PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — President Jovenel Moïse is appealing to nationals in the Diaspora to return home for the Christmas holidays, promising also their safety in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.
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Haitians, come home for Christmas, president urges
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Walking along Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side, you’ll notice a brand new display of art that goes on for blocks. The purpose is to bring the community together at a time it’s needed most. Works of art have been added to Columbus Avenue, bursting with beauty. They’re easy to spot from 67th-82nd Street. “I think it put some beauty in a very dismal time,” said Upper West Side resident Bobbi Sklar. “The more traffic we can bring into the area and help especially small business owners. It’s wonderful,” said Upper West Side resident Paige Brotherton. More : New York Begins New COVID Restrictions For Businesses; NYC Schools Closely Monitoring Infection Rate “I think that we all need this,” said Lisa Zentner, owner of Really Great Things. Lisa Zentner, owner of Really Great Things, quickly said yes when asked by the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District to display art by Gwen Sullivan in her store window. (Credit: CBS2) Zentner quickly said yes when asked by the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District to display art by Gwen Sullivan in her store window. The art is being installed now through the weekend. The work of the dozens of featured artists will also be on display in vacant storefronts, CBS2’s Dave Carlin reported. A gallery walk will “do a socially distanced walk, explore the artwork, shop at our local businesses,” said Nicole Paynter, executive director of the Columbus Avenue BID. “I think bringing it outside, making it more visible for people is amazing,” said Upper West Side resident Becky Carroll. More : Performing Artists In NYC Finding Ways To Return To The Spotlight As Shutdown Continues Photographer A.J. Stetson’s striking portraits hang on chain link around an Upper West Side school. (Credit: CBS2) Photographer A.J. Stetson’s striking portraits hang on chain link around a school. He photographed masked models by the hundreds. “Four out of five people said yes,” he said. He’s exhibiting his favorites. In one portrait, if you look closely, you can see Stetson and his camera reflected in his subject’s sunglasses. In another portrait of an artist in Union Square, you can see reflections of his painting in his eyes. “He’s painting on a white canvas and then here you can see the colors of the painting,” Stetson said. “I think it shows that we are a community and we are a neighborhood and that’s what I like,” Zentner said. The art, which is also for sale, stays up through the end of January. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK Stimulus Package Update: What Will A Biden Administration Mean For More Aid? Health Experts Stress Need To Fight ‘Mask Exhaustion,’ Continue To Follow COVID Safety Guidelines Study: Simple Temperature Checks And Question Screening Not Very Effective Catching COVID-19 Spreaders You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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‘Art On The Avenue’ Brings Works Of Art To Columbus Avenue In Bid To Boost Local Businesses
SPRING VALLEY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A stretch of Route 45 in Rockland County has been named for a library security guard who was murdered on the job nine months ago. By state mandate, the sign honoring Sandra Wilson is a drab brown and white, hues that cannot represent the colorful joy and light she brought into so many lives. “She loved everything that was around her, and she always showed love to everyone,” said her brother Ronnie Wilson. Spring Valley library security guard Sandra Wilson, 52, stabbed to death. (Photo via CBS2) The love was returned as a crowd gathered in the rain to rename a stretch of Higway 45 in her honor. More : Funeral Held For Security Guard Sandra Wilson As Spring Valley Library Reopens The road runs past Finkelstein Memorial Library, where Wilson, a security guard, was fatally stabbed on Feb. 18. Police say a homeless man attacked her when she asked him to turn down music playing on his phone . Ronnie Wilson says every time he drives past the sign honoring his sister, “It’s gonna bring back what happened. But at the same time, it’s gonna bring back joy, to know that my sister was a beloved figure of this community, and they thought enough her to rename a street after her, which is amazing.” Wilson was part of a large, loving family who died just after the birth of her first grandchild. Her youngest daughter is about to graduate high school and head