New York City Employees Mandated to Get COVID-19 Vaccine or Take Weekly Tests

By Jessica Easthope

The verdict is in, all New York City workers must get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. Major labor unions put out dueling statements in the aftermath of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement.

Most notably, District 37, the largest employee union in New York City was concerned they weren’t invited to the table ahead of the mayor’s announcement.

In a statement the District 37 leader Henry Garrido said, “While we encourage everyone to get vaccinated and support measures to ensure our members’ health and wellbeing, weekly testing is clearly subject to mandatory bargaining. New York City is a union town and that cannot be ignored.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Education was largely supportive of the plan, despite not receiving a heads up.

The United Federation of Teachers released a statement saying, “This approach puts the emphasis on vaccination but still allows for personal choice and provides additional safeguards through regular testing.”

Currents News hasn’t received a response from any of the NYPD unions yet, but the FDNY EMS workers slammed the move, noting that the FDA still hasn’t given any final approvals for COVID-19 vaccines.

Local teachers and their families were also divided on the issue. “I feel like it should be the same as a religious freedom, that you choose your own faith and what you believe in,” said Christine Hooper, the parent of public-school student.

“It’s not like you have freedom to say and do what you want, not in a pandemic, we need vaccines and if not you need to be tested weekly,” said Robert Kleppel, a DOE science teacher for 39 years.

The mandate will affect more than 300,000 people and go into effect on September 13 for the start of the school year.

Currents News Update for Tuesday, 7/27/21

All New York City workers must get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

And now so is the dissent – major labor unions putting out dueling statements in the aftermath of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement.

Bishops and priests who once called Cuba home sent a video message of support to the island’s protestors. They are all seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of the country.

An update on our local Catholic Olympian whose story we brought to you last week. Kristine O’Brien from Long Island and eight others of her crew won their first rowing match, beating out Romania and Australia. Now it’s time for finals, coming this Thursday.

Ukrainian Archbishop Says His Country Fears Possible Russian Invasion

Currents News Staff

In Ukraine, people fear the worst. The war that began in 2014 has already left two million internally displaced people and a devastating economic crisis. Though the last months have been less violent, Russia has increased its military presence along the border.

“The violence has decreased somewhat in intensity, but blood is still being shed. Every day, we receive news of more soldiers dying. I must say that in Ukraine, people fear a new direct invasion by the Russian army,” said Abp. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The leader of the country’s main Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, says the people are afraid. They fear losing everything to the war.

“We asked ourselves what we could do in this situation. And I was struck by the response of a Protestant. He was a brother from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He said, ‘Even if we lose everything, we are willing to give up everything except our faith in God,’” said Shevchuk.

For Shevchuk, the example set by Christians during the Soviet occupation remains very relevant today.

“I was fortunate enough to meet priests from the underground Church who were willing to die for their faith. They were put in jail two or three times. Tortured. But when they were let go, they continued to carry out their pastoral work,” he added.

It doesn’t seem that tensions with Russia will end anytime soon. And challenging times are coming. That’s why the Major Archbishop hopes that the Christian community will not lose sight of the example set by their predecessors during the Soviet occupation.

NYC Weekend of Violence: Off Duty Firefighter and Man Beat in Separate Attacks in Queens & Brooklyn

By Jessica Easthope and Alexandra Moyen

Violence continued to stalk the streets of New York City last weekend, with two incidents happening two days apart.

A man riding a Citi Bike was caught on camera assaulting and robbing a 68-year-old man Saturday morning.

The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked, before the suspect rode off with his cellphone and jewelry. He was hospitalized for treatment of a broken nose and broken wrist.

The night before, on Friday, an off-duty firefighter said he was swarmed and attacked by at least “100 kids” while walking his dog in Juniper Valley Park in Queens.

The Police Department has released images of three teenagers suspected of participating in the vicious attack, and are asking anyone with any information to step forward.

So far, no suspects have been identified or arrested.

According to NYPD officials, the anonymous 44-year-old victim, who was not identified, approached the group, concerned about the noise they were making. The conversation then escalated in a “physical encounter with multiple individuals kicking and punching the victim about the body, before he was able to flee the scene.”

Before the attack concluded, the firefighter told authorities, he was hit on the back of the head with a bottle, causing him to let go of his dog. The dog was eventually moved away from the mob by a good Samaritan. The beating stopped and the victim was able to escape his attackers once an ambulance showed up to the scene.

He sustained bruising and cuts from the attack — which one of the attackers reportedly called “fight night,” — but refused medical attention.

According to the NYPD, the overall crime index in New York City rose 22% May 2021 compared to May 2020, and in June 2021, the overall crime index in the city rose 3.1% compared to June 2020. There are currently no city crime statistics for July 2021, but New Yorkers say they are already seeing an uptick in crime.

Currents News Update for Monday, 7/26/21

It was a violent weekend in New York City. The NYPD is on the hunt for suspects involved in two brutal attacks in Brooklyn and Queens.

Get the shot or get tested every week – a new mandate from Mayor Bill de Blasio is now expanded to all city employees.

The Pope is praying for the people of China after record-breaking rainfall flooded the country last week.

Pope Francis also asked for applause in celebration of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday, 7/23/21

The Tokyo Olympics kick off with strict COVID protocols – two Catholic athletes share their experience.

Police are on the hunt for the woman who destroyed two statues at a Queens church.

Bishop DiMarzio outlines how you can stay connected to your faith and still have fun.

