By MATTHEW LYSIAK and TRACY CONNOR
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Thursday, January 10th 2008, 4:00 AM
Eugene Iannicelli, 84, got a ticket when he helped his wife, Mary, from their car outside a dialysis center in Brooklyn.
When 84-year-old Eugene Iannicelli double-parked in front of a dialysis clinic so he could escort his blind, frail wife to the car, he expected a little understanding.
Instead, he got a $115 ticket.
The Brooklyn traffic agent who spotted the elderly couple couldn't summon up a shred of compassion for their plight.
Now the retired postman is fighting to get the ticket dismissed - and wondering how anyone could be so heartless.
"My wife is legally blind, can't walk, and is totally disabled," Iannicelli told the Daily News.
"For this meter maid to stand there and write me a ticket as I help her into the car - I call that cruel," said Iannicelli, who lives in Dyker Heights.
Iannicelli has a handicapped parking placard for his '92 Chevy, but when he got to the Dyker Heights Dialysis Center on Dec. 19, there were no open spots on 86th St.
"What was I supposed to do?" he asked yesterday. "There were no empty spaces and if she doesn't get this treatment she could die."
Plus, he was only going to be double-parked for a few minutes - the time it would take him to go inside and help his 83-year-old wife, Mary, a few feet across the sidewalk.
He was opening the car door when the traffic enforcement agent pulled up and began writing the ticket - continuing even after Iannicelli explained the extenuating circumstances.
He was hoping for some sympathy, but all he got was bureaucratic indifference.
"I asked her how she could be so thoughtless and she just smiled and told me there is no double parking," he said.
His wife, who undergoes the lifesaving but grueling dialysis treatments for her failing kidneys three times a week, was just as appalled.
"I am angry. How can anyone be so heartless?" she wondered. "This is a lot of money and all we are asking for is a little consideration."
NYPD officials said when the agent began writing the ticket, she did not see Iannicelli or his wife - and once a summons is written, it can't be torn up by the agent.
The police also said the Chevy could have pulled into the clinic driveway - but Iannicelli said it's actually an ambulette bay and it was occupied at the time.
The couple is pleading not guilty to the ticket and will make their case at a hearing if it's not dismissed by mail.
They've already got City Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge) on their side.
"This is yet another example of the city's insatiable appetite for revenue," Gentile told The News.
"Mr. Iannicelli was merely assisting his disabled legally blind wife ... when the traffic enforcement agent, totally devoid of discretion and compassion, drove up and slapped a $115 ticket on Mr. Iannicelli's vehicle.
"When is enough, enough?" the pol asked. "When is our city going to realize that we must treat residents like partners, not targets?"
tconnor@nydailynews.com
With Alison Gendar
Friday, January 18, 2008
Bay Ridge rage as cell phone towers rise near school
BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, January 10th 2008, 4:00 AM
Call it reading, writing and radiation.
Parents at Public School 185 in Bay Ridge are outraged that six cell phone towers were erected directly across the street from the school over a recent weekend.
"I'm scared of what we don't know," said Elizabeth Juliano, whose 5-year-old son attends the school. "Without evidence either way, we should err on the side of caution. This is just stupid."
Calls from concerned parents flooded the local community board only hours after the towers were erected.
"They installed them when no one was around in hopes of falling under the radar," said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann of the towers, which appeared on the rooftops at 8701 Ridge Blvd. "Within hours, my phone was ringing off the hook with angry parents afraid that radiation . . . was going to give their kids cancer."
Scientists have said health risks from cell phone towers are slight because of low radiation levels - but that hasn't stopped people from being wary.
This most recent uprising could radiate throughout the five boroughs as state Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge) may push legislation that would ban tower installation within 500 feet of schools.
"I strongly denounce the installation of a cell phone tower directly across from PS 185 and am reviewing my options legislatively," Golden said.