to college. A stretch of Route 45 in Rockland County has been named for Sandra Wilson, a library security guard who was murdered on the job in February 2020. (Credit: CBS2) “Although it is going to be a long road ahead of us, going through so many significant accomplishments in our life without her physically being here, just know she will always be in our hearts,” said her daughter KaLiyah Nash. The signs often honor people who lived in the spotlight – this one reminds us of the power of quiet service and everyday kindness, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported. “She took care of the patrons of the library, and the employees, and members of our community, and impacted people in ways she probably never could have imagined,” said St. Sen. David Carlucci. A legacy worth honoring. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK Stimulus Package Update: What Will A Biden Administration Mean For More Aid? Health Experts Stress Need To Fight ‘Mask Exhaustion,’ Continue To Follow COVID Safety Guidelines Study: Simple Temperature Checks And Question Screening Not Very Effective Catching COVID-19 Spreaders You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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Stretch Of Highway 45 Renamed In Honor Of Sandra Wilson
WESTBURY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A years-long effort to make the Long Island Rail Road safer reached a milestone Friday. One by one, grade crossings are being replaced to save lives. There was celebration as a new underpass replaced a dangerous grade crossing on School Street in Westbury. “We had to have it for the betterment of the community as a whole,” Westbury Deputy Mayor Steve Corte said. A community that’s seen too much death in recent years. Just 19 months ago, the School Street crossing was the scene of mangled metal and lost lives. MORE — ‘I Really Thought I Was Going To Die’: Survivors Recount Terrifying Collision On LIRR Tracks As Normal Service Resumes Three men were killed after their car was struck by two LIRR trains. The impact crushed the platform and injured passengers. “They see the warning signs, they hear the train, they do it anyway,” Corte said. A dangerous grade crossing on School Street in Westbury has been replaced by an underpass. (Credit: CBS2) In its place now is the fifth of eight new LIRR underpasses. It’s part of the Third Track Improvement Project to reduce congestion and delays and increase railroad capacity. The other three are set to be eliminated by 2022, saving lives and time. “Drivers are no longer to be forced to sit and wait for trains to pass. The gates are down in the peak hour for roughly a third of the time, so you can imagine the back-ups these grade crossings cause,” said Janno Lieber, president of MTA construction and development. RELATED STORY — Ribbon Cutting Marks 1st Of 5 LIRR Grade Crossings Turned Into Underpass It took six months to carve out the road under the tracks, but it has been decades in the making with six fatal crashes along the stretch in 10 years. The project is on time and under budget during the pandemic. “If you do it smart and you follow safety protocols, you can actually take advantage of the fact that there are fewer riders being disrupted,” New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. “This will go down in history as something that was extraordinary.” It costs roughly $100 million to replace a single grade crossing with an underpass. Three hundred grade crossings, many of which are arguably as dangerous as School Street, remain with no plans or money to replace them. The MTA’s budget woes are not expected to impact the completion of the grade crossing plan with money already allocated. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK De Blasio Says NYC Parents Should Be Ready ‘As Early As Monday’ For All-Remote Learning Bicycle Thefts Surging In New York City As Pandemic Causes Nationwide Shortage Of Bikes 2 Killed In Explosion At Veterans Affairs Hospital In West Haven, Conn. You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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Dangerous Long Island Grade Crossing Replaced As Part Of Years-Long Effort To Make LIRR Safer
FREEPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A two-alarm fire destroyed a storefront overnight in Freeport . Approximately 120 firefighters responded to a building on Guy Lombardo Avenue just after midnight. “This is my heart and soul,” said Suzzanne Serino of Duryea’s Flower Shop. She was overwhelmed with emotion hours after arranging bouquets at her family’s landmark flower shop. It was engulfed in flames. Firefighters from 10 departments tried to save the florist, a restaurant-deli and offices of a dance studio. “I’m praying God that we can still do soemthin for these holidays,” Serino said. Duryea’s has been around since 1930, located on Guy Lombardo Avenue in the heart of Freeport. The Martin family bought it 45 years ago. “Both my aunts and grandmother have given their heart and soul to this place. It’s devastating,” said Kaitlyn Martin. “Horrible. Especially around Thanksgiving, with these folks going through COVID and the impact that has had,” said Raymond Maguire of the Freeport Fire Department. The fire burned at 1,500 degrees and traveled from the florist into the deli. The pressure from the smoke was so intense the windows and doors exploded. Shattering glass from the backdraft blew into the faces of five firefighters who barely escaped serious injury. “Everyone’s safe. That’s all that matters. This can be restored – someone’s life can’t,” said deli owner Carlos Santana. “We’ll come back stronger.” Santana’s family deli served authentic Mexican fare. They are hopeful, but uncertain. “Everything, with COVID going on, makes everything that much more difficult. I wish i had the answer to what comes next,” Kaitlyn Martin said. “My family are full of fighters and our community loves us.” Already the community is embracing the business owners and vowing to help them rebuild. All five victims are expected to be OK. The cause of the fire is under investigation. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK Stimulus Package Update: What Will A Biden Administration Mean For More Aid? Health Experts Stress Need To Fight ‘Mask Exhaustion,’ Continue To Follow COVID Safety Guidelines Study: Simple Temperature Checks And Question Screening Not Very Effective Catching COVID-19 Spreaders You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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2-Alarm Fire Destroys Freeport Storefront
DISTRAUGHT residents of Nine Miles, Bull Bay, in St Andrew, are blaming yesterday’s widespread flooding of several houses in the community on substandard desilting work being done by men in the channels of the Chalky River.Tropical Storm Eta, which formed in the central Caribbean last week, unleashed heavy showers on the island, triggering landslides in several communities and bringing severe flooding to others.
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‘Flood out!’
RESIDENTS in Gordon Town, St Andrew, are on edge following a series of land slippages in the community yesterday after heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Eta’s outer bands lashed the island, damaging houses, thoroughfares, and downing power lines.
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On edge!
YONKERS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Gang-related crime is on the rise in Yonkers . But the city’s mayor and police commissioner have launched a new program to stop the violence and prevent children from getting involved, CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reported Thursday. Kathy Deanda said she moved to Yonkers five years ago to escape a high-crime neighborhood in Harlem. But now she’s considering moving back. “I don’t want to see no more of my young people getting killed. Since I been living here … a lot of murders,” Deanda said. MORE : Good Samaritan, Police Officers Honored By City Of Yonkers For Taking Down Gunman During Late September Incident Just last week, a friend of Deanda’s was fatally shot outside a deli near her home on Ashburton Avenue. Police said shootings in Yonkers have increased 60% this year, with 57% of them gang related. Police said gang or group violence is up 30% this year to date, compared to the same time in 2019. “I think it is a combination of older gang members, unfortunately, recognizing the fact that they can exploit younger kids that are very impressionable, 15 and 16 years old to carry a gun,” Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller said. “I think people just don’t care no more,” one resident added. “It really breaks my heart,” Deanda added. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK New York City’s New Quarantine Travel Rules Begin, New Jersey Adds States To Advisory List More Than 2,000 Inmates Released Early From New Jersey State Prisons In Effort To Prevent COVID Spread NYPD: At Least 50 People Arrested After Attempting To ‘Hijack’ Peaceful Protest In Midtown On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Mike Spano and Commissioner Mueller announced a new anti-group violence initiative to end the spike in gang-related activity. “Yonkers does not tolerate this type of crime,” Spano said. The plan includes increased police presence with uniformed foot patrols, K-9 support units, community affairs, and overt and covert surveillance. A mobile police command center will be posted in high-crime neighborhoods. The Yonkers Police Gang Unit is forming a task force with local and federal authorities. The YMCA and local school districts are also stepping up to prevent young, idle children from getting into trouble. “Certainly COVID-19 is impacting crimes all over,” Yonkers Schools Superintendent Edwin Quezada said. “It is our responsibility as the adults in the community to find positive outlets for them to channel their energy.” “They need something to look forward to. They don’t see no hope,” Deanda added. She’s hoping the new initiative will change that. You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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Yonkers Launches New Program To Keep Children From Getting Lured Into Gang-Related Crime
