(Long Island, NY) Crime Stoppers and the Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad are seeking the public’s help in connection with a MURDER which occurred in Hempstead, New York.

On Friday, August 14, 2015, at approximately 2:30 A.M., the victim 34 year old Andre Bell, was found in a vehicle with gunshot wounds to his head on Kennedy Avenue in Hempstead. The victim died from his injuries on August 20, 2015.

Murder victim Andre Bell, 34. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Crime Stoppers is asking anyone who has any information about the person(s) responsible for this crime to call our toll free hotline: 1-800-244-TIPS (8477), or any member of the Nassau County Homicide Squad at: 516-573-7788.

Settlement Requires Internet Order LLC to Reform its ‘Negative Option’ Marketing Practices And Receive Express Informed Consent Before Charging Credit Cards

(Long Island, NY) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that New York has entered into a $1 million multi-state settlement with Internet Order LLC, doing business asPimsleurapproach.com, over its use of ‘negative option’ marketing in the sale of Pimsleur-branded language audio courses over the Internet. The agreement resolves an investigation concerning the company’s, and owner Dan Roitman’s, failure to clearly disclose that the purchase of a language course advertised as “only $9.95” included the shipment of additional language courses that, if not returned, could cost the consumer more than $1000.

“Consumers deserve to be treated fairly and not subjected to deceptive marketing practices that unexpectedly cost hundreds of dollars or more,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Today’s settlement requires Internet Order LLC to obtain express informed consent before billing consumers for products and makes it clear that my office will not tolerate any abuses of consumers’ trust.”

Retired New York State Justice Stephen G. Crane, who filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office after spotting what he believed was a bogus charge from Internet Order LLC on his credit card bill, said, “I consider myself a careful lawyer. I was scammed by fine print buried in a bold-type offer for wanting to learn a foreign language. I thought the program was a great introduction to Italian for $9.95. Imagine my amazement when I was billed for an additional $256, and then started to receive threatening letters from Internet Order demanding payment.”

Internet Order LLC is an online marketing company that sells Pimsleur-branded foreign language-learning audio courses licensed by Simon and Schuster, primarily through its Internet website www.pimsleurapproach.com. It advertises the audio courses for “only $9.95.” However, upon signing up for this offer, the consumer was unwittingly enrolled in a “negative option plan,” obligating the consumer to receive up to four additional audio courses at a cost of $256 per course. Thus, while the consumer thought the total obligation was “only $9.95,” his or her obligation was as high as $1024, which is 10,291% more than the conspicuously advertised price of $9.95.

Consumers who called Internet Order to return the unwanted courses were subjected to “save” techniques by the company to avoid the cancellation. Additionally, defendants would not refund the consumer’s money unless the course was returned within a 30-day “free trial” window. Consumers were also requested to pay return shipping, despite the promise of the offer being “Risk Free” and “100% Money Back Guarantee.”  Defendants also sent threatening collection letters to customers who refused to pay. They placed a partial social security number on their collection letters, and threatened to send delinquent accounts to a collection agency, even though they did not have the customer’s social security number and never sent the account to a collection agency.

Under the terms of the settlement, before enrolling a consumer in a negative option plan, Internet Order must receive the consumer’s “express consent” to the arrangement, which does not include a pre-checked box. It must give clear, easy-to-read notice at many stages of the transaction: on any advertisement for the plan, on the webpage that lists a billing summary of an online transaction, and in a confirmatory email sent to the consumer.  Additionally, all future shipments of goods must include a clear invoice that provides details about what the consumer must pay if the consumer does not return them.  Internet Order must also create and publicize procedures to cancel future shipments or return a particular shipment.  During any “free trial period,” Internet Order must reaccept the items with no extra fee; and there are limitations on what Internet Order can charge consumers who return the items after the free trial period.  Finally, Internet Order must train its employees to comply with the order, and discipline those who do not comply.

The settlement also requires Internet Order to pay $1,002,000 in restitution to victims of the scheme through a claims process.  The Claims Administrator will be sending an email to consumers who purchased the CDs from Internet Order between January 1, 2009 and April 1, 2013, and who unsuccessfully attempted to cancel within 45 days of the expiration of the “free trial” period.  The email will provide a link to a claim form with directions on how to seek a refund.

New York consumers that have questions about the agreement can call the Attorney General’s Consumer Helpline at (800) 771-7755 and follow the prompts for the Internet Bureau. Consumers who believe they were harmed by this business’s negative option marketing scheme can file a written complaint with the NYAG at www.ag.ny.gov.

Internet Order LLC and its website Pimsleurapproach.com are not affiliated with Simon and Schuster, the publisher of Pimsleur-language learning programs.

This settlement was made in conjunction with the Attorneys General of Pennsylvania and Washington.

