Throughout my tenure as State Comptroller, I have watched too many young people step into the working world weighed down by a heavy debt burden that takes decades to pay off. It is a reality that strains household budgets, delays homeownership and stalls economic mobility. My core philosophy has always been that a child's potential should never be limited by their family’s financial circumstances. That is why our office has focused heavily on modernizing New York’s 529 College Savings Program - simplifying enrollment, expanding translations, and eliminating the initial minimum contribution requirement so families can start building with whatever they can afford.

To address this challenge, my office has collaborated with state legislators on a framework to introduce a statewide newborn savings program. This proposed initiative would build directly upon the framework of New York’s popular 529 College Savings Program which is co-administered by the Office of the State Comptroller and the Higher Education Services Corporation. Under my proposed legislative framework, every child born in New York would automatically receive a dedicated savings account seeded with an initial deposit to jumpstart their higher education journey.

This statewide model builds on proven local success stories. By scaling this concept statewide, New York can expand educational equity. Once a child’s account is initialized, it can be seamlessly used to build contributions to their own NY 529 Plan accounts over time.

This initiative is structured to be funded entirely through existing 529 program administrative revenues ensuring zero cost to state taxpayers. 

While we look to build this future for newborns, New York families don’t have to wait to control their educational planning. The existing NY 529 Plan is available and remains one of the lowest-cost, flexible saving tools in the country. 

The introduction of this new 529 proposal represents a vital evolution in New York state supporting families. My office will continue to work with state lawmakers to help make this a reality. Providing families with structural tools for financial planning is an investment in New York’s future, and my office stands ready to implement these expanded savings frameworks to support our youngest residents.

For more information about New York’s 529 College Savings Program, visit nysaves.org for the Program Disclosure Booklet, which includes investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses; read it carefully before investing. Before investing, consider whether your home state offers tax or other benefits available only through that state’s own 529 plan. 

New York City officially conveyed three plots of formerly city-owned land to the org this week, the culmination of years of work by local officials and BSVAC leaders. The transfer ensures BSVAC has a permanent home in Bed-Stuy and sets the stage for a long-planned expansion of its services and programs.

“Today marks the completion of the crucial first step in a dream that originated with BSVAC’s founders, the late EMS Captain James ‘Rocky’ Robinson and retired EMS Specialist Joe Perez,” said BSVAC president Antoine Robinson, in a statement. “Their dream of building a permanent headquarters in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood has inspired BSVAC’s volunteers for almost 40 years.”

Robinson, Perez and volunteer lawyer Tasmin Wolf founded BSVAC in 1988 in response to dangerously slow emergency response times. At the time, it could take a city ambulance half an hour or more to arrive in Bed-Stuy, BSVAC lieutenant Amy Dorfman told Brooklyn Paper last year. 

In the beginning, the org operated out of an abandoned building with no running water or electricity, and responded to calls largely on foot or by bike. Over the years, they built up their headquarters at 727 Greene Ave. and added a fleet of four ambulances and more than 100 volunteers. Every year, BSVAC responds to more than 2,000 emergencies in central Brooklyn and offers first aid training and other programs to the community. 

But, for decades, it leased the property from the city. BSVAC started to explore options to obtain permanent ownership of the land in 2022, according to the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services. 

In 2025, Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman introduced a bill that allowed the city to convey ownership of the land to BSVAC at no cost in order to “help the organization establish a permanent facility to support emergency medical care and services in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community.”

The transfer includes three adjacent lots between Greene Avenue and Van Buren Street, where BSVAC already operates. Zinerman in 2024 secured $6 million in state funding for a new BSVAC facility at the site. 

"Seeing an institution that has poured so much into our community finally receive a permanent home fills me with tremendous pride,” Zinerman said in a statement. “This is far more than a property transfer — it is a promise kept and an investment in the health, safety, and future of Central Brooklyn.”

Permanent ownership will allow BSVAC to plan for long-term improvements and keep serving the community, according to DCAS. 

“For decades, the Bed-Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corps has saved our neighbors’ lives, starting out of a personal car and an abandoned lot, because Rocky Robinson and Joe Perez believed in protecting our community when others failed to,” said Council Member Chi Ossé. “It’s long overdue that the city gives these heroes permanent ownership of the land they operate on. I applaud this decision and look forward to the decades of service the Ambulance Corps will fulfill.

