BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

Marty Golden, Photo By Erica Sherman

People trying to save on auto insurance have taken to illegally registering their vehicles out of state. City & State is reporting that local politicians, led by State Senator Marty Golden, are hoping that stiffer penalties will drive down this form of abuse and subsequently lower rates for drivers.

The numbers on fraudulent vehicle registration are staggering, costing drivers $229 million annually nationwide. The crime is most prevalent in New York City with more than 10 percent of vehicles being fraudulently registered. City & State described how the crime perpetuates itself:

Car insurance is determined not by state but by ZIP code. Drivers in the five boroughs of New York City pay 60 percent higher combined insurance premiums than the state average, according to a 2011 report commissioned by the Independent Democratic Conference. Albany and the Capital Region pay the state’s lowest premiums.

As a result of the high costs, drivers in high-premium ZIP codes are those most likely to register with fraudulent addresses. The IDC study found that 1,650 vehicles in New York were registered to 14 residential Pennsylvania addresses, or 120 vehicles per locale. Fraud reduces the total number of people insured, premiums inch up and car owners increasingly have the incentive to purchase insurance illegally due to a progressively more expensive market.

Overall, auto insurance fraud persists because of a general lack of enforcement. In other states, there is a lack of stringency when it comes to proving residency. Once an out-of-state plate is issued, it becomes even harder to prove fraud.

The legislation, which has had no problem getting passed in the Senate, frequently runs into trouble in the Assembly. Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, the chair of the Assembly’s Insurance Committee, blamed a difference in overall vision with the Senate in attacking the problem.

“We’re looking at all areas of fraud and no-fault insurance,” Cahill told City and State. “We don’t think it should be done on a piecemeal basis. It’s a program that wasn’t created on a piecemeal basis, and legislatures past have tried to address one issue at a time. All the wheels have to turn at the same time.”

Golden, who has put forward legislation that strengthens insurance companies in their ability to cancel fraudulently purchased policies, spoke to the importance of the bill.

“My bill is to help to bring down the insurance costs in the city … go after the bad payers, lock them up, and you’ll see more registering here,” Golden said.

Source: Debbie Egan via the New York Daily News

Huzzah! The mermaids will be able to march down Surf Avenue after all. The Kickstarter campaign launched to save the annual event exceeded its $100,000 goal.

The parade was in danger of becoming another victim of Superstorm Sandy after event organizers having sank all their cash in rebuilding. Tim Pendrell, a development director for Coney Island USA, expressed relief and happiness to Gothamist at the news of the parade’s continuation.

“We’re really excited. When we started this a month ago, we had no idea if it was going to work out,” Pendrell said. “To be able to cover our shortfall is amazing.”

Amazing indeed. I can’t wait to see all the crazy costumes, pretty ladies and other strange attractions expected to roll out on June 22 at 1 p.m. See you there!

Click to enlarge

CompStat reports are produced by the New York Police Department on a weekly basis. We publish the week’s statistics for the 62nd Precinct reports every Friday. The 62nd Precinct is the police command responsible for Bensonhurst and Bath Beach.

Source: Facebook

Councilman Domenic Recchia announced this week he has secured $400,000 in funding for the installation of NYPD safety cameras across Bensonhurst and Coney Island.

Recchia stressed the importance of these cameras, saying they will protect the community.

“These cameras will provide much-needed surveillance capabilities to areas of my district in need of heightened security,” Recchia said in the release. “The NYPD needs to make use of every tool at its disposal to fight crime and keep our communities safe. This technology is an important resource to help New York’s finest do their job as best as possible.”

Here is a list of the locations where that the cameras will be installed:

• 86th Street and 20th Avenue
• 86th Street and Bay Parkway
• 86th Street and 23rd Avenue
• 86th Street and 25th Avenue
• McDonald Avenue and Kings Highway
• Mermaid Avenue and West 24th Street
• Stillwell Avenue and Benson Avenue
• Avenue W and West 11th Street
• Neptune Avenue and West 8th Street

Bensonhurst will say goodbye to Manhattan this weekend as the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway show A Brooklyn Love Story lights up the stage of the Manhattan Repertory Theatre for its last show.

The show is a one-woman performance that is written and performed by Chiara Montalto and directed by Ronnie Marmo. The story takes place entirely in Bensonhurst. Here is the synopsis from the press release.

What happens when a twenty something granddaughter moves into the Bensonhurst, Brooklyn row house of her eighty-something grandfather? A Brooklyn Love Story is a hilarious and moving story about the profound relationship between a grandfather and a granddaughter as one’s life is ending and the other’s is just beginning.

The show is scheduled for this Sunday, June 2 at 7 p.m., at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre (303 West 42nd Street, 6th Floor.) Tickets are $20. To make an electronic reservation, you can email MRTRESERVE@gmail.com.

The NYPD has issued a Silver Alert for the disappearance of Chaim Las, male, white, 98 years old, from 81st St and Bay Parkway in Brooklyn. Las is described as 5’7″ tall, 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen today at 6:00 a.m. wearing a white baseball hat with the word “Northfolk,” a green sweater, brown pants, black socks, brown sandals, and walking with a cane. Las suffers from dementia and a heart condition.

Source: Facebook via politicker

Councilman David Greenfield, meet challenger Joseph Hayon. The Orthodox Hayon, a Republican, is challenging Greenfield for his seat representing the 44th District, according to a report by Politicker.

