It’s been one year since the murder of George Floyd — a look at where police reform now stands.
A second arrest is made in the brutal assault of a Jewish man in Times Square — what the victim is saying about the attack.
A DACA recipient is stuck in Mexico after going there to work on her visa application.
A new beginning for one Brooklyn Catholic college.
By Emily Drooby
When it comes to what’s going on at St. Francis College (SFC), right now, it’s a blank canvas. But in the future, it’s painting its latest masterpiece: the new school.
“We’re really taking this to the next level,” said the college’s president, Miguel Martinez-Saenz.
He took Currents News on a tour of the new space.
“We are going to be the only college, I’ll say this, in NYC, with brand new everything,” Miguel said.
Everything is brand new, from a 38-seat chapel, an auditorium, 6,600 square foot library to art galleries and an outdoor terrace.
“When you walk into our library, the latest technology is going to be available to our students,” Miguel said. “When you walk into the classroom, the faculty are going to have the latest technology to use.”
It’s still a bitter sweet moment as the school is leaving Remsen Street, their home for over 50 years. Their new school will be located just half a mile away on Livingston Street. Miguel says the move is necessary for modernization.
“These old buildings, if they’re not open floor plans, there’s a lot of work that needs to go into them,” he explained. “Students would be in a construction zone for 20 years.”
Their student population is also growing, adding 400 students in the past four years. They expect to add another 800 by 2026.
It’s no surprise about the growing student population considering the amount of aid the school provides. Ninety-eight percent of their students get some type of institutional tuition aid.
The aid even continued through the pandemic. Through their Terrier for Terrier Relief Fund, they gave out over $150,000 in grants. SFC also gave out over 2,000 emergency student financial aid awards that totaled over $2.6 million. The money for that student aid came from the federal COVID-relief legislation.
Generous financial aid options and a new, modern building, are what St. Francis students can look forward to. Students said they’ll miss the old building, but they’re also very excited about the new possibilities.
“Oh, I love the new building,” said student Gabrielle Lora. “Honestly, I feel like this new building brings new opportunities. Although this wonderful building feels like home already, I feel like sometimes, you just need a new change.”
Fall of 2022 – that’s just 15 months away. The new space will be fully redone and ready to welcome students.
“The building is nice here, but I do like the layout of the new building,” said student Mccoy Frederick. “It looks really amazing to be honest.”
By Jessica Easthope
George Floyd’s death sparked protests with calls for change and a push to create new national policing standards.
But that’s not going to happen in time for President Biden’s deadline, May 25, which is the first anniversary of Floyd’s death.
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed the House last year but it’s still being negotiated in the Senate.
“We’re making good progress, hopeful progress. But we still have some work, a lot of work to do,” said Senator Cory Booker.
Key negotiators Senator Cory Booker, Senator Tim Scott, and Rep. Karen Bass released a rare, joint statement.
“We are still working through our differences on key issues.”
Those key issues include determining the standard for charging police officers with crimes and changing the policy of “qualified immunity” so police officers can be sued in civil court. One senator has floated the idea of making departments rather than individual officers liable in civil cases.
Democrats say it’s about accountability but Republicans worry eliminating protections could disincentivize police. Still, both sides say they’re optimistic and closer to a deal, with Floyd’s family praying that his death will bring lasting change and reform.
“We’ve certainly come a long way and I’m optimistic we’ll get there,” said Floyd’s cousin ShareeduhTate. “But we’re more interested in having a bill that has some meat and potatoes to it versus just a symbolic bill.”
Talks for a bipartisan deal are expected to move forward this week, but Catholic leaders say the church must do more.
Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Florida serves as a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishophs’ Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.
“It’s too easy to flip right over and look at the police,” Bishop Dewane said. “OK do that, I’m not arguing that changes need to be made. But I think long term, if we’re going to address this problem, it has to be looked inside.”
Currents News Staff
Cheers as Clintonville street in Whitestone, Queens is co-named Monsignor John C. Tosi Way.