A Look at the Tokyo 2020 Venues From the Skies Above

Japan spent billions of dollars to prepare for these summer games, including $1.5 billion on its Olympic Stadium.

Then came the pandemic, and most venues were suddenly closed to Olympic spectators.

Hosting the Tokyo 2020 summer games is a massive logistical challenge.

There are almost 70,000 seats in that stadium, but nearly all of them are empty.

Japan is enforcing the Olympics first ever spectator ban creating a dramatically scaled down opening ceremony. Organizers say only about 950 VIPs are attending, including U.S. First Lady Jill Biden.

Police have also shut down surrounding roads and even fenced off the perimeter.

For everyday folks, this is their only shot at seeing the Olympics up close.

Public opinion polls show the Japanese overwhelmingly don’t want the games to go forward, but you wouldn’t know it looking at the long lines of people who are waiting to take selfies in front of the olympic rings.

The Olympic bubble is to protect athletes from COVID-19, but a small and growing number of athletes are testing positive even inside the Olympic village.

Athletes are tested for COVID daily and are asked to arrive five days before competing and leave two days after.

Most of the Olympic venues are here in Tokyo. Japan invested billions only to have fake crowd noise echoing through all those empty stands.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday, 7/22/21

Who will be NYCHA’s savior? Priests on the streets of New York are calling for change.

Bishops around the country and the president are calling on Congress to act to save dreamers.

Bishop DiMarzio’s golf outing is raising money for hospital chaplains.

NYCHA Residents with Mold, Leaks and Cockroaches Have Little Faith the City’s Next Mayor Can Fix It

By Jessica Easthope

“It’s been a year and a half since I had a sink,” said the NYCHA resident who didn’t want her name to be used.”

You read that right – she hasn’t had a sink or kitchen cabinets in more than 600 days.

“It’s stressful, I already deal with depression and anxiety and it’s just an overload on top of that, it’s hard, it’s hard, what am I supposed to do,” she said.

A leak on the floor above her’s in the Gompers Houses on the Lower East Side forced maintenance to rip out everything, and the not-so-temporary slop sink they gave her – just adds to the problem.

“Look you see, it leaks and you wash dishes or do anything and you have to keep dumping out the cup,” she said.

This happened just days after her gas was restored – that was out for over a year. NYCHA’s solution – a hot plate she was forced to use to make food for her two children, one is in a wheelchair.

“I want to put in for a transfer, but I need to be close to his hospitals and I don’t know where they’d send me,” she said. “It’s a struggle every day, every day.”

She pays $1,200-a-month for this space, despite the cockroach infestation. And she’s not the only one with complaints.

“It’s very sad that often times people live in very tough, trying situations, these are life issues, it’s quality of life but it’s life,” said Father Thomas McNamara.

Father Tom works with hundreds of residents, and he says the neglect is out of control. According to a report from Citizens Budget Commission within ten years 90 percent of NYCHA housing will have deteriorated to an extent that it wouldn’t be cost effective to repair them.

The resident we met today says the city has let her fall through the cracks, and she doesn’t have faith any official could help.

“Things are supposed to be changing with housing that they keep promising, I don’t have too much faith in the next mayor,” she said.

Back in 2014, NYCHA lost a federal lawsuit that mandated it to fix any issues that violate federal health and safety regulations.

Father Edward Mason, who also advocates on behalf of residents, believes the problem may just be too vast.

“It’s too large but the agreement is still in place, and we continue to just have to hold NYCHA’s hand to the fire to get these repairs done for people,” said Fr. Mason.

Currents News reached out to NYCHA both about the apartment we visited today and general neglect across the city, but our requests for comment have not been answered.

Catholic and Political Leaders Condemn DACA Ruling While Fighting for Dreamers

By Emily Drooby

“Appeal the case, number one, but number two, we’re going to make sure that a number of my Republican colleagues say they support the right of Dreamers to come,” said President Joe Biden.

He was explaining his plan of attack, fighting for the deferred action for childhood arrivals policy – also known as DACA.

The program delays deportation to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as kids. Also known as dreamers.

Biden: “Your mommy or your dad says, I’m going to take you across the Rio Grande and we’re going to illegally going to go into the United States. What are you supposed to say no it’s against the law? I’m no I’m being, I’m being deadly earnest. What could the kids say? What could they do?”

On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris met with dreamers to further discuss the issues.

There are 600,000 active recipients in the country – 26,000 of them in New York and 1.8 million who are DACA-eligible.

Last Friday, a federal judge out of Texas found DACA to be unlawful, blocking the Biden Administration from approving new applications into the program.

It’s the most recent battle in a long war against the program.

Catholic leaders joining the fight for immigration reform.

The USCCB writing, “As a Church, we recognize the inherent, God-given dignity of every human person, regardless of immigration status. Therefore, we will continue to call for comprehensive immigration reform that preserves family unity, honors due process, respects the rule of law, recognizes the contributions of foreign-born workers, defends the vulnerable, and addresses the root causes of migration, consistent with the common good.”

Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington doubling down on that statement during a press conference Wednesday.

He said, “When the loss of these rights, forces individuals to migrate to other lands, we must welcome them, protect them, and generously share our abundance with them.”

“That vicious, brutal court decision on DACA I was furious, I was frustrated, another slap in the face,” said New York senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

While joining Cardinal Gregory to fight for Dreamers, he added, “We are going to do everything we can to provide a pathway to citizenship for the dreamers and many others.”