With the recent wave a white people calling the police of black children, men, and women for nothing else but being black. This causes Short-term stress and trauma, igniting a person’s adrenaline-fueled “fight or flight” response, leaves many people with long-term health consequences, like elevated blood pressure, a faster heartbeat, and increased stress hormones. Most of these symptoms increase a person’s likelihood of having heart disease — currently the leading cause of death among black people in America today. Damon K. Jones is the Publisher and Co-Owner of Urban Soul Media Group, the parent company of BlackWestchester.com. Damon is also the New York Representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America He has been a guest commentator on New York radio stations WBLS (107.5 FM), WLIB (1190 am) WRKS (98.7 FM), WBAI (99.5 FM) and Westchester’s WVOX (1460 am). Mr. Jones has appeared on local television broadcasts including Westchester News 12 “News Makers” and Public Television “Winbrook Pride. You can now hear Damon every Sunday on the People Before Politics Radio internet talk radio show and every first Monday 11:00AM-12 Noon on WVOX 1460 AM on the Black Westchester Power Hour.
The Congressional Black Caucus is coming to Rep. Maxine Waters’ defense amid her ongoing feud with President Trump after she called on opponents of the president to confront members of his Cabinet in public places. On Monday, June 25th, Trump tweeted that Waters had called for harm on Trump supporters. “She has just called for harm to supporters, of which there are many, of the Make America Great Again movement. Be careful what you wish for Max!” he tweeted. But the CBC says Trump’s characterization of Waters’ remarks are a misrepresentation. “In exercising her constitutional right to freedom of speech at a recent rally, Congresswoman Waters did not, as she has made clear, encourage violence, like President Trump has been doing since the election. She, instead, encouraged Americans to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly by letting President Trump and members of his Administration know that separating young immigrant children from their parents is not who we are as a country,” said Congressman Cedric Richmond, chairman of the CBC in a statement. Richmond instead pointed to Trump’s own language insinuating violence on the campaign trail. “We cannot forget that President Trump, as a candidate, encouraged his supporters to beat up his detractors at rallies, and, as president, morally equated white supremacists with anti-racist activists and encouraged police officers to beat up suspects. In fact, almost every day President Trump says something that makes this country more dangerous for people who look like Congresswoman Waters and other minorities. Where is the national conversation on civility in these moments?” Richmond said. Waters, U.S. Representative for California’s 43rd congressional district since 2013, herself is calling out Trump for perpetuating what she calls “lies.” “Trump is the one who is creating lies,” Waters told reporters on Capitol Hill, June 25th. “Trying to have people believe that I talked about harming people. There’s nowhere in my statement, anytime, anyplace that we talked about harm.”
28-YEAR-OLD DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OUST POWERFUL, 10-TERM CONGRESSMAN IN NY
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old Latina running her first campaign, ousted 10-term incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in NY’s 14th congressional district on Tuesday, June 26th, in the most shocking upset the political season. An activist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Ocasio-Cortez won over the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House -outraised her by a 10-to-1 margin. “This is the beginning, the message that we sent the world tonight is that it’s not OK to put donors before your community,” she shared with supporters.
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10 BLACK WESTCHESTER
JULY 2018
REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY
BW LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THE FINANCIAL DOWNFALL OF MOUNT VERNON, NY, THE NEXT DETROIT! This is an open letter directed towards the citizens of
Mount Vernon, NY. For months myself and others like me were trying to EDUCATE you on the ALLEDGED criminality of Mayor Richard Thomas and his administration. The straw that broke the camel’s back is the CRIMINAL ACT by Mayor Thomas and his administration. The City of Mount Vernon is on a road of destruction by the acts of Mayor Thomas. What many of you don’t know is that the city’s reserve funds are NOT overflowing. From what I’ve been told, there is about $10,000,000.00 in the reserve funds. That is NOTHING! There are over 40 lawsuits against the city, which have merit. This has all come under the Thomas administration. The owner of Kela Tennis Center is suing the city for $27,000,000.00. He will WIN that lawsuit but I doubt he’ll be awarded that amount. If he is awarded a third of the claim, that would bankrupt the city. Andre Wallace’s company, Creative Direction Construction & Design, LLC. (CDCD) just won it;s lawsuit in the amount of a little over a quarter of a million dollars. The retirees of Mount Vernon Police Department of 2015 have a lawsuit against the city. The face amount of the suit was a little over a half a million dollars. That amount with interest attached has ballooned to over a little over three quarters of a million dollars. Lets not forget about Larry Fair’s lawsuit. Lets not forget about Tom Terry’s lawsuit. Lets not forget about Samuel L. Rivers’ lawsuit. Lets not forget about former mayor Ernie Davis; Special Assistant Sharry Harris’ lawsuit. Lets not forget about OK Freddies lawsuit. Lets not forget about Mega Beverage’s lawsuit. I could go on and on. Please keep in mind that the city’s insurance company does not cover BREACH OF CONTRACT, CRIMINAL ACTS, etc. These awards would come right out to the city’s reserve funds. Now, if Mount Vernon goes BANKRUPT, the state will have to take over. If that happens there will be drastic changes. There will be layoffs. That’s pertains to employees of city hall, police department, fire department, DPW, and every other part of Mount Vernon government. I suggest the residents beg for help from Governor Cuomo to remove Mayor Thomas from office. You the residents have the POWER!
PART TWO: THE FACTS SURROUNDING
THE KELA TENNIS CENTER
Sunday, June 10, 2018, I had the opportunity to be an INFORMAL guest on the PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS RADIO SHOW, hosted by AJ Woodson, Dr. Robert Baskerville and Lorraine Lopez. I missed my boy Damon K Jones, who wasn’t there this week. He always keeps it 100% with his militant attitude… lol. That week’s topic was Memorial Field and the Mount Vernon Tennis Center.
CITY COUNCIL DON’T HAND MEMORIAL FIELD OVER TO THE COUNTY
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
Most people DON’T know the laws and I wouldn’t expect them to. As a retired police officer and former resident of Mount Vernon, I was able to give them my legal expertise on what crimes were committed at the field. Regardless of what you’ve heard, here are the facts. 1. Kela Tennis Center had an agreement with the City of Mount Vernon. 2. Kela Tennis Center was NOT in default of their rent. 3. NO judge signed an EVICTION notice regarding the Kela Tennis Center. 4. The N.Y.S. Penal Law defines BURGLARY as follows;
A person is guilty of burglary in the third degree when he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building with intent to commit a crime therein. That is a Class “D” Felony. 5. Figurora representatives did break the lock to the structure and entered. 6. The N.Y.S. Penal Law defines CRIMINAL MISCHIEF – 2’ as follows;
A person is guilty of Criminal Mischief in the second degree when with intent to damage property of another person, and having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he has such right, he damages property of another person in an amount exceeding one thousand five hundred dollaars. This is a Class “D” Felony.
been received by the Governor, he may suspend the officer affected thereby for a period not exceeding sixty days pending the investigation. I beseech each resident to voice their outrage of this Hitler type mentality of Mayor Richard Thomas. The damage of the tennis bubble will cost taxpayers almost $5,000,000.00. Other lawsuits that have merit against the City of Mount Vernon will add additional millions of dollars to taxpayers. Band together and march on City Hall. Don ‘Starchild’ Moore Retired Mount Vernon Police Officer
7. Figurora representative did damage the tennis bubble and the cost is over $1,000,000.00. 8. The N.Y.S. Penal Law defines CONSPIRACY – 5’ as follows;
A person is guilty of Conspiracy in the fifth degree when, with intent that conduct constituting; 1. A FELONY be performed, he agrees with one or more persons to engage in or cause the performance of such conduct. 9. Mayor Thomas and Corporation Council Lawrence Pocari ADMITTED in their press conference that they ordered the destruction of the bubble located at the Kela Tennis Center 10. ARTICLE IV – SECTION 26 of the Mount Vernon City Charter reads as follows; ELECTIVE OFFICERS REMOVABLE BY THE GOVERNOR The Mayor and Comptroller may be removed by the Governor in the same manner as a sheriff, except that the Governor may direct the inquiry provided by law to be conducted by the Attorney General. After charges have
Mount Vernon’s own Denzel Washington and Former MVPD Officer Don ‘Starchild’ Moore [Facebook]
HOW CAN AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITIAGE CELEBRATION DENY BLACK POLITICIAN CHANCE TO SPEAK AND LET WHITE OPPONENT ADDRESS THE CROWD
I am writing to request that join me in demanding that the City Dear African American Heritage Celebration Coalition, I am very disappointed in you and I had to write Council remove turning over Memorial Field to Westchester this letter for publishing in Black Westchester to share how County as an option for redeveloping the field. I feel after attending the 2018 Westchester County African Frankly, I am appalled at the audacity of Mount Vernon City American Heritage Celebration at the Kensico Dam, Council’s proposal to hand over the development of Memorial Sunday, June 24, 2018. What I saw that day, I would have never expected to Field to Westchester County. The people of Mount Vernon elect- ed ALL of our officials to handle the business of Mount Vernon. see at an event named the African-American Heritiage If they cannot do that, as they have now indicated, then ALL of Celebration, maybe a Westchester County event held by any other group of people but now you. You denied them must be replaced at the next election. Jumaane Williams, a sitting African-American Council More significantly, why do our elected officials spend more time member for the 45th District of the New York City, who is bickering and suing each other than serving our City? They running for New York State Lt. Governor, but allowed his stand before their constituents bashing the City, and thereby the opponent the current Lt. Governor, who is a white woman to residents that choose to live in Mount Vernon. We receive more address the crowd. And then she talk about Frederick Douglass, than enough negative publicity from outsiders, and it is coun- showing just how disconnected she is with us as a people. Before anyone reading this talks about me making terproductive for our elected officials to join in the haranguing. this a racial issue, let me say, if you allow any candidate I implore you to write, call, vote and run for office. Do not leave regardless of color or gender to speak your organization the management to people that declared that they cannot work should allow their opponent (if present) the same opportunity. together, and demonstrated that they do not possess the skills, How can I not make this about race because of the event. I went to you website and you claim to be and I disposition or professional to work for Mount Vernon. None of quote a “...a group composed of various community us can go to our jobs and declare that we cannot work with someone and still get paid. The City Council, Mayor and all City leaders and organizations of African-American Officials need a reminder that they too cannot turn their back on decent and origin working together to present the African-American experience.” their responsibilities. By denying Councilman Williams to speak you failed to live up to who you claim to be and represent. You fail your Sincerely, founder, the late Mr. John H. Harmon. Your website says he Raquel M. Bennett was “a man with a great passion for education, he Mount Vernon Resident and Property Owner had a vision to preserve and showcase the contri“When you know history, the present is no mystery.”
County and worldwide.”
As an African-American, a Westchester resident and a register voter, I am very disappointed. As a people we continuiously get the short end of the stick from everyone else. I am purposely writing this for publication in Black Westchester, so the Black Community especially in Westchester can see it. As a Black Person in Westchester, I expected better for your organization. Now I understand, there is a lot going on and it could be said this was an oversight of some sort, if you did not know who the councilman was. After watching the Facebook Live video by Black Westchester Publisher Damon K. Jones, I knew I had to also write and publically share my extreme disappointment in your organization It would have been one thing if he was told we do not allow candidates to campaign but to deny Councilman Williams and then let his White opponent speak at an event celebrating African-Americans is unexceptable. I think Councilman Williams deserves a public apology. Not addressing this and publicly apologizing to the councilman, will leave me to believe, that this was no mistake, it was intentional in denying a Black Politician to speak. If that is the case, I can no longer support you and attend this event and I will continue to write letters to the press and speak out against you and encourage others not to support you or attend either! In love I say you must do better! - Carolyn Simpson, a very disappointed Africanbutions of African-Americans here in Westchester American resident of Elmsford, N.Y. and former supporter.
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ASSORTED NEWS
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JOE JACKSON, FATHER OF MICHAEL AND JANET, DIES OF PANCREATIC CANCER AT 89
BY AJ WOODSON
Joe Jackson, the music manager and father of 11, died early Wednesday, June 27th He was 89. Joe’s death eerily comes nearly nine years to the date that Michael Jackson died, June 25, 2009. A few days earlier, multiple reports annouced the Jackson family patriarch had been battling terminal pancreatic cancer and was “not doing well” as of late.
photo on Instagram. “This man is and always will be an example or sheer willpower and dedication. He didn’t choose the path that was the easiest but he choose the path that was best for his family,” he wrote. Daughter LaToya added, “I will always love you! You gave us strength, you made us one of the most famous families in the world. I am extremely appreciative of that, I will never forget our moments together and how you told me how much you cared. #RIP Joe Jackson” Over the years, Jackson — who was born on July 26, 1928, in Fountain Hill, Arkansas — had a series of health problems. In November 2012, he recovered from a minor stroke at his Las Vegas home. Three years later, daughter Janet had to put rehearsals for her Unbreakable World Tour on hold when he suffered another stroke and heart arrhythmia in Brazil on his 87th birthday in July 2015. In May 2016, he was hospitalized due to a high fever and in June 2017, he was released from the hospital after a car accident in Las Vegas. John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson, released the Joe Jackson pictured six of his following press statement: sons Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, “We are deeply saddened Michael, Marlon and Randy in by Mr. Jackson’s passing the days of the Jackson Five and extend our heartfelt Grandsons Randy Jackson Jr. and Taj Jackson confirmed the news in tweets condolences to Mrs. KathWednesday, June 27 writing, “RIP to the king that made everything possible! I love erine Jackson and the you grandpa” and “Joe was loved by the entire family and our hearts are in pain. Let family. Joe was a strong us grieve.” man who acknowledged Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly to nearby organs. It is seldom his own imperfections detected in its early stages. But for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of and heroically delivered pancreatic cancer, some screening steps might help detect a problem early. One sign his sons and daughters of pancreatic cancer is diabetes, especially when it occurs with weight loss, jaundice from the steel mills of or pain in the upper abdomen that spreads to the back Gary, Indiana to world Prince Michael Jackson, grandson of Joe and son of Michael, captioned a wide pop superstardom.”
