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Real Estate Titans Join National Jewish Health for Annual Real Estate & Construction Industries Dinner Dance

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(photo: Lieba Nesis)
Wendy Mechanic, Wendy Siegel and Bonnie Rudin (photo: Lieba Nesis)

By Lieba Nesis National Jewish Health held its 50th annual Real Estate and Construction Industries Dinner Dance on Saturday December 8, 2018 with cocktails beginning at 6:30 PM at the Grand Hyatt hotel in New York City. National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. Founded in 1899 as a non-profit hospital it is the only facility in the world dedicated to conducting groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients come from all over the globe to avail themselves of the cutting edge technology and care of this unique institution.

Jon Mechanic, Nicole Kushner and Joseph Meyer (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Michael Salem, the CEO and President for the past 13 years, spoke proudly of their vast accomplishments in precision medicine and noted the base of operation is in Denver, Colorado with more than 25 locations providing on-site care, along with a recent collaboration with Mount Sinai five years ago to provide two centers in Harlem and Union Square. This evening is also the largest Real Estate and Construction dinner and contains a who’s who of moguls who dominate the New York real estate scene.

Left to Right: Jon Knipe, Marco Caffuzzi and Michael Jackowitz (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Entering the crowded cocktail hour which contained shrimp and salami (I almost found out too late the food wasn’t kosher) I bumped into Mitchell Rudin, Larry Silverstein, Stanley Chera, Gary Jacob, Matt Lustig, Woody Heller, Stephen Siegel and Jonathan Mechanic. This was the glitterati of the real estate scene and many had come to pay homage to honoree Lloyd Goldman who heads BLDG Management which commands a portfolio that consists of more than 400 properties and 7,000 residential units. Moreover, Lloyd is a partner in the World Trade Center leasehold which owns Towers 2, 3, and 4 whose cost to develop was more than $7 billion.

the Gold Ballroom (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Lloyd joins an illustrious group of past honorees including Donald Trump (1976), Richard Lefrak (1975), Gary Jacob (2016), Larry Silverstein (1978 and 2013) and Cookie and Stanley Chera (2017). While all of Lloyd’s holdings are quite impressive, his most astounding trait was his lavish gold locks that had attendees oohing and ahhing. There are plenty of real estate moguls in New York but very few possess a full head of hair and a 6 ft. 4 inch frame. Lloyd was the “Tom Cruise” of the evening as guest after guest requested a picture with him as he nonchalantly obliged-all in a days work for a real estate titan.

Left to Right: Glen Isaacson, Jen McCool, Adam and Jennie Friend and David Ziegler (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Kudos to Lloyd and his wife Victoria for funding a pediatric allergy and respiratory care and research wing at the National Jewish Health center to assist children living with cystic fibrosis, asthma, eczema and food allergies. After the extravagant cocktail reception, guests headed to the ballroom which was decorated in gold (the theme of the evening) with dancers bedecked in gold sequins enlivening the festivities along with a magical band that performed the greatest hits from the 90’s as robots danced nearby.

Michelle Robson and Peter Worth (photo: Lieba Nesis)

This dinner which cost $750 per person allowed guests to mingle with the best and brightest, provided a delicious cocktail and dinner reception where lamb chops and other meat dishes were served, and concluded with an elaborate dessert table as well as continued entertainment. Additionally, if you had the right ticket you left with a gold knapsack containing goodies like solid milk chocolate, a scented candle and some weird coloring book. This annual dinner which occurs the second Saturday every December has remained one of the premier events of the year thanks to moguls such as Larry Silverstein, who has participated for the past 50 years, and Executive Director for the past 25 years, Wendy Siegel, who works tirelessly for this pivotal organization.

Larry and Klara Silverstein (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Wendy who has leukemia and required a bone marrow transplant after being comatose for six days a number of years ago remarked on the excellent care she received at National Jewish Health and how thankful she was to the numerous donors who had taken $100,000 tables. Wendy looked resplendent in a gold Valentino sequined gown but joked to the crowd that she hadn’t used the gold tablecloths to make her dress. Wendy, whose husband Stephen Siegel is the Chairman of Global Brokerage at CBRE, is one of the most down to earth accessible woman even intervening on my behalf so I could receive a much desired goody bag.

Gary and Cathy Jacob (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Wendy begins working on the dinner right after the Christmas holiday concludes so she can secure access to entertainment the following year during the busy holiday season. Tonight Wendy spoke proudly of the more than 800 people who came to the sold-out event to support National Jewish Health and the real estate industry and how more than $2 million had been raised.

She commended Stanley Chera for his significant contributions to the organization. Chera, founder of real estate company Crown Acquisitions, was inducted into the Council of Trustees this evening as he and his wife Cookie have been ardent supporters of the organization and started a fund for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease last year.

Left to Right: Julie and Patrick Charon with Monika Majewska (photo: Lieba Nesis)

Another great supporter, Larry Silverstein, introduced his good friend Lloyd Goldman, and gave a lengthy speech on the importance of the organization and what it has meant to him and his family for the past 50 years. Silverstein, 87, is remarkable for both his philanthropy and for staying betrothed to his wife Klara whom he married in 1956. While other real estate titans exchange wives quicker than they turn over properties, Larry was hugging and adoringly dancing with his low-key wife the entire evening. Another happily married handbag and took one last look at Larry and Klara Silverstein who were sharing an enthusiastic dance arm-in-arm-a moment that will be etched in my memory for a long time to come.