Robinson said the land conveyance, along with the grant secured by Zinerman, will allow them to realize BSVAC’s dream of building a permanent home.

“At BSVAC we now look forward to expanding our community-based services and programs, including volunteer ambulance services, youth and training programs, health and safety education initiatives, neighborhood first aid station, health screenings, and community and family activities,” he said.

Roughly 1,600 nurses at Methodist have been fighting for a fair contract since their old one expired on April 30, according to the New York State Nurses Association. The new agreement largely falls in line with the contract ratified by nurses at four private-sector hospitals — including NewYork-Presbyterian’s Manhattan locations — after a massive nurses’ strike earlier this year. 

“Members came together, listed their demands, and stood strong for the tools and protections they need to keep themselves and their patients safe while delivering excellent care,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, in a statement. “We refuse to allow facilities to cut corners and balance their budgets on the backs of our members.” 

The contract, according to NYSNA, includes improved enforceable safe staffing standards and new language that will prevent the hospital from rejecting arbitrators, which the union said “significantly delays the grievance process.” 

Nurses brought the hospital to arbitration in 2024 over alleged understaffing in four different units, including labor and delivery and the neonatal intensive care unit, according to NYSNA, but the hospital moved to prevent the arbitrator from hearing arguments and has repeatedly delayed the scheduled arbitration hearing. 

Arbitrators have helped secure safe staffing at Montefiore and other hospitals, and last year an arbitrator awarded $400,000 to nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital after investigating and confirming allegations of unsafe staffing levels there. 

The contract also includes safeguards against AI in the workplace, including protections for nurses’ clinical judgements, and an annual 4% raise over the next three years.

"We’re pleased to have reached a fair and responsible contract agreement that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses and the critical role they play as part of our outstanding care teams," said a NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson. 

While protections against workplace violence were included in other NYSNA contracts at other hospitals, the issue emerged as a primary concern for nurses at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist earlier this year. 

In January, a patient experiencing a mental health crisis at Methodist was shot and killed by police after he barred himself in his hospital room, along with another patient and a staff member. 

Sharonda Green-Carter, a longtime RN at Methodist, told Brooklyn Paper in May that nurses at the hospital are facing rising levels of verbal and physical abuse and sexual assault, and are often denied time off to deal with the mental and physical repercussions of those attacks. 

Another Methodist nurse, Veronica Carnero, said she was left with injuries to her wrist after a confused patient trying to leave an understaffed unit grabbed her arm and twisted it. Carnero’s supervisor told her to work through her shift despite her injuries and get checked out in the emergency room when she was done, she said. 

The new contract includes improvements to the hospital’s emergency response team and weapons detection system, per NYSNA, as well as paid time off for nurses who are attacked at work. 

“Nursing has always had its safety challenges, but recent incidents, including January’s lock-down because of an active shooter have shown us that we must prioritize the safety standards needed to keep our patients and ourselves safe,” said Aldrich Crespino, a registered nurse and NYSNA president at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist. “We’ve been determined to make sure management hears us loud and clear.”

The office will serve as a hub for phonebanks, door knocking and other volunteer activities aimed at electing Democrats up and down the ballot. The event also marked the New York Democrats’ celebration of their endorsement of Adams for lieutenant governor.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, a longtime Brooklyn Democrat who represents New York’s 9th Congressional District, introduced Adams at the opening. Clarke praised Adams’ leadership and deep ties to Brooklyn.

“[Adams’] powerful leadership is what we need at this moment. She lifts the ticket in a very specific way in that people can see themselves in Adrienne Adams," she said. "They can see the leadership that she displays and her voice speaks for so many of us here in Brooklyn.”

Adams told the crowd that the volunteers gathered in the new office were part of history — and that there was plenty of work ahead before Election Day.

“All of you that are in here this evening are a part of history…and I thank you so much for stepping into this historical space with me and the governor," she said. "Because we intend to fight, and we intend to win…All of our beloved volunteers in this room, we have a lot of work to do."

