UPDATE: Fort Greene Man Stabbed and Killed In Farragut Houses; Suspect Remains At Large

UPDATE: According to the FG/CH Patch, Keylester Williams was arrested yesterday, following a four-day search.
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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
January 9, 2011

Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis at (212) 788-7081

Fort Greene Man Stabbed and Killed In Farragut Houses; Suspect Remains At Large

New York, NY— On January 6, 2012, Marcquel McDuffy, 22, was stabbed in the head and chest with a pen knife following a wrestling match with a friend in Fort Greene’s Farragut Houses (NYCHA). According to the victim’s brother, Mr. McDuffy and the suspect (Keylester Williams) had no known conflict between them. Both parties were reportedly inebriated during the attack, which took place around 9:30PM.

Mr. McDuffy, who lived at 177 Sands Street, staggered out of the apartment following the attack and collapsed in a nearby stairwell. He was taken to the nearby Brooklyn Hospital Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. Mr. Williams, reportedly an employee with Duane Reade drug stores, remains at large.

“The senseless murder of this young man is horrific,” said Council Member Letitia James. “I urge residents of Farragut Houses, Fort Greene and Vinegar Hill to work with NYPD to locate the suspect and bring him swiftly to justice.”

Mr. Duffy was a student in a music production program, and wanted to have a career in hip-hop music.

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ATTENTION: HEAP Program

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally-funded program intended for low-income households. The program may assist with household's energy bills- which includes electricity, gas, and oil bills. Even if heat and utilities are included in a renter's payments, HEAP may be able to assist. Grants vary depending on household income and type of heating.

There are two HEAP components--
-Regular component opened on November 16, 2011
-Emergency component opened on January 3, 2012

HEAP's regular component benefits households who pay heat, utilities, and cooking gas; have utilities and heat included in the rent; and reside in public housing.

HEAP's emergency component benefits households when heat service is disconnected or scheduled for disconnection; when the household is without heating fuel or has low fuel; and when heating equipment is inoperable.
- One emergency grant, primary fuel grant, and/or heat related emergency grant is available per vendor during the HEAP season
- One boiler repair/replacement is available

A person is eligible for HEAP benefits if they are a US citizen or qualified alien and meet income eligibility guidelines; receive temporary assistance (safety-net or family assistance); receive food stamps; receive supplemental security income (SSI); and/or live in subsidized housing [Mitchell-Lama apartments, Public Housing (NYCHA), and apartments financed with Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers].
- Income eligibility depends on household size in relation to total household income

Those seeking to apply for HEAP must provide proof of residence, identity, utility costs, and income. The HEAP Brooklyn Field office is located at 1 Metrotech Center (Lobby). Customers should call (800) 692-0557 for more information.

Arrest Made In Fatal Shooting in FG Walt Whitman Housing on 8/23

On Monday, August 23, 2011, Jashaya Stanley (19) was fatally shot following a domestic dispute in Fort Greene's Walt Whitman housing. Ms. Stanley’s boyfriend Joshua Knox (19), who is the father of her 3-year-old daughter, was taken into custody as a suspect yesterday evening.



Ms. Stanley was shot three times in the chest, and was pronounced deceased at Brooklyn Hospital.



Council Member James' public comments from yesterday can be read below--



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Council Member Letitia James Comments on Fatal Shooting in Fort Greene’s Walt Whitman Houses



“The tragic death of such a young woman is senseless and heartbreaking,” said Council Member Letitia James. “Gun violence is one of the most horrifying and preventable crimes in our society. Today, a young child is left without a mother, and a family is forever altered. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Stanley family for their loss.”

ATTENTION: PowerPlay Hosts Summer Program for Middle School Girls in FG; Ingersoll Community Center; Deadline 7/7

The "Rising Stars Summer Program" is an exciting six-week program for middle school girls. The program is hosted by PowerPlay NYC, an organization dedicated to educating and empowering girls through sports, teaching life skills and building self-confidence and self-esteem for life. The summer program will include a focus on sports, dance, and life skills.

It will be located at--
Ingersoll Community Center

Dates--
July 11, 2011 through August 18, 2011
Monday through Friday
10AM- 4PM

Lunch and snacks provided for all girls. The registration deadline is Thursday, July 7, 2011. Applications are available at- Ingersoll Community Center (177 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY). Information and orientation session will take place on Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Ingersoll Community Center.

For more information, call 212-545-0021 or email info@powerplaynyc.org.