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Some call it controversial, others call it a life saver. In time for the onset of a second wave of the coronavirus, an all-women’s EMS service in Brooklyn is finally getting an ambulance after overcoming naysayers in the city who tried to prevent it from happening. As CBS2’s Lisa Rozner reported, 4-month-old Sarah Richter sleeps peacefully, even in the pouring rain. “She’s a miracle. They are a miracle,” her mother, Chani Richter, told Rozner. Richter was talking about the organization Ezras Nashim , which helped deliver her baby at home. “She came too fast, I had no labor, so I called Ezras Nashim, because they were on my speed dial,” she said. “In two minutes flat, they turned my bathroom into a hospital room.” Then, 911 had to be called to take the mother and baby to a hospital, and multiple first responders arrived. Richter only wishes then that the group had the $100,000 ambulance that just arrived. Donations helped purchase the ambulance and a $50,000 stretcher. MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK Election 2020: New York City Largely Calm Overnight, Businesses Remain Boarded Up As Results Come In Study: 1.7 Million New Yorkers Have Been Infected With COVID-19 Election 2020: New Jersey Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Legalizing Marijuana There was a need, some say, because in the Orthodox Jewish community, modesty is a fundamental value. Men and women who are not married do not touch each other. For 50 years, the male volunteer corps Hatzoloh has served the community, but it does not accept female paramedics . “In an emergency situation, and I’m sitting there undressed or I need to– whatever it is, I don’t want a man there. No, I don’t feel comfortable with that,” said Richter. “That’s not my choice.” Ezras Nashim, an all-women’s EMS service in Brooklyn, has finally gotten an ambulance after overcoming naysayers who tried to prevent it from happening. (Credit: Simon Gifter) After years of fighting for an ambulance so it could speed up response times, the state Department of Health finally gave Ezras Nashim the approval in August — months after the application was rejected by a city committee over concerns patients would be confused who to call. “It’s like a dream. I feel like I’m dreaming, it’s wonderful,” volunteer Sarah Husney told Rozner. “We finally grew from such a small group to something so big, you know, to have our first ambulance on the streets,” volunteer Emanual Rabaev added. “It got busier.” The group is finalizing paperwork that state inspectors need before coming out to give the ambulance the OK. The hope is to have it up and running and serving the community in the next several weeks. The organization is also in the process of filling the ambulance with specific supplies and equipment required by the state. You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here .
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Orthodox Jewish Community’s All-Women EMS Service Ezras Nashim Finally Gets First Ambulance
Here are the latest evacuations and road closures due to the Woolsey Fire burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Evacuation Repopulation: The following areas are no longer under an evacuation order: Camarillo Springs (Hill Fire) California State University Channel Islands (Hill Fire) Dos Vientos (Hill Fire) Vallecito Trailer Park (Hill Fire) Point Mugu Naval Base (Hill Fire) Bell Canyon – Entire Community (Woolsey Fire) Thousand Oaks – South of Highway 101, east of S. Westlake Blvd. to the Ventura/L.A. County Line ( Woolsey Fire ) Thousand Oaks – all areas north of Highway 101, including North Ranch and Oak Park (Woolsey Fire) Thousand Oaks /Newbury Park – all areas south of Highway 101, north of Potrero Road and west of Westlake Blvd. ( Woolsey Fire ) Simi Valley – Long Canyon, Bridal Path, Wood Ranch (Woolsey Fire) Unincorporated Topanga, including neighborhoods: North of Viewridge Road, south of the Los Angeles City limit, east of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, west of Double Ranch Road or Santa Maria Road. Parts of Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills, including neighborhoods that are: south of Agoura Road, east of Cornell Road, west of Las Virgenes Road and north of Mulholland Highway. Mandatory Evacuations East of Las Posas Rd and South of Potrero Rd to the Pacific Coast Highway and L.A.