Golden first introduced the legislation almost two years ago, after parents of St. Anselm's School fought the construction of a Sprint/Nextel tower to be placed atop a nearby building at 8300 Fourth Ave. St.
Anselm parents also didn't know the tower was coming until a crane showed up late one night.
The legislation failed but the accompanying public relations were successful in halting the construction. Golden said the new towers across from PS 185 - two of which are pointed directly at classrooms - may be the final straw.
But the science on cell towers shows that signals emitted are no more likely to cause cancer than a television set. That's because the type of radiation emitted from the towers, which is more like radio waves than X-rays, is harmless, said Verizon spokesman David Samberg.
"[The cell phone industry] has been around for over 20 years, and no one has ever found that these signals can hurt people," Samberg said. "As for notification, we work transparently with the building owner, and if they request that we speak to the community, we do so gladly."
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, January 10th 2008, 4:00 AM
Call it reading, writing and radiation.
Parents at Public School 185 in Bay Ridge are outraged that six cell phone towers were erected directly across the street from the school over a recent weekend.
"I'm scared of what we don't know," said Elizabeth Juliano, whose 5-year-old son attends the school. "Without evidence either way, we should err on the side of caution. This is just stupid."
Calls from concerned parents flooded the local community board only hours after the towers were erected.
"They installed them when no one was around in hopes of falling under the radar," said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann of the towers, which appeared on the rooftops at 8701 Ridge Blvd. "Within hours, my phone was ringing off the hook with angry parents afraid that radiation . . . was going to give their kids cancer."
Scientists have said health risks from cell phone towers are slight because of low radiation levels - but that hasn't stopped people from being wary.
This most recent uprising could radiate throughout the five boroughs as state Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge) may push legislation that would ban tower installation within 500 feet of schools.
"I strongly denounce the installation of a cell phone tower directly across from PS 185 and am reviewing my options legislatively," Golden said.
Golden first introduced the legislation almost two years ago, after parents of St. Anselm's School fought the construction of a Sprint/Nextel tower to be placed atop a nearby building at 8300 Fourth Ave. St.
Anselm parents also didn't know the tower was coming until a crane showed up late one night.
The legislation failed but the accompanying public relations were successful in halting the construction. Golden said the new towers across from PS 185 - two of which are pointed directly at classrooms - may be the final straw.
But the science on cell towers shows that signals emitted are no more likely to cause cancer than a television set. That's because the type of radiation emitted from the towers, which is more like radio waves than X-rays, is harmless, said Verizon spokesman David Samberg.
"[The cell phone industry] has been around for over 20 years, and no one has ever found that these signals can hurt people," Samberg said. "As for notification, we work transparently with the building owner, and if they request that we speak to the community, we do so gladly."
Illegal milk trade ring in Bay Ridge
BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Tuesday, January 8th 2008, 4:00 AM
The final deal goes down in a Bay Ridge apartment.
That's where the product can be scored, but the elaborate web weaves through the city.
"I know it's illegal, but that doesn't mean it's wrong," said one Brooklyn mom, one of 20 from the borough who pick the stuff up at the Bay Ridge pad.
The women aren't dealing narcotics, but illegal unpasteurized milk, and they have been organizing into groups that skirt federal law to get the goods.
"There are risks, but it's much safer than pasteurized milk," said another mom who regularly feeds her 2-year-old with milk straight from the udder.
Though it's against the law, more city mothers are signing on to a Web site that reveals dropoff points around the city where the raw milk can be picked up.
"I think people's fear and uncertainty in a time when everyone seems to be getting cancer, immune diseases and a variety of other ailments explains the quest for more natural products," said Maimonides Medical Center pediatrician Dr. Joanna Tsopelas.
The parents must first circumvent the law, because while possession of raw milk is legal, selling it is a crime.
Though it's also a violation of federal law to transport raw milk across state lines with the intent to sell it for human consumption, advocates claim the health benefits far outweigh the risks.
