Police Release Sketch Of Forest Park Taser Attacker - Joggers On High Alert

Police released a sketch of suspect wanted in the tazer attack of a woman jogging on a horse foot path inside Forest Park on Friday night.  The assailant is described as a while male 35-40 years old, 5'9", medium build, last seen wearing a gold hoop earring, navy blue hooded sweatshirt, navy blue track pants with reddish/brown hair and facial hair.  The woman was running through Forest Park in Queens about 7:30 p.m. on Friday when the assailant came up from behind and shoved a stun gun into her neck, police said.   (Image: DCPI ) 

The New York City Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating the following suspect who is wanted in connection with an Sexual Assault that occurred within the confines of the 102nd Precinct.  The details are as follows:

On Friday, March 29th, 2013 at approximately 1925 hours, the victim, a F/W/23, was jogging inside of Forest Hills Park when the suspect approached the victim from behind, struck her with a stun gun and sexually assaulted her.  The victim was taken to an area hospital for injuries sustained to her neck.

The suspect is described as being a M/W, 35-40 years old, 5'9",  medium build, last seen wearing a gold hoop earring, navy blue hooded sweatshirt, navy blue track pants with reddish/brown hair and facial hair.

A sketch of the suspect is attached.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Queens

Terrified Queens joggers peered over their shoulders Saturday after a taser-toting pervert zapped a 23-year-old runner in a foiled rape attempt, according to the NY Daily News. 

The woman was running through Forest Hills Park in Queens about 7:30 p.m. on Friday when the assailant came up from behind and shoved a stun gun into her neck, police said. 

The would-be rapist then dragged the dazed victim into the bushes near the park’s horse trails, fleeing only after she fought him off, police said.

“I hope they catch that pervert,” said Emily Sutton, 27, who often runs along the same path. 

“I never run at night. Too many weirdos.”

Police investigate area near horse trails in Queens’ Forest Park on Saturday after stun-gun attack on female jogger. She was able to fight him off. (Photo by Joe Marino/Daily News)

Sutton, a catering business manager, said she always carries protection in the park.

 “If he would have tried that on me, I would have Maced him in the face,” she said.  

Cops said the attacker fled the scene and remained at large Saturday. 

Katelyn Levin, 32, a medical student who lives near the sprawling park, was jogging on the same trails Saturday when she learned there was a rapist still roaming around. “That’s really scary,” she said after jogging on the stretch near the Jackie Robinson Parkway. “I’m horrified by the thought that there is a predator on the loose with a stun gun.”

Levin complained that the park could use more police protection — and suggested she might don more than just sneakers before her next run.

“I hate guns,” she said. “But seriously, it’s getting to the point where women in New York need to carry weapons to protect themselves.”

Read More:

Police Seek Suspect In Queens Park Taser Attack

CBS News - March 31, 2013

Police Searching For Suspect Who Tasered Queens Jogger During Attempted Rape

gothamist - March 31, 2013 - By Ben Yakas  

Man Tasers Woman, Attempts to Sexually Assault Her in Queens Park: Police

WNBC -  March 31, 2013  

Queens joggers on high alert after stun gun zap attack at Forest Hills Park

New York Daily News - March 30, 2013 - By Matthew Lysiak, Joe Kemp, & Larry McShane

Female Jogger Tasered, Sexually Attacked, & Robbed In Forest Park
A Walk In The Park -  March 30, 2013 - Bt Geoffrey Croft

    

Female Jogger Tasered, Sexually Attacked, & Robbed In Forest Park

The horse trail in Forest Park where a 23-year-old jogger was attacked from behind and tasered in the neck last night. The assailant dragged the woman into the bushes and tried to take off the woman's shirt. The victim bravely fought back. (Photo: Sam Costanza)

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

Police are investigating the attempted rape of a jogger in Forest Park last night NYC Park Advocates has learned. 

The 23-year-old victim was attacked from behind with a Taser gun and robbed of her I-Phone.  The man then attempted to rape her.