The campaign event marked another stop in Adams’ return to politics after she represented Queens on the City Council for eight years, including four years as speaker, until 2025. During the event, Adams said she had not expected to return to politics this year, but decided to do so after a meeting with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who personally asked her to become her lieutenant governor.

A recent Siena University poll of likely voters found Hochul leading Republican opponent Bruce Blakeman 49% to 39%, though her advantage had narrowed from a 20-point lead among registered voters in June.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! will host Dominican Night at the Bandshell on Saturday, Aug. 29, bringing Dominican artists and DJs to the park for an evening celebrating the music of the Dominican diaspora.

The lineup will feature bachata singer Teodoro Reyes, known for his romantic songs; Dominican dembow artist La Insuperable, also known as “La Mami del Swagger”; and Aris Jackson, whose music blends tropical and Latin influences. DJ Mega Jay will also take the stage with sets throughout the night.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio, who is the son of Dominican immigrants, said that Dominican music is "essential to the soundtrack of our borough." 

“Brooklyn is home to one of the most vibrant Dominican communities in the country, and I am so excited to bring the rhythms of the Dominican diaspora to the heart of Prospect Park," Reynoso said. "Whether you’ve grown up listening to Dominican music or this show will be your first time, you are guaranteed to have a good time at Dominican Night at the Bandshell!” 

BRIC President Wes Jackson described the event as a celebration of Brooklyn’s cultural diversity and the organization’s commitment to free performances.

"Dominican Night at the Bandshell is radical joy in action,” said BRIC President Wes Jackson. “BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! is devoted to the idea that the full richness of New York City’s cultural life is here for everyone, free of charge, in the heart of Brooklyn. Dominican Night is a highlight of our season, devoted to the Dominican diaspora that has shaped our borough's culture for generations. We’re thankful for Borough President Reynoso’s invaluable partnership in bringing this celebration to life.”

The event is part of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, the city’s longest-running free outdoor performing arts festival. An ASL interpreter will be available on stage for Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees.

Admission is first-come, first-served, and organizers are encouraging attendees to RSVP online for event updates.

Chick-fil-A Brooklyn Junction In-Line, located at 1569 Flatbush Ave. in East Flatbush, is set to open Aug. 27. To mark the occasion, Chick-fil-A, Inc. will donate $25,000 to Feeding America to support hunger relief efforts in New York City, including through the Food Bank for NYC. The new location marks the borough's fifth Chick-fil-A. 

The new restaurant will also participate in Chick-fil-A’s Shared Table program, which redirects surplus food to local organizations serving people in need.

Brooklyn native Natalie Finkelstein will serve as the restaurant’s local Owner-Operator. For Finkelstein, opening the restaurant represents a return to her roots and an opportunity to become more involved in the community.

“As someone who was born in Brooklyn, it has always been my dream to return to my roots and open a restaurant that serves great food while bringing together the incredible diversity that makes this community so special,” she said. “Brooklyn has always represented a melting pot of cultures, backgrounds and stories, and I hope this restaurant becomes a place where everyone feels welcome. By supporting our Feeding America and Shared Table partners, my mission is to help increase access to meals and support those experiencing food insecurity in the area.”

The restaurant is expected to create approximately 80 to 90 jobs in the neighborhood. Finkelstein also hopes the location will serve as a place where Brooklynites can gather while providing career opportunities.

Before taking on the Chick-fil-A location, Finkelstein owned and operated The House of Poké, where she developed experience in hospitality, leadership development and restaurant operations. She previously worked as a speech-language pathologist after earning a master’s degree in Speech and Language Sciences from Mercy University.

The new Flatbush Avenue restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with dine-in, carry-out and delivery options. Delivery service will run until 11 p.m.

There will also be a special opening-day promotion for Brooklynites willing to embrace Chick-fil-A’s signature cow mascot.

Guests who arrive Aug. 27 dressed in cow attire — whether that means a full cow costume or a cow-spotted accessory — can receive one free entrée or kids meal inside the restaurant, while supplies last. No purchase is necessary.

The offer is limited to one per person in cow attire per day, with additional details available at the restaurant.