-Ventura County Line. White Stallion Rd. north of Potrero Rd. Evacuation orders remain in effect for neighborhoods north of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Tuna Canyon Road. Evacuation orders remain in effect for neighborhoods north of PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Full Closure on Rambla Pacifico Drive 400m north of PCH Real-Time Evacuation Map Road Closures Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is closed between Sunset Boulevard to Las Posas Rd. Topanga Canyon Blvd. is closed from Mulholland Highway to the PCH. State Route 23 is closed from the PCH to Potrero Rd. Full Closure at Tuna Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway. Potrero Rd. at Wendy Dr. Potrero Rd at Rancho Dos Vientos Potrero Rd at Vista Oaks Way Yerba Buena Rd at Cotharin Rd Westlake Blvd. at Potrero Rd. Evacuation Centers California Lutheran University – Gilbert Sport & Fitness Center (Small Gymnasium) 130 Overton Ct. Thousand Oaks, Ca. 91360 Taft Charter High School – 5461 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Palisades High School Pierce College – 7100 El Rancho Dr., Woodland Hills, CA 91371 (Entrance off Desoto Ave.) Los Angeles County Animal Services Accepting large animals (at capacity) Animal Shelters *Animals in crates are accepted at all Red Cross shelters EXCEPT Palisades Charter* The Humane Society of Ventura County Dogs, Cats, Horses, and other domesticated animals – 402 Bryant St., Ojai, CA 93023 (805) 646-6505 Ventura County Fair Grounds – 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001 (call to check capacity (805) 388-4258) Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258 (space for small animals) Ventura County Animal Shelter – 600 Aviation Dr, Camarillo, CA 93010 Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258 Simi Valley Animal Shelter – 670 W Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley · (805) 388-4341 (space for small animals) Pierce College – 7100 El Rancho Drive Woodland Hills, CA 91371 (Entrance off Desoto Ave.) (at capacity) Los Angeles County Animal Services Hansen Dam Equestrian Center – 11127 Orcas Avenue, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (at capacity) Los Angeles County Animal Services Earl Warren Show Grounds – 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Check-in at Gate C off of Calle Real Accepting large animals If you need large animal assistance, please call (818) 991-0071, or (805) 388-4258. School Closures Pepperdine to close its Malibu and Calabasas campuses through the Thanksgiving holiday period. Classes resume on Nov. 26. All schools in Malibu closed through Nov. 16, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. California State University Channel Islands classes will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Cal Lutheran’s classes resume Monday at its Thousand Oaks, Woodland Hills, Oxnard and Berkley campuses, but classes at the Westlake Village Center will moved to the Thousand Oaks campus. The following Ventura County districts and schools will be closed through Thanksgiving. For the latest Ventura County school closure information click here :Bridges Charter School in Thousand Oaks Conejo Valley Unified School District Dean Triggs School in Thousand Oaks Las Virgenes Unified School District MATES Charter School in Thousand Oaks Oak Park Unified School District For Ventura County Community College District Closures, please check their website at www.vcccd.edu Donations If you would like to help Woolsey Fire victims, officials urge monetary donations to local non-profits, such as: Red Cross : http://redcross.org LA United Way : http://unitedwayla.org L.A. County Animal Care Foundation: http://lacountyanimals.org Los Angeles County Fire Department Foundation: http://www.lacfdf.org LAFD Foundation: http://supportlafd.org/donate
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Woolsey And Hill Fires: Evacuations, Road Closures And School Closures