Tim Zerka, Lloyd Goldman and Adrian Zerka (photo: Lieba Nesis)

NYC Hospitals Could Lose $362M is Trump’s Public Charge Rule in Enacted

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Officials at New York City Health & Hospitals said last week that the organization could lose as much as $362 million in the first year alone if proposed changes to the public charge rule are enacted.

The Trump administration this year proposed changing the public charge rule, which determines whether immigrants can enter and stay in the United States based on the public benefits they use, according to Crain’s New York Business. “The changes would expand guidelines beyond cash benefits to nutrition, housing and health benefits including Medicaid.”

H+H is reportedly New York City’s largest provider of care to Medicaid patients, and about 40% of its patients were born outside the United States. H+H and its patients are already feeling an impact from the proposed changes, which could ultimately affect 350,000 of the more than 1 million patients it sees each year, a spokesman for the health system said. Whether or not the changes are enacted, the fear exists, he said.

“Not only could the changes lead to decreased revenue for H+H, they also could lead to increased costs from more emergency room visits and negative effects on health. “New Yorkers should not have to choose between the health care services to which they are entitled and a green card,”

“New Yorkers should not have to choose between the health care services to which they are entitled and a green card,” Dr. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of H+H, said in a statement. According to ModernHealthcare.com, ome of the system’s patients have already declined to enroll in Medicaid as well as its MetroPlus health plan, he said, while others have opted out of the WIC program, a supplemental nutrition initiative for women, infants and children.

“H+H said up to 62,000 of its patients ultimately could abandon Medicaid and other insurance, while many more patient visits and prescriptions—including those to treat and prevent contagious diseases—could fall by the wayside,” the news site noted. “The health system developed its forecasts by drawing from outcomes of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, the American Community Survey and its own patient insurance coverage information.

“We’re not talking about something that’s just research or projected harm, but something that we’ve seen historically, which is why the policy is what it is today,” said Bitta Mostofi, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

“All Americans have a right to speak out against federal regulations, and the law requires that what we say gets reasonable consideration,” said Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37, New York City’s largest union of municipal employees, in the group’s statement. “We are asking our workers and, in fact, all New Yorkers to voice their opposition to the federal public charge proposal by visiting www.nyc.gov/PublicCharge and submitting a comment by December 10 before the public comment period ends. Without action, this proposed rule could undermine many positive financial and patient service improvements that management and labor have worked together to achieve in recent years.”

“This ‘public charge’ proposal is complex, but the stakes are simple—the Trump Administration is attempting to undermine the health and well-being of the ultimate city of immigrants,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Many independent analyses, including the latest from NYC Health + Hospitals, quantify the harm it could do to our communities and to our health care system. The de Blasio Administration stands with all New Yorkers—regardless of immigration status—and we’ll fight this with everything we’ve got. I urge New Yorkers concerned with how this proposal could impact themselves or their families to get informed. Visit NYC.gov/PublicCharge, call 311 and say ‘Public Charge’ for more information, or say ‘ActionNYC’ for a free immigration legal screening.”

In 2018 DeBlasio Was Outside of NYC More Than in Previous Years

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Many New Yorkers love to see Mayor Bill de Blasio leave town.

Just not so much.

The Democratic mayor has been exiting New York City more frequently over the past year, according to an analysis by the New York Post.

“In all, he’s spent 80 days traveling since he won re-election in November 2017. That adds up to 20% of his second term far away from the city he ostensibly runs,” the paper noted. “The last year has seen a marked increase in de Blasio’s wanderlust. In the first 10 months of 2017, when he was campaigning for a second term, he was out of town just 31 days out of 311, or 10% of the time.”

With each passing year, half or more of the rumored presidential candidate’s days away have fallen on weekdays. Since his election, 45 of his 80 days away were during the workweek, the Post said.

“Many of his 2018 trips, like a grandstanding jaunt to the US-Mexico border and appearances at left-leaning gatherings like Netroots Nation in New Orleans and the SXSW Festival in Austin, Tex., had little obvious connection to de Blasio’s actual job. But they make plenty of sense for a term-limited pol looking to burnish his progressive credentials,” said the Post.

“New Yorkers are not stupid,” said political strategist Hank Sheinkopf. “They know that those events don’t help fix NYCHA, get the homeless off the streets or clean up corruption.”

As for his rather unrealistic presidential aspirations, de Blasio “offers himself as a lodestar for the Democratic party, touting his “progressive economic populism” as a winning formula for 2020 and beyond,” National Review suggested earlier this year. “One gets the impression that de Blasio, who has never been known for his humility, believes he has a realistic shot at the Democratic presidential nomination, despite the fact that he is not even the most plausible big-city mayor in the offing.

That distinction belongs to Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, who is shrewdly leveraging his Hollywood donor base to fill the coffers of Democratic-party organizations in early primary states, as recently reported in Politico. Indeed, my sense is that de Blasio’s chances of winning the nomination are less than those of the much-admired Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., who is also considering a presidential bid. This is despite the fact that South Bend, the fourth-largest city in Indiana, has a population around 1.2 percent that of New York City, the largest city in the United States.”

Talks of Trump Pardoning Power Makes It Into NYPD Corruption Trial

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The New York Post reports that a defense lawyer asked Jona Rechnitz if he would try to use his dad’s political connections to President Trump to seek out a pardon. Rechnitz is one of the government’s most important witnesses in this bribery trial, and he’s dragged Mayor Bill de Blasio into the headlines with him because Rechnitz donated to the mayor’s campaign.

President Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance in a high-profile New York courtroom, or rather, an odd and inflammatory remark related to the president was made earlier in the week in an effort to make a witness look incredible during the closely watched NYPD bribery trial. Trump’s very unconventional use of his pardon powers may be controversial, but the subject has never been used in court before to try and make someone look bad.