What services does your office provide to constituents?
In the Office of the New York City Public Advocate, we work toward results that ensure that all New York City residents are treated with dignity: We fight for equitable access to quality housing, education, and economic opportunity in a healthy, safe environment, and advance equity in the distribution of resources by holding city agencies accountable, as well as by engaging and empowering community members in order to confront institutions, drive change and achieve justice.

What is the most common issue facing your constituents and how do you assist in finding a solution?
The Office of the Public Advocate assists with complaints and inquiries involving government-related services and regulations. From resolving housing complaints to combating abuse by agencies, the office helps thousands of New Yorkers annually by improving transparency and accountability of city government.

What are your current legislative priorities?
The Office of the Public Advocate tackles a number of the most pressing issues for New Yorkers through legislation. I passed more legislation than all previous public advocates in their first hundred days combined. My office will continue working to make the office the strongest voice possible for New Yorkers.

What is one of the lesser-known roles of the public advocate that you believe constituents should know more about?
The public advocate is a non-voting member of the New York City Council with the right to introduce and co-sponsor legislation. Prior to a 2002 charter revision, the public advocate was also the presiding officer of the city council. The public advocate also serves as an ombudsman for city government, providing oversight for city agencies, investigating citizens' complaints about city services and making proposals to address perceived shortcomings or failures of those services.

What influenced you to pursue a career in politics?
I previously served on the NYC Council representing the 45th District. I am a first-generation Brooklynite of Grenadian heritage. I graduated from the public school system, overcoming the difficulties of Tourette's and ADHD to earn a master's degree from Brooklyn College. I began my career as a community organizer at the Greater Flatbush Beacon School and later served as the executive director of NYS Tenants & Neighbors.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa and Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda E. Johnson on Thursday announced the start of the project, which will expand the branch’s public space by more than 50% while preserving its historic architecture.

Construction is expected to wrap in summer 2028.

Mayor Mamdani said renovating the space matters because “libraries are where New Yorkers go to learn, discover and imagine what is possible, and they deserve spaces that meet the needs of our city today.”

“This $36 million investment will make Eastern Parkway Library fully accessible, more energy efficient and more welcoming, while honoring the architecture that has made this branch a beloved part of Crown Heights for more than a century,” he added. “With more natural light, a green courtyard, a reading terrace and spaces for kids, teens and families, we are giving New Yorkers a library worthy of the community it serves.”

The Eastern Parkway Library has served Crown Heights since 1914. The two-story Carnegie library is a Classical Revival building featuring a limestone façade, long arched windows, double-height reading rooms and mezzanines overlooking the lower floor.

The renovation will add a large glass façade to bring more natural light into the building. The branch will also become ADA-compliant through the addition of an elevator and entrance ramps.

Inside, the redesigned library will feature dedicated spaces for reading, learning and community programs. Plans include a multipurpose room equipped with a projector, a main reading room, teen zone, two children’s zones, a STEAM room, community room and classroom in the restored fireplace room.

Johnson added that the renovation will incorporate modern technology and additions into the historic building.

“The renovation — which will bring more natural light into the branch, add modern technology and create inspiring spaces — will ensure that Eastern Parkway Library can serve the community for another 100 years,” she said. “Thanks to Settlement Housing Fund, Amazon and IKEA, we are opening a temporary library in the neighborhood this fall, ensuring vital library services remain accessible throughout the construction process.”

Beyond the library’s interior, a renovated courtyard will provide outdoor seating, while a third-floor reading terrace will be surrounded by greenery.

Artwork by local artist Oasa DuVerney will also be incorporated throughout the library thanks to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Program.

The building is slated for energy-efficient lighting and upgraded plumbing, HVAC and fire alarm systems. Once the work is finished, the library is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification — recognizing the building’s energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable design.

“The Eastern Parkway Library is an architectural gem in the Crown Heights community and one of the busiest libraries in Brooklyn, and we are thrilled to break ground on this amazing project,” Ochoa said in a statement. “This project is not only upgrading the interior of this unique, two-story building, but we are also making it fully ADA-compliant and expanding public space by more than 50 percent! This is what the community asked for, and what we’ll be delivering.”

Library users won’t have to wait until 2028 to continue using branch services.

