Volume 67, No. 2 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 50 Brathwaite Nelson would be first Queens judge on high court in 48 years By David Brand Queens to ever serve on the high court. She said Queens Daily Eagle the appointment would mark the culmination of APRIL 16, 2021 Nearly 50 years have passed since a judge her life in public service. It would demonstrate from Queens rose to New York’s highest court. the opportunities available to young people, That could soon change. especially people of color, in the world’s most Appellate Division Justice Valerie Brathwaite diverse urban center. SNL STAR PETE DAVIDSON IS SET Nelson, a Hollis native, is one of seven finalists “It’s really my great honor to be nominated to play Queens icon Joey Ramone in an upcoming for a seat on the Court of Appeals. If appointed for a seat on this high court. My lifelong goal has biopic “I Slept with Joey Ramone,” based on a by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, she would become the been serving the interests of the public,” memoir written by his brother Mickey Leigh, first Queens judge on the court since John Brathwaite Nelson said Tuesday. according to an announcement on the 20th Scileppi, who served from 1963 to 1972. The seat on the seven-member Court of anniversary of Ramone’s death. Before Scileppi, Queens Judge Charles Appeals opened following the retirement of ««« Froessel served on the Court of Appeals from Judge Leslie Stein. Six other New York judges 1950 to 1962. and attorneys, all women, have been selected as U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ANN DONNELLY Brathwaite Nelson wouldn’t just break a finalists by the state’s Judicial Commission. ordered R. Kelly transported back to New York Justice Valerie Brathwaite Nelson of Hollis is five-decade dry spell for New York’s second- Another seat opened after late Judge Paul City for his sex crimes trial in Brooklyn federal a finalist for a seat on the New York Court of largest county, she would also become the first Feinman stepped down just days before his death court. The trial is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 9, Appeals.. Photo courtesy of Brathwaite Nelson woman and the first person of color from earlier this month. CONTINUED ON PAGE AP reported. ««« REPUBLICAN MAYORAL CANDIDATE NY advocates urge Albany to eliminate court fines and fees Sara Tirschwell dropped out of the race Wednesday after failing to connect enough signatures, Crain’s reported. “The way things work in NYC is broken—systems that favor insiders and those with money versus those who are desperate for the chance to change their fate,” she said in a statement on her campaign website. ««« THE BALLOT ORDER IS NOW SET in the Democratic primary for mayor after a Board of Election lottery Thursday. First to appear? Aaron Foldenauer, the former campaign manager for Queens Borough President candidate Dao Yin. Last? It’s frontrunner Andrew Yang. ««« THE QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY IS reopening the Baisley Park, Douglaston, Howard Beach, Middle Village and Woodside branches for to-go service three days a week starting April 21. The branches will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays with a one-hour closure for cleaning 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday with a one-hour closure for cleaning 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ««« FAR ROCKAWAY RESIDENTS RIGEL Velasla, 20, Allan Lopez, 22, and Gustavo Salmiento, 21, are facing murder charges after the NYPD found the body of Nazareth Claure in their trunk. Brooklyn resident Rodolfo Lopez, 26, is accused of tampering with evidence and concealing a body. ««« Sate Sen. Julia Salazar joined advocates on Wednesday to call for passage of a bill to end unfair court fees. Photo courtesy of Center for Community Alternatives A GROUP OF FIVE FIFTH AND SIXTH By Rachel Vick offenses, assess an individual’s financial situa- the rich will more replace the revenue that the grade students — aka Galaxy Coders — from Queens Daily Eagle tion before imposing fines, and eliminate incarcer- state receives from people convicted of crimes. Growing Up Green Charter School II in Jamaica A group of advocates and elected officials ation as punishment for a failure to pay a fine or New Yorkers behind bars typically earn less took home first place in the Spring 2021 CoderZ rallied outside Manhattan Criminal Court on fee than a dollar a day performing prison jobs, mak- League Tournament, a virtual robotics competition. Wednesday to call on state lawmakers to elimi- “It is outrageous and wrong that our city is ing it nearly impossible to earn enough money “Seeing their motivation and their perseverance [is] nate court fines and fees that disproportionately kicking people while they are down,” Salazar to pay off fines and