EAST PITTSBURGH OFFICER CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN ANTWON ROSE SHOOTING
BY AJ WOODSON
Prosecutors charged East Pittsburgh police Officer Michael Rosfeld with criminal homicide Wednesday in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II, court records show. New details, included in the criminal complaint against Rosfeld, indicate Antwon was shot in his face, right arm and the middle of his back. It also states that Antwon was in a car suspected in an earlier shooting but did not appear to be the shooter, and that Rosfeld made inconsistent statements about whether he believed Antwon had a gun when the officer opened fire. Under Pennsylvania law, criminal homicide includes murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala said he believes Rosfeld acted “recklessly and without justification,” and thus, the evidence supports charges of manslaughter and third-degree murder, and Zappala said his office has a “right to argue murder in the first,” which the state code classifies as an “intentional killing.” “It’s an intentional act, and it’s done recklessly,” Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. said at a news conference Wednesday. “There is no justification for it.” Michael Rosfeld, 30, was arrested and charged on the morning of Wednesday, June 27th, according to court documents. He was released after posting $250,000 bail. Rosfeld has been on administrative leave since the June 19 shooting. He had reportedly officially been sworn into the job with the East Pittsburgh Police Department just hours before the incident.
A witness video of the incident has been viewed about 150,000 times on Facebook; it shows Rose and a second passenger running from police as three shots are heard. Rose is seen collapsing. Rose was shot in the face, the elbow and the back, according to Zappala. Of the back wound, Zappala said, “That’s the fatal shot,” adding the “9 mm slug matches Rosfeld’s service weapon.” Police said the Chevrolet Cruze was pulled over because it matched the description of a vehicle involved in a drive-by shooting minutes earlier in nearby North Braddock Borough that left a 22-year-old with a “grazing” wound. A police affidavit says video surveillance footage of the North Braddock shooting shows a passenger wearing a dark shirt in the back firing a weapon from an open window. Police do not suspect Rose, who was seated in the front seat, of firing any shots. The backseat passenger, who also ran with Rose, was later identified as Zaijuan Hester. He was arrested on Monday and charged Wednesday with attempted homicide. “Antwon Rose didn’t do anything in North Braddock other than be in that vehicle,” Zappala said. The driver was detained the day of the shooting and then released without charge after questioning, police said. “The best we can tell, he is like an Uber driver,” Zappala said. “He was very forthcoming.” In the week since Rose died, hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of the Pittsburgh area demanding action and “Justice4Antwon.” Lee Merritt, who represents the Rose family, said Wednesday that while the family is glad Rosfeld was arrested and charged, action should have been taken sooner. “When that video first went viral of Antwon Rose being shot in the back three times — at that time, there was no justification; an arrest warrant should have been issued immediately,” Merritt said, according to audio released by ABC. “The family views the homicide charge with guarded optimism,” he added. “We believe it’s a step in the right direction but we understand that there’s gonna be a long road to a conviction and sentencing.”
ICE CUBE’S BIG3 BECOMES 1ST PRO LEAGUE TO ALLOW ATHLETES TO USE CANNABIDIOL FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT
It makes perfect sense that a basketball league owned by a Ice Cube, star of the movie Fridays would be the first professional sports outfit to allow the use of cannabidiol, or CBD, for its players. Face there’s a long history of Mary Jane and hip-hop, and hip-hop and sports, so why weed and sports, right? The New York Daily News reports that Ice Cube’s Big3, the professional three-on-three basketball league founded in January 2017, will allow CBD for its second season, which began June 22nd in Houston, Tx at the Toyota Center. In a press release, the league said that it is allowing “access to CBD for use in pain management and recovery.” “As a testament to our relationship with our players, we listened to their feedback on CBD, as well as feedback from professionals in the regulatory and
BY AJ WOODSON
and CBD industry, and decided to take this major step to support their health,” Big3 co-founder and co-CEO Jeff Kwatinetz said in a press release. According to Quartz: “CBD is one of the many chemical compounds in a class called ‘cannabinoids’ that naturally occur in cannabis plants. While THC is the most famous of cannabinoids for its ability to get us high, CBD is a rapidly rising star for its capacity to deliver mental and physical benefits without the giggles, paranoia, or couch-lock.” In essence, it will not get you high but wields the medicinal benefits of marijuana. Former New York Giants defensive end Leonard Marshall says that he uses CBD daily to cope with symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the degenerative brain disease found in many football players.
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12 BLACK WESTCHESTER
BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM
JULY 2018
COUNCILMAN ANDRE WALLACE GOLF OUTING, LAKE ISLE COUNTY CLUB MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2018
WORDS BY AJ WOODSON
PHOTOS BY SHANE SAMUELS
Eastchester – Over 250 elected officials, community leaders and supporters gathered at the Lake Isle County Club for Councilman Andre Wallace’s 4th Annual Golf Outing, Monday, June 4, 2018. Those in attendance included, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, Westchester County Democratic Chairman Reginald A. Lafayette (who performed Master of Ceremony duties), Former Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Westchester County Department of Corrections First Deputy Commissioner Anthony Molina, Westchester Corrections Association President Brooke Jones, Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey, Former Mount Vernon Council President Roberta Apuzo, Mount Vernon Councilman Marcus A. Griffith, Former Yonkers Councilwoman Lorraine Lopez, Mount Vernon City Clerk George Brown, Mount Vernon Deputy Clerk Lauren Carter, Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis, Former MVPD Police Commissioner Terrance Raynor and Mount Vernon City Marshall Serapher Conn-Halevi.
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JULY 2018
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JANUS RULING CONCRETE PROOF WHY LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIONS VOTE AGAINST THEIR INTEREST POLITICAL ELECTIONS?
BY DAMON K. JONES
The existence of a healthy and politically respected union is fundamental to workplace Peace, Health and Order. Decisions made in collective bargaining and negotiations between employer and unions are more influential today than ever before. The role of union leadership is to play an essential role in efficient communication between its members and the municipality. But in the last decade or so, law enforcement unions have lost their way in the fundamental function and culture of labor unions by confusing political philosophies with the overall mission of a labor union and the interest of its members. Law Enforcement unions and Fraternal organizations have historically voted against their interest even after candidates made known publicly that their political agenda was against the fiber of labor and labor rights. Historically, the Republican Party has always supported law enforcement, so they thought. For the last 40 Years, Republicans have quietly plotted to lower union enrollment and attack Collective Bargaining rights. To destroy collective bargaining is to kill the right of a union member to any resolution of a labor dispute. For workers like police and firefighters, failure to resolve conflicts is hazardous; it could put an officer in harm’s way and a threat to the overall public safety of our communities. The Republican goal is to eliminate collective bargaining weaken unions and ultimately undermine the middle class. In 2011, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and state Republicans passed Act 10, which reduced collective bargaining and cut the pay of public sector employees. Walker set the blueprint for Republicans to dismantle the power of labor unions on a National stage. In Iowa, cops and firefighters voted overwhelmingly for Republicans in Iowa and had come to the grim reality that Republicans are anti-union. Iowa Republican state legislation splits public workers into two groups, one that’s “public safety workers,” and one that isn’t. The Iowa Republican Bill even removed the provisions for “just cause” firings. This means public workers could get the fired at any time, with no recourse of action to save their job. The Iowa State Republicans voted and passed a bill that dismantled the state’s 40-year-old collective bargaining law, dramatically weakening the power of public sector labor unions and leaving some 185,000 public workers unable to bargain over benefits, healthcare, vacations, retirement, and nearly all workplace issues outside of wages. The last two terms of former Westchester County Executive, Robert Astorino, he made good on his promise to Corporate Westchester by lowering salaries and benefits of county workers. These same county workers whom many can’t even afford to live in the county they work for had their wages benefits lowered all for tax breaks to Corporate Westchester. Mr. Astorino wrote in an Op-Ed printed by the New York Post on January 16, 2012, and in the Journal News on Jan 30, 2012, to take on the task of criticizing Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other legislative leaders for not to pursuing any reform this year concerning the Triborough Amendment. The Triborough Amendment mandates that event of lack of a contract, the terms of the previous contract remain in place until a new contract is agreed upon by labor and management or the government municipality. Mr. Astorino uses this to support his theory that the Triborough Amendment has put a burden on county finances because raises continue after the labor contract expired which is false. Astorino’s Administration’s goal was to break unions contractually. The first contract he passed with Westchester COBA, enables the first crack in setting the standard for broken unions in Westchester. The Westchester COBA leadership agreed to separate healthcare cost of hires after 2012. The hires would pay six percent more in premium contributions, a total of 20 percent and pay the same when retired, while those officers employed before 2012 would pay 14 percent and not pay at all when retired. They also agreed to lower the top pay of all hires after 2012.
Astorino last accomplishment in true Gov. Scott Walker fashion that he split one union in two contractually by giving one group of active members a higher raise than the other. Correction Officer has settled for a two-tier raise system contractually that set a dangerous precedent for labor unions all across the state of New York. Former County Executive Robert Astorino within eight years he con tractually broke one of the largest law enforcement unions in Westchester County. Even after many union rights and salaries lost, Astorino’s public attack on the Triborough Amendment. County Law Enforcement Unions stood faithfully with Astorino in last year’s election against current County Executive George Latimer. National Law Enforcement organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police and local police unions have stood behind Donald Trump for the election to be President. His claim to be a “Law and Order” President as it relates to rights and benefits to law Enforcement is only Republican rhetoric, and Blue Lives symbolism and no substance in actual legislation to protect the rights and interests of law enforcement throughout the nation. The Trump administration are strong supporters of what’s called “right-towork” laws, state laws that disallow unions from requiring membership dues, thus undermining their ability to survive with no financing. With these laws in place, the public sector worker will have no voice in the workplace. This is a severe threat to union members and non-union workers alike. President Trump recently signed executive orders containing sweeping reforms that weaken protections for federal workers and eliminate perks for the unions that represent them. Under the new executive orders, unions will be charged rent for federal office space and will not be reimbursed for travel expenses or hours spent appealing worker firings. Trump also ordered the termination of an Obama-era policy that says leniency for one worker sets a precedent protecting others from firing, and shortened review periods preceding discipline for poor-performing employees. In a case involving the rights of tens of millions of private sector employees, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a 5-4 vote, delivered a major blow to workers, ruling for the first time that workers may not band together to challenge violations of federal labor laws. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch, who is a Tump appointee to the Supreme Court said that the 1925 Federal Arbitration Act trumps the National Labor Relations Act and that employees who sign employment agreements to arbitrate claims must do so on an individual basis — and may not band together to enforce claims of wage and hour violations. This ruling with present increasing problems for other civil rights class actions claiming discrimination based on race, gender and religion. There is no transparency in most binding arbitration agreements, and they often include non-disclosure provisions. Class actions assist the individuals to deal with the fear of retaliation problems of solo claims. The recent 5-4 decision in the case, Janus v. the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, effectively makes the entire U.S. public sector a “right-to-work” zone. As a result, millions of public employees will have the choice to no longer support unions that must continue to bargain on their behalf. Janus, as the case is known, was widely seen as the biggest judicial threat to organized labor in years, if not decades. The ruling in favor of Mark Janus, an Illinois state employee, has the potential to squeeze some of the largest and most powerful unions in the country, reducing their clout in the workplace as well as in national and local politics. In many states, public workers, especially law enforcement are the backbone of middle-class living. According to conservative economist Stephen Moore, who advised Trump’s campaign on tax policy. He told Bloomberg Politics, “that going after state and local taxes will weaken public unions.” Republicans say they hope the change will mean lower state taxes, union enrollment and smaller governments. The removal of the state and local tax break could hurt the public sector, smaller union enrollment will weaken union political power. This is designed to weaken the Democratic constituency that work for local and state governments and that rely on taxpayers for jobs and pensions. But the reality is, it’s also weakening the majority Republican member law enforcement unions throughout the nation who rely on strong labor laws for the protection of workplace safety. To our detriment, Law Enforcement unions have never considered themselves labor union leaders that are part of the labor movement in its entirety, and now the chickens have come home to roost in our contract negotiations and our collective bargaining rights. If these law enforcement union presidents don’t step out of the box, realign themselves with the national labor movement and struggle and honestly address labor issues and support candidate that genuinely have labor interest in mind; they will have failed its members and the greater public and the working middle class. I openly challenge to any Law Enforcement union or organization that openly supported Republicans to prove me wrong!
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14 BLACK WESTCHESTER
BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM
JULY 2018
COVER STORIES BW COVER STORY JOE SPIEZIO, THE TEFLON GARBAGE CAN GANGSTER
Understanding Black Westchester has become a force that has the power to sway public opinion and serves as the impetus for government reform, we take this role seriously. In our effort in uncovering corruption in government, crime, corporate misdeeds, environmental destruction and abuse of power, we attempt to deliver Watchdog Journalism. We understand our role as Watchdog Journalists, our aim is to check and report abuses of those who have wealth and power, and exposing wrongdoings, lies and hypocrisy of those who wield that power or perceived power. Not because the journalist benefits from the exposure or is paid by opposing forces to uncover and expose the wrongdoings like some other local independent media sources. Let’s face it, the reality is most news coverage is usually not probing or investigative. But reacts to what is happening or what has been publically announced. Attending press conference and reporting it is not investigative reporting. Investigative Reporting uses multiple sources - both human and documentary - that together paint a picture of the wrongdoing or abuse
BY AJ WOODSON
We went into this investigation with the intent to not only expose the wrongdoings and abuse of power by Joe Spiezio, but also the systematic failure in both Mount Vernon City and Westchester County Government. Not just of his wrongdoings, but also the larger pattern of negligence or abuse and the systems that make these possible. Such as inadequate local and county government regulations, ordinances and laws. In addition to the inadequate government response or deterence to, not only stop these wrongdoings, but prosecute the wrongdoer and set an example to prevent further wrongdoing. As Investigative Reporters for the Community, Black Westchester understands we serve as the guardians of public interest and take this responsibility seriously. By exposing wrongdoings, we aim to hold the powerful accountable for their actions and that was our intention in this investigative report of Joe Spiezio. Dr. Robert Baskerville P.h.D greatly contributed to the research and writing of this investigative report.