The woman was tasered in the neck.  The assailant tried to rip her clothes off but the woman fought back 

The horrifying incident occurred last night at approximately 7:30pm on the horse trail in Forest Park.

EMS transported the victim to a local hospital where she was treated and later released.

Police are looking for a white male in 30's who escaped on foot. 

Read/View More:

Stun gun used in sex assault on female jogger

WABC - March 30, 2013

Police search for man who attempted to sexually assault jogger in Queens park

WPIX - By Kaity Tong - March 30, 2013  

23-Year-Old Female Jogger Tasered During Attempted Sexual Assault

gothamist - March 30,  2013 - By Ben Yakas  

Woman foils stun-gun sex fiend in Queens 

New York Post - March 30, 2013 - By Rebecca Harshbarger 

Stun Gun Used in Sex Attack Try

New York Daily News - March 30, 2013 - By Thomas Tracy

"That's Not Parkland" - Peter Vallone On Proposed Mall Site In Flushing Meadows Park

"It"s not parkland, and anyone saying that Williets Point is park land is relying on some technical definition from the 60's."  -  Peter Vallone

Critics of the plan argue that if the 40-plus acres of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park being proposed for mall use are no longer needed for Citi-Field parking then it should revert back to its original recreational use. Queens Borough President candidate Peter Vallone is supporting the parkland development he said last night.  

Candidate Melinda Katz said she supported the USTA expansion project if a maintenance fund for Flushing Meadows Park came from those who want to develop the park. Tony Avella said he is against all three commercial development proposals. 

Last week City Planning Commission kicked off the land use review process for a sweeping proposal by the Queens Development Group — a joint venture between Sterling Equities and the Related Cos. — to redevelop Willets Point. 

Queens Borough President candidate Peter Vallone at last night's forum.

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

City Council Member Peter Vallone doesn't believe the mapped parkland in Flushing Meadows the City and developers want to build a mall on is parkland.

Mr. Vallone, one of six candidates running for the office of the Borough President said last night he supports the Willets Point project including taking 40 plus acres of Flushing Meadows parkland currently used for Citi-Field parking in order to build the city's largest mall.  

"It"s not parkland, and anyone saying that Williets Point is park land is relying on some technical definition from the 60's," Vallone said.

"You know what Willets Point is….It also involves the Met's parking lot. I want to see that development happen," he said.

"I want to make sure what goes there is what you want but that needs to be developed that can't stay the way it is,  and it's not parkland," Vallone claimed.

The Councilmember was a bit confused last night as candidates squared off.

It is the City in fact that is desperately trying to rely on a 1961 bill that is used when it took over the parkland to build Shea Stadium. 

The City and Bloomberg-preferred developer the Related Companies in partnership with Sterling Equities,  the real estate firm controlled by the owner of the Mets -  are attempting to use the parkland without seeking State Alienation legislation as is required under state law to use parkland for non-park purposes.

The 1961 law clearly states that the park land now used as a parkling lot is part of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. 

The City and the developers are also attempting to bypass City Council approval.  

Critics of the plan argue that if the 40-plus acres being proposed for mall use are no longer needed for baseball parking then it should revert back to its original recreational use.

Mr. Vallone's Bloomberg-esque moments came last night during the Bay Terrace Borough President Candidate's Night.

Some of the candidates were asked if they were in favor of creating a maintenance fund for Flushing Meadows made up of donations by those who want to develop the park or preserving open space by providing proper funding for parks in the city budget passed by the mayor and city council.

State Senator Tony Avella (above) once again came out strongly against any development in the park.

Mr. Avella said he was obviously not in favor of the first option, "because that means we would have development in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

Unless one of the other candidates for Borough President has changed their position recently I am the only candidate who has come out against all three projects that are proposed for Flushing Meadow's Corona Park," Avella said to applause.

"Parkland is sacred," Avella continued.  "They wouldn't dare do this in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and they certainly wouldn't  dare do it all in Central Park. Why is it that the developers of this city seem to think that they have elected officials who would just look the other way when it comes to our borough park." 