To get around the law, no money changes hands. It must all be done online - and only after the purchaser signs a form releasing the seller of all liability. After paying online, the specific milk pickup spots and times are revealed in Bay Ridge and five additional locations - in Williamsburg, in Queens, in the west 40s in Manhattan, in midtown/Flatiron and in Tribeca - where a milk truck waits.
Before it hits the street, the deal goes down first in cyberspace at www.wprice-nyc.org.
But drinker beware: An FDA report on illnesses caused by raw milk over the past five years says there have been 18 outbreaks of bacterial illness involving raw milk or raw milk cheeses in 15 states.
Those outbreaks have sickened 451 people, a few of those seriously enough to be hospitalized. The report lists diseases raw milk products can cause, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, strep throat, scarlet fever and typhoid fever.
"Although I am a huge believer in organic foods, I think we need to be careful where we draw a line," said Tsopelas, who added the diseases "can be potentially dangerous to individuals as well as unborn fetuses. ... Granted, all who drink raw milk won't get ill. But would you want yourself or your child to be the one?"
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Tuesday, January 8th 2008, 4:00 AM
The final deal goes down in a Bay Ridge apartment.
That's where the product can be scored, but the elaborate web weaves through the city.
"I know it's illegal, but that doesn't mean it's wrong," said one Brooklyn mom, one of 20 from the borough who pick the stuff up at the Bay Ridge pad.
The women aren't dealing narcotics, but illegal unpasteurized milk, and they have been organizing into groups that skirt federal law to get the goods.
"There are risks, but it's much safer than pasteurized milk," said another mom who regularly feeds her 2-year-old with milk straight from the udder.
Though it's against the law, more city mothers are signing on to a Web site that reveals dropoff points around the city where the raw milk can be picked up.
"I think people's fear and uncertainty in a time when everyone seems to be getting cancer, immune diseases and a variety of other ailments explains the quest for more natural products," said Maimonides Medical Center pediatrician Dr. Joanna Tsopelas.
The parents must first circumvent the law, because while possession of raw milk is legal, selling it is a crime.
Though it's also a violation of federal law to transport raw milk across state lines with the intent to sell it for human consumption, advocates claim the health benefits far outweigh the risks.
To get around the law, no money changes hands. It must all be done online - and only after the purchaser signs a form releasing the seller of all liability. After paying online, the specific milk pickup spots and times are revealed in Bay Ridge and five additional locations - in Williamsburg, in Queens, in the west 40s in Manhattan, in midtown/Flatiron and in Tribeca - where a milk truck waits.
Before it hits the street, the deal goes down first in cyberspace at www.wprice-nyc.org.
But drinker beware: An FDA report on illnesses caused by raw milk over the past five years says there have been 18 outbreaks of bacterial illness involving raw milk or raw milk cheeses in 15 states.
Those outbreaks have sickened 451 people, a few of those seriously enough to be hospitalized. The report lists diseases raw milk products can cause, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, strep throat, scarlet fever and typhoid fever.
"Although I am a huge believer in organic foods, I think we need to be careful where we draw a line," said Tsopelas, who added the diseases "can be potentially dangerous to individuals as well as unborn fetuses. ... Granted, all who drink raw milk won't get ill. But would you want yourself or your child to be the one?"
Marrow drive for young cancer patient
BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, January 3rd 2008, 4:00 AM
Little Rachel Rodin is hoping for a new year miracle.
The 7-year-old Public School 185 student was recently diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia after a two-year remission, and now her family is calling on kindhearted Brooklynites to help find a matching donor for an urgently needed bone-marrow transplant.
"Our hope is that there is someone, anyone, out there who can help my daughter," said Rachel's mom, Elvira, 43. "So far we can't find a match, and the situation is getting very serious."
The bone-marrow transplant is vitally important because it is part of her treatment in combination with chemotherapy, which her doctors hope will rid her body of the cancer in her blood and bones once and for all.