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — An otherwise routine Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting became an star-studded affair Tuesday as Malibu residents turned out to give thanks for ongoing firefighting efforts. Actor Pierce Brosnan and Coldplay singer Chris Martin were among several speakers at Tuesday’s meeting as officials heard from locals as they shared their experiences from the Woolsey Fire, which has devastated much of the Santa Monica Mountains and forced mandatory evacuations in the city of Malibu. In addition to Brosnan and Martin, other Malibu notables who showed up at the meeting in downtown L.A. include “La La Land” filmmaker Damien Chazelle; “Stargate Atlantis” actor Joe Flanigan; Rory Kennedy, documentary filmmaker and youngest child of U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy; and actor Remington Franklin. Brosnan said the intensity of the fires was unlike any he had seen before. “I have witnessed many fires in my community and personally experienced the devastation of those fires up close and personal,” said Brosnan, whose wife Keely also spoke. “But none as catastrophic as the events that have taken place in our community these past five days and nights.” Actor Pierce Brosnan speaking at Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo via LA County) After thanking first responders for their efforts, Martin later took to the dais to encourage support from the county. “There is sometimes an image of Malibu that people like me are there more than other people, and there’s a lot of people who need help from outside…from you guys, essentially,” Martin said. But the meeting also took on a more serious tone when Nick Stewart, a resident of Malibu’s Decker Canyon, voiced frustration with evacuation orders which he said were confusing and potentially dangerous. “They were sending me towards [Pacific Coast Highway] when I could see the fire coming down Kanan [Road],” said Stewart. “If I listened to these people, I’d be….I don’t know the bad information was really bad.” Coldplay singer Chris Martin was also at Tuesday’s L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting. (Photo via LA County) Stewart also earned applause after criticizing what he suggested was the media’s focus on celebrity homes and not average Malibu residents. “I don’t need to be listening to the radio hearing about Caitlyn Jenner’s house burning down,” he said. “I’m wondering how I’m gonna survive tonight.” The Woolsey Fire, now burning in Malibu after erupting last week in the Ventura County city of Thousand Oaks, is 35 percent contained. It has scorched 96,314 acres and destroyed at least 435 structures, damaged 2 others and still threatens about 57,000.
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Pierce Brosnan, Chris Martin Turn Up At County Board Meeting To Hail Malibu Firefighting Efforts
THE Montego Bay Community College Administration has bowed to pressure from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and several staff members, promising to return money “incorrectly” deducted from the latter group’s salaries by the end of this month.
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MoBay Community College bows
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Nobody can resist the Backstreet Boys , not even the boys in blue. Over the weekend, an NYPD officer in the East Village used his patrol car’s PA system to belt out the band’s hit ballad, “I Want it that Way.” A man posted a video of the performance online, writing it was “so cool to see the humanity in our law enforcement.” Officer Richard Gunther saw the post and responded, saying it “feels great interacting with the community and seeing all the smiles and laughs.” Earlier this year, police departments across the country played “ Cop Pool Karaoke ” to have some fun with the public, too.
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SEE IT: NYPD Officer Belts Out Backstreet Boys Over Patrol Car’s PA System
STUDIO CITY (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Police Dept. has identified the two officers who accidentally shot into a crowded Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake during a firefight with a suspected gunman last Saturday, resulting in the death of store manager Melyda “Mely” Corado. Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans were named in the late Friday LAPD press release . Tse and Winans were involved in the pursuit that led to the shootout at the Silver Lake Trader Joe’s on the afternoon of July 21. According to police, Gene Atkins, 28, allegedly shot his grandmother and girlfriend at the family’s home on East 32nd Street in South L.A. around 1:30 p.m. Atkins then fled northbound, after which the vehicle he was driving was tracked via LoJack in the Hollywood area after 3 p.m. Atkins then led Tse and Winans on a pursuit that ended when he crashed into a pole outside the Trader Joe’s on the 2700 block of Hyperion Avenue. Atkins is said to have shot at officers during the chase and continued to shoot at them once he ran into the store, the press release states. The officers shot back at Atkins as they sought cover just behind a north wall abutting the store’s parking lot. During the shootout, store manager Melyda “Mely” Corado was hit by a bullet shot by police as she attempted to run away from the store, the department said in the days following the incident. The LAPD did not say which officer’s bullet struck Corado. Police attempted to revive the 