The New York Post reports that a defense lawyer asked Jona Rechnitz if he would try to use his dad’s political connections to President Trump to seek out a pardon. Rechnitz is one of the government’s most important witnesses in this bribery trial, and he’s dragged Mayor Bill de Blasio into the headlines with him because Rechnitz donated to the mayor’s campaign.

The suggestion that Rechnitz may seek a presidential pardon set off fireworks in the courtroom. Rechnitz’s side made their objections very clear, calling the questioning “outrageously prejudicial” and also said that it must be removed from the record. Pardons are handed out to convicted criminals, and accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt.

While the U.S. Constitution allows for witness cross-examination, a criminal court of law in America presumes all defendants are innocent until proven guilty. Prosecutors suggested that by asking if their witness would accept a pardon, the defense lawyer jumped to the conclusion that Rechnitz was guilty of a crime, which the lawyer was using to discredit Rechnitz as a witness. Prosecutors also felt that discussion and assumptions about political affiliations were inappropriate.

Defense lawyer John Meringolo pushed back by saying the question was relevant because of the associations Rechnitz’s close family has with Trump. Meringolo also cites a recording in which Rechnitz’s dad said they would “just go down to Washington” to solve his problems.

Meringolo pointed out the long business relationship the Trumps and Rechnitzs have had as he tried to plead his point to the judge. “They have a long-standing relationship,” Meringolo said.

Despite objections from prosecutors, the judge wouldn’t allow the question to be stricken from the record, and the answer Rechnitz gave, “no,” was also not removed.

Rechnitz also explained to the jury how a meeting between de Blasio and the Israel Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in 2014 didn’t work out.

“What happened was I tried to arrange a meeting and the Prime Minister subbed him,” Rechnitz started telling the jury. “Bill de Blasio came down to the hotel for the meeting and the Prime Minister said it wasn’t on his official calendar and he would meet him another time.”

A year ago, the Jewish Voice reported that it had come to light that “on many occasions Mayor Bill de Blasio aides were instructed by him to help out campaign contributor Jona Rechnitz, in multiple manners including his issues involving real estate.

Two Children from Lev Tahor Cult Kidnapped in Catskills on the Sabbath

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Authorities in Upstate New York are currently investigating an alleged kidnapping of two of the recent escapees from the Lev Tahor Cult – which occurred last Shabbos.

According to a detailed report by Yeshivah World News, sources have confirmed two children of the Teller family that recently escaped from the cult in Guatemala were spending Shabbos in the Catskills, when the incident occurred.

Sources close to YWN have said that on Shabbos morning, a 12-year old girl and a 14-year-old boy were discovered missing. Police were called, and an investigation is underway. It has been confirmed that the two children were seen entering a vehicle on Friday night (early Shabbos morning) at around 3:32 a.m.

The family had been spending Shabbos with professional therapists in the Catskills, along with other previous Lev Tahor escapees.

A few weeks ago, a girl from the same family was kidnapped as well. She was later found and reunited with her mother.

In a continued effort to keep abreast of this developing story, YWN has reported that the Teller children arrived in the United States last month, following an intense international effort to rescue them from the Cult, currently located in Guatemala.

The children are the four daughters and two sons of Mrs Sara Feige Teller, a sister of current Lev Tahor leader, Nachman Helbrans. She is married to Rabbi Aron Aryeh Teller, rosh yeshivah of Lev Tahor.

Rebbitzen Teller escaped the cult several months ago and had been thwarted on several attempts to rescue her children, on one occasion even being attacked by cult members armed with guns, knives and throwing rocks.

A massive raid by over 100 heavily armed Guatemalan police was unsuccessful in rescuing the remaining three children as cult leaders had likely moved them out of the compound prior to police arriving outside the compound’s barbed wire fence.

Then, Rabbi Teller and the three girls, accompanied by a woman who posed as their mother, were arrested as they attempted to cross the border into Mexico with false passports.

Tragically, it appears the saga is not over and the Lev Tahor Cult is continuing to inflict horror on the lives of the these children.

Lev Tahor practices include women and girls wearing black head-to-toe coverings day and night, arranged marriages between teenagers, and a violent form of Malkos. Lev Tahor only permits certain fruits and vegetables to be eaten, as well as whole wheat flour made into bread with a stone press.

Former members of Lev Tahor (who either escaped or were otherwise expelled) do not recall learning Mishnayos or Gemara, nor any Mitzvos Bein Adam LeChaveiro.

They spend the majority of the day in deep prayer and are only allowed to study certain sections of the Chumash, with Lev Tahor commentary.

Internal documents of Lev Tahor show that Shlomo Helbrans made his followers swear and sign to uphold the following principles among others.

(1) Everyone must negate his or her mind and mind thoroughly and completely, to the leader of Lev Tahor.

2) They must subjugate soul, spirit, and will.

3) Each man accepts upon his descendants and descendant’s descendants until the end of all generations to be subjugated under the will of Lev Tahor’s leader.. this should be said openly to the leader himself.

4) Everyone must be ready at any time and moment of 24 hours of the day, whether on the Sabbath and Yom Tov, summer and winter, healthy or sick, to do the will of the leader.

5) Whether the person is a young man or an old man, virgins and women they must accept to do the will of the leader.

6) They must agree to throw away all his physical needs, including eating sleep and rest until he fulfills the desires the leader.

7) It is the obligation of each of them at the beginning of the morning prayers to recite and accept upon themselves all of the above with full mouth and supreme joy.