PART ONE: THE ILLIGETIMACY OF SPIEZIO’S DEPUTY COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT
Black Westchester conducted an investigation of several irregularities that we uncovered while reviewing the application which city officials approved for Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph F. Spiezio III, to haul garbage in the city of Mount Vernon. While planning on publishing this article detailing our findings imminently, we reached out to then Acting Police Commissioner Ronald Fatigate in 2016, to give him the opportunity to clarify the role of the Mount Vernon Police Department in the eventual approval of Spiezio’s license. The reason for seeking a comment from the former acting commissioner is because the ordinances of the City of Mount Vernon gives the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) a central role in vetting the criminal background of any individuals or businesses who wish to haul garbage in the city. According to the ordinance, “no license shall be granted to any applicant who has been convicted of any felony or any misdemeanor involving violence, dishonesty or deceit” (City of Mount Vernon Code Chapter 140 (Garbage, Rubbish and Refuse), Article II (Licensed Collectors), § 140-13 (License application), paragraph (C)). To prevent convicted criminal from operating in the city’s hauling industry, the MVPD is thus required to conduct a criminal background check of all license applicants by having their fingerprints submitted for a review by the “to the [New York State] Division of Criminal Justice Services or other appropriate agency for processing and investigations” (op. cit.). A visual inspection of Spiezio’s application, indicated that the MVPD opted to have an unknown fingerprint center in Yonkers, identified only as by its operator id number (125007), perform the required background check. A review conducted under the Freedom of Information Laws in June 2016 by Valerie Friedlander, a Records Access Officer of the NYS Division of Criminal Justice, concluded that the MVPD did not submit Spiezio’s fingerprints to that
the MVPD did not submit Spiezio’s fingerprints to that office for review. The reason we were curious about these procedures used in this case is because Black Westchester conducted an investigation of Spiezio’s dealings in early 2016 and found that he and/or his hauling company have been found guilty by at least two tribunals here in the U.S. of infractions that would appear to bar him from receiving a garbage hauling license. To be specific, in April of 2015 a three-member panel of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Spiezio’s firm, R & S Waste Management, had violated Section 8 (a)(3) and (1) of the federal National Labor Relations Act (See Rogan Brothers Sanitation, Inc., LLC, as single employer, alter ego and/or successor International Union of Journeymen and Allied Trades, Local 726 and International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 813 Cases 02-CA-065928, 02-CA06530, 02-CA-066512, and 02-CB-069408 https://www. scribd.com/doc/316678863/Rogan-Brothers-SanitationInc-And-R-S-Waste-Services-LLC#from_embed). What’s more, in March of 2013, the First Circuit of the Louisiana Court of Appeals found that Spiezio himself had personally violated Louisiana’s contracting laws by performing real estate construction work without the necessary permits, while fraudulently claiming on official documents that he had been authorized to do this work under another entity’s general contractor license (See Spiezio v. State Licensing Board of Contractors https:// www.scribd.com/doc/316676899/Spiezio-v-State-Licensing-Board-for-Contractors#from_embed). A Law Enforcement Official also confirmed that Joe Spiezio is the prime suspect in an arson case in Greenburgh. He is suspected of burning down his house in 1994. The file could not be released as requested in our F.O.I.L. request due to the fact that it’s still an open investigation. During his arrest, Mr. Spiezio reportedly told the arresting officer, ‘You can’t touch me, I’m an informant for the FBI for Organized Crime in New Jersey, according to the law enforcement officials we spoke to. A call to the arresting officer confirmed this fact as well. The arresting officer said he called the FBI agent given by Mr. Spiezio and the FBI agent reluctantly confirmed he was Mr. Spiezio’s handler. We were also informed that another gentleman, identified as Mike Jackson, who works for Mr. Spiezio is an FBI informant as well. In addition, the owner of a rival sanitation company also confirmed this and told Black Westchester that Mr. Spiezio had him indicted on bogus
charges that were later thrown out. He confirmed Mr. Spieizio’s name was on the paperwork of his indictment investigation. Given the record of criminality of Spiezio and his firm, we are presently at a loss in explaining how his firm could have legitimately received a license to haul garbage in Mount Vernon as well as in any other municipality of Westchester County, not to mention the contract to haul trash for the County of Westchester itself. The MVPD’s role in this matter is of especial importance because the city ordinances also require that, upon receipt of the fingerprint report, “the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Department of Public Safety shall review and examine the same and advise the City Clerk as to whether or not the applicant should be issued a license…” (op. cit.). Inquiries with the city’s Law Department and the City Clerk show no evidence that the Criminal Investigation Unit ever forwarded the advice mandated by the ordinances to the Clerk. If that is the case, it raises the specter that Spiezio might have used his influence as Deputy Police Commissioner to quash the completion of the background investigation. Such a possibility only gives further weight to the belief that his appointment as Deputy Police Commissioner constitutes a serious conflict of interest and undermines the ability of the MVPD to perform its duties as the guardian the city’s laws. Acting Police Commissioner Fatigate’s predecessor, former Public Safety Commissioner Robert ‘Bob’ Kelly further spoke to the illegitimacy of Spiezio’s appointment in his answer to civil action No CV-183007. In the court documents that Black Westchester obtained, what Kelly spells out is quite troubling. In Jan 2016, Mayor Thomas informed Kelley, he was appointing Spiezio as Deputy Police Commissioner. According to Kelly, the City Charter does not allow the mayor to make appointments of Deputy Commissioner to the police department. That duty is delegated by the Charter to the Police Commissioner. Kelly gave Mayor Thomas an honorary Deputy Police Commissioner badge and informed the mayor as an honorary deputy police commissioner, Spiezio did not have the authority to make decisions or give orders impacting police operations... (continues on Page 24)
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BLACK WESTCHESTER 15
BW COVER STORY
PART TWO: WHY HAS THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY SOLID WASTE COMMISSION ALLOWED SPIEZIO TO OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY?
BY AJ WOODSON
During our two-year long investigation, we talked to several other Sanitation Companies that operate in Westchester County like Cortlandt, NY based, CRP Sanitation and Buchanan, NY based, AAA Carting as well as others in the many municipalities where Mr. Spiezio has or had contracts to collect trash like Rye Brook, Yonkers and Yorktown. Many of them, who have interacted with Mr. Spiezio and his trash hauling empire all told Black Westchester one of two things; either they said, ‘if they did a tenth of what Spiezio’s companies were doing the Solid Waste Commission would have fined them and they may be out of the trash collecting business.’ Or the next most given response was that ‘it appears he has someone protecting him higher-up or in the Solid Waste Commission, itself.’ One example of Spiezio’s teflon-like reign of blatant disregard for the rule of law and lack of fear of repercussion for his actions, would be freely using his companies to cart without a license. Lohud reported on April 23, 2017 that ‘Spiezio got into an ugly shouting match, caught on video, with Mount Vernon City Councilman Andre Wallace,’ in June of 2016. Spiezio threatened to do body harm to Councilman Wallace and hurled homophobic slurs at him. The Councilman confronted Spiezio for illegally hauling trash
from a Mount Vernon business with his Competition Carting trucks who have never had a license to haul trash in the City of Mount Vernon. “I was elected by the people of Mount Vernon to legislate and protect our city, Councilman Wallace told Black Westchester. “I will never bend or submit to bullies or thugs. Spiezio has threatened my life at least five times including once stating if I didn’t behave myself, I could end up in the back of one of his garbage trucks. His treats will not stop me from doing the people’s work.” In our investigation, we talked to other carting companies in Westchester to find out how that works with having a license in the name of one company and using another company you own under another name. Pat Cartalemi Jr., owner of AAA Carting informed Black Westchester, that a company cannot haul trash without a license even if the owner of said company has a license with another company he owns. We were also informed Spiezio also applies the practice when it comes to worker’s compensation insurance, but we will get to that later. Spiezio - who has a law degree but has never passed the bar - obviously knew he was breaking the law, that Saturday afternoon in June of 2016, because the video clearly shows Competition Carting trucks leaving at Spiezio’s orders after Councilman Wallace pointed out they do not have permission and R&S Waste Management trucks replacing them just before the altercation. After committing, what can only be considered a blatant violation, instead of being fined for illegally trash removal without a license by the Solid Waste Commission or being charged with threatening a sitting City Councilman by the MVPD, no action was taken. Spiezio put on his Deputy Police Commissioner hat and had the report of the incident say Councilman Wallace arrived on the scene and threatened him and his employees. Despite what the video - we posted on June 19, 2016 that instantly went viral - clearly showed. This is also just one of the many documented violations that proved there is a clear conflict of interest in his dual roles we spoke of. As has been the case with many other reported infractions, there was no action taken against Spiezio by the Solid Waste Commission. The question is why is that? We reached out to officials in some of the municipalities
Spiezio has contracts to question if he was properly vetted before being granted the contract for trash removal. The Yorktown Town Clerk’s office was quick to point out it was the previous administration that gave Spiezio’s Competition Carting the contract, when Black Westchester called to inquire about Spiezio license. Although they could not speak on the dealings with Speizio, they wanted it to be crystal clear, it was a new administration, that had just taken office in January this year. They did tell us that Competition no longer has a license in Yorktown. They lost the bid this year to AAA Carting, who had the best bid. We are told Spiezio is currently trying to appeal the decision. Lohud reported that Yorktown bid out its garbage contract in the fall of 2012. After a small-scale carter received the contract by virtue of a ridiculously low bid, Spiezio was brought in to run the business. The previous contractor, CRP Sanitation, unsuccessfully sued the town, arguing the lowest “responsible” bid had not been accepted. CRP’s Ronald Carbone contends that Spiezio and his company R&S Waste Services had stayed out of the fray initially to avoid any vetting. We are told R&S would not have been passed the vetting process. In Yonkers, all officials would tell us is they ran R&S and Spiezio out-of-town but would not elaborate as to the why and how. In Rye Brook where Mr. Spiezio’s company underbid AAA, and just won another contact, City Officials tell BW that they are already unsatisfied with the results and that his crews were picking up trash until almost midnight the day before we spoke in early June of this year. Our research shows that Spiezio, a would-be developer who appeared on the scene in Yonkers - two decades ago - hoping to make his mark as the city sought to reshape its downtown and waterfront, abruptly shifted to the garbage industry in 2011. He took over the business of a financially troubled Yonkers company, Rogan Brothers Sanitation – much like he took over Competition Carting and formed R&S Waste Services. Rogan and R&S were accused of union-busting activities and the National Labor Relations Board found that they had engaged in unfair labor practices. The companies, Rogan and R&S, remain embroiled in a lawsuit by the Teamsters Local 813 pension and insurance trust funds, The Journal News reported. When we first reported on May 3, 2016 that Spiezio had been sued for not paying prevailing wages, Spiezio
if off as “fake news,” on social media much like the president he publicly strongly supports. Spiezio responded by saying Black Westchester won’t cover Real News like Councilman Andre Wallace’s company CDCD being investigated for not paying prevailing wages. While we could not find anything apart from Facebook posts from Spiezio and various members of the Thomas Administration to substantiate those claims, we did find the case where Spiezio was being accused. According to court documents obtained by BW, Gregory Yunga, Antonio Chogllo, Edgar Marcelo Rodriquez, Antonio Guaman, Osvaldo Mejia, Jose Chogllo, Oswaldo E. Orgega, Oscar Soto, Freddy Delgado, Jaksson Ramon, William Mejia, Jorge R. Ludizaca, Richard Mejia, Tito Hernandez Gomez, Fernando Mainato, Alberto Eduardo Valencia Vega, Daniel Sandoval, Segundo Palchispaca, and Genaro W. Ortega all Latino males all worked various time periods between February 2000 through July 2005 for Defendant Joseph Spiezio of 22 Beachfront Lane, New Rochelle as a laborer with respect to various construction projects including: 1211 North Broadway, Yonkers, New York; 1214 North Broadway, Yonkers, New York; 45 South Broadway, Yonkers, New York; 55 Main Street, Yonkers, New York; 92 Main Street, Yonkers, New York; 296-324 Long Beach Road, Island Park, New York; a privately owned property situated in Long Beach, New York; a building in Bronx County which apparently belonged to Spiezio’s mother; Defendant Spiezio’s home... (Continues on Page 24)
ALSO CHECK OUT THE TWOPART LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM FORMER MOUNT VERNON POLICE OFFICER DON ‘STARCHILD’ MOORE ON PAGE 21 TITLED, “THE FINANCIAL DOWNFALL OF MOUNT VERNON - THE NEW DETROIT & PART TWO - THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE KELA TENNIS CENTER
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16 BLACK WESTCHESTER
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CYN AROUND TOWN
BLACK WESTCHESTER17
BETTY BEFORE X BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES
The Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Westchester Alumnae Chapter hosted a book signing at the Doles Recreation Center Theater located in Mt. Vernon, New York. The first 100 youth participants received a complementary copy of “Betty Before X”. A fictionalized retelling of Betty Shabazz in her middle school years in Detroit. Ilyasah Shabazz daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz welcomed conversations with community impressionable Girls who were delighted to listen. The book is set in 1940s, and applies the language of the time, including “ Negro” and “colored.” It travels through Betty being raised Methodist by foster parents, Betty’s painful relationship with her mother and how her extended family and foster parents encouraged her puissance and principles. You will be able to follow along with a very young Betty as she encounters a lynching with a caregiver who tries to safeguard her from it. Racism and discrimination are strong content but seldom affect Betty directly in her loving community, she was resilient from small. “Betty Before X” is a must read.
NEW FLEX YOUTH PRINCESS PAGEANT 2018 BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES
Curls and crowns for the 9th year filled the Mount Vernon air at the Hair Show Princess Pageant. NewFlex Youth Program Inc. ascertained the need to create programs to positively engage our young ladies in the community which simultaneously improve and develop their self image. “The mission is to create leaders among less privileged youth through mentoring, leadership workshops and sports programs.” Executive director Nesta Felix knows that this is a challenge, but filled with love and excitement it gets done. The evening was filled with entertainment, glamour, friendly anxiety and poetry reading. “Our Cultural Collage” was written and recited by Steven Sternberg. This poem spoke about The cultures all around the world may have different foods and styles, but we are all the same inside, of that, there can be no denials...
