SEE “THE ANNUAL SCHOOL BUDGET PROGRAM” ON “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD.” DR. JOSEPH RICCA and Dr. ANN VACCARO-TEICH ON THE 2019-20 SCHOOL BUDGET UP FOR VOTE May 21 ON www.wpcommunitymedia.org. JUST SCROLL DOWN THE VIDEO WALL TO “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD”
MTA SUED FOR DISCRIMINATION IN NOT UPGRADING STATIONS TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES in Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act
WPCNR STREET LEGAL. From Disability Rights Advocates. May 15, 2019:
A civil rights class action lawsuit was filed today in New York against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), challenging its prevalent, discriminatory practice of renovating New York City subway stations without installing elevators or other stair-free routes in blatant violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This ongoing illegal conduct harms hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and also those who have heart or lung conditions, arthritis, or other disabilities that make it difficult, dangerous, or impossible to use stairs. (Editor’s Note: The White Plains Metro North Station has an elevator in place for access to the elevated platforms.)
The lawsuit was filed by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national nonprofit legal center, on behalf of three individual plaintiffs and a broad coalition of disability groups, including Bronx Independent Living Services; Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled; Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York; Disabled In Action of Metropolitan New York; and Harlem Independent Living Center. The law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP is co-counsel with DRA.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of another lawsuit filed by DRA against the MTA in 2016. That case, in which the U.S. government intervened, challenges the MTA’s failure to install an elevator as part of its seven-month closure and renovation of the Middletown Road station in the Bronx.
In March 2019, Federal Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled that those renovations triggered accessibility obligations under the ADA regardless of how much those improvements cost. The ruling cast a spotlight on the MTA’s practice of ignoring accessibility during subway station renovations. This lawsuit focuses on the same principle, but as applied by the MTA system-wide.
“The MTA’s actions clearly demonstrate that they value amenities like Wi-Fi over serving passengers with disabilities,” said Michelle Caiola, DRA’s Managing Director of Litigation, said, “MTA has a longstanding pattern of ignoring their ADA obligations when altering stations, harming not only those with disabilities, but all New Yorkers who benefit from elevator access, including parents with strollers and senior citizens. Its disregard and negligence should no longer be tolerated.”
The New York City subway is the fastest, most convenient way to travel throughout the City. The speed, frequency, convenience, and relatively low cost of a subway ride are unmatched by any of New York City’s alternate modes of transportation, including buses, cabs, and the Access-A-Ride paratransit service. Some of these alternate modes of transportation are also inaccessible to customers with mobility disabilities, highlighting the critical importance of the subway.
Yet, individuals with disabilities are completely excluded from more than 75% of stations that do not offer a stair-free path of travel, making traveling around the City more burdensome and, in some cases, impossible. Half of all neighborhoods served by the subway do not have a single accessible station, and subway accessibility is even more dismal in outer boroughs where a disproportionate number of people with disabilities live.
This dire situation continues because for the past several decades—in contradiction to the ADA’s requirement that accessibility be included along with station renovations—the MTA has completed numerous major renovation projects to improve station usability for nondisabled riders.
The authority has spent millions of dollars and closing stations for months, while repeatedly failing to install the elevators necessary for customers with disabilities to access these renovated stations. The MTA has ignored the needs of its customers with disabilities for years.
“The MTA needs to get their priorities straight,” according to Susan Dooha, executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York. “When they’re already doing the work and spending money to fix a station, they need to remember to finish the job and install elevators.”
“For decades, the MTA has renovated stations at a cost of billions, blatantly evading the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Joe Rappaport, executive director of the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled. “It’s long past time access is first among the MTA’s priorities, not an afterthought or not thought of at all.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the MTA to install elevators or other means of stair-access in all renovated stations, as well as a declaration that Defendants’ practice of ignoring accessibility during renovations is unlawful. Plaintiffs do not seek monetary damages.
About Disability Rights Advocates (DRA)
Disability Rights Advocates is one of the leading nonprofit disability rights legal centers in the nation. With offices in Berkeley, California and New York City, DRA’s mission is to advance equal rights for people with all types of disabilities nationwide. DRA’s work in New York City has resulted in making half of the City’s yellow taxi fleet accessible to wheelchair users, a federal court order requiring the City to make its voting sites accessible, and a victory at trial in a class-action lawsuit challenging New York City’s failure to plan for the needs of persons with disabilities in disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. More information can be found at www.dralegal.org.
About Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID)
For more than 60 years, the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled’s mission has been to empower persons with disabilities. BCID provides services for the community, helping people advocate for themselves, and leads advocacy for better transportation, housing and in other campaigns for full access and integration into the life of Brooklyn and New York City. Visit www.bcid.org for more information.
About Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY)
The Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York is a leading advocate for people with disabilities in New York City. It was founded in 1978 to ensure full integration, independence and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing barriers to the social, economic, cultural and civic life of the community. In 2018, CIDNY reached more than 100,000 New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.cidny.org.
Two Drivers Get it the WRONG WAY ON SAW MILL PKY– one Crashes. Other is Stopped by Police without mishap.
WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE From the Westchester County Police. May 14, 2019:
Westchester County Police arrested two wrong-way drivers in separate incidents this morning and charged them with driving under the influence of alcohol on the Saw Mill River Parkway in northern Westchester.
In the first incident, which occurred about 1:10 a.m., the wrong-way driver collided with another vehicle near Grant Street in Pleasantville.
The wrong-way driver was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of travel in a 2013 Honda Civic when he collided with a 2011 BMW, seriously injuring himself and causing injury to the other driver.
The wrong-way driver, who had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, had to be extricated from his car by the Pleasantville Fire Department and was taken to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla by the Pleasantville Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries.
The wrong way driver, a man in his 50s, did not have identification in his possession. County Police have a tentative ID and are working to confirm it.
The driver of the other vehicle suffered leg injuries in the crash and was treated at the emergency room at the Westchester Medical Center.
The wrong-way driver was charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree and Assault 3rd Degree, misdemeanors. He will be required to surrender to county police to be booked on the charges following his release from the hospital.
The second incident occurred about 2:30 a.m. when county police received a report of a wrong-way driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes in New Castle. Officers observed the wrong-way vehicle, a GMC Envoy,at the Mount Kisco-Bedford border and were able to stop it at the Route 117 exit in Bedford.
The driver, who also had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, failed a field sobriety test. Matthew Seiter, 36, of Brookfield, CT, was subsequently charged with Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree, a misdemeanor, and Driving While Ability Impaired and Reckless Driving, violations. He is due to appear in Bedford Town Court on June 5.
Playland Brings Westchester In on Opening Day: 8,228 Fill the Park Highest Crowd in 7 Years
WPCNR PLAYLAND GO ROUND. From Westchester County Department of Communications May 13, 2019:
Playland’s 2019 Opening Day is going in the record books as having the highest attendance the park has seen on opening day in 7 years. The Park welcomed 8,228 people on opening day, with attendees enjoying the rides, food, musical entertainment and Kiddie Land shows.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “This attendance record shows just how important refreshed marketing, creativity and drive are when promoting an amusement park. The workers at Playland did a fantastic job readying the park – it was spotless and colorful and adorned with our new mascot Coaster.
I thank them for their tireless work. Hearing the roar of the Dragon Coaster coupled with laughter under the warm sunshine was the perfect Saturday at Playland Park. I am excited to see attendance continue to climb as we roll out more of our promotional events at Playland this season.”
Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Commissioner Kathy O’Connor said: “Opening day at Playland this season was a dream. I am incredibly proud of the work of the Parks Department and incredibly thankful for County Executive Latimer’s support of Playland. Playland is different this season – you can feel the energy and excitement – and we are looking forward to rolling out all of our new programs and initiatives. It is going to be a great summer at Playland.”
Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Peter Tartaglia said: “I want to thank County Executive Latimer for his commitment and vision. People are excited to come out to Playland in a way that has been missing for years. There is an excitement and a buzz, people see us more on television and on social media. Customers know this is a fun and safe place to be and they want to be part of it.”
Playland General Manager Frank Carrieri said: “The 2019 season at Playland is off to a tremendous start – we are proud and excited of all the new programs and events we are running this summer and the public is also. There is an energy and an excitement at this Park we haven’t seen in a long time, and I want to thank County Executive Latimer for believing in Playland and fighting to keep this the people’s park.”
Playland has been Westchester County and the New York Metropolitan areas’ great family amusement park and entertainment center since 1928. For the 2019 season, the Park is welcoming many new, exciting events and promotions – including a collaboration with ArtsWestchester and the Westchester Parks Foundation for a public art display, the first new commercial in 10 years, the welcoming of “Town Days” to promote community and 11 new musical acts.
The 30-sec TV commercial was produced in-house by Catherine Cioffi the Westchester County Director of Communications and her assistant Carl Pagano. Ms.Cioffi told WPCNR more commercials are planned. And you can see the commercial on this link:
LINK TO NEW PLAYLAND COMMERCIAL
Ms. Cioffi turned WPCNR over to Deputy Commissioner of Parks, Recreation & Conservation, Peter Tartaglia to answer WPCNR’s question about future public information efforts. Tartaglia in a statement said:
“Zanzarella Marketing is our media buyer as well as our consultant. The $850,000 consists of all media including social media- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, television broadcast and cable, New York and Westchester radio, billboards and digital boards in Westchester and the Bronx, area newspapers and area direct mail.”
Latimer continued: “This administration is committed to Playland. We plan to run this park with a level of energy and vitality that has been missing. This is a County park for County people – and whether you live in the far northwest corner of this County in Cortlandt, Peekskill or Buchanan, or down in the southeast portion near Pelham Manor and New Rochelle, or if you are in Yonkers in the southwest corner, or North Salem in the northeast section of the County – Playland is a park for you.”
Among the new features for the 2019 Season: a public art display, Westchester Town Days, the Westchester Loves to Read Program, laser shows, 11 new musical acts, a new coaster mascot, new social media campaign #HeyCoaster, Playland museum, updated commercial and updated webpage (playlandpark.org).