fees while also footing the very invigorating and super refreshing especially impact low-income New Yorkers. said at the rally. “It creates a perverse incentive bill for jailhouse essentials, she added. being in such a depressing time period of the A piece of legislation sponsored by Brooklyn for localities and the state to criminalize people Organizers from the “No Price on Justice” COVID-19 pandemic,” team supervisor Yuvraj State Sen. Julia Salazar would prohibit manda- and we’re not going to let it continue.” campaign testified in support of the End Predatory Verma told PIX 11. tory minimum fines for criminal and traffic Salazar said New York’s recent tax hike on CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 New York advocates urge Albany to eliminate court fines and fees Continued from page 1 rently serving time for unpaid fees. Court Fees Act and described the impact of fees New York Communities for Change mem- on individuals and families. ber Peggy Perkins said she was arrested in “It’s almost unfathomable,” said Marvin front of her young daughter and forced to pay Mayfield, lead statewide organizer with the for childcare and a $200 fee she couldn’t af- Center for Community Alternatives. “These ford. court fees have been a backdoor tax on those “They don’t talk about the children, about who are least able to pay — now it’s time to the families victimized,” Perkins said. “You undo the harm of New York's regressive, inef- pay the fine or go to jail. They are constantly fective and predatory court fees.” profiting off of us. Enough is enough — it is “Poverty is not a crime,” he added. time for a major change.” If passed, the End Predatory Court Fees Act The Senate bill has nine co-sponsors and would also end the seizure of commissary ac- the Assembly version of the bill, sponsored by counts and reduce the sentences for people cur- Yuh-Line Niou has 14 co-sponsors. New York bars, restaurants can soon stay open ’til midnight By Associated Press above 4,000. About a quarter of New York resi- New York will push back its curfew for bars dents have been fully vaccinated, according to and restaurants an hour to midnight, starting Mon- state data. day, as the state continues to relax coronavirus-re- Weddings and other catered events will be al- lated restrictions, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. lowed to run until 1 a.m. instead of midnight as The governor also announced during a tele- of Monday, the Democratic governor said. phone briefing Wednesday that auto and horse Restaurants had pleaded for an end to the 11 racing events will be able to accommodate spec- p.m. curfew, saying that pandemic restrictions tators at 20% capacity starting April 22. Specta- were hurting their business. tors will be required to wear a mask, social A similar curfew was lifted earlier this month distance and provide proof of a recent negative for casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, bil- test or completed vaccinations. liard halls and fitness centers. “But at the same time, we caution New York- “The extra hour is good news for restaurants, ers: Don’t get cocky. The disease is still very bars and customers, but we still need a road map much with us,” Cuomo said. for when the curfew will be lifted like it has for The New York Racing Association said it other industries,” said Andrew Rigie, the execu- was gearing up to host fans at its thoroughbred tive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, an tracks at Belmont Park this spring and Saratoga industry group. Race Course this summer. He also urged the state to stop prohibiting diners from being seated at restaurants’ bars and Statewide hospitalizations for the virus have Lawmakers and advocates gathered outside Manhattan Criminal Court to call attention to the fallen dramatically from a post-holiday peak of to reconsider a requirement that patrons who more than 9,000 people in January but remain order an alcoholic beverage get food with it. impact court fees have on families. Photos courtesy of Center for Community Alternatives ‘Whitestone Wolverine’ seen threatening Queens Black Lives Matter demonstrators indicted By David Brand Cavaluzzi, a Flushing resident, faces a slew of Queens Daily Eagle charges in addition to the nine counts of attempted A 55-year-old Queens man seen threatening murder. If convicted, he could serve the rest of his young Black Lives Matter protestors with a bladed life in prison. He faces 25 years for each attempted gloves before chasing them with his SUV was indicted murder victim. on nine counts of attempted murder Wednesday. Cavaluzzi’s attorney Ed Muccini did not re- Frank Cavaluzzi was filmed June 2, 2020 stop- spond to requests for comment. ping his vehicle along a Whitestone overpass and stepping out to menace a group of sidewalk demon- strators with the medieval weapon.