The Princesses showcased cultural outfits representing various countries, continents and Caribbean islands. Pageant advocates say the pageant offer the children many benefits such as boosts their children’s self-esteem, builds self-confidence and forges lasting friendships. Behind the scenes is intense and interesting. Young girls today are bombarded with more images and colorless messages than ever before, which can have a huge effect on their level of confidence and self-esteem. Executive director Nesta Felix knows the importance of partners who can abet her mission behind the scenes. Her team are encouraging, cheering, clapping, and reminding each participant that they are already winners. I had the utmost enjoyment of co-hosting the New Flex Youth Princess Pageant 2018 creating leaders among less privileged youth through mentoring, leadership workshops and sports programs. Contact Nesta Felix at NewFlex Youth Programs Inc., for year round community building and mentoring with youth: www.newflex.org 716-393-5399 or 914-363-5460
CENTRAL AMERICAN CHILDREN CAUGHT IN THE AMERICAN PIPELINE Many articles with alarming one liners sparked an outcry about children from Central America. It became ghastly when the Bible was quoted by a politician, but the photos uncovered a flabbergasting policy. This “Zero-Tolerance” immigrant policy agitated the residents of Westchester County. The state, Congress and the county have been in the shadows about how many children are being held hostage, and where and when they will be reunited with their parents. The policy and photos sparked some of Westchester’s most influential politicians to gather outside Rising Ground foster care agency in Yonkers, where Central American immigrant children are being housed. It was clear that those gathered at Rising Ground understood when Abraham told Joshua, “You do the praying, but God want us to get up and walk the territory.” The Trump administration introduced a “zero-tolerance” policy calling for the prosecution of all individuals who illegally enter the United States. The policy has the influence of separating parents from their children when they enter the country together, because parents are referred for prosecution and the children are placed in the custody of a sponsor, such as a relative or foster home, or held in a shelter. Congressman Eliot Engel (NY-16), Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17) and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) were outside Rising Ground where an indefinite number of immigrant children are reportedly being detained. These children entered into the county in Texas with their parent and were either flown in or bussed approximately proximately 1,700 miles to New York without their parents.
BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES
York without their parents. Lawmakers and community taxpayers were hoping to see the children, but were declined access inside by federal authorities. Reps. Nita Lowey, Eliot Engel and Sean Patrick Maloney announced a new legislation, “Keep Families Together Act” was joined by local elected officials for a press conference to discuss the severe repercussions of President Trump’s family separation policy. The “Keep Families Together Act” would outlaw family separations except in very specific cases — when there’s reason to believe a child is being trafficked or abused by his or her parents. Rep. Maloney spoke in passion, “This is not some prison in some foreign country. This is a taxpayer-funded facility in the U.S. and members of Congress should be able to go in there and tell the rest of you what’s going on.” The press conference in Yonkers came after a tour of Rising Ground was conducted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “Although the president said he’s reversing his policy, there are still many children caught in the pipeline and we want to make sure they get reunited with their parents,” said Rep. Engel. Westchester County Executive George Latimer was also outside the facility. He called for the community to stand up and speak out. “There were many times we had the opportunity to stop injustice. People were hung and no one did anything. Why? Because of politics.” The Trump administration is expected to release its plan for rejoining thousands of Central American families who were separated at the border -- but the reunions will not happen quickly. The Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services said 2,053 children were still in the custody of HHS and awaiting being returned to their parents.
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18 BLACK WESTCHESTER
JULY 2018
BW YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT
LEMONADE WAS A POPULAR DRINK AND IT STILL IS... BW SPOTLIGHT: JADE THOMPSON BY AJ WOODSON
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still... R.I.P. to my homie Guru from Gangstarr, I miss you bruh, these words you first uttered in 1992 on the classic, Dywck featuring Nice & Smmoth, will last for ever. No matter where you go, people recite that verse, Jay Z quoted them on Beyonce’s track, ‘Lemonade,’ you can even hear them out the mouth of one of the stars of the Netflix Marvel’s series Luke Cage. In this case here I am quoting you, actually talking about Lemonade, that cool refreshing drink. A few days before finishing up laying out the paper, Dr. Bob Baskerville, Brooklyn Bob to his friends, stop by to get me out the house knowing I would work on the paper non-stop until its done. I took a much needed computr break jumped in his car and we road around. Down South Columbus turning on the corner of Washington Street, I see this young entrepreneur, 18-year-old, Jade Thompson and her lemonade stand. So we pull over in the gas station and walk across the street. After covering city corruption and crime in Mount Vernon and eleswhere, it’s always good when I can write a feel good story about the city and I knew this was it, when I saw it. We stopped and I introduced myself and Bob and I got something to drink, it had to be about 85ish outside. I had a half & half and then took some candid shots of Jade at work. Once again I get home to do the write up for this spotlight article and realize, this is the same girl, Cynthia Turnquest-Jones wrote about for BlackWestchester.com about two years ago. Back then she was just 16 and set up over by Willson Woods. I was glad to see she was still at it. Now she has a new spot. Her Lemonade stand is there, Monday - Friday, 10:30am-8:00pm. Make sure you check her out, I share what Cynthia wrote in 2016, with an update to help promote the young sistah and encourage everybody to go by and support her... cause Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is! BW Salute Jade Thompson, our Young Entrepreneur of the Summer! 18-year-old Jade Thompson at her lemonade stand on corner of So. Columbus Ave & Washington St., working her way through college one refreshing cup of lemonade at a time on June 20, 2018 [BlackWestchester]
“In a time when most press coverage about young African-American youth especially in urban cities like
Mount Vernon, New York is of a negative image, BW spotlights a young female who is learning entrepreneurship at an early age. While there’s no such thing as a set path to entrepreneurial success. You do need to be headed in the right direction. For Mount Vernon’s Jade Thompson that is running a local lemonade stand. I was taking a cruise around Mount Vernon and bumped into Jade Thompson,” Cynthia wrote. She was a 16-year-old student senior attending Nelly Thornton High School, when Cynthia first interviewed her in 2016. A self-made lemonade and cake stand for five years straight! Jade was out here everyday from 12:00 Noon to 7:00 P.M., except Sundays. “My goals are to get a bachelor’s degree as an Environmental Engineer. And then I am going to study architecture for my masters in Environmental Architecture,” 16-year-old Jade told BW’s Cynthia Turnquest-Jones, July 15, 2016. Back then she was over by Willsons Woods Park, set-up on the corner of Beechwood Avenue and Bradford Road, ready to serve customers a delicious cup of lemonade and a smile. Now two-years-later on the corner of South Columbus Avenue and Washington Street you can find Jade, who just finished her freshman year of college. You don’t need a Coke when you can stop by for a delicious cup of Lemonade and a smile, because, ‘Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is’ and Jade’ smile only got bigger. I know I can (I know I can) Be what I wanna be (be what I wanna be) If I work hard at it (If I work hard it) I’ll be where I wanna be (I’ll be where I wanna be) - Nas ‘I Can’ Jade is a glowing example of the lyrics Nas gave us in 2002. A role model for her generation, that there is nothing you can’t do if work hard for it. You too can be you’re own boss, you just have to put in the work. BW wanted to know what she has been up to since we last reported on the beautiful young African-American entrepreneur, two-years-ago. “I’m 18 now,” she shares with Black Westchester. “I now plan to double major in economics and sustainable development, environmental studies. This education will aid me in my aspiration to build environmentally friendly and self-sufficient tiny homes for impoverished and homeless people. So roughly, I am still in the same field. I attended my first year at Barnard College of Columbia University in Manhattan and this year, I am determined to raise money for my second year’s tuition.” Did you read what she just said, she is working to raise money for her second year tuition at Barnard College at Columbia University. Even if you do not drink lemonade or iced tea, everyone reading this should stop by and make a donation, investing in the future of the city of Mount Vernon and Westchester County. BW Salutes Jade Thompson and encourages everyone reading this to stop by and support this young sistah and get some refreshing lemonade, cause it’s a popular drink and it still is and she still is.....
16-year-old Jade Thompson and BW’s Cynthia TurnquestJones at her lemonade stand in Willson Woods, July 15, 2016 [BlackWestchester]
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BLACK WESTCHESTER19
NAS & KANYE TACKLE POLICE CRIMINALITY
WITH NEW SINGLE, ‘COP SHOT THE KID’ BY AJ WOODSON
T
The cops used to come around in my neighborhood “Alright, you kids, stop having so much fun, move along!” Oh they’d arrest me, you know, especially at night They had a curfew, n****s had to be home at 11, negros, 12 And you’d be trying to get home, doing your crew runs And they’d always catch you out in front of a store or something ‘Cause you’d be taking shortcuts, right Cops, “Ree, put your hands up, black boy!”
A time when the Backpack Rapper first made it big and used to drop relevant lyrical socially aware commentary in his rhymes. Stay tuned up and down your timeline/ This fake news, people is all lyin’ Money is bein’ made when a mom cries/ Won’t be satisfied ‘til we all die Tell me, who do we call to report crime/ If 9-1-1 doin’ the driveby? On the album’s second track “Cop Shot The Kid,” As an old hip-hop head who came out in the golden era of Hip-Hop and covered Hip-Hop for several years for the Source and Vibe and several other publications, I must say this reminds me of the Hip-Hop, I would go on to have a long love affair with before she broke my heart and went on to disappoint me with her recent attitude and those she choose to associate herself with. White kids are brought in alive/ Black kids get hit with like five Get scared, you panic, you’re goin’ down/ The disadvantages of the brown How in the hell the parents gon’ bury their own kids/ Not the other way around? Reminds me of Emmett Till/ Let’s remind ‘em why Kap kneels The son of a Jazz Man (Olu Dara) show why his is arguably one of the greatest to grab a Mic with other Hip-Hop Quotable on the album like “Never sold a record for the beat, it’s my verses they purchase/Without production, I’m worthless/But I’m more than the surface” on “Simple Things.” Don’t call it a comeback, he’s been here for years. The Queens rapper’s first full-length since 2012’s Life Is Good finally see the light of day, nearly two years after claiming he’d finished his album on a song called “Nas Album Done.” The East Coast Lyricist who’s debut album Illmatic is arguably one of the greatest hip-Hop albums of all times, does not disappoint. Nasir was well worth the wait and comes at a time when many Hip-Hop Purest were just about to give up on Hip-Hop all together. His place in Hip-Hop’s Pantheon is more than secure! The Ghetto Othello references the recent Philly Starbucks incident, Emmett Till, Jet magazine, and Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police shootings among other topics, that make you examine the social conditions around us. Across its seven tracks, Nasir raises its pro-black, pan-African fist at nearly every turn as Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones at age 44, straddles the fine line between wokeness and intellectualism. Several of these songs span the African diaspora and America’s centuries-old war against blackness.
he track starts off with a snippet of Richard Pryor’s 1972 Stax Records benefit concert, Wattstax, a stand-up special talking about cops harassing black youth. The sample ends with the words “...put your hands up Black Boy!” then the beat drops with a repetitive vocal sample “Cop shot the kid” from Slick Rick’s 1988 iconic Hip-Hop parable “Children’s Story” off his debut album, “The Great Adventure Of Slick Rick.” The sample serves as is the song’s chorus. Both samples help underscore the song’s heavily publicized subject matter, Police Criminality in America, particularly against young black men. In the last few years cases in which blacks were killed by the police or died in police custody - Eric Garner, Akai Gurley, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Raynette Turner, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott and many more - have risen to national prominence and increased racial tensions, often prompting demonstrations around the country, by groups like Black Lives Matter. Nas gives the urban community epidemic a worthy soundtrack! Cop Shot The Kid appears on Nas Escobar’s long-awaited 12th album “Nasir” which has officially arrived, featuring Kanye West once again delivered an impressive array of samples as the project’s executive producer. Ye’s use of the Slick Rick sample turns Rick’s raps into the song’s backbone: “The cops shot the kid/I still hear him scream.” Kanye’s verse is reminiscent of the black liberationist lyricist we first fell in Black Westchester gives Cop Shot The Kid “Five Fist In The Air,” and hails Nasir as love with before the fame and his hopeless appetite for luxury goods turned him into a must have for any serious Hip-Hop Collection and a lesson to the New School on one of the world’s preeminent narcissists and hip-hop’s most conflicted personality. how it should be done! #SupportRealHipHop!
ARMANI CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOL PRESENTS ANNIE JR. BY CYNTHIA TURNQUEST-JONES
BW’s Cynthia Turnquest-Jones with Annie Jr’s Jada-Cassidy James [BlackWestchester] Orphans sang about “A Hard Knock Life” while scrubbing floors and banging buckets. Dozens of residents from Mt. Vernon were entertained at the Doles Recreation Center Theater by young scholars from the Armani Public Charter School. The setting was an institution known as an orphanage to care of orphans. A fifth grader Micah Whiteside who played one of The Orphans shared her experience. “Playing an orphan gave me an opportunity to decide what I want to be in life and to make the right choices. I actually want to have a career in the medical field plus master theatre at the same time.” Micah stated that the play Annie Jr. gave her the opportunity to think about what life was like as
orphan in the 1900s. The play “Annie Jr.” was based on the original “Little Orphan Annie” with permission of The Tribune Media Services, Inc. produced and directed by Harvey Zuckerman. It is about an orphan in a facility run by Miss Hannigan who is depicted as mean and selfish. She was played by Shaiyanne Noisette who portrayed her part with the similar energy as the well known actress Carole Bernette when she sang “Little Girls”. A song about the girls in the orphan who are longing for love in particular Annie. The plot thickens when a rich man named Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks decided to let an orphan live at his home to promote his image and Annie is selected. Annie, a red head with freckles believes that her parents left her with Misses Hannigan by mistake. Annie was starred by Jada-Cassidy James a 5th grader from Amani Public Charter School. Jada-Cassidy expresses that she thought Annie was really sassy in character. She shared with Black Westchester, “I practiced and I took care of myself in order for me to sing well.” When asked what does taking care of yourself meant Jada-Cassidy replies, “If you are drinking cold water it can ruin your throat and I made sure I wasn’t sick.” Eye-opening tips from a 5th grader who played a sassy role. After intermission Annie gets accustomed to living in Warbucks’ mansion, but she still longs to meet her parents. Warbucks announced a search for Annie parents along with a monetary reward, which brings out many frauds. In comes, Miss Hannigan’s brother Rooster Hannigan. Rooster is a convict who escaped jail so he can rob his sister, but finds out about the reward for Annie and plots to abduct Annie and get the reward. Rooster was played by Ethan Williams who is graduating from the Armani Public Charter School. He inserted a clever Jamaican accent that caught the funny bone of the audience. The props for this incredible performance was supplied by Music Theatre International which set the tone for students to dive into their characters. Black Westchester congratulates the performers, parents, and school staff for infusing our youth at the Armani Public Charter School.