“As pastor, I know at the very bottom of his heart, Monsignor John Tosi’s way was the way of Jesus,” said Father John Costello.
Father John Costello took over as pastor at St. Luke’s Church after Monsignor Tosi passed away last May.
Last Friday, May 21, parishioners gathered to honor the late priest.
“We are at the legendary St. Luke’s for a man who was just as powerful and wonderful as this parish,” said Councilmember Paul Vallone.
Vallone helped to get the street in front of St. Luke’s named after Monsignor Tosi, whom he remembers fondly.
“Larger than life, Monsignor Tosi was larger than life in all ways: physically, passionately, mentally,” said Vallone. “He was there for all of us. He had a say in everything that happened here and he loved St. Luke’s.”
Monsignor Tosi was a lifelong Queens resident and a priest for over 45 years. The last 25 of his priest assignment was spent at St. Luke’s, leading this church community.
“To symbolize him today on a beautiful day with spring birthing and coming to the end of this deadly pandemic, it’s a beautiful way to celebrate spring and his legacy,” Vallone said.
Monsignor Tosi re-built St. Luke’s church and made many renovations to the Queens parish.
By Jessica Easthope
As New York City trains rattled past, Sean Conaboy decided to lower the volume in his headphones. He was listening to “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan. He’d listened to the song countless times, but this time was different.
“And the volume was so low that I was able to hear the victim scream,” he said.
There’s a lyric in Bob Dylan’s song that says “you’re in the wrong place, my friend.” Except last Wednesday, Conaboy was in the right place. He sprung into action in a way that’s become uncommon when these all-too-common attacks happen.
Sean, a native New Yorker and parishioner at St. Michael’s Church in Sunset Park, is being called a Good Samaritan – a term rooted in faith to describe someone who stops to help when others stand by.
“I never imagined it would be so heinous and so violent and so depraved, but that was what I experienced and I had to act,” Sean said. “To not act would be an option, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.”
The chilling surveillance video from inside the Union Square subway station showed a man with a knife stalking potential victims. When the man chose a victim, Sean said something in him took over.
“This woman is being fatally assaulted with a knife, I have to stop it,” he said.
Sean said the man wielded the knife in a way that showed he wanted to kill 54-year-old Kelli Daley. The man who put him on high alert even went back for more.
“What’s most horrifying is that once I tackled him and separated him from the victim, he went back for her,” Sean said.
The Good Samaritan says his faith has everything to do with his action that day. It’s because of leaders in the Diocese of Brooklyn that showed him how to put faith into practice. One faith leader who showed him, Sean says, was his former pastor, now Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey, Kevin Sweeney.
“To see Sean respond in that way knowing him as the person of faith that he is, it’s not surprising,” Bishop Sweeney said. “But not everyone does it and I can see his faith coming out in that courageous act he took, willing him to sacrifice himself for the safety of another.”
The attack Sean stopped was the fourth attack at Union Square station in a week. He has a message for New York City officials: use this an example.
“It’s not that long ago, that this was a really safe way to travel and I remember when it wasn’t. So to see it swing back in that direction is heartbreaking.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Sean added. “We’re fighting for our lives down here. That’s the most potent example you’ll ever see.”
Currents News Staff
The race for New York City mayor – it’s just four weeks to go until primary day. Currents News asked all the frontrunners, Democrat and Republican, to talk about why they should be the next mayor.
Our first guest may is the founder and CEO of The Guardian Angels and is now throwing his “red beret” into the ring. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa joined Currents News to discuss more about his platform.
Currents News speaks with the good Samaritan who tackled a subway slasher moments after he attacked a woman.
The man accused of pushing over a church’s crucifix and burning its American flag is arrested.
All New York City students will be returning to the classroom for in-person learning this fall.
A street is renamed for the beloved former pastor of Saint Luke’s Church.
By Currents News Staff
The people who work at the Life Center of New York in Bay Ridge have made it their life mission to save babies: they’ve helped nearly 40,000 women in 40 years.