By: Ashley Brown

Lawmakers in NYS Vote for a $50K Raise; Makes Them Highest Paid in Nation

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Is there anything in the world more galling than politicians voting themselves raises?

Lawmakers in cash-strapped New York State are about to pat themselves on the bar with a $50,000 pay raise. It would make them the highest-paid state lawmakers in the United States.

The increase was approved on Thursday by a special compensation commission – unanimously, of course. It does, however, limit legislators’ outside income to 15 percent of their salaries. It would also do away with some of the generous stipends they have been entitled to.

“There’s no question that, over time, the Legislature has not always lived up to its full opportunities to convince the public that it is a hard-working, conscientious, honest organization,” noted H. Carl McCall, the chairman of the State University of New York’s board of trustees and one of the panel’s four members. “We really have to make sure that we send signals to the public about how serious they are about doing their job, and doing it well.”

The commission’s recommendations carry the force of law unless the legislature and the governor decide to enact a statute to void it before Jan. 1. If they don’t, salaries will rise to $110,000 from $79,500, in the New Year. They will also rise by $10,000 a year after that until reaching $130,000 in 2021.

Only California and Pennsylvania pay their legislators a higher base salary than New York does, the New York Times reports. “If salaries in those states remain unchanged, New York’s state lawmakers would be the highest-paid in the country by 2021. (New York City Council members earn still more, at $148,500.)”

Not to be left out, Governor Andrew Cuomo will also be seeing some more in his pay envelope. His remuneration should hit $250,000 by 2021, making him – once again, no surprise — the highest-paid governor in the land.

According to the Democrat & Chronicle, however, there is somewhat of a silver lining to the lawmakers helping themselves to more out of the public till. “In enacting it, the pay committee placed limits on how much lawmakers could earn outside of their jobs as legislators and eliminated most of the stipends, known as “lulus,” that legislators received for sitting on legislative committees,” the publication noted. “The conditions have the practical effect of upending a century-old charade that allowed lawmakers to collect two or more salaries by exploiting the pretense that their legislative duties in Albany were part-time.”

Interestingly (but hardly unexpectedly), Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who backed the reform, was quoted last week as saying that it was “open to question” whether the committee had the ability to impose the restriction on outside income.

Hate Crime Charges Not Pressed on Teens Arrested for Attack On Queens Yeshiva Student

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Police have arrested two teenagers in Queens, for the brutal beating of a 16-year-old yeshiva student, who was seriously injured. On November 29, at about 5 PM, a group of teenagers, allegedly Forest Hills High School students, targeted, harassed and beat a Bukharian Yeshiva boy, who does not attend the public school. As of December 7th, the victim was still at Elmhurst hospital with deep bruises and cuts on his head. During the beating, which took place in in the vicinity of 64th Road and 108th Street, a mob of roughly 20 boys took turns to punch and kick the victim, then throwing him on the ground and fleeing the scene, as police arrived. Another 15 teens stood watching and filming the beating with their cell phones, as per Pix 11 News.

As reported by VIN News, 18 year old Jonathan Torres of Flushing, and 17 year old Victor Hidalgo of the City Line section of Brooklyn, were taken into custody on Thursday, and charged with gang assault in the first degree and assault in the second degree.

According to the NYPD , however, the incident cannot currently be classified as a hate crime. “Right now it seems to be more of a gang related incident and a case of mistaken identity,” said Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal, following conversations with the NYPD and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office. “While we are disappointed, the charges filed have to be able to hold up in court and a hate crime has to meet certain legal criteria.” He also tried to assure community members that the charges that the two teens are currently facing are “extremely serious.”

Jewish leaders are frustrated that the act was not classified as a hate crime. “Police said that they mistakenly confused him with someone that they thought was part of the gang,” said Yaniv Meirov, president and CEO of Chazaq, which does religious outreach. “What we understand is that he was wearing tzitzis and a kippa and they took it out on him and beat the living daylights out of him.” Meirov noted that in the video footage of the incident, shouts of “kill the Jews” and “kill the Bukharians”, can be heard. He also said that the community appreciates the increased police presence in the area, over the past few days. “The precinct is doing a great job and we appreciate that, but we don’t want something like this to happen ever again,” said Meirov. “Why do we have to wait for someone to die in order for something to happen?”

According to David Mordukhaev, of the Alliance of Bukharian Americans, the fighting has become an ongoing thing in the area, with the Hispanics and African Americans targeting those who are visibly Jewish.

In another incident, a second 17-year-old Jewish boy was surrounded by a group of teens who pushed, shoved and punched him, at the same time and location, leaving him with a deep tear to his lower lip. No arrests have been made yet in that incident, but the NYPD has said that 11 individuals were taken in custody in connection with the two beatings.

Students Face Higher Rate of Loan Defaults at Colleges in Manhattan & Queens

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The Center for an Urban Future has released findings showing that nearly a quarter of undergraduate students in New York State who take out student loans default or are at high risk of default after five years.

The numbers are part of the group’s new analysis of five-year data loan outcomes for students at 240 higher education institutions across the state. While New York’s overall five-year default rate of 11 percent is below the national average of 15 percent, it is cause for serious concern when more than 1-in-10 student borrowers are defaulting. Another 13 percent of borrowers were at high risk of default after five years.

The first comprehensive analysis of five-year student loan outcomes in New York, it reveals that the student loan default rate in New York is higher than many previously believed. Indeed, previous research focused only on the default rate three years after students took out a loan. The analysis shows student loan default rates in New York nearly double between the third and fifth year—from 6.5 percent to 11 percent.