MARVEL'S LUKE CAGE: SEASON 2 REVIEW
This is a SPOILER-FREE review of Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2. You can stream all 13 episodes right now on Netflix. Yeah that’s right the Black Hoodie-wearing Hero of Harlem returned to Netflix, Friday, June 22nd for a sophomore season of Marvel’s Luke Cage. I just finished a marathon binge session, watching all 13 episodes of Luke Cage. First let me say this may be the first Marvel Netflix series where the second season surpasses the first, unlike Daredevil and Jessica Jones’ second seasons, which were good, but not better than the first. My hat off to my homie, Cheo Hodari Coker, who I had the pleasure to work with at The Source Magazine. Coker serves as the Executive Producer and blends Hip-Hop and the Marvel Universe with ease. From the live performances from legends like Rakim (King’s Paradise), KRS-One (Love Gonna Getcha and Jack of Spades), to Yonkers favorite son, Jadakiss who performs a B.I.G. tribute with his widow, Faith Evans. Ghostface Killah is also among the performers. Then there’s the team-up with Danny Rand, that’s an updated version of the Powerman & Iron Fist comics. The series wouldn’t be complete without a super villian. Bushmaster is another Bulletproof Black man. A Jamacian whose family was done wrong by the The Stokes and he is hellbent on revenge at any cost. The series takes place months after Luke (Mike Colter) took down Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) and Diamondback (Erik LaRay Harvey), and the Defenders (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage & The Iron Fist) defeat take down The Hand at Midland Circle. The Harlem icon, has his own app, makes appearences on ESPN and various social media outlets, who even broke Netflix in season one The bulletproof black man who is a superhero without a mask and even broke Netflix in season one, wrestles with the responsibilty that comes with geat power and not letting it turn him into the threat he defends us from. A must see, even if you’re not a fan of superheroes and commic books
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12 QUESTIONS WITH HECTOR SANTIAGO BY LORRAINE LOPEZ
Hector Santiago at Getty Square in Yonkers holding the first issue of Black Westchester, August 15, 2017 [Black Westchester]
Welcome to 13 Questions With... Our community spotlight this month is none other than Yonker’s own “Mr. Stop and Shake” himself, Hector Santiago. Hector Santiago is a lifelong Yonkers resident and a proud father of two daughters, Emarie G. and Paislyn H. Santiago. He’s also a local activist, mentor, motivational speaker and urban program developer As well as a student at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, to which he received a full Presidential scholarship. Hector is best known for founding the “Stop and Shake” initiative that originaled in Yonkers, and encourages members of the community to avoid miscommunication with police officers. The initiative allows both parties to establish positive relationships amongst one another by taking a moment to say “hello” and/or by offering a simple handshake. “Stop and Shake” is a powerful idea that encourages everyone to be civil with one another. It has become a social icebreaker in communities. Known as ‘The People’s Mayor in the streets of Yonkers, he has also helped break the stigma in depression throughout Westchester County when he went on a six day journey to raise awareness by walking from Yonkers to Albany to get monies allocated to Yonkers for Mental Health Programs, as well as to encourage people to speak about their depression (especially men in the community). Past experiences have motivated him to make a difference in his community. On his own since the age of fourteen, he was a member of a national street gang that led him in and out of trouble. The “Stop and Shake” initiative and his work as a youth mentor in Southwest Yonkers have proved that one can overcome their past mishaps. Now he is now a motivational speaker in his own right, giving presentations to local police units, schools and communities, works as the Dept of Social Service. Once written off by the community now he teaches a credit course at Mt Saint Vincent in Community Organization. Black Westchester and Latino Empowerment Salute Mr. Hector Santiago.
1. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING My name is Hector Santiago and I am a proud father of 2 beautiful daughters . I was born and raised in Yonkers Ny, where I currently reside and am considered an activist community builder. I am currently employed with Westchester county in the department of social services. I’m a firm believer in the idea of it taking a “Village to raise a child” but my work consists of constantly reminding individuals about the foundation it takes to create a village. I reach to be better today then I was yesterday everyday which has lead me on an amazing journey of personal development and constant growth. 2. TELL US ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU BELONG TO. I would say the only real organization I belong to is “Community organizing” . It’s my passion , what saved my life and where creativeness finds me. I created an a program that helps me do just that . I see myself building many more components and conduits to bring people together by installing knowledge and love to all equations. I’m best known for the “Stop And Shake” which has become a “Social Icebreaker” that helps build relationships within communities. Implementing this in police departments was an essential first step and now it has made its way to the streets. 3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THE THINGS YOU HAVE DONE? A significant number of the people I’ve helped or social issues I’ve tackled, I would say, come from the heart and have been morally impulsive. Thus far, I’ve received several acknowledgments in which some include that of creating “StopAndShake” which encourage both the police and community, through a respectful greeting, to come together for healthy dialogue while building significant relationships. It as well has been implemented in many communities as a “Social Icebreaker.” Many in my community refer to me as “Hector The Connector”due to the bridges I’ve built cross class, gender, age, and beliefs. I must say one of the hardest things I’ve done was walking from Yonkers Ny to Albany Ny for the purpose of mental health funding in Westchester county, specifically Yonkers. In total the trip took six days, 160 miles and 198,000 steps. I walked through three county’s totaling 28 towns/villages. It was an astounding and fulfilling experience in where I was blessed to meet an abundance of fellow New York residents who suffered or were effected by said issues and shared their story. I’ve also collaborated with locals for projects such as clothing drives, protests, hurricane reliefs for other cities, block parties, homelessness issues, drug prevention, ani-bullying, program development and mentorships. 4. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS. Some short term goals for this year include loosing 10 pounds because I have been focusing mostly on building the mind since my walk to Albany. I, as well, have a pending book to complete writing and may even have time to learn a new language.
In the upcoming three years I will have my bachelors, open a center for interpersonal communication programming, and continue delivering motivational speeches throughout the nation. 5. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? I tend to see motivation all around me in many forms such as encounters, certain acts of kindness or even hearing or seeing struggling. Things as such motivate me to continue delivering the importance of awareness. However, most importantly, my daughters are my biggest push, inspirations and motivators. Being able to create a foundation for them that allows the growth and knowledge needed to be successful at whatever they choose is a priority to me. They’re the most important mission because it was given by god. 6. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY. Nationally, the Latino community has really been stepping up and progressing in times where this administration has been so toxic to our brothers and sister. However, i still see a lot of divisive behaviors. For example, locally, many of the older Latinos don’t want to pass the torch down or bring young activist to the table. Not to say at one point they didn’t fight for our rights, however, it’s a new technological world and our voices need to be heard as well. I don’t believe it is deliberate in many cases but in others its for political gain. It has become a huge generational issue and it’s impacting not only our communities but a multitude of others. I can’t begin to stress enough how important it is for intergenerational collaborations. To know where you’re going you need to know where you came from. We hold the key to each others door. We just need to come together. 7. IS THERE ENOUGH LATINO LEADERSHIP? DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE? IN WHAT AREAS? DO WE NEED MORE BUSINESS OWNERS? I think that there can never be enough leadership in our community because the doors are constantly turning. Issues are always rising and technology advancing. We’re in dire need of more motivators and educators to go out and enlighten the Latino community on their rights. Latino communities are the least likely to call police for help off the fear of risking a members citizenship. Many Latino feel defenseless and we need to arm them with the knowledge needed to grow. I always encourage everyone to run for office or educate themselves and when they’re done, start again. 8. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON TODAYS POLITICS/POLITICIANS TOWARDS THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL. Since the new president elect has come to office it has inspired many black and brown locals to become more involved and aware. It is crucial for us as communities of color to have representatives / advocates who can identify with systemic, economical, and mental issues plaguing our nation. (continued on page 24)
THE ORIGINS AND REPERCUSSIONS OF TRUMP’S “ZERO TOLERANCE” POLICY During the presidential campaign of 2016 few issues were as contentious as that of immigration. All candidates,both Democrats and Republicans put forth their solutions to the problem, yet none addressed the issue as fervently as Donald J. Trump. He promised voters that if elected president he would exert himself fully to solving the immigration problem once and for all. He said he would unleash an army of ICE agents throughout every corner of the country to sweep up and expel the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U. S. Furthermore, he would build an impenetrable wall at the U S-Mexico Border to stop the illegal crossings at the border and amp up the security there. Although he seems to have backed down
from the idea of expelling the aforementioned 11 million illegals (most law enforcement agencies say it’s almost logistically impossible), he has nevertheless deported hundreds of thousands of illegals in his first one and a half years in office (226,119 in FY 17-ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Report) by unleashing a 20,000 strong army of ICE agents to sweep up immigrants here illegally throughout this country. Although successful in deporting hundreds of thousands, the Trump Administration has been unable thus far to deliver on his promise to build the wall, one of his signature promises. Opposition by Democrats in Congress to allocate funding has prevented the building
BY EDDIE ORTIZ
of the wall to a large extent. This obstruction by Democrats has prompted Trump to follow the counsel of hard right White House advisor Steven Miller who according to the NY Times,”was the driving force behind Trump’s separation policy at the US border..”and “Miller also pushed Trump and others in his administration using deterrence policies after spiking numbers of immigrant border crossings in April .”To resort to the “nuclear option” widely condemned today as inhuman. This “zero tolerance” policy (nuclear option) has resulted in the jailing of thousands of illegal immigrants including those seeking asylum who do not enter through ports of entry. (continues on page 24)
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JULY 2018
REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY
12 QUESTIONS WITH... (continued from page 20)
BLACK WESTCHESTER21
USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE REPUBLICANS
BY PAUL ANTHONY PRESENDIEU-CUESTA I’m proud of all the Latinos who have been brave enough to step up and speak out. It “All politics is local”. This is a common phrase in United States government which highneeds to be known that we need more of these acts and people. It all starts locally. I
lights the impact national policies have on local populations and vice versa. Policies in encourage all communities of color to volunteer, register to vote, and help build from Washington D.C absolutely impact the lives of residents within Westchester County, NY the inside of our neighborhoods out. and anyone who ignores that reality impedes on our nation’s true system of governance. I possess a Facebook timeline full of individuals that hold positions among the Re9. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE IMMIGRATION PROTECTION ACT? ARE publican Party that reveal through their actions a high level of apathy. Individuals from the YOU FOR OR AGAINST IT? Republican National Committee to the Westchester County Young Republicans. These are I am most certainly pro the immigration act especially here in Westchester. Every in- individuals showcase their complacency with a lot of national issues by not speaking-up. dividual, regardless of status, deserves to feel safe, have the opportunity to become a Nor do they speak upon local issues which they would discover are also national issues. citizen with access to all rights and benefits accompanied with and the right to educa- All politics is local. So, one cannot call themselves an Environmentalist, yet remain tion. Westchester is filled with diversity and cultures from all over the globe. If someone silent on the hypocrisy of our U.S Environmental Protection Agency. Nor can they call themfeels as if they’re able call the cops to report a crime, go to the hospital for help, or selves a champion of reform while remaining silent on the separation of migrant children from educate themselves without the fear of getting separated from their families, I’m all for their parents. Or even a sitting U.S President calling for the firing of Professional athletes it. Together we can make a difference. peacefully protesting in a similar manner that Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King have done. Even though I am no longer affiliated with the Republican Party, I can proudly 10. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOLKS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? speak upon the progressive agenda I tried to present during my time of being active I consider myself an introvert with a voice. I enjoy my alone time and time with my kids. within the party. From drafting by-laws for a Westchester County Black Republicans A quote that best describes me would be one by Whitney Young. Committee. I even drafted by-laws for the creation of a Latino caucus for the Young “I am not anxious to be the loudest voice or the most popular. But I would Republicans National Federation. Two initiatives that were not acted upon through like to think that at a crucial moment, I was an effective voice of the voiceless, an approval. I have come to realize that the Republican Party has no interest in the resoeffective hope of the hopeless.” lution of issues impacting minority communities, they solely want their vote. Martin Luther King once famously stated that in the end, we will remember not the 11. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG LATINO? words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. This summarizes why I decided to step For any young adults from community of color my best advise is educate yourself down as Chairman of the New York College Republicans on the first day of Black History by any means necessary. Constantly seek growth. Volunteer, register to vote, save Month. I saw the silence of Republicans in Leadership that I considered my friends. money and overall sit with some seniors. Share story’s and do some listening . Get Many Americans need to remember, we are the “United States of America”, not simply to know your neighbors (StopAndShake). Build relationships and alway put love first. “America”. Our nation is a Federation of States that are supposed to uphold national values and fight for them if necessary. This means that a State Assemblyman should prepare themselves 12. HOW CAN FOLKS CONTACT YOU? to fight against national policies through the provision of intrastate laws. It also means that a city I can be contacted via email or my social media platforms. Please feel free to reach out councilman should be prepared to pick up the phone and call their congressman on behalf of to schedule speaking arrangements , programming & development , collaborations, their constituents. Many Republicans escape discussing national issues because it will reveal presentations and or ask for advice. Every idea and conversation is an important one, they are on the wrong side of history. This is a fact. Used to be one of those Republicans. let’s share them. My email is stopandshakehector@gmail.com. Hector Santiago - Facebook/Linkin ... PeoplesMayor/thecityofyonkers Instagram.
TRUMP’S “ZERO TOLERANCE” POLICY (continued from page 20) This draconian policy has caused the separation of children from their parents. According to Dara Lind of Vox, “between October 1,2017 and May 31,2018 at least 2,700 children have been split from their parents. “These children are placed in nongovernmental organizations. There workers try to identify a relative or guardian in the U. S. who can take care of the child. If that’s not possible, the children can languish in custody indefinitely. This repugnant and heartless policy is widely and justly condemned. According to Reuter’s Alkis Konstandininidis, “The United Nations Refugee Agency and International Organization for Migration (IOM)called on the Trump Administration on Saturday (June 9,2018)to continue offering asylum to people fleeing war and persecution. “In addition, Democratic lawmakers and activists gathered outside immigration detention facilities in New Jersey and Texas on Sunday for Father’s Day demonstrations against Trump’s policy. One of those demonstrators, Senator Susan Collins said on CBS “It is inconsistent with our American values to separate these children from their parents. “ In response to this criticism ,the president has resorted to blaming Democrats; saying that if democrats support passage of a broader immigration bill ,it would end the separations. In other words ,he is using this odious policy as a bargaining chip to gain leverage in advancing his immigration policies :the building of the wall, more border security and the limiting of legal immigration. Will the president continue his callous policy of separation unless he gets his wall and other items in the overall immigration bill he desires? Or will he back down due to the mounting backlash from the American public. With this president it is hard to gauge what he will do. Maybe more reasonable minds will prevail and he sits down with both Democrats and Republicans and together find a just and fair solution to this old conundrum. Let’s hope so because this issue is dividing this nation like few I’ve seen during my lifetime. And the American citizens want a deserve an answer to this problem. One that’s long overdue. [Editor’s Note: After this article was handed in for publication, President Trump signed an executive order to keep families together at the border, Wednesday, June 20th but says his administration’s “zero-tolerance” prosecution policy will continue. We reached back out to Latino Empowerment’s Lorraine Lopez to get her thoughts to update the article.] Bowing from increased pressure from both the Republican and Democratic parties, as well anxious allies, President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday June 20th, ending the process of separating innocent children from their parents and families after they are detained when they cross the U.S. border illegally. The President, after insisting, lying, and stating that his administration was not responsible and had no choice, did a quick and dramatic turnaround after caving in to the American People and countries all around the world as well as the Pope. Unfortunately, the “zero tolerance” order is still in affect, which means that folks will still be detained but families not separated. No word yet as of this writing on how they will reunited those that have already been separated. What Trump does not realize is how the 2000 plus children seperated from their parents already will be phycologically affected. Many blame President Obama’s drone war as a recruitment tool for ISIS, same can be said about this dragonian policy. These children will be easy targets for recruit of not only terrorist groups like ISIS but gangs like MS-13 and others, because of their hate of the country that ripped them from their parents arms. Stay tuned folks. The battle has been won but the war has not yet ended.