27-year-old woman but she died at the scene, police said. “The two Los Angeles police officers who had been pursuing Atkins returned fire in defense of their lives and to protect Atkins from harming other individuals,” Chief Michel Moore told reporters last week. Atkins was shot in his left forearm and barricaded himself inside the store with several hostages inside. After a three-hour standoff, Atkins allowed himself to be handcuffed and was taken into custody. He faces 30 charges, including one count of murder, six counts of attempted murder, 13 counts of false imprisonment of hostages and one count of felony evading. His arraignment was postponed for August 14, and he is being held on $18.7 million bail. Since Atkins caused the shootout, he is being charged with Corado’s murder despite not having shot her. The community of Silver Lake has come together to honor the life of Melyda Corado, who was described by family members and coworkers as a loving person who liked to make people laugh. Several vigils have been held for Corado at the store, which is still lined with hundreds of flowers and letters to Corado. The family released the following statement thanking the community: “On behalf of the Corado family, we would like to thank family, friends, our Trader Joe’s family, the Silver Lake community, and people all over the nation for their overwhelming love and support during this immensely difficult time. We will never heal from this senseless tragedy, but everyone’s thoughts and prayers are helping us cope with this insurmountable loss.” The family also announced Corado’s funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 29 at Forest Hills Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. The service will be open to the public. The Los Angeles Times editorial board applauded the LAPD’s “welcome bit of transparency” in the shooting’s aftermath, while some have questioned the officers’ decision to shoot at a moving target from a considerable distance towards a crowded grocery store.
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Officers Who Shot, Killed Silver Lake Trader Joe’s Employee During Standoff Identified
QUEENS, NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Sidewalks damaged by last winter’s storms are finally being fixed in Queens. But one homeowner says she’s getting nowhere when it comes to her family’s car that was crushed by a toppled tree. It was a beyond welcoming sight in front of the Maddalena-Vigliotti home in Whitestone, Queens — city crews finally repairing the damaged sidewalk. “If it wasn’t for you and your covering this story, nothing would’ve gotten done,” Queens resident Anna Maddalena told CBS2’s Andrea Grymes. Two weeks ago, CBS2 reported multiple locations across Queens, where city-owned trees uprooted during storms back in March. The city had cleared the trees, but months later still hadn’t fixed the sidewalks. This week, after CBS2’s reports , repairs are finally being made. For this family, the sidewalk was not the only thing destroyed when the tree came down. They’re still looking for answers from the city about one of their cars. The 2008 red Mazda had been parked on the street in front of the house, but when the tree collapsed, the car was totaled under the weight of the limbs. Maddalena says they had collision insurance but not comprehensive coverage, which would’ve covered the damage. “Why should I be liable for that? It was the city’s tree,” she said. So she filed a claim with the city comptroller’s office in May. She got a letter back saying if the office is unable to resolve the claim, “any lawsuit against the city must be started within one year and 90 from the date of occurrence.” Maddalena says she then called numerous times, trying to figure out what she’s supposed to do with the car, as it sits in the driveway. “Do I have to keep the vehicle? Or can I have it sent to a junk yard?” she said. “No one has called me back.” So on Friday, CBS2 reached out to the comptroller’s office and they quickly responded. Maddalena says she got a call from the division chief, who apologized several times and promised someone would come out and assess the car by Monday. After that, they can finally get rid of it. “I was thrilled. I was so happy, and I can’t believe you did it,” she said. In a statement to CBS2 the New York City Comptroller’s Office said: “We strive to efficiently review all claims filed against the City on their merits. Each year, the Comptroller’s office processes about 30,000 new claims – and anyone who needs help navigating the claim’s process, or with any other community concerns, should immediately reach out to our Community Action Center at (212) 669-3916 or email at action@comptroller.nyc.gov .”
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Demanding Answers: City Finally Repairs Damaged Sidewalk In Queens