“We also find that the state’s for-profit colleges are responsible for a disproportionate share of all student loan defaults after five years, with students attending for-profit schools defaulting at more than double the rate of public colleges,” the group reported. “Taken together, the data underscores the need to tackle the student debt crisis in New York and suggests that state policymakers should take steps to hold the most default-prone colleges accountable.”

The data shows that outcomes at the state’s for-profit colleges are particular cause for concern. Although just 6 percent of all undergraduate students in New York attended for-profit schools during the period of our analysis, these schools accounted for 41 percent of all student loan defaults after five years. There continue to be a number of reputable for-profit schools across the state that provide significant value to student. However, more for-profit college students defaulted after five years than did public college students—even though public colleges in New York enroll almost ten times as many students as for-profit colleges.

Among the other major findings, according to the group:

* Between 2014 and 2016, the number of New York student loan borrowers in default rose from 21,118 (6.5 percent of all borrowers) to 35,972, (11 percent). Another 13 percent of borrowers were at high risk of default after five years.

* In total, nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of New York’s student loan borrowers were facing serious financial struggles to repay or had already defaulted after five years.

* The for-profit college sector is driving student loan defaults in New York. After five years, 27 percent of student loan borrowers who attended for-profit colleges defaulted, compared to 12 percent of students who attended SUNY or CUNY colleges and 5 percent of students who attended private non-profit colleges.

Former City Council Speaker: Taxes from Marijuana Sales Could Go to Fixing Subways

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Melissa Mark-Viverito, a candidate for New York City Public Advocate and former New York City Council Speaker, is proposing to legalize marijuana sales and use the tax revenue to help fund the city’s aging subway system. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Melissa Mark-Viverito, a candidate for New York City Public Advocate and former New York City Council Speaker, is proposing to legalize marijuana sales and use the tax revenue to help fund the city’s aging subway system.

Mark-Viverito announced her “Weed for Rails” plan outside the City Hall subway station Thursday. The Democrat and candidate for city public advocate says legalizing marijuana could generate $1.3 billion annually in state and city tax revenue. She wants at least half of that money to be dedicated to public transit.

Legalizing recreation marijuana would require action by New York’s legislature and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to the Associated Press. “Cuomo has set up a panel to draft legislation to legalize pot. A Cuomo spokesman says the group is considering “a variety of issues related to regulations and revenues.”

The debate over legalizing marijuana in New York State, of course, continues.

“This is something that needs to happen now,” State Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes told WGRZ.com recently . The Democrat from Buffalo has proposed a bill in Albany which would legalize marijuana across New York. She believes the change is coming.

“A year from now, two years from now, will marijuana be fully legalized in New York?” asked 2 On Your Side’s Michael Wooten. “I think so,” she replied. “I think we will actually vote on the legalization of it sometime in our session in 2019. And I think by 2020, it will be fully implemented with regulatory process in place.”

“When you legalize it, you can regulate it. You can have revenue. You can dictate who sells it. You can regulate the quality of the product,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo following a speaking engagement at Roswell Park on September 26.

A Quinnipiac University survey from earlier this year showed 63-percent of New Yorkers support “allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use,” the highest level of support this poll has ever found.

Earlier this year in his State of the State address, Cuomo urged the New York State Legislature to fund a study on the effects of legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The study would be conducted by the Department of Health and would examine a wide variety of issues, including the legal, economic, and social ramifications recreational marijuana could have on New York. Cuomo’s evolving opinion is likely due to Americans growing acceptance of marijuana, along with the negative impact the 2017 tax law is anticipated to have on New York.

The Department of Health completed its study and has recommended the legalization of marijuana in New York, citing economic, public health, and public safety benefits.

$31 Million Raised in Record-Breaking UJA Wall Street Dinner

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Stacy Bash Polley and Jeffrey Verschleiser

By Lieba Nesis United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation held its annual dinner on Monday December 10, 2018 with cocktails beginning at 5 PM at the Hilton Hotel. This year the crowd was epic as more than 2,100 people squeezed into the back room of the sold-out $350 event. There was barely room to take photos as thousands of people, mostly men, came to fraternize with their friends and colleagues. UJA was founded in 1917 and continues its mission of promoting Jewish identity, helping the elderly age with dignity, combating poverty and caring for people with disabilities and special needs. Four-and-a-half million lives were changed this year because of UJA as $81 million has been allocated for disaster relief since 2007, $6.8 million set aside for Holocaust Survivors, and 577,000 elderly cared for in New York, Israel and Russia.

John Paulson

Current president Jeff Schoenfeld spoke of their initiatives which included feeding thousands of poor families, spending $40 million for two community resource centers in Queens and Brooklyn, funding online platforms to help teens deal with anxiety and depression, and supporting more than 10,000 Holocaust survivors a day. Aside from recognizing the organization’s accomplishments the evening was celebrating the transition of leadership at Goldman Sachs from former CEO Lloyd Blankfein to current CEO David Solomon who received the Gustave Levy Award. The other honoree of the night was Anton J. Levy, managing director and global head of technology at General Atlantic, who received the Alan Greenberg Young Leadership Award for his values and ideals which reflect those of the late great Ace Greenberg.

mobbed cocktail hour

UJA continues to thrive under the leadership of current CEO Eric Goldstein who was a former partner at Paul, Weiss and continues his triumphant reign-spearheading one successful initiative after another. This year they raised a record-breaking $31 million and attracted financial luminaries such as: John Paulson, Howard Lutnick, Daniel Och, Howard Milstein, Larry Robbins, Boaz Weinstein, Jacob Safra, Jeffrey Solomon, Steve Tananbaum, David Wassong, Jerry Levin and James Tisch.