RIP LESANDRO GUZMAN-FELIZ
BY LORRAINE LOPEZ
In the South Bronx, on a block where gang violence is part of life, 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz known as Junior was one of the good kids. His dream was to become a police officer. He was in the NYPD Explorers Program on his journey to accomplish his goals, until his life was cut shirt by a murderous street gang called the Trinidarios. On the night of June 20, 2018 Junior received a call from a friend asking him for food because he was hungry. Junior borrowed $5.00 from a neighbor and went to buy the friend’s food. On his way he was accosted by several gang members who mistook him for another young man. A young man in a video on social media showing a girl having intercourse with the young man’s friend. This young girl was the daughter of the gang leader. And so they were on the lookout for the individual in the video. Believing Junior to be the guy they were looking for, they confronted him and chased them into a neighborhood Bodega on 526 East 183 Ave in the Bronx. Junior ran into the Bodega pleading for help. Scared as any teen would be in that situation. He leaped over the counter and tried to hide. One by one the gang members walked into the store. The bodegeros (owners) gave him up. The gang member dragged poor Junior kicking and screaming from the store while the bodegeros shooed them away and turned their backs on Junior. What happened next is something that has shaken this nation to it’s core. Several gang members began stabbing him with knives and butchering him with a machete as he fought for his life and screamed, “NO”!!! When they were done they ran like the cowards that they are. Junior staggered back into the store for help. They again turned their backs on him. They didn’t even try to help him and shooed him away again like he was an annoyance. They wanted no part of Junior, all butchered up and bleeding to death. Junior was determined to live. He staggered out the store, across the street toward St.Barnabas Hospital located two blocks away. He crashed into scaffolding at a construction site, fell, bled profusely, got back up and staggered to the hospital. Unfortunately, he never made it inside. He died on the steps of the hospitals as folks screamed and tried to stop the bleeding. He bled to death. Every second of this hedious murder was caught on camera, either via surveillance video or cameraphones by people who witnessed the murder, but never lent him a helping hand. Folks yelled to him to run to the hospital, but no one helped him as he staggered. Folks saw the murder take place via social media and news channels as if they were right there. They saw the fear in his face and eyes, they felt it. They felt the anger as they watched the bodegeros, whom he knew since he was 5 and who he ran to for security, turn their backs on him. They watched as he staggered all alone under the lights of the street lamps desperately trying to get help. They saw the blood trails. They witnessed as he bled to death on a stoop. They lived every moment with him and a piece of them died too with that beautiful and good child. Videos and pictures spread via social media. We at Latino Empowerment chose not to post the videos due to its graphic nature on our Facebook page. The hashtag #JusticeforJunior began rapidly trending. We told the story. Everyone told the story. Everyone felt the pain. The community mourned. The NYPD issued a statement that they will not rest until they caught the murderers. They put out a monetary reward. The community came together to console his parents and loved ones. Everyone cried, everyone united. Together, they protested outside the bodega against the cold-hearted owners. They shut the store down. The store is now closed indefinitely as a memorial for Junior grows outside. Politicians showed up and were abruptly given a tongue-lashing by the community leaders, asking, “Where are the community centers?”, “Where is the money from the budget going to?”, “Where is our help?”. The elected officials are going to be held accountable for fostering change. Meanwhile, the murderous cowards went into hiding. The leader of the gang contacted a member of Junior’s family to apologize and tell them that he was not the intended target . Tthat all all members who participated were promptly dismissed from the gang and they were on their own. I call bullshit on that, but I do believe they will be on their own in the penitentiary. The audacity!!! On June 24th, eight gang members were arrested and more arrests are expected. Two were caught in the Bronx, Four in Paterson N.J. and one in the Dominican Republic. On June 25th and 26th, the wake was held for Junior with thousands attending. So much that the NYPD had to close streets. Funeral Services were held on June 29th at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in the Bronx.Thousands showed up. Junior belonged to them. Hundreds cheered in solidarity for his mother when she walked out the wake and chanted Juniors name. It’s not over. More arrests are expected. There are court hearings and trials that will last for months. People will be there demanding #JusticeforJunior. He did not die in vain, as his death has awoken people and created a movement for change and unification. Stay tuned...
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JULY 2018
WE’RE AMERICA, BITCH.
THE SYSTEMATIC IDEOLOGY OF DONALD TRUMP Otto Warmbier was 22 when he travelled to North Korea. He was flown back to America about a year later, on a stretcher, “deaf, blind and howling incoherently”, according to his parents. On his return to the US, his mum and dad waited on the tarmac to welcome him home. “When we got halfway up the steps we heard this howling, inhuman sound,” his mum said. “We weren’t really certain what it was.” Mrs Warmbier said the howling sound was so terrible she ran off the plane. His father said it looked as if someone had tried to rearrange Otto’s teeth with a pair of pliers. The day after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, the Commander-inChief of the greatest country in the world could be heard on Fox News saying that he “trusts” Kim Jong-un – and those pundits on what is inarguably state propaganda TV creamed themselves. Republicans today are rejoicing, for their Messiah is showing the world that, “We’re America, Bitch.” Hailing Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un an unprecedented success – in which Kim “reaffirmed his commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula” – is like me saying I pledge my commitment to a complete declutterisation of the garden shed. It means nothing. But in the face of the savage torture of Otto Warmbier, footage of him being carried on a stretcher, howling and convulsing, that image of the American flag displayed alongside North Korea’s at the summit – with Trump flanked by the leader who ordered the slow torture of a young American – is injurious in the extreme. It’s a betrayal of the nation he’s meant to lead. As is so much of what Trump does. America is a complex nation – its ideology is one that often flies in the face of all that is just and good. To understand the psyche of white religious Republicans, you need only cast your mind back to the Republican National Convention (RNC). I remember watching real-time footage of the RNC, the camera panning to a blonde boy of about 8. He was wearing a MAGA baseball cap, his arms crossed X-Factor style, chanting “Lock Her Up!” His little face was puffy, red from the rage that emanated from his chubby body. It was astonishing to hear, and see, the vitriol that engulfed the arena that night – the hate-chants and bile that cascaded from the mouths of Godloving, moralising Republicans who are meant to live by the “love they neighbour” tenet. United in hate, theirs was a bitter rhapsody. Trump supporters, indeed the vast majority of Americans, will tell you that America is the greatest nation on earth – there is none better. And pity the poor American who breaks ranks and questions it. But ask them what makes the US better than, say, New Zealand? Australia? What makes it more amazing than Switzerland, or Scotland, or Mauritius, or the Republic of Ireland, and they can scarcely tell you. All they know is, “We’re America, Bitch.” Challenge it at your peril. So, who is America? What, exactly, does America represent? When the Supreme Court voted recently to allow Ohio and other states to purge voter records, disproportionately impacting black Americans, many in the media wailed, “This is not who we are…” When ICE enacted its policy of abducting children from their asylum-seeking mums and placing them in detention camps, many in the media wailed in horror, “This is not who we are…” Problem is, it’s EXACTLY who we are. Racism is stitched into the very fabric of American ideology. It permeates the
BY DONATELLA MONTRONE
judiciary, and law enforcement, and schools’ curriculums, and evangelical churches. Americans are so poorly informed in some states, whose education authorities control the curriculum and sanitise history books on a local level, that entire generations have a minimal grasp of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves. They don’t learn about how John Lewis was pummeled by state troopers during a peaceful Civil Rights march in Selma. They don’t learn about America’s detestable history of the lynching of black men. They have no understanding of voter suppression. They don’t learn that white Americans have been working to quash the black man since the existence of America itself. They don’t apply critical thinking, so when their teachers tell them that man walked alongside dinosaurs, they don’t question it. They have no breadth of thought, no ability to be objective about their own nation. Any criticism of America is un-American – even when it’s criticism of the white cops who held Eric Garner in a chokehold until he died. To hear Eric Garner begging for mercy, saying repeatedly “I can’t breath” is the stuff of nightmares. But to many white evangelical Republicans, he was selling loose cigarettes and broke the law. He deserved to die. Land of the Free… Home of the Brave… Free Country… Greatest Country in the World… it’s all propaganda. And the poorly educated cling to it, cherish their small place on this continent of greatness, because if they were ever to see their nation for what it actually is – a grossly unequal society, defined by racism, driven by wealth acquisition, with a poor standard of living, poor quality of life, poor access to healthcare, high rates of illiteracy and devoid of charity for the less fortunate – they would cease to exist. For if Americans are not THE GREATEST, then what are they? The reality would crush them. Trump is often unjustly blamed for the torrent of racist attacks taking place around the country. But he didn’t invent racism – he’s merely a product of it. In the 1970s Trump was charged with a violation of the Fair Housing Act by refusing to rent apartments to people of colour. He and racism are old friends. He is the Messiah that Republicans have been waiting for – the tough guy sent by God to deliver them from the iniquity of having to share the most amazing place on earth with the black man. Trump’s determination to stop NFL players taking a knee is nothing more than the white man’s need to control the black man. He is like a plantation owner trying to control his slaves. That they are also successful and very rich sticks in his craw. He bewitched millions of Americans with his Make America Great Again slogan, code for the days when a white man could chain a black man’s feet to his bumper and bolt down the motorway with impunity. He’s like the Pied Piper – the strains of his hate-flute luring white fundamentalists in their droves. When Donald J Trump stands erect, mouthing unintelligibly to the National Anthem because he himself does not know the lyrics, every American should be offended. Every American should have been offended when the five-time draft dodger humiliated John McCain for being a prisoner of war. Every American should be incensed at seeing the Commander-in-Chief grinning like a jester, sharing a stage with the dictator who, with much media fanfare, sent home an American citizen tortured in the most extreme manner, to teach the United States of Amazingness a lesson. We’re America, Bitch. And we shall some day choke on those words.
Donatella Montrone is an American journalist whose lived in London for the past 25 years. She is a freelance Production Editor at the British Journal of Photography. She also freelances for The Art Newspaper and Canary Wharf magazine and has contributes features to Black+White Photography magazine, British Journal of Photography, Shots, Royal Photographic Society’s Journal, the PHmuseum and now Black Westchester
ROBERT SMITH
UNITED STATES PULLS OUT OF UNITED THE RICHEST BLACK AMERICAN BY RASHAD BILAL NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: I recently asked a group of kids who Robert Smith US DOESN’T NEED ‘HIGHER JUDGE’ OF OUR PERFORMANCE was and they had no clue. Odds are you’ve probably never heard of him either. For those that are not familiar with him, here’s a brief overview: He grew up in Denver, is 55yrs old and is
worth 4.4 billion dollars (more than Oprah). He gave $20,000,000 to the African American National Museum, is helping pretrial detainees that can’t afford bail, he gave $2,500,000 to prostate cancer research for African American men, his charity has committed $50,000,000 to improve the representation of women and people of color in scientific research at Cornell University and he is the first black American to sign the giving pledge, vowing to give away half of his net worth in his life time to causes focused on helping African Americans and women. He did not get rich by way of sports or entertainment. He amassed his fortune from being the CEO of a private equity fund. Movies were made about notorious drug dealers like Alpo and Rich Porter, Songs were made about wanting to be Big Meech and Larry Hover. But neither was made about the richest black person in American history (who’s still alive). In fact, he’s pretty much unknown. He’s been invisible in plain sight for 20years. Pretty disturbing if you think about it. We immortalize people that made a million dollars on the streets, that’s either dead or doing 100 years in jail but are clueless about someone that made billions in the corporate world and is still living. That’s not by accident though, the latter is way more dangerous to the status quo than the former. It’s not a mystery why one is promoted over the other, but he’s on the cover of this year’s Forbes’s annual billionaire edition; so obviously he’s not in hiding. So, we have to ask, who’s fault is it really that he’s not championed by the culture...