During construction, a temporary pop-up library provided by Settlement Housing Fund will operate in the neighborhood. IKEA has donated furnishings for the temporary space, while Amazon is providing additional support for interim library services.

The temporary branch is expected to open this fall and will allow patrons to check out books, participate in programs and access technology while the Eastern Parkway building undergoes its transformation.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, which included BPL and city officials, Eastern Parkway Library manager Josephine Evans noted that, thanks to the renovation and expansion, more community members would be able to take part in the library’s services and programs. She also acknowledged the Lenape people who owned the land on which BPL libraries are built.

“The land on which the library stands is part of the unceded homeland of the Lenape people; we pay respect to the Lenape, past, present, and future generations,” Evans said.

Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson described libraries as “magical places” for kids, a “practical” space for adults to study for a citizenship exam or brush up on the latest computer software, and a safe space that provides protection during heat waves or wildfires.

“Our libraries are some of our last true public spaces, and today they're the backbone of so much more than the literary world,” Kerson said.

Deputy Borough President Kim Council, a former librarian, admitted that she was biased when it comes to BPL, describing it as “the best library system in the world.” She noted that the Eastern Parkway Public Library has served as a vital hub for literature, resources and information for generations of Crown Heights residents.

“These are the places where our kids learn to love reading, where Brooklynites access technology and resources, where neighbors come together to learn, to work, and to connect. There is no place like a library,” Council said, recalling that the first book she checked out as a kid was “The Teacup Full of Roses” after she received her library card.

Ethan Norville, chairperson of Brooklyn Community Board 9, noted that an investment in public libraries was an investment in the community and the city.

“[Libraries] give each one of us a chance to get 1% better every day, to learn a skill, to discover something new, to meet a neighbor, to continue to form community, and access information that otherwise might have been harder to reach,” Norville said.

• Celebrate a longtime Brooklyn tradition at the Feast of Santa Rosalia
• Watch kids race their homemade soapbox cars at the South Slope Derby
• Pitch in at a Bed-Stuy cleanup, then stick around for a free community celebration
• Keep the summer going with free water play, kayaking, canoeing, and roller skating
• Find hands-on learning and activities at the Jewish Children’s Museum

Family-Friendly Things to Do This Weekend

The Feast of Santa Rosalia

South Slope Derby

Back-to-School Community Cleanup & Celebration

Free Youth Basketball Clinics

Kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Summer Saturdays for Families

Kosher Wonderland at the Jewish Children’s Museum

Pier 2 Roller Skating Free Admission Days

Free Canoeing on the Gowanus Canal

According to police sources, the crash occurred at about 11:33 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the eastbound Exit 1 near 65th Street in Bay Ridge. 

Law enforcement sources reported that an 18-year-old male was driving a 2002 black Cadillac Escalade with four other teenage boys eastbound along the Belt Parkway when the vehicle collided with a black 2024 Honda HR-V at high speed. Cops say the crash happened after the teen stepped on his brakes when a car ahead of him slowed.

The Escalade then rear-ended the Honda, causing their vehicle to hit the southern guardrail and flip over. Three of the five boys were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected into the road. The other two had their seatbelts fastened and remained inside.

The wreck left both vehicles mangled and the occupants seriously injured.

EMS rushed three of the victims in the Escalade, ages 16, 17, and 18, to NYU Langone-Brooklyn Hospital in critical condition. The boys, however, could not be saved and were later pronounced dead.

The 18-year-old driver has been identified as Huzayfah Makharesh. The 17-year-old has been identified as Konstantin Gerantidi while the 16-year-old as Abdul Rehman. 

Another 16-year-old and an 18-year-old were whisked to Maimonides Medical Center and were last listed in stable condition and are expected to survive. 

Meanwhile, the 46-year-old woman driving the Honda and her 44-year-old female passenger were also rushed to NYU Langone-Brooklyn and were listed in stable condition. 

A source familiar with the case reported that Makharesh has a history of summonses, most recently on the Belt Parkway for speeding and unsafe lane changes.

Sources say the teens had gathered at a nearby gas station before the deadly crash and were heading home when they lost their lives. It is not believed anyone involved was intoxicated. Police are attributing the main loss of life to be because the teens were not wearing their seatbelts.