To avoid rejection of the transplanted stem cells or severe graft-versus-host disease, the donor's marrow must match the recipient's, which can be like finding a needle in a haystack. That is why the family is now calling on the community in numbers.
The test is simple and requires only a swab from the inside of the cheek.
The donor drive is being held Jan. 19 at the Sheridan Council Knights of Columbus, 8417 Seventh Ave., Bay Ridge, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to find a marrow donor and matches for the frequent blood and platelets Rachel requires. Marathon Bank has agreed to pay the $25-per-test cost.
The family, which emigrated from Belarus to Bay Ridge in 1991, says it is humbled by the show of neighborly generosity in Brooklyn.
"Its amazing how much love and compassion people have shown towards her," said Elvira Rodin. "People from all around have been testing to see if they are a possible match."
June Johnson, cochairwoman of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights, described Rachel as a "cute, bright, little sweetheart."
"It's all about numbers, and 99% of the people who test won't match," said Johnson, who already gave platelets. "But if you do match, you realize that you are the one person in this world who can save Rachel's life."
Rachel is a patient at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. For more information on how to help Rachel, contact Marion Novack at (212) 639-8177.
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, January 3rd 2008, 4:00 AM
Little Rachel Rodin is hoping for a new year miracle.
The 7-year-old Public School 185 student was recently diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia after a two-year remission, and now her family is calling on kindhearted Brooklynites to help find a matching donor for an urgently needed bone-marrow transplant.
"Our hope is that there is someone, anyone, out there who can help my daughter," said Rachel's mom, Elvira, 43. "So far we can't find a match, and the situation is getting very serious."
The bone-marrow transplant is vitally important because it is part of her treatment in combination with chemotherapy, which her doctors hope will rid her body of the cancer in her blood and bones once and for all.
To avoid rejection of the transplanted stem cells or severe graft-versus-host disease, the donor's marrow must match the recipient's, which can be like finding a needle in a haystack. That is why the family is now calling on the community in numbers.
The test is simple and requires only a swab from the inside of the cheek.
The donor drive is being held Jan. 19 at the Sheridan Council Knights of Columbus, 8417 Seventh Ave., Bay Ridge, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to find a marrow donor and matches for the frequent blood and platelets Rachel requires. Marathon Bank has agreed to pay the $25-per-test cost.
The family, which emigrated from Belarus to Bay Ridge in 1991, says it is humbled by the show of neighborly generosity in Brooklyn.
"Its amazing how much love and compassion people have shown towards her," said Elvira Rodin. "People from all around have been testing to see if they are a possible match."
June Johnson, cochairwoman of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights, described Rachel as a "cute, bright, little sweetheart."
"It's all about numbers, and 99% of the people who test won't match," said Johnson, who already gave platelets. "But if you do match, you realize that you are the one person in this world who can save Rachel's life."
Rachel is a patient at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. For more information on how to help Rachel, contact Marion Novack at (212) 639-8177.
Queens shooting victim's brother admits being the target
BY MATTHEW LYSIAK and MICHAEL WHITE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Monday, December 31st 2007, 12:54 PM
The older brother of an 11-year-old Queens boy shot point-blank in the door of the family's house admitted Monday he was the target - but denied knowing who was gunning for him.
"Someone wants me dead," 16-year-old Tony Falconer Jr. said.
"I don't know why. I think this is related to what happened three weeks ago. Try(ing) to send a message."
Authorities said Falconer was involved in a dispute three weeks ago in which someone was shot.
"Three weeks ago was over a girl," he said. "My cousin was shot in the eye."
He said he was scared and upset that his little brother, Tyshon, was attacked last night, but insisted, "It wasn't my fault that he got shot."
The gunman knocked on the door and at first asked for Tony Falconer Jr., before pumping a bullet into Tyshon's chest.