Job Opportunity- Red Apple Market Job Applications Available

Our office has recently acquired the Red Apple supermarket application and Orientation Guide for potential employees of their Fort Greene location being developed at Myrtle Avenue and Ashland Place, in the Andrea apartment building. Potential employees should fill out the application here, and send the completed application to the Office of Council Member Letitia James at 67 Hanson Place (Ground Floor) in Brooklyn. Please call the office at 718-260-9191/ 212-788-7081, or email teamtish@gmail.com for more information.

teamtish

ATTENTION: OEM Opens Citywide "Cooling Centers"

NEW YORK CITY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCE COOLING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
New Yorkers Urged to Take Precautions During Heat Event

The New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today announced that cooling centers will be open in all five boroughs on Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9. According to the National Weather Service, the heat index is expected to exceed 95 degrees on Wednesday and may exceed 100 degrees on Thursday.

Cooling centers are public places, such as Department for the Aging (DFTA) senior centers, libraries and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and Salvation Army community centers where air conditioning is available.

To find the cooling center nearest to you, call 311, or use OEM’s Cooling Center Finder at http://www.nyc.gov/oem.

ATTENTION: CM James Joins Community Leaders and Advocates To Develop Recommendations For FG Supermarket; TODAY (4/14); FG

In 2007, the billionaire developer John Catsimatidis (CEO of the Red Apple Group) acquired land on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene, to make way for luxury condos and new retail space.

After five years of delay and unmet requests to confer with the local community on development, the developer recently announced that a new Red Apple Supermarket is slated to open later this summer on the corner of Myrtle and Ashland. The need for a nearby supermarket along that strip of Myrtle Avenue has been difficult for residents, specifically those in Ingersoll and Whitman houses (NYCHA). At this time, the developer has agreed to participate in an open public forum on the new supermarket today (April 14, 2011).

Local residents will be able to hear directly from representatives from the Red Apple Group, and to collectively draft community recommendations for the new supermarket, such as affordability, food selection/quality, senior citizen issues, and local hiring/job quality.

You may read FUREE's Food Fight Report (2009) for more information about the neighborhood's fight for accessible and healthy food.

When: Thursday, April 14, 2011

6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where: Ingersoll Community Center

177 Myrtle Avenue c/o Prince Street

Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

This event is co-sponsored by FUREE, Council Member Letitia James (35th CD), NYS Assembly District Leader Lincoln Restler (50th AD), and the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project.

ATTENTION: NYCHA Hosts Town Hall On Capital Funds/Projects; 12/2; PS 67

Tonight, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is hosting a town hall on December 2, 2010 at 6PM with NYCHA Chairman John Rhea to update residents of Atlantic Terminal, Farragut, Ingersol & Whitman on capital funds and stimulus-funded projects.

The town hall will be hosted at-
PS 67 (Charles A. Dorsey)
51 St. Edwards Street
(btwn. Myrtle Avenue and Park Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11205

Please call the Office of Council Member Letitia James (718) 260-9191 for more information.

ATTENTION: NYC and NYS Announce Public Housing Restorations

Recently, New York City and State announced a major plan to restore Section 8 vouchers for more than 6,000 families across the five boroughs.

Last December, the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) was forced to withdraw its offer of Section 8 vouchers for roughly 2,500 approved families as a result of a major shortfall in its Section 8 budget. Vouchers for an additional 4,000 families were also at risk of being terminated. Upon learning of this problem, the NYC Council held two hearings, entered into discussions with NYCHA and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), and has now committed to providing $7 million so that these low-income New Yorkers won't end up on the street.

The full plan includes: using $23 million in HPD Section 8 reserves; transferring 750 vouchers from the NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR) to HPD; using federal HOME program funding to fund additional vouchers; and allocating Council capital funding to replace the shifted HOME funds. This plan will restore or save all 6,500 vouchers. Because of the steps that we're collectively taking today, thousands of New Yorkers will soon receive the vouchers they need to remain safe and sheltered.

And in another major victory for NYC tenants, last week the NYS Supreme Court's Appellate Division upheld Justice Emily Jane Goodman's decision earlier this year striking down the Rent Guidelines Board's (RGB) 2008 supplemental increase. In June 2008, the RGB approved rent increases of 4.5 and 8.5 percent for 1-and 2-year renewal increases respectively. The board also approved a $45 to $85 supplemental increase on tenants who've lived in their apartment for 6 years or more and pay less than $1,000 in rent. As a result, these tenants were forced to pay a higher increase than what's legally allowed under current RGB guidelines. The NYC Council has long denounced this supplemental increase as a "poor tax" on working and middle-class New Yorkers, and were proud to work with the Legal Aid Society and Legal Services of New York to help take this unjust burden off of tenants.

The Council joins tenants and advocates across the five boroughs in applauding the Appellate Division for recognizing that the RGB had exceeded its authority under city and state housing laws when it attempted to unfairly penalize tenants for living in their homes too long.

You can read more here and here.