This case was handled by Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell and Assistant Attorney General Jordan Adler of the Internet Bureau, Internet Bureau Chief Kathleen McGee, and Executive Deputy Attorney General for Economic Justice Karla Sanchez.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate three people who fled without paying a bill at a Miller Place restaurant.

Three males fled Applebee’s, located at 355 Route 25A, on August 28 at approximately 12:30 a.m. after eating a meal and failing to pay the bill, which totaled approximately $20.

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s help to identify three people who fled without paying a bill at a Miller Place restaurant. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at an East Farmingdale deli on Monday, August 31.

Three men wearing blue jeans, dark jackets and hoods entered the Conklin Deli, located at 856 Conklin St., at approximately 9:30 p.m. One of the suspects, who was armed with a handgun, ordered an employee to hand over money from the register. The employee complied.

Suffolk County Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at an East Farmingdale deli on Monday, August 31. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

A second suspect, who was armed with a large knife, ordered another employee and a customer to remove their wallets and jewelry and they complied. All three suspects fled the store eastbound on Conklin Street in a white four-door sedan.

There were no injuries to the employees or the customer in the store.

The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the First Squad at 631-854-8152 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who stole merchandise from a Farmingville store last month.

A woman stole approximately $100 worth of merchandise from K-Mart, located at 2280 North Ocean Ave., on August 13 at approximately 12 p.m.

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the woman who stole merchandise from a Farmingville store last month. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R, C, I—South Huntington) recently attended Long Island Speaks, an event organized by community members who seek to be the change they would like to see in communities across Long Island. Lupinacci participated in community building activities and shared insight with community leaders at Walt Whitman High School.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (back) with members of Long Island Speaks. Photo Credit: NYS.

“Long Island Speaks makes it clear that today’s youth would like to be the change they want to see in the community. Their efforts truly make a difference, especially resonating with students in the diverse South Huntington school district,” said Lupinacci.

“I am proud that the leaders in the South Huntington community have taken charge and empowered the young minds in the Huntington community to follow paths which lead them away from drugs, alcohol and violence,” concluded Lupinacci.

Grant will cover first phase of a federally-funded $40 million storm drainage system upgrade after Island Park suffered heavy flooding during Sandy

(Long Island, NY) U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) today announced that the Village of Island Park has been awarded a $1,800,000 federal grant to fund the first phase of a project to upgrade the Village’s municipal storm drainage system in order to better protect the Island Park community from future storms. During Superstorm Sandy, the Village was inundated with a six-to-eight foot storm surge that damaged 95 percent of the homes in Island Park, as well as two schools, a public library and several businesses. Specifically, the Phase I funding installment will cover the costs of a comprehensive engineering study of the Village’s drainage system, municipal bulkheads and roadways in order to determine where drainage pipes need to be replaced or improved, where new bulkheads need to be constructed, and where chronically-flooded roads need to be raised. Ultimately, the Village will use the recommendations in this study to implement an upgraded municipal storm drainage system including 42,000 feet of new storm sewers, tide gates, sub-surface storm water retention, three potential road elevations, and 2,000 feet of upgraded bulkhead. The total estimated cost of the entire project is $40,000,000, 100 percent of which will be funded by the federal government through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

“The Village of Island Park was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy when storm surge flooded homes, schools and businesses. This federal hazard mitigation funding will help make sure Island Park is better protected in the event of a future storm by studying the best possible infrastructure solutions to make the Village stronger. I am pleased that FEMA has provided this funding and I will continue to fight for all the necessary resources to make Long Island better and stronger than before the storm,” said Senator Schumer.

“After Island Park suffered heavy flooding during Superstorm Sandy, this critical funding will provide resources to help strengthen our storm drainage system on Long Island,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These funds will allow for critical repairs that will help keep residents and their property safe. I will continue to push for funding to help ensure our communities have the resources they need to be prepared for when the next storm hits.”

“Almost three years after Sandy brought a massive storm surge that left Island Park completely under water, this first installment of federal funding will allow the Village to start overhauling their storm drainage system so that residents and properties are better protected from extreme weather events in the future,” said Representative Kathleen Rice. “I’m grateful that FEMA has made this critical investment in the resiliency of our district’s infrastructure, and I’ll keep working to make sure all communities in our district get the resources they need to recover from Sandy and prepare for future storms.”

First Large-Scale Anaerobic Digester in the New York City Metropolitan Area to Process Food Waste into Clean Energy, Advancing Communities toward a More Sustainable Future

(Long Island, NY) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of an anaerobic digester project on Long Island that will serve as an innovative model of how clean, on-site power can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable communities. By providing Long Island with a local clean energy generation resource, the project aligns with Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision, the State’s comprehensive energy strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

“This exciting project is yet one more way we’re investing in a sustainable energy future and building a cleaner and greener New York,”: Governor Cuomo said. “This first-of-its kind project for Long Island and the greater New York metropolitan area will build upon this administration’s commitment to expand the state’s use of renewable energy and reduce our carbon footprint.”