Addressing the second part of the question Mr. Avella acknowledged that the city was not allocating adequate resources and said that  proper government funding should be made available to care for the park.

"I'm committed to that," he said. 

Candidate Melinda Katz (above)  said that some of the money from the USTA should go back into the park.

She also reminded the audience that there already was a Flushing Meadows-Park Conservancy but did not mention that it's president Jean Silva voted to support the taking of additional parkland for the USTA expansion at the Community Board 6 hearing a few weeks ago. 

At that meeting a grandmother in the audience publicly called Ms. Silva and the conservancy out for not protecting the parkland from development.  She said was "shocked" to learn there already was a conservancy and strongly questioned the reason for its existence if they weren't fighting for protect the park.

"I'm very shocked," said Anisia Ayon addressing Ms. Silva and the rest of the board.  "What have you done to stop this.  You are allowing this to happen."

Ms. Katz said the interest from the USTA's capital investment in the 90's was supposed to fund the upkeep of that organization. 

She said she supported the USTA expansion project if additional funds generated is allocated back into the park. 

"This should be a template for the future, " Katz said of the proposed plan to create a maintenance fund for Flushing Meadows made up of funds collected by those who want to develop the park.

Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchick was not asked the question.

NYC Settles Claim Of Race Based Transfers of Park Police Assigned To Battery Park City

Adam Pratt, a Battery Park City resident who has had numerous run-ins with Park Enforcement officers, is seen here in a YouTube video being led to an ambulance in handcuffs on January 29, 2011 after a confrontation with officers.  According to a lawsuit filed by officers Mr. Pratt allegedly struck a female Park Enforcement (PEP) officer and assaulted another officer, a 62-year-old while attempting to flee. 

A few months after the incident eight dark skinned PEP officers were transferred and eight light skinned ones were bought in.  In the video Capt. Falcone can be heard saying that one of his officers was assaulted, yet no charges were filed and the summons issued to Mr. Pratt mysteriously disappeared.  The Parks Department blamed the Police Department for losing the tickets.  PEP officers and their union Local 983 claim the Parks Department and  Battery Park City Authority tried to sweep the incident under the rug in an effort to protect the City's multi-million dollar annual contract for PEP services and promote, "customer service." 

During the incident Mr. Pratt shouted that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly was his neighbor and that he knew him according to the complaint.

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

The City of New York and the Parks Department agreed to settle a Federal Civil Rights Discrimination lawsuit filed two years on behalf of Park Enforcement Patrol officers (PEP) in Battery Park City. The suit claimed the officers had been discriminated against and unfairly treated in violation of their civil rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment based on their color and race. 

Battery City Park residents led by then Battery Park City Authority president Gayle Horowitz, demanded the black officers to be transferred out and white officers to be transferred in. 

The suit alleges that then New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe succumbed to Horowitz’s and residents’ pressure to move out dark skinned officers-setting the stage for Horowitz to take credit with her residents and make the false public statement that she got the transferred officers fired.  (Ms. Horwitz resigned In October admist an ongoing controversy over the long-delayed opening of the $55 million Asphalt Green, community center.)

13 individual officers and Local 983 agreed to a monetary settlement.  The City has agreed to pay $ 165,500 in total including attorneys fees.

Although the involuntary transfers all occurred on the same day in March 2011 the black officers transfer orders were back dated by the Parks Department to months earlier in an obvious effort to cover up and avoid exposure to claims of discrimination and unequal treatment.  The white officer's transfer orders however were dated correctly.  Finally,  with a clean sweep,  the black female sergeant who supervised the day tour was involuntarily transferred to the night shift.  Ostensibly,  so that she would have little interaction with Battery Park’s predominately white residents.

A flier targeting PEP officers that was put up around Battery Park City. (Images: NYC Park Advocates)  

The Battery Park City Authority has a $ 2.7 million annual contract with the City to provide PEP services in Battery Park City. 

