Queens Widow Files Lawsuit Against City of New York Over Husband's Death

 Dorris & Robert Hudson (Photo/CBS 2)  

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Doris Hudson, the Queens woman whose husband died of a heart attack after he was allegedly forced to walk home by two NYPD officers, has filed suit against the City of New York.

Doris Hudson says on the evening of January 14, she and her husband of 52 years, Robert Hudson drove to Casson Pharmacy on Springfield Blvd in Queens Village to pick up Mrs. Hudson's prescription. As they pulled up in front of the pharmacy, Mrs. Hudson says she removed her seat belt to exit the vehicle and just as she did, two NYPD officers, Julio Orozco and Dominick Lettieri, approached her and accused her of not wearing a seat belt.

The officers told Mrs. Hudson she would be issued a summons and at some point asked her for identification, which she did not have.
 

Mrs. Hudson says the officers refused to allow her husband to drive to their home to get her identification, so he walked approximately half a mile to their home and then back to the pharmacy.

The trek took about 45 minutes, and by the time the 72-year-old retired Daily News delivery man returned, the officers had issued Mrs. Hudson the summons using information from her prescription. Mrs. Hudson says they drove about a block away from the pharmacy when her husband collapsed at the steering wheel and was transported to Franklin Hospital where he later died of a heart attack.

On Tuesday, along with her attorney, Bonita Zelman, Doris Hudson addressed members of the media about her late husband, a man she described as her soul mate and best friend.
"He was the love of my life," said Doris Hudson through tears. "And all I want is some justice for this."

"We don't need police officers who act with total depraved indifference," said Zelman, who added that the officers should be terminated from the police department for their actions.

Kim Royster, an NYPD Deputy Inspector, released this statement in response to Hudson's lawsuit:
"The officers never directed anyone to go home to get ID. To the contrary, they told both parties that they had sufficient ID at the scene. Hudson insisted on returning to his residence to retrieve additional documents."

Queens Subway Stations Inline for Major Reformation, MTA Announced

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

The multi-million dollar Passenger Station Renewal Program is set to go into action beginning this summer with major renovations slated for subway stations in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, The MTA announced Monday.

With $455 million vested in the program, as many as twenty-seven stations will get major makeovers beginning with the Hunters Point Number seven line this summer, followed by the Seneca Avenue M Line in Ridgewood, which is most in need of a makeover.

The M, A, F, Number 3 and 6 train lines are also online for reformation, which will occur over the next four years. Engineers determined which stations would be rehabbed by rating structural stability, stairs, platform edges, and other factors.

Swimming Lessons at the Queens College Aquatics Center

Have you considered swimming lessons for your little ones? Well, The Queens College Aquatics Center is offering an eight level Learn to Swim program, including a Tiny Tot program, designed for little ones ages four and five. Six month and yearly membership plans range from $230-$380. Pool hours change every four months, so for current hours visit the center located at 65-30 Kissena Boulevard in Flushing or call 718-997-2767.

For parents interested in swimming lessons for a child younger than four, the Forest Hills Jewish Center has the Take Me to the Water Swim School, where they offer lessons for children as young as six months old.

The programs instructors, well-trained members of the United States Swim School Association, offer private classes for special needs children, and those suffering with hydrophobia.
Classes are currently being held, and with their rolling admission program, you will only pay for the classes left in the semester. Visit the Center at 106-06 Queens Boulevard or call 888-794-6692 to price a class and get a full schedule.

Queens minister stole $10M from congregants at Local Christian Assembly Church

BY John Marzulli

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

The Lord giveth and the greedy minister of a Queens church taketh away.
In addition to his spiritual duties, the Rev. Isaac Ovid allegedly dispensed private financial services to congregants at the Local Christian Assembly Church in Forest Hills who were fleeced to fund the ordained minister's lavish lifestyle, according to a court papers. Ovid was arrested on Monday by FBI agents in Tampa and is awaiting extradition to Brooklyn, where a federal grand jury is hearing evidence of his scheme.
The complaint alleges that nearly $10 million of investor money collected through investment companies set up by Ovid and other senior members of the church cooperating in the probe was misappropriated or lost between October 2004 and December 2005.
The misspent funds included extravagant office renovations, jewelry, clothing, meals and a $200,000 Bentley luxury auto purchased by Ovid, according to the complaint.
"The car payments, which exceeded $2,500 per month, were also paid with ... investors' funds," said FBI agent Daniel Quinn in the arrest warrant affidavit. Ovid and the other senior church officials, who are not identified in the complaint, allegedly paid more than $1 million in corporate credit card charges with investors' money.
Investors were promised returns of up to 75% with minimal risk, and the victims included church members who were blind, retired or disabled.
Messages left at the church were not immediately returned.

Pay What You Want in Queens?!

Tierra Sana resturant on Queens Blvd. in Forrest Hills is offering a hard-to-beat recession special: pay what you want.

BY CAITLIN MILLAT

Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?
Thanks to a Queens restaurant, hungry penny pinchers can now fill empty stomachs without emptying their wallets.
Every Tuesday starting Feb. 3, the Tierra Sana restaurant in Forest Hillswill offer customers a "Pay What You Want" special - meaning that patrons can drop as much green as they think their grub deserves.
The special includes an array of appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts that are all health-conscious but still savory. Full Story Here

Brooklyn Diocese Considering Closing of Several Schools

Brooklyn Diocese Considers School Mergers, Closures

By NY1 News

At least 11 Catholic elementary schools could close in Brooklyn and Queens due to a lack of students.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn released a proposal Monday that would shutter the schools as part of a reorganization plan to boost enrollment.
The news of the closures came as a shock to students and parents.
"It would be very upsetting," said Our Lady of Perpetual Help student Robbie Shattah. "It's been our home for awhile. We love the school. We love the people here."
"This is not good news at all," said parent Michael McNulty. "This is a nice community in Bay Ridge. It's a shame that a place like this is closing."
"There are not a lot of schools around here," said student Adriano Sysa. "If it closes, kids will be out of a school or will have to go to a public school or something."
But officials from the Brooklyn Diocese say there have been signs for years that they'd have to rethink their education arm. After a review, the Diocese found its 109 schools were operating at only 85 percent capacity.
"Since 1998, the enrollment in Catholic schools was about 55,000," said Father Kieran Harrington of the Diocese of Brooklyn. "This year, it's about 37,000. That tells the story. "
Harrington says that steady decline started three years ago when 25 schools shut down. In following years, seven more have been shuttered.
"Fifteen percent of the seats in Catholic schools are unfilled," he said. "You can imagine that puts an enormous pressure on tuition. It's a vicious cycle that makes it very difficult for our schools to be accessible."
At Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in Jackson Heights, enrollment dropped from 2,500 a few decades ago to just 180 now.
The plan recommends some schools be merged and four be created, but 11 would close.
In Brooklyn, the school closings would include:
Flatbush Catholic Academy
St. Vincent Ferrer
Most Precious Blood
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Angels
In Queens, the school closings would include:
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Benedict Joseph Labre
St. Catherine of Sienna
St. Aloysius
Blessed Sacrament

The plan goes up for approval next month.
Next year, the diocese may create three new schools and consolidate nine others. The plan would create 260 new jobs. Those who may be laid off would have seniority if they apply for any of those positions.

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