TIMELINES 12/22/16

Ramapo Ambulance Corps Clears itself of Wrongdoing

The law firm of Feerick Lynch MacCartney and Nugent found “no credible evidence” following accusations of corruption of Ramapo Valley Ambulance Corps (RVAC) leadership.

The law firm’s involvement began in August, after a Journal News investigation revealed that the NY Labor Department was looking into a complaint signed by 15 rank and file members that RVAC leaders were hiding their personal ties to a company they contracted to manage paid staff officials. “We looked into it and we’re not surprised that there were no violations of any RVAC rules, regulations or policies,” said one of the firm’s partners, Dennis Lynch. The internal investigation focused on RVAC’s rules and regulations, not the corporation’s ties with MEDIC. Lynch said that RVAC has been “fully cooperative with the labor department.

President Obama Appoints Abu-Jamal Attorney to Civil Rights Commission

President Obama appointed Debo Adegbile to the Civil Rights Commission of the United States on Thursday to a six year post. Adegbile was the attorney of the convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Obama appointed him to lead the Justice Department’s office on civil rights in 2014 but the Senate rejected the nomination.

Adegbile represented Abu-Jamal in the appeal of his conviction and death sentence for the 1981 shooting and murder of Philadelphia Police Officer, Daniel Faulkner. Adegbile reduced the sentence to life in prison. He also worked at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Obama also appointed Catherine Lhamon to be the assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department. The Center for American Progress praised both appointees and is excited to see them in their new roles.

Hudson Valley Real Estate Developers Arrested

On Thursday, three real estate developers were accused and arrested of rigging a local election.  This involved putting toothbrushes into empty apartments to make them look occupied so they could pack the voter polls with false registrations.

The three men, Kenneth Nakdimen of Monsey, Shalom Lamm of Bloomingburg and Volvy Smilowitz of Monroe planned on enhancing their real estate project in Bloomingburg, which is a planned 396-unit Hasidic community. This elaborate, illegal scheme would’ve have given the three men hundreds of millions of dollars. “Profit-driven corruption of democracy cannot be allowed to stand no matter who does it or where it happens,” said US Attorney Preet Bharara.

Three Injured in Haverstraw Fire

A fire broke out on the second floor of the apartment at 1 Broad Street in Haverstraw on Monday aroundmidnight. 36 residents, which included eight families, had to evacuate the building. The building has second and third floor apartments residing above three stores on ground level. The fire, which began in a second floor apartment, took over twenty minutes to get under control. The fire was contained to one room, while a few other rooms and stores had water or smoke damage. Three people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.  The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Alleged Murder Victims of Drug Dealing Westchester Cop Found on his Property

FBI agents began searching the 65-acre Orange County farm owned by ex-Briarcliff Manor cop, Nicholas Tartaglione. Tartaglione was accused and arrested for killing four men in a bar that his brother owned in an alleged drug scheme last April. On Tuesday, the day after Tartaglione pleaded not guilty in court, the victim’s bodies were found in an Otisville property where Tartaglione had lived. Tartaglione was charged with distribution of at least five kilograms of cocaine and the “senseless murder of four men”.

The four bodies were indentified as Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna and Hector Gutierrez. They were killed in a bar called the Likquid Lounge in Chester, NY as a part of a drug deal. Officials say only one or two of them were involved in the activity, and the others were just bystanders. Nicholas Tartaglione Sr. refused to comment on the arrest and the discovery of the bodies. He said his other son, the bar owner, had nothing to do with the murder.

America is Ready to Move On from Campaign Hacking; Trump is Not

Americans are moving on from the report that said Russia hacked the ballot to help Donald Trump win the 2016 Presidential Election. Fox News polls showed that a majority of Americans believe that Russia had “no effect” on the outcome of the election. However, Trump continues to fight this issue.

Donald Trump sent out a tweet saying “If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hilary lost?” The US Senate plans to conduct an open investigation of Russia’s influence on the election starting next year. NBC News believes that Russia did interfere with the votes and Vladimir Putin was involved personally.

World’s Tallest Religious Skyscraper Begins Construction

Construction is underway on Vrimdavan Chandrodaya, which will be the world’s largest religious skyscraper. The building temple in Uttar Pradesh, India will stand 700 feet tall.

The temple will include a temple-cum-cultural center and a theme park for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

“Attractions planned in the theme park would be like park rides, animatronics, light, sound and special effects as well as the Vraja Mandal parikrama shows and laser shows,” says project director, Narasimha Das. A capsule elevator will run up through the building, allowing visitors easy access to each of the 70 floors the building has. The elevator will contain sounds and lights to act as an amusement park ride, taking people through the planetary systems of the universe. This project intends to be completed in March of next year, according to Das.