Prior to the unlawful transfers, the Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers who patrol the park’s 35 acres and surrounding streets consistently complained that they were rarely backed by upper management within the city.  Rather, the officers’ claimed that, the city seemingly cedes authority over its officers, in violation of Civil Service Law, to the Battery Park Authority in an effort to protect and maintain the lucrative private security contract it has with the Authority.

The environment in which the black officers patrolled was routinely saturated with hostility including graffiti containing Nazi symbols and racist comments (photographs of the graffiti are in the possession of the city and upon information and belief the graffiti was made by certain residents of Battery Park)  posters, and anti-PEP chalk drawings on the sidewalks were also displayed. 

Officers saw  "PEP Niggers Out"  scrawled on a park bench in black marker opposite 70 Little West Street. 

This unlawful behavior reached a climax in January 2011 the suit claims when a white Battery Park City resident, Adam Pratt attacked and assaulted a black female officer and a 62-year-old black male officer.  The white resident was ultimately arrested and brought to Bellevue Hospital by EMS as an Emotionally Disturbed Person for psychiatric evaluation.

Pratt reportedly became "violent" with the EMS personnel in the ambulance and was classified as an "emotionally disturbed person," an FDNY spokesman said.  

The supervisor Capt. at the scene of the incident was Adrain Benepe's former driver, Eddie Falcone who allowed a friend of Mr. Pratt's to ride in the ambulance to the hospital which is against regulations.  Video of PEP officers who accompanied Mr. Pratt shot inside Bellevue Hospital was subsequently released on YouTube.  

Mr. Pratt was subsequently released with no assault charges and his summons for disorderly conduct mysteriously disappeared all in what the officers’  and Local 987 claim is an effort by the Battery Park City Authority and the Parks Department's management to promote positive public relations and promote "customer service."  In a deposition the Parks Department claimed the NYPD lost the summons issued to Mr. Pratt.

At Bellevue Hospital Captain Falcone told the assorted PEP officers that it would not look good for public relations purposes if Pratt was arrested and instructed an officer to issue him assorted summons insread the suit claims. 

Videos of PEP officers being confronted in Battery Park City by are still routinely posted on YouTube by Mr. Pratt including during one filmed during an evacuation during Hurricane Sandy.

"Watch this, watch this," Mr. Pratt says moments before PEP Capt. Falcone politely asks him to leave the promenade. 

Pratt has repeatedly claimed that PEP officers have a "vendetta" against him.  After the incident he filed a $5 million lawsuit against the City and alleging "false imprisonment, false and unlawful arrest, excessive use of force,  assault and battery and violation of the claimant's civil rights.

Assistant Parks Commissioner Michael Dockett and Inspector Robert Reeves, who oversee the PEPs, attended a meeting weeks after the January incident and committed to work with the residents.

"We are going to fix this problem," Reeves said.

In the ensuing weeks the Parks Department implemented customer service and conflict resolution training for the officers.

The black officers were subjected to numerous interrogations by the city and were ultimately involuntarily transferred pursuant to back dated orders,  despite not having been accused or involved in any misconduct.

The officer's lawsuit claims January incident was white washed and resulted in the additional involuntary transfer out of Battery City Park of five (5) of some of the most productive and senior officers who are dark skinned and the simultaneous transfer into Battery Park of eight (8) white and light skinned officers.  

One of the transferees, a white sergeant working in Central Park who had requested a transfer to Battery Park only weeks earlier and was told there were no openings, asked “ why now?” and his supervisor indicated that it was because of the color of his skin. 

According to a statement the settlement will not address remedying the blatant disrespect by residents for the officers and the laws they are sworn to uphold. The lawsuit alleged that the outrageous and despicable comments and epitaphs made towards the minority officers, the hostile work environment and the inability to perform their function have gone unchecked by either the city or the Authority.  The City refused to address any injunctive relief requested by the Union including the creation of a committee dedicated to improving relations between the officers and the BPC community.