That’s why, when Executive Director Fred Trabulsi learned the Supreme Court would soon hear a Mississippi case that would challenge a portion of Roe v. Wade, he was inspired.
“We are very hopeful that this will begin our society turning from a culture of death to a culture of life,” Fred said. “As great St. John Paul II said, ‘we have to change the culture.'”
He’s not alone. Pro-life advocates across the country have been applauding the high court for taking on this case.
“This is a watershed moment,” said Kathleen Gallagher. She’s the New York State Catholic Conference’s Director for Pro-life Activities.
The Mississippi law bans most abortions after 15 weeks. Right now, that’s considered unconstitutional because it’s way before fetal viability estimated at 24 to 28 weeks.
“Under Roe v. Wade, any pre-viability abortion ban is unconstitutional, so they would have to tinker with Roe v. Wade to do anything to ban abortion before viability,” Kathleen said.
Kathleen says the ruling could have a huge impact on other laws. Like the “heartbeat bill” recently passed in Texas that bans abortion as early as six weeks.
“About half the states in the country have some kind of abortion ban in place that could be upheld if the court upholds this Mississippi law,” Kathleen explained.
While there’s no way to know how the Supreme Court will vote, pro-life advocates are cautiously hopeful.
“Now we have a different U.S. Supreme Court,” Kathleen said. “The make-up is different, so there is some optimism and some hope that the court might uphold a pre-viability abortion ban.”
Of the 6-3 conservative majority, all six justices have taken positions against abortion in the past. That includes new justice, Amy Coney Barrett, who publicly spoke out against abortion.
Right now, most legal experts say that this case won’t be the final nail in the coffin for Roe, but it’ll be a major step in that direction.
A step in the right direction is a source of hope for pro-life advocates like Cathy Donohoe. Cathy is the president of the Bridge to Life, a support center for pregnant women in the Diocese of Brooklyn. She says she’s “absolutely thrilled” about the possibilities.
“It is our chance to stop abortion in our generation, in our lifetime,” Cathy explained, “all of these cuts, chopping away of the laws is good for us because so many more children can be saved.”
Currents News Staff
Last Sunday, Pope Francis asked pilgrims to pray for peace in the Holy Land, calling the deaths of children there unacceptable.
“Many people have been wounded and many innocent people have died. Among them children,” Pope Francis said. “This is terrible and unacceptable. Their death is a sign that they are not trying to build the future, but destroy it.”
That same day was the deadliest day in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, with 52 people killed last Sunday alone. One priest in Jerusalem, caught in the middle of the airstrikes and rocket attacks, described the situation in the holy city.
“It has been getting worse and worse,” said Juan Antonio Ruiz, from the Spanish Biblical and Archaeological Institute. “We have been hearing gunfire for three nights now, several missiles and bombings, and that is why we are very concerned. We don’t know what’s going to happen. There’s a lot of uncertainty.”
That fear and uncertainty is also felt by the most vulnerable: the children caught in the crossfire.
“It’s ok, it’s not near us, I promise!”
This clip, posted of a ten-year-old girl in Gaza, went viral.
“You see all of this. What do you expect me to do? Fix it? I am only 10,” said Gaza resident Nadine Abdullatief.
I can’t even deal with this anymore. I just want to be a doctor or anything to help all my people, but I can’t. I am just a kid.”
President Biden had a private call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, May 19, where he said he expected “a significant de-escalation.”
And on Thursday, May 20, the president spoke about the conflict.
“I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely, and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and democracy,” he said.
Over the past two weeks, at least 230 Palestinians, including 65 children, were killed and thousands more were injured. Israel reports 10 adults and two children were killed there.
The Diocese of Brooklyn is opening churches at full capacity.
Diocese of Brooklyn schools are seeing a boost in attendance, while others nationwide lose students.
Charities teaming up to host a pop-up food pantry– sharing a message of hope and inclusion.
The deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas – a shaky ceasefire now in effect.