BY DAMON K. JONES
National Security Advisor John Bolton defended the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council, Wednesday, June 20th, saying the United States does not need a “higher authority” like the U.N. body to judge its actions. “Getting off the U.N. Human Rights Council is an assertion of American determination to stick by its Constitution and not to recognize that there is some higher authority at the U.N., whether it is the Council or the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to judge our performance or to give us advice on how to implement the Constitution,” Bolton told “Fox and Friends.” “We’re perfectly capable of doing that ourselves. We make our share of mistakes and we correct our mistakes. That’s what this is about, self-governance,” Bolton added For many that may not follow the international political process when it comes to the worldview on Human Rights and accountability. The United States has and is one of the biggest violators of American Citizen’s Civil and Human Rights on a daily basis. Especially when it comes to the descendants of the U.S.’s former slaves. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. Its mission was to establish equal rights to all people of the world. According to President Jimmy Carter, the U.S. government’s counterterrorism policies are now clearly violating at least 10 of the declaration’s 30 articles, including the prohibition against “cruel, inhuman or degrading treat-
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JULY 2018
REAL TALK FOR THE COMMUNITY
BLACK WESTCHESTER 23
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK
JOSEPH SPIEZIO, WHITE PRIVILEGE & CAMPAIGN DONATIONS DOES NOT QUALIFY YOU TO BE DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER BY DAMON K. JONES
When a White man who has no law enforcement experience questions a Black Man who has 28 years in law enforcement and has been recognized by organizations and associations like the United Nations Associations, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others, for having a clear understanding of police policy practices and procedures, there’s a problem. To think that the white man’s experience of being in Waste Management “out Trumps” the Black Man’s experience in law enforcement leads the observer to believe that this can only happen because the white man thinks he has “White Privilege.” Even though the White man is not qualified, he is still better than the Black man who is. In 1988, professor Peggy McIntosh used the paper, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, to describe White Privilege as a set of unearned assets that a white person in America can count on cashing in each day, but to which they but to which they remain largely oblivious. This is the case with “Alleged” Deputy Police Commissioner Spiezio. In my first editorial about “Alleged Deputy Police Commissioner Spiezio, I ask the question, ‘what is the function of his position as Deputy Police Commissioner?’ Since his appointment, there was an unprecedented number of homicides of young black adults under his command. In “Alleged” Deputy Police Commissioner Spiezio’s ignorant racist, homophobic rant against Councilman Wallace, he made a statement that Councilman Wallace couldn’t afford a truck like the one he owned. Why would you make a statement like that? Is it because he’s a Black man he can’t afford it? What gives him the right to call a Black man a homophobic slur? To examine the mindset and actions of Mr. Spiezio, we can use fact-based analysis to explore his lack of giving any proper excuse of explanation on WHY he is Deputy Police Commissioner. We can also examine why he would openly berate not debate any black person that questions his authority as his feeling of entitlement because he’s white. Spiezio’s actions fall in line with W. E. B. Du Bois when he speaks of Irrationality of Antiblack Racism. Whiteness provides meaningful “compensation” (Du Bois’s term) for citizens otherwise exploited by the organization of capitalism; that the value of whiteness depends on the devaluation of black existence; and that the benefits enjoyed by whites are not strictly monetary—shaped subsequent efforts to theorize white identity and to grasp the (non)formation of political coalitions in the United States. We see what Du Bois is saying with “Alleged” Deputy Police Commissioner Spiezio. In my first editorial about Alleged Deputy Police Commissioner Spiezio, I ask the question to what was the function of his position as Deputy Police Commissioner? Since his appointment, there was an unprecedented number of questionable actions
of some members of the MVPD under his command according to letters from the city council to Police Commissioner Harris. According to all accounts, Spiezio has allegedly bought his way to govern black people. It is alleged that Spiezio runs the city, he calls the shots, nothing happens in this black government without the consent of the “Slave Master”. This is also inline with Du Bois. Du Bois defines American slavery as the condition of being owned, illustrating that black people are seen as absolute property. Spiezio’s actions on how he treats Black people in Mt. Vernon is a prime example of the “the chattel principle”: the reduction of human beings to commodities with prices, fungible objects of exchange to be bought, sold, and traded. According to Du Bois, property relations between owner and owned, not exploitation relations between boss and worker, were constitutive of slavery in the United States. Spiezio mind is no different than the slave master. He would retaliate against somones family member, city worker to remain in control while others watch to show that he’s in control. This is in line with the philosophy of the slave master. If a slave or someone he perceives to be inferior gets out of line he attempts to punish the family. In slavery, punishment was most often meted out in response to disobedience or perceived infractions, but masters or overseers sometimes abused slaves to assert dominance. Spiezio is no different! What many don’t realize is the silence and refusal to carefully examine ourselves to be truthful to where Mt. Vernon stands are two of the most insidious elements that foster the blatant racism from Speizio and the unconscious acceptance of it as Black people persists in the fabric of our every day lives. We need to make the connection between our silence and its more visible and often deadly consequences — the disproportionate amount of death, destruction and lack of real unity amongst ourselves to foster much-needed respect of a black city.
RAISE THE AGE LEGISLATION WILL CHANGE HOW THE STATE DEALS WITH JUVENILES BY JUDGE ADRIAN ARMSTRONG
For almost a decade activists and progressive legislators around the state mobilized in an effort to change how the state deals with 16- and 17-year-old defendants. Prior to the Raise the Age legislation being passed and signed by Governor. Andrew Cuomo on April 10, 2017, New York was one of only two states, with North Carolina that automatically treated 16 and 17-year-old defendants as adults in the criminal justice system. In 2012, former Chief Judge Lippman created the Adolescent Diversion Program (ADP), a pilot initiative operating in nine of New York’s 62 counties. The initiative sought to handle 16- and 17- year old defendants in age-appropriate ways within the legal confines of the current adult criminal court system. There are only nine ADP courts in the state of New York. Most of the sites operate county-wide, although the Westchester, Erie, and Onondaga sites operate only in the respective city courts located in Mount Vernon, Buffalo, and Syracuse. The program is generally available to defendants facing misdemeanor charges. It is purely voluntary, with eligible youth able to decline participation if they so choose. ADOLESCENT DIVERSION PROGRAM Is a specialized court part designed to improve misdemeanor and violation case outcomes for sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years olds. ADP seeks to help these adolescents avoid the legal and collateral consequences associated with conviction and link them with the assistance they need to pursue lawabiding, productive futures. KEY COMPONENTS Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and defense counsel promote public safety while protecting the participant’s due process rights. Eligible participants are identified early and promptly placed in the Adolescent Diversion Part. ADP provides access to a continuum of alcohol, drug and other related treatment and rehabilitation services. GOALS To provide a young person with information and tools necessary to aid in making better choices and decisions in the future.
To prevent a young person from further involvement with the criminal justice system and to prevent them from having a criminal record. To make sure a young person understands the seriousness and the lasting impact of an offense. Participants of the ADP appear in court once a week, Thursdays after school at 3:00 p.m. Before they arrive the ADP team, which consists of a Judge, Court Clerk, Assistant District Attorney, Defense Attorney, Probation Officer, Mt. Vernon School Administrator and treatment providers, meets at 2:00 p.m. in an off the record conference to discuss each adolescent that will be appearing on the court’s calendar that day. We discuss how the participants are doing in school, we get daily attendance reports as well as report cards from the school representatives. If the participant was referred to a treatment facility for mental health therapy or drug addiction, we get a progress report from the agency. The Raise the Age law represents a major change in how the state deals with 16 and 17-year-old defendants, diverting the majority of those cases directly to Family Court. Right now, these cases are quickly dealt with by Criminal Court. Family Court judges can direct teens who committed minor crimes, and their families, to get counseling or other services. The goal is to prevent future, and possibly more serious, problems. Juveniles charged with felonies will start off in a new “youth part” of County Court. Most nonviolent cases will be transferred to Family Court within 30 days, unless a district attorney cites “extraordinary circumstances” and seeks to hold the case. Juveniles accused of violent felonies could see their cases diverted to regular County court, if they are accused of seriously injuring a victim, using a weapon, or engaging in criminal sexual conduct. If the charge does include an element listed, above, removal to Family Court is only possible with consent of the District Attorney. The new law also requires that juveniles be detained in facilities only for juveniles while waiting for their cases to be dealt with. No more county jails. And police will not be allowed to interrogate juveniles until their parents or guardians are consulted. The new law doesn’t go into effect until October of this year for 16-year-olds, and October 2019 for 17-year-olds. Let’s hope that rasing the age of criminal responsibility leads to lower recidivism rates and safer communities.
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24BLACK WESTCHESTER
COVER STORY - INVESTIGATIVE REPORT (CON’T)
JULY 2018
REP. MAXINE WATERS: BLACK WOMANHOOD IN THE AGE OF TRUMPS AMERICA
BY DAMON K. JONES
California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, who has been outspoken against Trump from the first day he took office. She has held back no punches letting her constituents and the world know that President Trump is a racist and a bigot. Congresswoman Waters stood her ground in January 2017 when she and other black members of Congress boycotted his State of the Union address, saying, “I don’t honor him, I don’t respect him, and I don’t want to be involved with him.” Water also didn’t attend the 2018 State the Union address. Because if he of her outspokenness and truthfulness when dealing with this racist president, Waters who has been affectionately called Auntie Maxine by many because her brash openness sounds like your favorite auntie tell you the truth about a situation. What we see is a “Woke” Black Woman Speaking Truth to Power. She is doing what Black politicians or should I say the Democratic Party should be doing; calling a spade a spade, a racist a racist and opening our eyes to a White Supremest in the White House while being scared of who in the Democrat or Republican Party don’t like it. Recently, an owner of a restaurant in Virginia asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders to leave because the owner disagreed with the policies of the Trump Administration. Of courts this outraged many Republicans and even Trump. Waters responded at a rally in California, Let’s make sure we show up wher
ever we have to show up. If you see anybody from that cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd, and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere!” This comment is far from violent and she has kept her grace, style and poise as a black woman but the Democrats have turn their backs in her. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer distanced himself from Waters, saying during a floor speech, “I strongly disagree with those who advocate harassing folks if they don’t agree with you. If you disagree with a politician, organize your fellow citizens to action and vote them out of office. But no one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That’s not right. That’s not American.” Nancy Pelosi went his on Twitter, “…we must strive to make America beautiful again” While the Democratic Party wants to be cowards this racist president is destroying the little freedom and conscious this county has. As we say in the in the black community, Waters has kept it 100 and care less what other spineless Democrats think. As a 79-year-old black woman who has been on the front line for black people for decades. She is a torchlight for what black Political womanhood is in the aged of Trumps America.
SPIEZO INVESTIGATION PART ONE (continued from page 14)
Black Westchester has never received answers to these question despite the formal request from Dr. Robert Baskerville and are left with more questions than answer as a result of our inquiry and investigation. So, this investigative report has no choice to indicate that the failure to respond could likely be perceived as a tacit admission of either gross incompetence or official misfeasance on the part of higherups within the MVPD. Further Spiezio’s appointment by Mayor Thomas- who has no power to appoint deputy commissioner to the police department – is illegitimate. Why is he then allowed to conduct police business, invoke himself into homicide investigations as we reported on BlackWestchester.com and why do the rank and file of the police department take unlawful orders from him. By doing so he is putting them at risk of losing their jobs and pensions and putting both the MVPD officers and the city at risk of yet more lawsuits. Mayor Thomas when closing down OK Freddy’s Meat Market with Spiezio held a press conference in front of the establishment, calling it a Clear and Present Danger. Beside the facts the mayor may be watching too many movies, it would appear from our investigation the Clear and Present Danger in Mount Vernon is Mr. Spiezio and his Illegitimate Deputy Police Commissioner appointment. You be the judge.
Later Kelly was directed by Mayor Thomas to provide Spiezio with a police department issued deputy police commissioner badge and identification card without the word honorary. On February 1, 2016, Spiezio completed personnel forms to formalize his position as Deputy Police Commissioner. The forms require Kelly’s endorsement to legitimize Spiezio’s appointment as pursuant to the City Charter. As form of identification in support of required documentation, Spiezio provided a Florida Driver’s License. As a matter of law, New York Consolidated Laws, Public Law; appointment of sworn law enforcement positions require New York State residency. Spiezio’s out-ofstate residency made him ineligible to hold a sworn law enforcement position in New York. Kelly confirmed for Black Westchester that he refused to endorse Spiezio’s appointment. Two months later Kelly was fired, and Deputy Police Commissioner Ronald Fatigate was appointed Acting Police Commissioner by the mayor. Due to the nature of Kelly’s written testimony, Spiezio is ineligible to hold the position, further proving our Publisher Damon K. Jones that his appointment was illegal. Our question then is did Acting Police Commissioner Fatigate illegally sign off on Spiezio’s paperwork and if not, why does the Mayor and other elected officials not challenge the legitimacy of this appointment. A Journal News/lohud investigation of Spiezio’s shadowy role in the city shows that Thomas must end his association with his pal, Spiezio, if he is going to have any chance of moving the city forward. Former NYS Attorney General also spoke to the illegitimacy of the appointment of Spiezio to Deputy Police Commissioner in his announcement of the corruptions charges of Mayor Thomas; An investigation further revealed that Thomas allegedly lied on his 2016 annual statement of financial disclosure with the City of Mount Vernon when he did not reveal that businesses controlled by an individual referred to in the felony complaint as “Individual 1,” as well as RTIC, paid Thomas’ personal American Express (“Amex”) bills. After his inauguration, Thomas appointed Individual 1 to a high-ranking position with a City agency that deals with public safety, although Individual 1 had no prior law enforcement experience. Spiezio’s companies contributed at least $8,500 to Thomas’ mayoral campaign, according to state campaign financial disclosure reports. He has also hosted several fundraisers for Thomas, whose campaign reported paying Spiezio a $5,010 consulting fee and his real estate company $13,100 for rent, Lohud reported on April 23, 2017. An April 26, 2017 Lohud Editorial wrote “Spiezio is Thomas’ deputy police commissioner, although it’s not clear what Spiezio does, because Thomas won’t say. Spiezio is paid $1 a year, so is supposed to be serving Mount Vernon out of the goodness of his heart. But, strangely enough, he appears to have wide-ranging influence.” The problem with that is the Charter only allows for one Honorary Deputy Police Commissioner and at the time that was held by retired MVPD Detective Anthony Mitchell, who came out of retirement at the request of Mayor Thomas to help turn the MVPD around. So that told Black Westchester that Mr. Spiezio is not legally holding either the Honorary position - which has no power to give orders or dictate policy or procedure - or the Deputy Police Commissioner position, which he claims to hold. “It’s amazing he can be in the waste industry in Mount Vernon and still hold that position (in city government),” CRP Sanitation owner Ronald Carbone expressed to Black Westchester. As we were seeking to figure out exactly how Spiezio’s R&S Waste Management received a license to haul trash in Mount Vernon, which also would be a conflict of interest if he was legally appointed to the position as he claims and given his criminal background he should not have been able to pass the criminal investigation vetting, required to obtain a license, an answer to the following questions from were requested from former Acting Police Commissioner Fatigate: 1. Why did the MVPD opt to use fingerprint center other than the one operated by the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services to conduct the background check of Spiezio’s fingerprints? 2. The ordinances mandate that an applicant’s fingerprints “shall be placed upon cards provided by the Commissioner of Public Safety and shall be taken under his/her supervision by a senior police officer. (op. cit.)” Were Spiezio’s fingerprints taken by one of MVPD’s senior officers, as the ordinances prescribed? 3. If so, were they then taken by one of your senior officer to the Yonkers fingerprint center, which would’ve ensured they remained in the custody of the MVPD? Who took them, and on what date? 4. If not, is there some departmental rule, which city residents are unaware of, authorizing the MVPD to disregard the statutory requirements set forth under the charter for fingerprinting of applicants for a garbage hauling license? 5. Finally, and most importantly, did the Criminal Investigation Unit of the MVPD review and examine Spiezio’s fingerprint report, as required. Did the report indicate that both Spiezio and his company R&S Waste Management had been found guilty by several tribunals of violations of the state and federal laws? Moreover, did any officers with the Criminal Investigation Unit advise the City Clerk as to whether the license should be granted? If so, what was their recommendation? When was it made? How was it made: i.e., was it conveyed orally, or through a written communique?
