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Albany Beat

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December 23, 2016, 5 PM ET

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Hikind Leads Charge Against DOT Over Ocean Parkway Reroute

Traffic lights along Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway, a state thoroughfare that splits the two neighborhoods of Midwood and Boro Park, are being reprogrammed by the New York State Department of Transportation in an effort to change the traffic pattern along the busy stretch of road. State officials want to detour drivers from making a right turn from the three-lane main road to making a right turn only from the narrow one-lane service road, which also allows for parking on both sides. Separating the main road from the service road on Ocean Parkway is a median for pedestrians and bicyclists. A recent protest against the move was held by community members, led by Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D - Midwood).

Hikind said the state DOT is rerouting traffic in an effort to reduce the frequency of pedestrians being hit as they cross the busy avenues that intersect with Ocean Parkway. But rabbis and heads of yeshivas in the say the move indicates that state DOT officials feel they know more about local safety conditions than those who live in the area. “I can show that what they based this whole thing on is faulty,” Hikind told The Jewish Press. “It’s wrong, completely. No right turns at these locations is nonsense – makes no sense. The whole issue of sending traffic to a service road is really stupid. They are completely wrong.” Hikind disputes claims by DOT officials that right turns are responsible for a substantial percentage of pedestrian-auto traffic injuries. Hikind says he can prove that the vast majority, more than 70 percent over a two year period, of the injuries were from cars turning left from Ocean Parkway onto the intersecting avenues. Critics note that the state DOT never held a community meeting to outline its plans and explain the reason for the change. “We want safety,” said Hikind. “This is insane. Why antagonize an entire community? They are creating chaos in the community and a more dangerous situation. We want safety too for our children.” In a contentious two-hour meeting with Executive Deputy DOT Commissioner Phillip Eng, Hikind and other state, city, and local officials urged DOT brass to take a second look at their proposed plan. According to Hikind, Eng said they may take a second look by instituting the “no right turn” rule on one corner and monitor the situation to see how it goes. Hikind was not pleased but said it’s a start. Ocean Parkway at Avenue J Credit: Marc Gronich

No Love For Hate Crimes

With hate crimes on the rise by more than 30 percent over the past year in New York City and to a lesser extent (but still on the rise) throughout the state, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wants an increase in funding above the $20 million for the non-profit security grant program. This includes religious institutions. “No New Yorker should have to worship in fear,” Gillibrand said. She also cited examples of hate crimes throughout upstate New York. “I met a gentleman who had an LGBT flag flying over his house. It was torn down and destroyed. That was in Rochester. Playgrounds have been defaced. We’ve seen KKK written, swastikas written.” Gillibrand didn’t say how much of an increase she is calling for.

New York’s U.S. Senators Split On Next DNC Chair

New York’s senior United States Senator, Chuck Schumer (D - Prospect Heights, Brooklyn), has thrown his support behind Congressman Keith Ellison (D – Minneapolis, Minnesota) to lead the Democratic National Committee. Ellison, a Catholic-turned-Muslim, has developed ties to anti-Israeli groups. Earlier this month the Investigative Project on Terrorism released a recording of a 2010 speech Ellison gave to the Muslim American Society, in which the congressman asserted that United States foreign policy in the Middle East “is governed by what is good or bad through a country of seven million people. A region of 350 million all turns on a country of seven million. Does that make sense? Is that logic?” When I asked Schumer about his choice, he was elusive: MG: Senator, I just want to ask you about your thoughts on the next DNC chairman. CS: I’ve already spoken on that and I have a statement which we’ll send you. MG: Has there been any progress since you sent out that statement? CS: I’ll get you the statement. MG: Has there been any progress since the statement has been put out? CS: Well, I haven’t done nose counts so you’ll have to ask other people about that. After repeated requests, the statement never materialized. Schumer backed Ellison last month. New York’s junior U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, was a bit more direct not still noncommittal. “I think it’s a decision for the DNC members and as of now I’m not supporting anyone,” Gillibrand told The Jewish Press. “I won’t get a vote because I’m not a DNC member. I don’t know who’s running yet. I’ve only heard of one or two candidates and a couple have taken their names out. When it’s closer to the actual vote I might have an opinion. I think he [Rep. Ellison] is a fine leader but I’m not going to choose a candidate, as it were, right now. I’ll decide when I know what the slate of candidates is.” The declared candidates other than Ellison are Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, and Jaime Harrison, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party. The vote for DNC chairman is scheduled to take place in late February. There are 447 members of the DNC and 224 votes are needed to win.

Boro Park Bestows Honors

The leadership of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council, led by Isaac Stern and Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, has once again hailed the efforts of city and community leaders who make the lives and mission of the Boro Park community easier to achieve. The honorees included:

Richard Buery, deputy mayor for strategic initiatives, who received the City Leadership Award, in part as the architect of the Universal Pre-K program;
City Councilmember Rafael Espinal (D – Brownsville, Brooklyn), who spearheaded the City Council Holocaust Survivor Initiative and received the City Legislative Leadership award;
Kenneth Gibbs, the new CEO of Maimonides Medical Center, who received a Welcome to Boro Park for the partnership the community has with the hospital;
Nachman Feig, assistant administrator at Boro Park Center, who received the Distinguished Community Service Award; and
Deputy Police Chief Charles Scholl, executive officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, who received the Public Safety Award for his 38 years of service with the NYPD.