Every year there is one star of the evening whose impact is so great that people discuss this person for years to come and this influencer might even change a couple of lives in the process.

David Windreich and Keith Meister

Last year it was Howard Lutnick, in 2016 it was Michael Douglas and in 2015 it was Michael Milken-tonight it was WeWork’s Adam Neumann. Neumann, 39, is an Israeli-American billionaire, who co-founded WeWork in 2010. Neumann was born in Israel and served in the IDF as an officer. After completing his army stint, he graduated Baruch College and started WeWork which transforms buildings into collaborative workspaces. The company has a valuation of $20 billion and manages 10 million square feet of office space in 502 locations.

Left to Right: David Moore, Mark Medin and Jeff Aronson

Tonight, Neumann was the star of the evening as hundreds of attendees ran over to get a picture with this luminary who had hair down to his shoulders and a big yarmulke adorning his head. Married to Rebekah Paltrow, they have four children and follow an orthodox lifestyle. As if keeping Shabbat wasn’t cool enough with super powerhouse couple Jared and Ivanka Kushner attesting to its numerous benefits; tonight, Neumann spoke about how being observant had transformed his life. Neumann said while he was living in Israel he didn’t feel any appreciation for his Jewish identity and it wasn’t until he arrived in New York that he started on his Jewish journey. In 2015 he became observant which transformed his life from focusing on himself, and his ego to helping others.

Rabbi Heller, Adam Neumann and Eric Goldstein

He noted that the observance of Shabbat had humbled and grounded him and stopped him from being haughty. He also compared UJA to WeWork as they both successfully seek to foster a community. Neumann called out to his Rabbi, Rabbi Heller, from the stage to thank him for improving his life. There was a lot of gratitude in the house as CEO of Goldman Sachs David Solomon thanked his parents and Lloyd Blankfein recalled how appreciative he was to UJA since he grew up in the Bronx and was a beneficiary of their camps and programs-remarking he went from being a beneficiary to a benefactor.

Curtis Lane and Alan Mnuchin

Anton Levy, also thanked his South African parents as he recounted the difficulty involved in moving from South Africa in 1977 and abandoning their home and riches to escape apartheid and all its injustices and how he stood on the shoulders of those who came before him. Levy also praised UJA for helping the underprivileged and balancing out the inequities of life. After the program concluded at precisely 8 PM, as promised in the schedule, guests returned to the back room for gambling, more dinner and desserts, and a DJ who played some Cardi B and rap tunes-this organization really does “Appeal” to everyone, especially with its democratic ticket price.

James Tisch, Eric Goldstein and Lloyd Blankfein

 

Lesley Goldwasser and Peter Solomon

 

Steve Tananbaum and Brett Barth

Bloomberg Might Sell Parent Company Ahead of Presidential Run in 2020

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Bloomberg News is now in the news for reportedly shedding dozens of its senior reporters and editors this year, in what may be preparation for a sale of the parent company. As reported by the NY Post, Billionaire owner Michael Bloomberg, the former NY Democratic Mayor, philanthropist, and the 8th-richest person in the United States, is considering selling Bloomberg LP, the news empire, ahead of his possible presidential campaign.

More than 42 experienced reporters and editors, most of them in New York, have left the company this year, as per a list independently confirmed by the Post. Those named on the list, left for a mix of reasons from layoffs to voluntarily resigning, and mostly declined to comment. Some of them have continued their careers moving to CNBC, the New York Times and other news outlets.

Just in the last week, the company confirmed that more than four senior editors were laid off. They include: Bob Brennan, a markets editor who started with the company back in 1993; Chuck Stevens, hired in 1996, now an editor at Daybreak, a fast-news outlet; John Lippert, a senior writer hired in 1995, who covered the auto industry; and Faris Khan, who joined in 2010, and served as senior editor covering corporate finance. Ty Trippet, a spokesman for Bloomberg, did not comment on the recent layoffs, and maintained that the headcount at Bloomberg has increased this year.

Insiders are speculating that the removal of better-compensated employees, which will be replaced by younger, cheaper reporters, is part of the strategy to lay the groundwork for a possible sale of the company. Senior editors and staff members tend to make roughly $250,000 a year, while new hires make only about a quarter of that amount. It sounds like part of a clever plan to bolster profits.

Sources told the NY Post that the company is trying to increase operational profits by about 3 percent ahead of any possibility of sale, which may occur as a buyout or an IPO. On Wednesday, Mr. Bloomberg told an Iowa radio station he might sell Bloomberg LP, which he co-founded in 1981, if he runs for president in 2020. “It would either go into a blind trust or I would sell it. But I think at my age, if selling it is possible, I would do that,” said Bloomberg, who is now 76-years-old. Directly selling a company of this magnitude would present its own difficulties, as many of the interested buyers would not have the means to do so. As per Forbes, Mr. Bloomberg has a net worth of 44.6 billion, making him the 11th richest person in the world.

Google Software Engineer Found Dead in Company’s Chelsea Offices

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A 22-year-old Google software engineer has been found dead inside the company’s Chelsea offices, according to police.

Employee Scott Krulcik was found unconscious by a janitor in his work space on the sixth floor of the building on Eighth Avenue near West 16th Street around 9 p.m. Friday, cops said.

Emergency personnel tried to revive Krulcik, but failed to save his life. Authorities said there were no signs of trauma on the body, and that the death did not appear to have resulted from a criminal act. At press time, the cause of death had yet to be named by the Medical Examiner’s office.