The 13 individual officers and Local 983 agreed to a monetary settlement, and 12 of the officers agreed to give the 13th officer who was the victim of the January 2011 physical attack by the White BPC resident,  a share of their monies to help compensate him because his injuries have not resolved and the City is threatening his job.

Local 983 Vice President and Urban Park Ranger Joe Puleo has been critical of the Park Department’s laissez faire attitude and inaction which he often cites as the reason for public safety compromises in the parks. 

The suit was filed by Linda M. Cronin of Cronin & Byczek,  LLP in the United States District Court,  Southern District of New York– on behalf of the PEP officers and members of Local 983 and AFSCME and AFL-CIO.

Nearly 10 years ago Cronin‘s firm got a jury verdict on behalf of 22 dark skinned NYPD officers when the jury found that NYPD was liable for virtually the identical unlawful conduct.  NYC lost a Second Circuit Appeal and a bid to appeal to the United States Supreme Court on the $ 1.3 million dollar jury verdict for the illegal involuntary transfer of black officers into the 70th Precinct in the wake of the Abner Louima incident. 

The environment in which the black officers patrolled was routinely saturated with hostility including graffiti containing Nazi symbols and racist comments was made by certain residents of Battery Park.  Posters, and anti-PEP chalk drawings on the sidewalks were also displayed. 

Officers saw "PEP Niggers Out" scrawled on a park bench.

Read More:

13 minority Parks Department workers get $165,000 settlement after 
being transferred out of Battery Park City in favor of lighter-skinned workers
New York Daily News - March 27, 2013 -  BY Ginger Adams Otis 

City Begins Land Use Process On Willets Point Land Grab

On Monday the City Planning Commission kicked off the land use review process for a sweeping proposal by the Queens Development Group — a joint venture between Sterling Equities and the Related Cos. — to redevelop Willets Point.   

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

One of the centerpieces of the first phase of development, Willets West, proposes to erect a 1.4 million-square-foot mall in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, on the site of the current Citi Field parking lot. The majority of the land for the $3 billion Willets Point project would be taken from parkland adjacent to Citi Field.

The City and Bloomberg-preferred developer the Related Companies in partnership with Sterling Equities, the real estate firm controlled by the owner of the Mets -  are attempting this without seeking State Alienation legislation as is required under state law to use parkland for non-park purposes. 

The city is desperately trying to rely on a 1961 bill that never replaced parkland used for Shea Stadium. Critics of the plan argue that if the 40-plus acres being proposed for mall use are no longer needed for parking then it should revert back to its original recreational use.

Our elected officials should be pushing for that instead of giving away our public spaces to the - only - bidder.

The City and the developers are also attempting to bypass City Council approval.  

The City Council has the option of "calling up" the application if Council review is not mandated. 

In 2008 the Council approved the Willets Point redevelopment application but the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park acerage was not part of the plan.

The project faces a number of legal hurtles,  including the status of the parkland and the Federal Highway Admimistration's proposed ramp project.  

The enormous mall project is one of three commercial projects currently beign proposed for Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.  


The majority of the land for  the 1.4 million-square-foot $3 billion Willets Point mall project would be taken from Flushing Meadows-Corona Park adjacent to Citi Field. The parkland is currently used for parking.  The developers first choice was to build an enormous casino project documents recently released show.

Queens

The city kicked off its formal review process of the mega development at Willets Point on Monday.

The City Planning Commission certified changes to the zoning for the commercial and retail project near Citi Field, initiating the public debate among stakeholders in the upcoming months, according to the New York Daily News.  

The Queens Development Group, a joint venture between the Related Cos. and Sterling Equities, will present its plan in the coming weeks to develop 23-acres of the Iron Triangle to Community Board 7, the Queens Borough President’s office and the City Council. 

“You now have two very substantial development companies that are putting up their reputation and dollars to reverse 100 years of pollution,” said Jesse Masyr, an attorney for the group. 

“The vision has viability for the first time in 50 years.” 

The land will have to be remediated and cleaned of its toxins before construction can begin, officials said. The environmental impact study, which analyzes the consequences of construction including transportation, air quality and noise, weighed in at over 2,000 pages. 