PART TWO - SOLID WASTE COMMISSION (continued from page 15)
in New Rochelle, New York; and a shopping center known as Centuck situated at Tuckahoe Road and Central Avenue, Yonkers, New York. Hezi Ariz reported in the May 22, 2008 online edition of The Yonkers Tribune, that; ‘approximately 50 Latino immigrants, supported by civic leaders rallied against Westchester County based developer Joseph Spiezio III who maintained an office for the conduct of business at 55 Main Street, Yonkers, for alleged abuse and mishandling of his workers.’ In the May 29, 2008 edition of The Westchester Guardian, the front page story titled, “Connected Developer Joe Spiezio Calls His Latino Workers Spics And Steals Their Wages,” informed readers of a federal lawsuit filed by Latino workers, employees of Yonkers developer Joe Spiezio, charging Spiezio, his accountant and his bookkeeper with violations of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as New York State Labor Law. The Westchester Guardian confirmed what the aforementioned court documents read; Spiezio was specifically charged with several intentional unlawful acts, including violation of Wages and Hours Laws, as well as failing to pay overtime wages “for work in excess of forty hours per week” (several workers worked an average of fifty-five to sixty hours a week) as well as “periodically requiring work on Sundays without compensation at all.” In addition, the Summons and Complaint led by civil rights attorney Jonathan Lovett, of White Plains, alleged that Spiezio appropriated, in cash, for his own benefit, twenty percent of the wages paid to all of the Latino manual laborers and carpenters on the false representation that it was for “taxes to be withheld for, and paid by, Defendants to federal, state and Yonkers tax authorities.” In actuality, that money, beginning in 2000, was stolen and not paid to any taxing authority. According to court documents, in Jose Chogllo’s last week of work in July 2005, although he worked over sixty hours, he was paid nothing for that week. Also, Segundo Palchospaca was entitled to two weeks paid vacation annually. But in 2003, 2004, 2005, he was required by Spiezio to work both weeks of his vacation and was not paid for the vacation time he was due. While the burden of proof in the allegations against Councilman Wallace seems to be un-met, baseless and another attempt to discredit Wallace as we have seen Mayor Thomas’ critics attempt to do to him as well once or twice. We have displayed on BlackWestchester.com, what it looks like when workers aren’t being paid prevailing wages. The Lohud article reported; An administrative law judge in the labor case said Spiezio’s modus operandi was to take over struggling businesses after offering high-interest loans on which they were likely to default. The judge described Spiezio as a “vulture capitalist,” but not pejoratively. “In nature, vultures and their scavenging allies amongst the insects, bacteria and fungi perform the necessary task of cleaning up and recycling the mess left by the dead and dying,” Raymond Green, the judge, wrote in 2013. Once he got his waste-hauling license from Westchester County in 2011, Spiezio set his sights on municipal garbage contracts and licenses around the region. According to his sanitation counterparts he has been reported dozens of times and is allowed to operate with impunity. The Solid Waste Commission is the governing body that is supposed to deal with corruption in sanitation in Westchester County. Several of the companies we spoke with said they have all gone to the SWC with complaints and allegations against Mr. Spiezio and his various companies and to date nothing has been done. It has to make one question if some of the members are in the pocket of Spiezio, since that also seems to be his modus operandi, just look at how things currently are in the City of Mount Vernon. Westchester Solid Waste Commission #b The second purpose of this chapter is to address... (Continues on Page 26)
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JULY 2018
BLACKWESTCHESTER.COM
BLACK WESTCHESTER 25
BW COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: JIM ‘BUJO’ WILLIAMS BY AJ WOODSON
Every now and then I go out the house to cover a rally or press conference and just so happen on another story. In this case I was cover the rally for Kela Tennis and happen to look across the street and saw some great artwork on the wall on both sides of the driveway and coverng the entire interior of the garage. I saw a few people watching the rally and asked who artwork it was and the gentleman sitting in a chair, said that’s me. After talking to him a just a few minutes, I realized I had uncovered a hidden gem in the community, who even though he is known around the county for his work, he is still relatively unknown to many including myself. Since Brenda L. Crump was videotaping the rally and broadcasting live on Facebook for Black Westchester, I was free to get away from the mundane routine of covering another rally, an important rally, a gathering for those who support the Kela Tennis center that the Thomas Adminstration vandalized in the middle of the night, but that’s another story for another day. Back to my hidden gem, I discovered. He goes by the name of BuJo, a renowned artist who creates unique oil paintings out his house on Garden Avenue in Mount Vernon. I was truly glad I actually pulled myself away from my computer and truthfully if Dr. Bob didn’t insist on going I may have stayed home and kept working, that Saturday morning. It’s times like this that remind me why I got into writing professionally, to introduce the world to great music, movies, the next thing they may not know about, talented people that have been performing their craft for years but are still under the radar. In this case a great excuse to take off my news reporting hat and tell they people about a great African-American artist they need to know about. So with that I introduce to you Jim ‘BuJo’ Williams. Jim Williams (BuJo) is an artist who uses life experiences to create his style of painting. His work can be seen in hospitals, schools, galleries, restaurants and many homes. He is currently volunteering his time in the Wartburg Rehab Facility in
in Mount Vernon, NY. On Saturdays, Jim teaches acrylic painting to children and adult at the Association of Community Based Artists of Westchester (ACBAW). His art represents his vision of the places his mind has explored. He informed me, he is inspired by everything around him, someone wearing a certain color, events in his life etc. Like a great music producers who see notes in color or a great writer sinks into the paper like ink and gets trapped between the lines, that’s what its lke when BuJo paints. “In the beginning, there is no specific image” BuJo shares with Black Westchester. “The art develops by enhancing patterns that form from the application of paint. As my mind takes over, I become one with teh painting and teh vision emerges. Colors and shapes begin to coalesce as the painting evolves.” BuJo current has nine paintings on display at the AC-BAW (128 South 4th Avenue, Mt Vernon), three painting at the Riverdale Senior Center (2600 Netherland Avenue, Bronx, NY), and to my surprise when I was googling his name for research, I found a BlackWestchester.com piece I wrote about the Opening Reception of The Arts Council Of Mount Vernon presents Art Of My Land, a mixed media art exhibit at the Mount Vernon Public Library Rotunda Galley where his work was on display, along with displayed work of Fani Miller-Beard, Jerry Becker, Cynthia Burgos, Cecelia Duncan, James “jAFa” Fair, Alison Gilham, Ted Jenkins, Barry Mason and Fanny-Marie Oliveras back in October 2014. So in essence I wasn’t discovering BuJo for the first time, but rediscovering him. A previous BW 914 Spotlight; Yonkers’ sultry songstress, Ms. Irene Renee is one of hsi students in his Saturday Art Classes speaks highly of Mr. Williams. “MR. BUJO. I love his class,” she tells Black Westchester. Always the teacher he leaves some parting words of advise for the youth and those who may want to get into becoming artist; “Take the headplugs out of your ears, take the binders off of your eyes. listen, pay attention to the world around you. There’s beauty around you, use that beauty and put that into a meaningful form of expression. Art is defined by using color, shape, movement and sound arranged in a pattern that affects the senses. Use that definition for your art.” Stop by 430 Garden Avenue, check out his artwork and buy a piece or three. tell him Black Westchester sent you. For more infomation or to follow Jim ‘BuJo’ Williams, stop by his website www.wbujo.com, email him at WBuJoJames@aol.com or follow him on Facebook; James A. Williams. Jim ‘BuJo’ Williams, Black Westchester is proud to feature you as this month’s BW Comunity Spotlight. #SupportBlackArtists!
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JULY 2018
BLACK WESTCHESTER - THE LAST WORD BLACK WESTCHESTER
WITH AJ WOODSON
As we come to the end of our 12th issue of Black Westchester - The Newspaper and get ready to plan our One Year Anniversary issue in August 2018, first let me say thank you to all the readers, supporters, subscribers and advertisers, we could not have done it with out all of you. You may see my name and Damon’s name all over the paper, but there are a lot of people behind the scenes, that help make it happen each and every month. All the contributors, the writers, the photographers, those who help when they can, lending an extra set of eyes to help edit, especially on what I write, because it is often hard to edit yourself. All those who pitch in with the distribution, who come pick up papers and distribute them in their municipality and surounding areas. All of you who did not have businesses to advertise, but wanted to make a financial contribution to help keep the paper going because you respect what we do. All of you who call, text, tweet and emaill us tips for stories about events or tragedies taking place, that we may never have heard about or at least not until other media outlets reported on them. All who send of videos and pictures when we cannot get someone out there. And to everyone else who has contributed anything and supported us in anyway, we would like to say Thank You to all of you for what you do, We truly appreciate all of you more than mere words can possibly express. Putting this issue out has been a journey by itself. So much is going on locally and nationally, that we tried to cram as much into these pages as possible, As you can see from the Masthead on Page 5 and throughout these 28 pages, we had more writers contribute to this issue than in the eleven that preceeded it. Several issues I do most of the writing but we had a few new people who wanted to become contributors and several who contribute from time to time, all had something they wanted to say this month. We have put out our first investigative report this month, which was a lot of work. We hope you were entertained, enlightened, educated and maybe even inspired. The reason for this column this month was there was so much more going on than we could cover so we, so we tried to cram everything else we could here, enjoy!
Let’s see what is is going on, well the House rejected a compromise immigration bill on June 27th following weeks of negotiations and a last-minute plea for passage from President Donald Trump. In an attempt to use immigrant children seperated from their parents, the GOP tried to attach a bill that would have provided nearly $25 billion for Trump’s border wall to the Dems bill offering a path to citizenship for 1.8 million Dreamers and was intended to keep migrant families together when parents are prosecuted for illegally crossing the border. The Dems werent having it and now maybe they can now pursue a more narrowly tailored bill focused only on keeping families together, but its prospects are uncertain. Locally the elevator at the Mount Vernon Public Library will be out of service until further notice. This was necessary as they make preparations for the installation of their new elevator this summer. Patrons who are unable to climb stairs and use the elevator are asked to enter the library at the Children’s Room entrance on South Second Avenue where they can access a card catalog and request books from the children’s room circulation staff. Library circulation staff will bring reader’s selections to them. For further information on receiving assistance for
library materials, please call Chris Williams at 668-1840 ext. 239. We apologize for any inconvenience... For all you Beats By Dre fans, a jury on June 27th found that Dr. Dre, music mogul Jimmy Iovine and their headphone company Beats Electronics LLC owe a former partner $25.2 million in royalties. The Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Wednesday by a 9-3 margin that Beats breached a contract with Steven Lamar and his company Jibe Audio. Dr. Dre and Iovine, the music producer and co-founder of Interscope Records, were not in court for the verdict. Both testified during the three-week trial and sat in the audience for opening statements.... In 2015, a video of 15-year old Dajerria Becton being assaulted and violently arrested by a white police officer at a pool party in McKinney, Texas went viral. Now, she has won a settlement for $148K after filing a federal lawsuit... Patrice A. Harris, M.D., a psychiatrist from Atlanta, Ga., has been elected as the new president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA) by physicians gathered at the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Chicago... Thank you again for picking up a copy of the July 2018 issue, see you next month.
PART TWO - SOLID WASTE COMMISSION (continued from page 24)
the influence and the threat of the influence of organized crime in the solid waste and recycling industries operating in Westchester County. The Westchester County Board of Legislators have found that organized crime permeates the solid waste hauling industry in Westchester County and constitutes a significant problem and matter of public concern within the County. The existence of cartels has produced anti-competitive effects in the industry including, but not limited to, price-fixing; the prevention of new entry into the industry; the existence of unconscionable customer contract terms; and the incidence of corruption. To date the County has failed to abide by its mission thus far when it comes to Joe Speizio. With a new administration sworn in, January 2018, we reached out to newly appointed Deputy County Executive Kenneth Jenkins to inquire about the Solid Waste Commission and the lack of properly looking into allegations and complaints filed against Spiezio. “The Solid Waste Commission is an arm of law enforcement and whatever complaints there was, continues,” Jenkins shares with Black Westchester. This administration’s Solid Waste Commission includes two former FBI agents and the Deputy County Executive, himself. Deputy County Executive Jenkins advises all who have previously reported an infraction and made a complaint, that, “they should inquire of the status of their complaint now.” The deputy county executive did not respond to our follow up question; ‘With his past of criminality, how did he get the County contract for trash removal and will that be looked into?’ So, we will have to wait and see if the impunity Spiezio has enjoyed all this time will continue or has his get-out-of-jail-free-card been revoked? Will the Solid Waste Commission fulfill its mission now, where Spiezio is involved? Black Westchester will be watching and report our findings to you the readers.
THE BLACK WESTCHESTER CREW
Due to limitation of space and deadline to get paper to the printer, we were unable to get to everyone who had information for us - 7 more people who had information and agreed to talk to us including three that reached out to us - as well as confirming some of what we were told. We will continue our ongoing investigative report into Mr Spiezio in our August 2018 - One Year Anniversary issue, so stay tuned. But with what we have shared in this issue we hope we met our mark as the media and as investigative journalists, to play a crucial role in bringing allegations of corruption to light and fighting against impunity. Now that we have, we will be monitoring what City and County Government officials do with this information and inquiring and following any and all investigation. This is just the beginning, where do we all collective go from here? The residents also need to get involved and call their elected officials and find out what is or isnt being done. We invite anyone with any information to email us at BlackWestchester@ gmail.com and I will end this the way we started by asking these simple questions. With alleged corruption, insurance fraud, the NYS AG Investigation and being a prime suspect in an open arson investgation, how does Spiezio still get city and governmental contracts? Why does the Solid Waste Commission allow Spiezio to operate with impunity? Why haven’t elected officials in the City of Mount Vernon looked into the illegitimacy of his Deputy Police Commisssioner appointment and done anything about it? Will the Solid Waste Commission under this new adminsration investigate the many allegations and complaints levied against Spiezio? Why isn’t Spiezio being investigating for impersonating Law Enforcement? Inquiring Minds would like to know. Some one is dropping the ball!
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COMPLIMENTARY
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JULY 2018