Neighbors at Krulcik’s West 11th Street walk-up told the New York Post they were stunned to learn of his death. “Oh my gosh. That’s so sad. I ran into him from time to time in the hallway,” said one resident who said he moved into the building last fall. “He looked just like he did in his photos. Such a nice young, vibrant man.”

The neighbor lived on the fifth floor with a roommate, who was also a Google engineer and, like Krulcik, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., the Post added. “They were like two peas in a pod,” another neighbor said.

The death is one more bit of controversy that has dogged Google of late. Charges of tax avoidance, misuse and manipulation of search results, its use of others’ intellectual property, concerns that its compilation of data may violate people’s privacy, censorship of search results and content, and the energy consumption of its servers as well as concerns over traditional business issues such as monopoly, restraint of trade, antitrust, idea borrowing, and being an “Ideological Echo Chamber” have all been voiced.

The firm’s stated mission is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” But the mission, and the means used to accomplish it, have raised concerns among the company’s many critics. Much of the criticism pertains to issues that have yet to be addressed by cyber law.

Just a couple of weeks ago, The Verge reported that consumer groups across seven European countries had filed GDPR complaints against Google’s location tracking (via Reuters). The European Consumer Organization (BEUC), of which each of the groups are a member, claims that Google’s “deceptive practices” around location tracking don’t give users a real choice about whether to enable it, and that Google doesn’t properly inform them about what this tracking entails.

“If upheld, the complaints could mean a hefty fine for the search giant,” Verge added. “The complaints, which each group has issued to their national data protection authorities in keeping with GDPR rules, come in the wake of the discovery that Google is able to track user’s location even when the “Location History” option is turned off. A second setting, “Web and App Activity,” which is enabled by default, must be turned off to fully prevent GPS tracking.”

Despite Retail Slump, Woolrich Clothing Expands in SoHo

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With all due respect to the much-ballyhooed Retail Apocalypse, Woolrich, the upscale outdoor clothing and workwear brand, says it has reached an agreement that will allow it to expand its SoHo retail location.

As reported by Bloomberg News, Woolrich, Inc. — founded in 1830 by John Rich and Daniel McCormick, and the oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear in the United States — will more than double its size on Wooster Street, taking a nearly 8,000-square-foot store next to its current location.

“Its new spot at 121 Wooster St., which has nearly 4,100 square feet on the ground floor and 3,700 square feet of selling space in the basement, will allow the company to showcase a growing collection of apparel and products,” Bloomberg said.

“They have a new investment firm involved in their business and the brand has been on the upswing in terms of consumer interest,” said Joel Isaacs, the founder of Isaacs and Company, who represented Woolrich in the lease. ”They want to capitalize on that and they needed more space to show the breadth of their line.”

Woolrich also announced that it has signed a lease for an approximately 6,500-square-foot office at 121 Varick St. and has plans to transform it into a showroom dedicated to wholesale marketing.

In yet another announcement, the company said recently that it will be closing its woolen mill in Woolrich, PA. The fabric manufacturing operations will cease by the end of the year and will affect up to 40 employees in the mill.

Nick Brayton, president of Woolrich Inc, said in a statement, “The decision to close the Mill was made following a comprehensive review of our overall woven fabric business and the considerable capital improvements needed to modernize and maintain viable operations. Unfortunately, due to higher manufacturing costs, eroding margins and continued unprofitability within the Mill, it is no longer economically feasible to continue our Pennsylvania based Woolen Mill operation.”

The mill opened in 1845 and is the oldest, continuously operated mill in the United States. Woolrich was founded in 1830. The only other two woolen mills in operation in the U.S. are the Pendleton Woolen Mill at Portland, OR and the Faribault Woolen Mill in Faribault, MN, according to www.lockhaven.com.

The company was founded for the purpose of manufacturing fabric for the wives of hunters, loggers and trappers. Later, it also outfitted clothing supplies to the American Civil War and Richard E. Byrd’s 1939–1940 Antarctic expedition.

The company bought 300 acres at Chatham’s Run in nearby Pine Creek Township in 1834 and built a sawmill. Rich bought out McCormick’s interest in 1843, and by 1845 the company moved to a new mill at the Chatham’s Run location.

Facebook Privacy Info Booth Set To Pop Up At Bryant Park Winter Wonderland

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Bryant Park provides a nice little escape from the city that’s smack in the middle of midtown. It’s probably not the place someone would expect to be reminded of Facebook and the never ending privacy issues and implications of the modern world.

Bryant Park visitors will soon see a new pop-up kiosk premier in the park, alongside food and more traditional retail pop-ups, at the end of the week, The New York Post reports. Curious passersby and those with specific privacy concerns alike can stop by the booth and learn about a range of issues related to privacy, like understanding what Facebook is doing to help with privacy and how users can take advantage.

“It’s been a tough year, and people have a lot of questions,” Khaliah Barnes, who works for Facebook as a privacy and public policy manager, said to The New York Post. “We wanted to have the opportunity to connect with people face to face.”

Bryant Park sets up a Holiday Market in the winter, with the free ice skating rink as its centerpiece, and now Facebook will fit into that picture. Don’t worry if it’s a particularly chilly day because Facebook will provide free hot chocolate while explaining the intricacies of its privacy improvements, according to The New York Post.

This type of pop-up has never been set up before in this country, and there will only be one chance to see it before it’s gone. It opens this Thursday at 11 a.m., but it closes for good just 10 hours later. There aren’t any plans to go national.