"He went to ... answer the door," said the boys' father, Tony Falconer Sr. "He thought it was his brother. He told his mom he's sorry he opened door."
Falconer Sr. said Monday that Tyshon, his mouth spilling blood, bravely managed to walk up the stairs before falling into his father's arms.
"Daddy, I think I got shot," Tyshon told his dad as they converged on the staircase after the shooting at the family's Springfield Gardens home.
"I met him halfway up the stairs. There was blood coming out of his mouth," Tony Falconer Sr. said. "I took off his shirt. I saw the hole in the middle of his chest.
"I would say [the shooter] is a coward. Pick on your own size."
Tyshon is listed in stable condition at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. No arrests have been made, cops said.
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Monday, December 31st 2007, 12:54 PM
The older brother of an 11-year-old Queens boy shot point-blank in the door of the family's house admitted Monday he was the target - but denied knowing who was gunning for him.
"Someone wants me dead," 16-year-old Tony Falconer Jr. said.
"I don't know why. I think this is related to what happened three weeks ago. Try(ing) to send a message."
Authorities said Falconer was involved in a dispute three weeks ago in which someone was shot.
"Three weeks ago was over a girl," he said. "My cousin was shot in the eye."
He said he was scared and upset that his little brother, Tyshon, was attacked last night, but insisted, "It wasn't my fault that he got shot."
The gunman knocked on the door and at first asked for Tony Falconer Jr., before pumping a bullet into Tyshon's chest.
"He went to ... answer the door," said the boys' father, Tony Falconer Sr. "He thought it was his brother. He told his mom he's sorry he opened door."
Falconer Sr. said Monday that Tyshon, his mouth spilling blood, bravely managed to walk up the stairs before falling into his father's arms.
"Daddy, I think I got shot," Tyshon told his dad as they converged on the staircase after the shooting at the family's Springfield Gardens home.
"I met him halfway up the stairs. There was blood coming out of his mouth," Tony Falconer Sr. said. "I took off his shirt. I saw the hole in the middle of his chest.
"I would say [the shooter] is a coward. Pick on your own size."
Tyshon is listed in stable condition at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. No arrests have been made, cops said.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
eBay sellers leap to cash in on Benazir Bhutto assassination
by Matthew Lysiak
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has become big business in cyberspace.
Within moments of her death, dealers were cashing in on the tragedy by hawking memorabilia of the slain leader.
"This is a rare and unique item from a true martyr for democracy and human rights," posted eBay seller Historybuffalo, who listed a $650 Bhutto autograph on the auction site within moments of her murder.
A signed 4-by-6-inch photograph of a smiling Bhutto sitting in a leather chair has attracted bids up to $305.
The prices for the Bhutto memorabilia surpassed some mementos of John F. Kennedy. His signature on an index card was selling for $150 yesterday.
In addition to autographs and photos, refrigerator magnets, bumper stickers, and even the Dec. 28 issue of the Daily News were up for grabs.
"It's the nature of the event, combined with The News photo and headline that give that issue great value," said memorabilia collector Rick Cipolla, 54, who swooped up six copies of the paper to resell.
"I expect to get about $10 for the Daily News issue."
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has become big business in cyberspace.
Within moments of her death, dealers were cashing in on the tragedy by hawking memorabilia of the slain leader.
"This is a rare and unique item from a true martyr for democracy and human rights," posted eBay seller Historybuffalo, who listed a $650 Bhutto autograph on the auction site within moments of her murder.
A signed 4-by-6-inch photograph of a smiling Bhutto sitting in a leather chair has attracted bids up to $305.
The prices for the Bhutto memorabilia surpassed some mementos of John F. Kennedy. His signature on an index card was selling for $150 yesterday.
In addition to autographs and photos, refrigerator magnets, bumper stickers, and even the Dec. 28 issue of the Daily News were up for grabs.