Hayon, who has twice run for the Assembly, lost both bids. He first challenged Steven Cymbrowitz in 2010. He then challenged Helene Weinstein, garnering 20.6 percent of the vote and losing by a huge 20,000 vote margin.

In his losing bid against Weinstein, he hammered her for being a gay-friendly candidate, a reflection of his deep conservative and Orthodox views. Similarly, when battling incumbent Steven Cymbrowitz, who had consistently voted against same-sex marriage, Hayon appealed to religious Jewish voters by mis-characterizing a bill Cymbrowitz voted for as forcing religious schools to “teach Kindergarten children to ‘tolerate’ or sanctify same-gender relationships.”

Hayon also made headlines in 2010 when, as a student at Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Boulevard), the schoolbanned him from handing out pro-life literature on campus, a decision the school eventually overturned.

In this election, Hayon is accusing Greenfield of placing party above people.

“David Greenfield put his Democratic Party before the people from the district,” Hayon told Politicker. “We need someone who is going to represent the people of the district first.”

Photo courtesy of BeHodgman

The cannons will be blasting on the lawn of the New Utrecht Reformed Church (18th Avenue and 84th Street), ringing in Liberty Weekend.

According to a press release, Liberty Weekend, which is sponsored by the Friends of Historic New Utrecht, will take place from Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2 and feature Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactors, historical displays, lectures and the firing of a Civil War cannon.

All events will be free. Here is an itinerary of what to expect during Liberty Weekend from a press release:

The celebrations begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday when the InterSchool Orchestras Symphonic Band, conducted by Brian P. Worsdale, performs in the Parish House.

Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be devoted to history as the Parish House serves as the venue for a lecture and film. The lecture, presented by National Park Service Ranger Michael Callahan at 12:30 p.m., has the topic, “General and President Ulysses S. Grant.” The film, to be shown at 1:45 p.m., “General Howe: Conqueror of New York,” is about the commander of the British forces who captured New York in 1776.

Throughout the day, visitors can interact with Civil War re-enactors/historians from the 14th Brooklyn Regiment, Co. H, and with Revolutionary War re-enactors. Winslow’s Battery D will be demonstrating, and firing, its authentic 1863 Civil War cannon.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., historical exhibits and displays will be open to visitors in the Parish House, with special activities for children. Refreshments and baked goods will be available for sale.

Also on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Friends of Historic New Utrecht president Dave Elligers will lead a tour of the colonial-era New Utrecht Cemetery at 16th Ave. between 84th and 85th Streets (entrance at 85th St.). A second tour of the cemetery will be given by Mr. Elligers from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Liberty Weekend is the only time during the year that the landmark cemetery is open to the public.

At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, ceremonies will be conducted at the Liberty Pole on the church lawn, honoring the 230th year of the community landmark. The pole is the sixth to be raised on the site, the first erected in 1783 to celebrate departure of the British occupation troops.

All are invited to join the regular Sunday service in the New Utrecht Reformed Church, a member of the Reformed Church in America (RCA), at 11 a.m. The pastor is the Rev. Terry Troia.

Persons interested in learning more about Liberty Weekend, New Utrecht’s landmarks and the history of the Town of New Utrecht are invited to call 718-256-7173, visit www.historicnewutrecht.org or Facebook.com/Friends of HistoricNewUtrecht, or inquire at mail@historicnewutrecht.org.

The incineration plant and landfill dump at Gravesend Bay in 1973, now the site at the center of a major Bensonhurst environmental debate. (Source: Source: Arthur Tress via DailyDOCUMERICA)

The ruling of a State Supreme Court justice set back the efforts of those opposed to the building of a new waste transfer station in Gravesend Bay. Justice Bert Bunyan dismissed concerns put forward Assemblyman William Colton but ordered for greater transparency in the construction of the station from the Department of Sanitation.

As we’ve previously reported, opponents of the station, including Colton, argued that the construction of a new waste transfer station would dredge up dangerous toxic chemicals left by an older city trash incinerator that previously occupied the spot. Colton had also argued that the streets would be clogged with garbage trucks.

According to a Brooklyn Daily report, Justice Bunyan dismissed those concerns. Bunyan cited  that traffic was never a problem when Gravesend Bay previously hosted the incinerator. The judge also expressed his belief that in constructing the waste transfer station, the city would take care in making sure that the surrounding community would be protected.

The judge did order that the Department of Sanitation keep the public updated on all construction efforts and future maintenance plans.

“Transparency through timely and adequate disclosure is necessary as a prophylactic measure designed to ward off any future litigation about this project,” Bunyan wrote.

Although Bunyan’s decision gives the city the go ahead to build the station, DOS has not yet issued plans for construction.

Source: johnforcouncil.com via the Advance Group

John Lisyanskiy, a candidate for the 47th District Council seat, is doing everything he can to lend a hand to the disable and elderly residents of 7714 Bay Parkway, who have been trapped without elevator service for three weeks.

The candidate expressed his frustration in a press release.

“This is outrageous. For the past three weeks, the lives of our elderly and disabled community have been endangered because of the broken elevator in the building. Having this continue for so long is simply unacceptable, and nor should it have to be a way of life for our community. Today I am calling on the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to send an emergency repair team to restore the elevator service in this building,” Lisyanskiy said in the release.

As we’ve previously reported, Lisyanskiy is vying for the Democratic ticket in a crowded field that includes Mark Treyger and Todd Dobrin, among others.