The Jewish Voice has reported on Facebook and its string of troubles and public relations debacles that set up the need for this Bryant Park pop-up. The British Parliament has used their legal powers to obtain a set of internal Facebook documents the social media giant has fought for months to stop from being made public, according to Facebook and a lawyer involved in a suit against the company, as was reported by CNN.

The Guardian of London has reported that the move by the UK legislative body was an attempt to hold Facebook accountable after its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly declined to provide response to questions posed to him by members of parliament.

The paper reported that the cache of documents may contain evidence about Facebook decisions on data and privacy controls that led to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It is claimed they include confidential emails between senior executives, and correspondence with Zuckerberg.

CNN has reported that the documents stem from a lawsuit in California that outlines a litany of allegations against Facebook, including claims about the company’s alleged disregard for user privacy and the claim that Zuckerberg devised a scheme that forced Facebook’s rivals, or potential rivals, out of business.

What is Behind the Price Drop at NYC’s Elite Buildings?

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Most New Yorkers frankly don’t give a hoot about the status of New York City’s most elite buildings. But for those who do: it is sinking.

The New York Post’s Christopher Cameron took time recently to analyze the situation, and reported that “many of the old-guard Good Buildings have seen better days. After floundering on the market since 2012, a spacious two-bedroom apartment seeking $2.3 million at 550 Park failed to find a buyer, despite a 36 percent price decrease. Luxury co-ops, once the most stable block of inventory in New York, have seen their prices fall 20 percent from 2014 to 2018, according to top real-estate appraiser Jonathan Miller.”

At 740 Park, Cameron chronicled, “ceaseless publicity, a fire and a crumbling facade have driven choosy oligarchs elsewhere. Susan Gutfreund, the owner of the best apartment in 834 Fifth (widely considered Fifth Avenue’s foremost), can’t find a buyer for her 22-room, 12,000-suqare-foot duplex. Its asking price is down from $120 million to $68 million. River House (which famously gave both Richard Nixon and Gloria Vanderbilt the finger) was reduced to allowing actress Uma Thurman to purchase a 12-room spread at an $8.5 million discount.”

Recently built luxury condos with tasteful design elements (such as limestone facades instead of glass) and vastly superior amenities have displaced many of the old guard. “What’s more, condos don’t have intrusive co-op boards, which dissect an applicant’s financials to an embarrassing degree,” the Post noted. “Now the trader who wants to live in his business rival’s building doesn’t have to pull his pants down to get in.”

One of the grand old edifices the Post looked at was 834 Fifth Avenue, a luxury residential housing cooperative in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is located on Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 64th Street opposite the Central Park Zoo in Central Park. The limestone-clad building was designed by Rosario Candela, a prolific designer of luxury apartment buildings in Manhattan during the period between World War I and World War II. 834 Fifth Avenue is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious apartment houses in New York City. It has been called “the most pedigreed building on the snobbiest street in the country’s most real estate-obsessed city” in an article in the New York Observer newspaper. This status is due to the building’s overall architecture, the scale and layout of the apartments, and the notoriety of its current and past residents. It is one of the finest buildings designed by Rosario Candela, according to The New York Times.

Noted Cameron of the building, “After being rejected from 740 Park, Ukrainian billionaire Leo Blavatnik dropped a record $77.5 million on Jets owner (and current ambassador to the UK) Woody Johnson’s former spread at 834 Fifth. But the largest and best unit in the building — Susan Gutfreund’s 22-room spread — just can’t seem to find a buyer. She’s slashed her asking price from $120 million to $68 million.”

Futuristic Park Known as Diller Island Now Rising in the Hudson River

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There is something new, green and expensive rising in the Hudson River. Along the West Side of Manhattan, the much-talked-about plans are beginning fruition. The pilings for Diller Island, the futuristic park and performing arts venue, are being built. The dream is being sponsored by Barry Diller, the entertainment mogul, and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. With a hefty price tag of $250 million, the local formerly known as Pier 55, is slated to open in spring of 2021. The estimate budget jumped from a mere $35 million, mainly because of the design complexity and legal battles. The project struggled against seven years of planning and bureaucratic maneuvering while wrangling with an environmentalist opposition group, due to the protected status of the river.

The cornerstone was laid this week, with workers installing a distinctive system of concrete supports. The park, named after Mr. Diller, will feature a performing arts center, with a 700-seat amphitheater for music, dance and theater productions. As reported by the NY Times, British designer Thomas Heatherwick, is creating a 2.4-acre platform which will seem to rise out of the river like a green Neverland. The supports surrounding the perimeter will appear as clusters of Champagne-glass-shaped planting pots seemingly sprouting from pilings beneath the riverbed. The addition of two walkways, which will connect the park to the shoreline and make it part of Hudson River Park, are also already underway.

Brian Aronne, Senior Vice President at Hunter Roberts Construction Group, is coordinating the construction. He says, much of the work will be regular concrete slabs, but the park will “rest” on 132 planted pots, especially made from its own custom-sculpted foam mold. Each pot is about 30 feet tall and weighs over 90 tons. The dock workers will use shackles and cables to keep the pot level and position it precisely on top of the narrow concrete pilings. “It’s all once-in-a-lifetime kind of stuff,’’ Mr. Aronne said. “It’s all never been done before.’’

Last year, the whole project was almost discarded as Mr. Diller’s project couldn’t seem to gain ground against the opposition led by the real estate developer Douglas Durst, who called the venture an environmental threat. The plans were only revived thanks to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, who brokered an agreement to help settle the dispute.

“It was a gift to the city and the people of New York, and then to have it opposed by what turned out to be narrow reasons not having to do with the public interest, it was devastating,” Mr. Diller said, noting that both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio support the park.