“It’s an exquisitely complicated project,” Masyr said.

“It’s probably the single largest environmental review ever done by a private party in the City of New York.” 

One of the centerpieces of the first phase of development, Willets West, will erect a 1.4 million-square-foot mall on the current Citi Field parking lot.   



New York Mets owners, from left, Jeff Wilpon, Saul Katz and Fred Wilpon are also executives of Sterling Equities, part of the joint venture to redevelop Willet Point.  The Group's original proposel was to build an enormous casino in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on the site of the current Citi Field parking lot in partnership with The Related Companies.   (Photo: KATHY KMONICEK/AP)


The joint venture will be responsible for 5 million square feet of new development — a mix of retail, entertainment and housing. Mayor Bloomberg previously said the $3 billion project will create 12,000 union construction jobs, 7,100 permanent jobs and generate $4.2 billion in economic activity over the next 30 years. Community Board 7 will get 60 days to mull the project and form its advisory opinion.

 “There’s still questions about using the parking lot for a mall,” said District Manager Marilyn Bitterman, who said she will defer to her committee chair people. “The board will hash it out.”

Next, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall gets to stake out her stance on the project. The City Council will be the final leg of the land use review process, and has the final say on whether to greenlight the sweeping project. But the ambitious proposal is not without its critics.     

Michael Rikon, the attorney who represented the business coalition Willets Point United in its fight against the city in its eminent domain claim, said there are still entrepreneurs opposed to the redevelopment. There are eight business owners in phase one that have yet to cut deals with the city on their properties, and many of the larger holdouts remain in the later phases of development, Rikon said.

“They’re going to continue to fight the project,” Rikon said. 

“The opposition is still united.” 

The city aborted its eminent domain plans in favor of the Queens Development Group proposal. City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz blasted the timetable for affordable housing. 

“The affordable housing was pushed back to 2025, which I have found unacceptable,” said Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills). 

The lawmaker also worried that the shopping corridors on Roosevelt Ave. would be hampered by the new retail hub. Officials with the city Economic Development Corp. said Monday’s decision was a landmark step toward revamping the Iron Triangle.   


Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The majority of the land for  the proposed 1.4 million-square-foot $3 billion Willets Point mall project would come from this parkland currently being used for Citi-Field parking.   (Photo: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates)


Read More: 

Land use review for Willets Point development kicks off  City Planning Commission gives initial certification to zoning changes, beginning 7-month public review for $3 billion project
New York Daily News - March 18, 2013 - By Irving DeJohn

Casino Sought For Flushing Meadows Park - Willet's Point Documents Reveal
A Walk In The Park - February 5, 2013

Legal Questions Emerge About Citi Field Mall

City Limits - July 30,  2012 - By Patrick Arden  

USDA Wildlife Services Killing Round-Up By GOOSE WATCH NYC

Animals Killed by Wildlife Services in 2008
Starlings: Animal feed eaters, and can pass disease to livestock.
Blackbirds: Crop eaters.
Squirrels: Can attack airports, golf courses, dams, homes, pets, boats, beehives, fruit and nut trees.
River Otters: Eat fish fishermen want to fish.
Golden Eagle: Unintentionally.  

(Photo: Johnny Johnson/Getty Images (geese); Newscom (starling); Getty Images (hawk, squirrel, fox); Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images (badger, blackbird); Mark Conlin/Alamy (black bear); Peter Arnold Inc./Alamy (bobcat); Chris Lloyd/Alamy (golden eagle); Alamy (otter, wolf))