The new anaerobic digester will be operated by American Organic Energy at Long Island Compost’s 62-acre facility in Yaphank, Suffolk County and will process over twice as much food waste as currently processed at any existing privately-owned food waste digesters accepting offsite food waste in New York State. The project will accept approximately 120,000 tons of food waste, 30,000 tons of fats, oils and greases, and 10,000 tons of grass clippings from the Long Island region annually that would otherwise have been transported and dumped into landfills, contributing to harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The digester will convert these waste streams to clean energy, clean water to be used for plant processes, and solid-based fertilizer.

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that occurs when organic matter is decomposed by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. During the decomposition process, the biogas released can be recovered, treated and used to generate energy in place of traditional fossil fuels.

Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York said, “Under Reforming the Energy Vision, New York is making it possible for innovators to test and market sophisticated energy solutions uniquely tailored to the needs of our communities – a vital part of building a cleaner, efficient and affordable energy infrastructure. Projects such as this anaerobic digester are positioning New York today to meet its ambitious renewable energy goals of the future.”

The project, which is scheduled to be completed in August 2016, is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40,000 tons annually, equivalent to removing 8,125 cars from the road.

The project is part of the Cleaner, Greener Communities program, a major statewide initiative encouraging communities to incorporate sustainability goals and principles into local plans and projects. The program enables communities to form partnerships that transform markets and lead to expanded deployment of clean energy, the reduction of emissions and the generation of economic development benefits. The program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), also empowers communities to take action, providing technical resources and decision-making tools on land use, housing, transportation, energy, economic development and environmental practices, resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous New York.

John B. Rhodes, President and CEO of NYSERDA said, “Communities are at the heart of New York’s clean energy goals and play a central role in advancing the state toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. This anaerobic digester project is a significant step forward for the Long Island region in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing material going into landfills, providing economic and environmental benefits to its residents.”

All the electric power needed to run the digester and the existing facility will be generated using biogas from the project. Long Island Compost also plans to convert the biogas to renewable natural gas that will be used to fuel its trucks on-site, reducing diesel consumption by 200,000 gallons annually. An additional 1.9 million gallons of diesel per year will be offset by injecting the remaining renewable gas produced by the digester into the National Grid natural gas pipeline on Long Island. This will enable the gas to be used to fuel compressed natural gas vehicles in other areas.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Marc Gerstman added, “The Department is committed to working with communities and businesses to expand and enhance organics diversion and use in order to conserve existing resources, reduce environmental impacts and promote alternative uses of previously wasted materials. This project demonstrates that excess food and food scraps, that cannot be donated or used for animal feed, are resources that can be used to generate clean energy with the end products being recycled into a valuable soil amendment. This outstanding project will help New York lead the way in these efforts.”

Senator Thomas Croci said, “I want to congratulate NYSERDA and Scotts on their partnership to fund innovative clean energy development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste. Several years ago, nearby residents and the facility owners finally began a constructive dialogue to explore ways to establish more sustainable business practices and for LI Compost to be a better neighbor. I’m gratified that Scotts has continued this effort, and that NYSERDA and the REDC recognized this opportunity to promote efficient clean energy and improve the environment.”

County Executive Steve Bellone said, “I thank Governor Cuomo for advancing innovative clean energy projects in our region. Initiatives like these promote and support a sustainable future for New York State. I am pleased that Yaphank is the home to such a project and look forward to additional projects like these which reduce the amount of harmful pollutants in our region.”

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said, “The Anaerobic Digester at Long Island Compost will, among other advantages, be a step in the right direction to improve air quality for Yaphank residents that live near the facility. This is another example of how government can work with the private sector to promote sustainability and produce a greater benefit to the environment. I look forward to seeing other companies get on board with the Governor’s initiative.”

American Organic Energy CEO, Charles Vigliotti, said, “We are dedicated to building nothing less than the most sophisticated food waste processing facility in the world. To that end, we’ve partnered with GE for water clean-up and nutrient recovery and ScottsMiracle-Gro for solids and fertilizer marketing and distribution.”

Jim Hagedorn, Chairman & CEO of ScottsMiracle-Gro, said, “We’re proud to be one of the largest recyclers of green waste in the U.S. with more than five billion pounds of waste used each year by our nationwide network of growing media products instead of heading to landfills. The investment by American Organic Energy in anaerobic digester technology ushers in a new way to transform even more local waste material into a reusable nutrient supply and is a tremendous value as we continue our steps to provide an array of organic solutions for consumers.”