"It's the nature of the event, combined with The News photo and headline that give that issue great value," said memorabilia collector Rick Cipolla, 54, who swooped up six copies of the paper to resell.
"I expect to get about $10 for the Daily News issue."
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Blame bus for the trip down aisle
BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, December 27th 2007, 4:00 AM
These Brooklyn commuters are used to being taken for a ride - and not a fun one.
With fare and toll hikes looming, Bay Ridge residents are stuck taking express buses that are the wrong size on local routes.
"These buses are a nightmare," said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann. "The aisles are too small. Seniors and moms with strollers, and residents with disabilities, are all saying this is unacceptable.
"These buses weren't meant for shoppers with bags or mothers with kids."
Beckmann says angry calls began flooding her office more than a year ago about the B1, which runs from Bay Ridge to Kingsborough College, and the B64, which runs from Coney Island to Bay Ridge.
Both buses make local stops but are still outfitted as express buses, which are equipped to hold more passengers for the longer rides into Manhattan.
Local buses generally hold fewer commuters, but provide more space to make it easier to handle the traffic from frequent stops.
"Residents feel cheated and aren't getting their money's worth," said Beckmann.
Diane Hunt, 62, who is disabled, agrees, and says the narrow center aisle is impossible for her to navigate.
"The middle aisle is the main problem, but another problem is that the seats are so close together that I have to sit with my legs in the aisle," said Hunt, who used to take the B1 from Bay Ridge to Sheepshead Bay before giving up. "These buses never should have been on this route in the first place."
Residents who had no problem walking even found the task of entering and exiting the bus tedious.
"The aisle is so narrow that it is just ridiculous," said the retired Fred Gilbo, who used to take the B1 from Bay Ridge to 14th Ave., where he worked for a telephone company.
"The MTA is quick to find the money to find raises for its big shots, but they can't find the money to get our bus problem fixed."
The Transit Authority is aware of the space problem and is working to give commuters a little more room, said spokesman Charles Seaton.
"We are in the process of retrofitting those buses to transit bus specifications," said Seaton. "That will include replacing the seats, which would create more room for passengers."
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, December 27th 2007, 4:00 AM
These Brooklyn commuters are used to being taken for a ride - and not a fun one.
With fare and toll hikes looming, Bay Ridge residents are stuck taking express buses that are the wrong size on local routes.
"These buses are a nightmare," said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann. "The aisles are too small. Seniors and moms with strollers, and residents with disabilities, are all saying this is unacceptable.
"These buses weren't meant for shoppers with bags or mothers with kids."
Beckmann says angry calls began flooding her office more than a year ago about the B1, which runs from Bay Ridge to Kingsborough College, and the B64, which runs from Coney Island to Bay Ridge.
Both buses make local stops but are still outfitted as express buses, which are equipped to hold more passengers for the longer rides into Manhattan.
Local buses generally hold fewer commuters, but provide more space to make it easier to handle the traffic from frequent stops.
"Residents feel cheated and aren't getting their money's worth," said Beckmann.
Diane Hunt, 62, who is disabled, agrees, and says the narrow center aisle is impossible for her to navigate.
"The middle aisle is the main problem, but another problem is that the seats are so close together that I have to sit with my legs in the aisle," said Hunt, who used to take the B1 from Bay Ridge to Sheepshead Bay before giving up. "These buses never should have been on this route in the first place."
Residents who had no problem walking even found the task of entering and exiting the bus tedious.
"The aisle is so narrow that it is just ridiculous," said the retired Fred Gilbo, who used to take the B1 from Bay Ridge to 14th Ave., where he worked for a telephone company.
"The MTA is quick to find the money to find raises for its big shots, but they can't find the money to get our bus problem fixed."
The Transit Authority is aware of the space problem and is working to give commuters a little more room, said spokesman Charles Seaton.
"We are in the process of retrofitting those buses to transit bus specifications," said Seaton. "That will include replacing the seats, which would create more room for passengers."
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