Since we got involved in our advocacy for geese in New York City, we've learned a lot about USDA Wildlife Services, the federal agency that is physically killing the geese. Back in 2010 Carol Vinzant wrote in New York Magazine about the sheer numbers of animals killed each year in the U.S. by Wildlife Services, in 2011 Mary Lou Simms revealed the incredible amount of money that was being spent by taxpayers to fund Wildlife Services, and in 2012 Tom Knudson at the Sacramento Bee documented the brutally inhumane methods of killing wildlife, and companion animals in the process. Federal legislators from California, Oregon, and elsewhere are calling for reforms and de-funding of Wildlife Services because of their cruelty, and the lack of legitimate and unbiased scientific basis for their activities. Learn more about USDA Wildlife Services on our website.  "This agency has become an outlet for people to abuse animals for no particular reason," Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif. Roundup of Canada Geese from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge - July 9, 2012 (Photos: Gateway National Recreation Area There's no question the USDA has suspect motives - it's a direct conflict of interest for the agency to justify its own needless killing of urban wildlife, which they directly profit from. Last summer an OpEd by Mary Lou Simms indicated in greater detail the extent to which profit, and not safety, motivates USDA WIldlife Services: Geese round-ups more about profit than poop (Fairhope Courier op-ed), VIEWPOINTS: Geese roundups around airports are for profit, not safety. On November 18, 2012 Tom Knudson of the Sacramento Bee documented how Federal Wildlife Services makes a killing in animal-control business. Organizations across the country are fighting back against Wildlife Services, and the issue is finally beginning to receive mainstream attention.  “Wildlife Services -- is the USDA's dirty little secret.” Mary Lou Simms  Yet New York City leads the way when it comes to contracting with these glorified for-profit governmental exterminators. In the four summers the USDA has been killing geese in NYC parks, taxpayers have shelled out $166,866 to date to kill 3,776 geese, which equals $44 for each goose killed. The cost allotted to killing geese in NYC parks this and next summer is $141,716. The contract between the City and USDA Wildlife Services is not currently set to expire until June 30, 2014.  Join GooseWatch NYC The first goal of GooseWatch NYC was to bear witness to and document the roundups that were taking place in our own parks using our taxpayer dollars, since the USDA was claiming the roundups were humane but refused to provide transparency to their actions. Last summer we got a hold of almost 300 photos of the roundup of 750 geese from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, the first time photos like this have been made available to the public. Wildlife Services will be back in New York City soon. We're formulating our plans now for the upcoming season - our goal is to end the needless and inhumane killing of geese in NYC and you're invited to join our team of GooseWatchers - we're looking for ideas about how we can push back against and end this needless slaughter. Stay tuned for details about our next meeting. You can alsotake action now by signing and sharing our petition. Read more about USDA Wildlife Services on our website. Help us end what has become the Annual New York City Goose Slaughter.

Roundup of Canada Geese from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge - July 9, 2012 (Photos: Gateway National Recreation Area

Recycling Rates Plummet Under "Green" Bloomberg - From 35.1% to 16.6% Lags Far Behind Other Cities

Continuing the Trend. The city's share of waste that is recycled has steadily dropped over the course of Mr. Bloomberg's mayoralty, from 35.1% in 2002 to 16.6% in 2012, according to the 2012 preliminary Mayor's Management Report. San Francisco and Portland divert nearly 80% of their waste from landfills, and others such as Chicago and Oakland come in well over 40%.

A 2009 investigation by NYC Park Advocates discovered that the city's largest landholder the the supposedly "green empire" was not recycling. Approximalty 20 parks - most run by private groups and BIDs - out 1700 parks and playgrounds were recycling.

City Wide

With nine months left in his term, Mayor Michael Bloomberg hopes to expand recycling in New York with a plan to station 1,000 new recycling receptacles across the city, including 30 big-bellied, solar-powered canisters in Times Square, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The effort comes as the city's share of waste that is recycled has steadily dropped over the course of Mr. Bloomberg's mayoralty, from 35.1% in 2002 to 16.6% in 2012, according to the 2012 preliminary Mayor's Management Report. San Francisco and Portland divert nearly 80% of their waste from landfills, and others such as Chicago and Oakland come in well over 40%.

The statistics are a disappointment to many who applaud the mayor's record on other environmental issues. "The mayor has had an overall strong record on sustainability issues, but recycling has been a soft spot in that program." said Eric Goldstein, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The mayor has begun to turn around his waste policies in a significant way. A fresh breeze seems to be blowing."