Heiner Markhoff, President and CEO, water and process technologies for GE Power & Water, said, “To achieve greater regional and national sustainability, we are seeing a growing trend underway in which municipalities and industries across the country are focusing more of their efforts on energy neutral resource recovery solutions to reduce their environmental impacts and boost local economic development, including producing more of their own on-site cleaner water and energy. GE is pleased to be a part of the American Organic Energy project, as it represents a significant step in transforming how solid wastes will be managed in New York State as a potential renewable energy resource.”

Long Island REDC Co-Chairs Kevin Law, President of the Long Island Association and Stuart Rabinowitz, President of Hofstra University, said, “American Organic Energy’s anaerobic digester will reduce air pollution and landfilling, benefit local agriculture and create jobs. Long Island continues to benefit from Governor Cuomo’s innovative approach to economic development and the environment, as well the region’s highly skilled and educated workforce.”

Cleaner, Greener Communities is funded through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first market-based regulatory program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to cap and reduce CO₂ emissions from the power sector.

The REDC initiative is a key component of Governor Cuomo’s transformative approach to State investment and economic development. The councils are public-private partnerships composed of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations. The Regional Councils have redefined the way New York invests in jobs and economic growth by putting in place a community-based, bottom up approach and establishing a competitive process for State resources. After three rounds of the REDC process, over $2 billion has been awarded to more than 2,200 job creation and community development projects consistent with each region’s strategic plans, supporting the creation or retention of more than 130,000 jobs. For more information on the Regional Councils, please visitregionalcouncils.ny.gov.

About Reforming the Energy Vision

Under Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), New York State is spurring clean energy innovation and attracting new investment to build a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers. REV encompasses groundbreaking regulatory reform to integrate clean energy into the core of our power grid, redesigned programs and strategies to unlock private capital, and active leadership in deploying innovative energy solutions across the State’s own public facilities and operations. REV will enable a dynamic, clean energy economy operating at a scale that will stimulate opportunities for communities across the state to create jobs and drive local economic growth, while protecting our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Successful initiatives already launched as part of REV include NY-Sun, NY Green Bank, NY Prize, K-Solar and a commitment to improve energy affordability for low-income communities.

To learn more about Governor Cuomo’s initiative for Reforming the Energy Vision, please visit http://www.ny.gov/REV4NY.

(Long Island, NY) Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President Jim Carver and Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray will be joined by police officers calling for a new HeroinTask Force to combat the rising epidemic of heroin throughout the region

Nassau County has seen a 100 percent increase of overdoses in a periodof a year. The cops will also discuss the fight of keeping these drugs off the streets and in local schools today.

Addiction Expert Warren D. Zysman of ACI Drug Treatment Centers will discuss how local residents are getting assistance. He will also announce the latest treatments that are being used for heroin addiction. ACI treats over 10,000 drug and substance users per year.

WHEN: Saturday, September 1, 2015 at 12:00 noon

WHERE: Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead NY (front steps)

(Long Island, NY) On October 11, at 11 am, Nelson Denis, the author of the new, highly acclaimed book, The War Against All Puerto Ricans, will tell the story of the little-known Puerto Rican independence revolt of 1950 and its significance in Puerto Rico today at a free talk at The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island. The Ethical Society is located at 38 Old Country Road, between Herricks Road and Mineola Boulevard, next to the blue water tower.

Nelson Antonio Denis is an attorney, writer, film director and former New York State Assemblyman. From 1997 to 2000, he represented New York State’s 68^th Assembly District, which includes East Harlem and Spanish Harlem. He was also an editorial writer at El Diario La Prensa.

Nelson A. Denis. Photo Credit: Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island.

Through telling the history of Puerto Rico, Mr. Denis will throw light on the current crises of the island where unemployment rate is 12.6 percent and debt and cost of living are soaring.  War Against All Puerto Ricans tells the story of a revolution integral to Puerto Rican history, but virtually unknown to the American public: the Puerto Rican independence revolt of 1950. After over fifty years of military occupation and colonial rule, the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico staged an unsuccessful armed insurrection against the United States. Violence swept through Puerto Rico: In order to suppress the uprising, the U.S. Army deployed thousands of troops and bombarded two towns, marking the first time in history that the U.S. bombed its own citizens.

In telling this shocking story, Nelson Denis traces the lives of the key figures that shaped, directed and destroyed the revolution, including Harvard-educated Pedro Albizu Campos, president of the Nationalist Party and leader of the Puerto Rican independence movement, who was eventually imprisoned and died under mysterious circumstances. It is an unflinching account of the gunfights, prison riots, political intrigue, FBI and CIA covert activity, and mass hysteria that accompanied this tumultuous period in Puerto Rican history.

The book has received a tumultuous response in Puerto Rico, where Mr. Denis recently completed an eight-city tour.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 516-741-7304.