Yonkers Tribune

Amicone Settlement Violated Federal Court Ruling Over Newspaper’s First Amendment Rights By JOAN GRONOWSKI

To the Honorable Members of the Yonkers City Council

On November 29, 2011, I wrote to the Honorable Cathy Seibel, United States District Judge following the Yonkers City Council’s vote to approve a $393,000 settlement.  This amount included a personal judgment of $170,000 in punitive damages levied against former Mayor Phil Amicone for violating the First Amendment when, in 2007, he ordered city workers to pull news racks of the weekly Westchester Guardian and ticket its distributors.  My comments to the judge included my opinion that this "settlement” violated the court’s ruling and intent to hold former Mayor  Amicone personally liable for punitive damages,  which amount was creatively incorporated and buried into the lump sum settlement voted upon at that time.

BREAKING NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Spano Administration Settles Zherka v CoY Lawsuit for $100,000 By HEZI ARIS

YONKERS, NY -- April 16, 2013 -- The First Amendments Rights afforded The Westchester Guardian, among all Fourth Estate under the United States Constitution were abridged by former Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone’s Administration in 2007 when Mr. Amicone directed the Yonkers Police Department and the Department of Public Works to seize Publisher Sam Zherka’s newspapers, as well as the blue metal news racks from which people could take a free copy. Three years on, U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel ruled against Phil Amicone in an $8 million lawsuit ruling Mr Amicone had lost mayoral protection because he exceeded his elected office powers by exceeding the parameters set and defined for him by the Yonkers City Charter, the New York State Constitution, and the Constitution of the United States of America. In her summation, Judge Cathy Seibel said Phil Amicone was personally liable to settle the debt. Judge Seibel concluded by stating, “ Freedom of the press is alive and well!”

County Executive Robert P. Astorino’s Reaction to U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals Decision on Source of Income

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino's Statement:

“Obviously, I am disappointed with the ruling by the Second Circuit of Appeals, and as with every action I have taken with respect to the 2009 federal housing settlement entered into by my predecessor Andrew Spano, I will comply with the law and continue to take principled stands on behalf of the people of Westchester.

Eleanor Bumpurs, Kenneth Chamberlain, and Now, Mohammed Bah By HEZI ARIS

NEW YORK, NY -- March 24, 2013 -- Eleanor Bumpurs (right) was killed in 1984 when she was 66 years of age as NYPD Officers were engaged in evicting her from her Bronx apartment. In 2012, Kenneth Chamberlain, Sr. (center), a former United States Marine was tasered and shot by stun and beanbag guns under an assault of racial epithets at his White Plains, NY, apartment. He died from his wounds in hospital. Mohamed Bah (left), 27 years of age, was killed in 2011, at his apartment by NYPD officers who were responding to the 911 call initiated by his mother who was seeking medical assistance for her son. On March 25^th, family members and community supporters will hold a rally at 100 Centre Street to demand justice for Mr. Bah, from 12 Noon to 4 p.m., with speakers representing family and community.

Former Yonkers Tax Clerk Lionel Thomas Allegedly Levied His Own Fees

YONKERS, NY -- February 7, 2013 -- Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore today announced that Lionel Thomas (DOB 03/15/77) of 421 North Broadway, Yonkers, New York, was arraigned on a Felony Complaint charging him with:

• one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class “E” Felony.

 

LEGAL: DJ Henry’s Family Address Depositions from the Police BY NANCY KING and SAM ZHERKA

TARRYTOWN, NY -- 829 days have passed since Pace University student Danroy DJ Henry was shot to death by Mount Pleasant P.D., in Thornwood, New York, following what should have been a homecoming celebration with family, friends and classmates.  Those 829 days are equal to 118 weeks; 118 weeks that a family has had to come to grips with the sad fact that their child was shot by police officers who were only supposed to be responding to a bar fight.  Those 829 days are equal to 27 months; 27 months that a family has searched for an answer as to why their child died at the hands of a police officer with a gun.  Those 829 days are equal to 2 years, 3 months and 6 days, the amount of time that we, along with the Henry family have waited for depositions; depositions that are hoped to shed some light on those horrible 20 seconds 829 days ago when DJ Henry was shot to death.  Those 829 days of waiting have proven what some of us have known all along, and that is that the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the attorneys for Pleasantville Police Officer Aaron Hess, covered up the truth about Danroy Henry Jr.’s murder. 

Violations of First Amendment Rights Alleged for Being Denied Right to Speak at Mamaroneck Village Board Meeting

Download Stuart Tiekert vs Village of Mamaroneck, Mayor Norman Rosenblum, Village Mgr Richard Slingerland Complaint. Instructions on how to open a PDF at bottom of this article*

NEW YORK, NY -- November 27, 2012 – Stuart Tiekert, a longtime resident of the Village of Mamaroneck, filed a civil rights lawsuit on November 7, 2012 in federal court in White Plains, New York against the Village, Mayor Norman Rosenblum and Village Manager Richard Slingerland alleging they have “engaged in a campaign of vindictiveness and retaliation in an effort to chill the meaningful participation of Mr. Tiekert, and other concerned residents, in the local governmental decision-making process.”

Federal District Court Judge Conviction in Annabi / Jereis Case Stands By HEZI ARIS

NEW YORK, NY -- November 8, 2012 -- Judge Colleen McMahon of the Federal District Court in Manhattan upheld the convictions against former Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi and of former Yonkers City Republican Chairman Zehy Jereis.

Forest City Ratner Lobbyist Cited in Bribery Case Sentenced to Prison By HEZI ARIS

YONKERS, NY -- October 1, 2012 -- Ridge Hill developer Forest City Ratner’s now former lobbyist Richard Lipsky (65-years old) faced 10 years in connection to his entering a guilty plea in January 2012 that included bribing a politician in return for favors. Among those he collaborated with was Brooklyn Democratic State Senator Carl Kruger who is presently serving a sentence of 7 years imprisonment. Besides Senator Kruger, there is a state assemblyman, two hospital executives, among others. Mr Lipsky’s cooperation with the office of Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District Court, and more than 50 letters he had received on Mr. Lipsky’s behalf was sufficient to earn Mr Lipsky the most lenient sentence by the strike of Judge Jed S. Rakoff’s gavel heard in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Friday, September 28, 2012.

BREAKING NEWS: City of Yonkers Agrees to Submit Dispute with Firefighters Local 628 to Arbitration By HEZI ARIS

YONKERS, NY – August 29, 2012 -- Yonkers Fire Fighters Local 628 – I.A.F.F. and the City of Yonkers (CoY) were scheduled to appear before State Supreme Court Justice Sam Walker on Thursday, August 30, 2012, at 2:00 pm for further proceedings on Local 628’s application for a Restraining Order directing CoY to maintain the minimum manning of 57 firefighters per tour pending Local 628’s contract grievance before an arbitrator.