City statistics show it recycled 644,000 tons of waste in 2012, down from 1.9 million tons in 2002. "We have acknowledged the city has to do better and can do better," said Lauren Passalacqua, a mayoral spokeswoman. "We know that we need to make recycling more widely available. We know we need to help people think through all the rules."

Among the recycling plan's elements: a new recycling plant in Brooklyn; a test in Staten Island allowing households to recycle food scraps and yard waste; and a public-education campaign.

Annie Cottrell, a 22-year-old nanny who recently moved to Brooklyn from Los Angeles and used to live in Phoenix, said New York recycling was "a puzzle every time."

"Everywhere I've lived I've recycled. It's not that hard," she said. Here, "there are a lot of guidelines, and if you don't do it exactly right, you get fined."

Experts and advocates trace the city's recycling challenges to a variety of factors.

The curb-side recycling rate dropped from about 19% in 2002 to 11% in 2003, when the city eliminated plastic and glass recycling to save money. The rate represents recycling done by households and schools, along with materials collected from sidewalk canisters—everything picked up by city trucks except for waste generated by city-government buildings.

"After Sept. 11, recycling was suspended for a year," Ms. Passalacqua said. "We had to change the guidelines. Also, we didn't have the infrastructure to handle the waste, so we created it."

All curb-side recycling was reinstated by 2004, but the rate has never bounced back.

"The recycling program took a horrendous hit during that two-year period," said Maggie Clarke, a professor at City University of New York and an environmental consultant. "When you're whipsawing people around, it makes it that much harder to educate people. It's hard enough anyway."

New York's current fleet of 500 recycling canisters is far smaller than less-populated cities like San Francisco. The city also hasn't adopted policies that have worked elsewhere. In San Francisco, a city of about 812,000, construction sites must recycle at least 65% of materials. No such requirement exists in New York, though the city says some builders do have their materials recycled (a figure not reflected in New York's overall diversion rate).

San Francisco residents get three bins from the city—blue for recycling, green for organics and black for landfill waste. New York has no such system.

Portland, which has a population of about 594,000, had a diversion rate of about 20% two decades ago, said Michael Armstrong, the city's sustainability manager. It is now 70%. Much of the increase came as the city added a food-scrap program and began to pick up garbage every other week—but recyclables weekly, he said.

New York wants to increase the curb-side recycling rate to 30%. To lead the push, the city hired Ron Gonen, founder of RecycleBank, a New York company that helps communities, waste haulers and local and national brands increase their recycling and profit off such efforts.

New York could save $60 million a year by diverting 30% of its waste from landfills, Mr. Gonen said. The city spent $300 million in 2012 to ship waste out-of-state. For every ton of paper the city recycles, Mr. Gonen said the city receives at least $10.For every ton of glass and metal the city recycles, it pays about $72. It costs, on average, $86 to place a ton at an out-of-state landfill, he said. "If you don't care that much about the environment, hopefully you care about your pocketbook and tax dollars," Mr. Gonen said.

To process much of the material it expects to collect, the city and SIMS, a private firm, worked together to create a new, 100,000-square-foot recycling plant in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. SIMS invested $44 million to build the plant, and the city spent $80 million to upgrade roads and utilities to make the development possible.

The plant will be able to handle 24,000 to 48,000 tons of recyclable material a year, said a spokeswoman for the mayor's office. SIMS and the city will share the revenue.

The coming commercials and fliers should raise recycling to a visibility level unseen during the Bloomberg administration.

"It would have been better if it happened sooner," said Steven Cohen, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, "but better late than never."

Read More:

Mayor Finds New Passion For Recycling

The Wall Street Journal - March 20, 2013 - By Josh Dawsey

Recycling Rates Drops To Just 15 % - Plummet Under

 "Green" Bloomberg Lags Far Behind Other Cities

A Walk In The Park - April 3,  2012