Neil A. Carousso produces NewsNation original “Kurt’s Country” – a celebration of country music and a slice of Americana with host Kurt Bardella.
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Republican Mayoral Candidate Fernando Mateo Says Public Safety is Key to NYC’s Recovery
By Lynda Lopez, WCBS Newsradio 880
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — In one month, New York City residents will head to the polls to vote in the mayoral primaries.
It’s likely that the winner of the Democratic primary will be the next mayor of New York City, but there are two Republican candidates vying for the job: Fernando Mateo and Curtis Sliwa.
For this week’s 880 Weekly Rewind, anchor Lynda Lopez spoke with Mateo, a 63-year-old Dominican Republic-born entrepreneur and activist for taxi drivers and bodega workers.
As crime rates rise in New York and the city mounts a recovery from the pandemic that has devastated the local economy, disproportionately hurting those in Black and Latino communities, Lopez asked Mateo what his priority would be to get the city back on track.
“Well the first thing we need to do is make our city safe,” Mateo said. “Public safety is the most important thing because no one can afford to live in a city that’s not safe. Businesses will not thrive, people will not go out, people will be afraid to commute to and out of the city, we will not have tourism.”
He said his first order of business would be “refunding the police” followed by “reforming bail reform.”
“And then making sure we get our law enforcement agency to work very closely to engage our communities, to engage the people in the communities, to become part of New York City’s people,” Mateo said. “Let’s not forget, cops are human beings like we are. They just wear a uniform and they go out to work to serve and protect, but they’re just like you and I. They’re parents, they’re brothers, they’re sisters, they have mothers, they’ve got fathers, they are part of what the fabric of New York City is all about. So it’s about getting them more to engage.”
Mateo said the NYPD hasn’t had leadership in seven and a half years.
“They haven’t had a mayor that backed them, they haven’t had a police commissioner that backed them, they’ve had no support in seven and a half years. So we’ve destroyed the fabric of public safety in New York City and we’ve gotta bring it back and I am the person to do that,” Mateo said. “I was able to work with the NYPD through many situations, cabbies getting killed — two and three a week, bodega owners being killed and robbed — five, 10 a day, and we were able to create programs that united both industries and brought them together to make our city a better city, a safer city and the Democratic administration has destroyed that in seven and a half years.”
For weeks, the MTA has publicly criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio for stalling their request for more police officers in the subway to combat a rash of violent attacks on riders.
The mayor on Monday announced he would be adding 250 uniformed officers underground, on top of the 3,000 already deployed throughout the system.
Some of the Democratic candidates are saying police have not been deployed effectively in the subways.
Lopez asked Mateo how police should be used to tackle this problem in the transit system.
“Read my words, because I’ve been saying this for three and a half months since I declared my candidacy — I will have two police officers in every train station platform throughout New York City. I will make sure that every subway platform becomes a safe haven for anyone that’s seeking refuge, help, or running away from a crime or a criminal. I Will make sure that there are zero victims in the train stations. 24/7, seven days a week, you will see two men or women in blue protecting anyone that enters those subway stations. We need police resources, we need to make sure that people are safe and how dumb can you be to defund the only agency that keeps New Yorkers safe.”
On the Democratic side, former New York City Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia is gaining momentum, rising in the polls and receiving a wave of recent endorsements, namely the editorial boards of the New York Times and the Daily News, as well as the Four Freedoms Democratic Club.
Lopez asked her if she credits those media endorsements for her rise in the polls.
Kathryn Garcia, 2021 New York City Mayoral Candidate and former New York City Sanitation Commissioner. “Our strategy has always been that we wanted to be peaking in May when the electorate really is paying attention. The endorsements have been fabulous, we are super thrilled to have gotten both the New York Times and the Daily News because the city really needs someone who knows how to get things done and can deliver on the vision,” Garcia said.
Turning to the current situation with the crime in the subways, Lopez asked Garcia what needs to be done to address the violence, other than injecting more police into the system.
“Well, first and foremost, we need to listen when the MTA says we’ve got a problem because that’s the city’s job. We’re in charge of making sure the subways are safe. It’s also true that we need to embedding mental health professionals with police so that they can address people who may be a danger to themselves or others,” Garcia said. “It is real, we have seen an increase in subway crime, and it has to be stopped because the subways are our arteries, they’re our life blood. we need to be on them so that we can get to work and get to school.”
Last month, the NYPD’s transit chief accused the MTA of “fearmongering” and said police statistics show crime is down 53% in the system, year-to-date.
Listen to The 880 Weekly Rewind with Lynda Lopez for in-depth reporting and deeper analysis of the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso for WCBS-AM New York.
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An ‘I Love NY’ Campaign for New Yorkers: Why NYC’s Recovery Will be a Team Effort
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York City is reopening, but the recovery will not be like turning on a light switch.
Despite large swaths of the economy given a green light to reopen, including sports, entertainment, culture and hospitality, there’s still much to learn about what the post-pandemic economy will look like.
The Center for an Urban Future, a non-partisan think tank that promotes local economic mobility, found technology jobs make up 40.1 percent of available positions in the city that pay more than $80,000 a year, doubling open jobs in New York’s financial industry.
“I fear the most for the lower wage workforce in New York City – many of whom are already disproportionately hurt because of the pandemic – people in restaurants, retail, nail salons, child care,” said Executive Director Jonathan Bowles on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight, sponsored by Dime Community Bank.
“A lot of them may be hurt by these structural issues like remote work,” he acknowledged.
Bowles also pointed out business travel may continue to suffer due to the convenience of remote meetings. That could hurt the hospitality sector as many businessmen and women patronize local establishments and attend Broadway shows when they’re in town.
That’s why he believes it will be up to New Yorkers to participate in their own city’s recovery by shopping local.
“New Yorkers have got to take on some of this responsibility,” Bowles told Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso.
He proposed an “I Love NY” campaign marketed towards New Yorkers rather than tourists to stir up Big Apple pride that has been a hallmark of the city’s resiliency and bravado through past crises.
“After 9/11, it almost felt like almost like a patriotic duty to go out and see a Broadway show. We got to make it like it’s a patriotic duty again to go out and support our small businesses more than before, because otherwise, a lot of them just aren’t going to hang on,” said Bowles.
The local business leader believes in New York’s recovery and sees the technology and healthcare industries growing as well as a variety of traditional hospitality businesses in the outer boroughs.
“We did a little analysis of new business formation in Brooklyn and found a significant increase,” he said. “Even compared to the months prior to the pandemic, new businesses are being formed and a lot of those are retail and restaurant businesses.”
Bowles calls that “encouraging” and believes foot traffic in those neighborhoods will remain elevated as a percentage of people will not return to city offices full-time. They’ll likely spend more money in their own communities.
That also means businesses will have to reinvent themselves and figure out ways to grow profit margins through parallel services.
See what it will take to get New York City moving again and the new types of businesses that are thriving on the 200th Small Business Spotlight episode above.
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Small Business Spotlight: Brooklyn Retailer Sees Sales Bump After Rent Negotiation
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Local retailers are hoping to see New York City’s tourism industry bounce back this summer and more commuters flocking to Big Apple office buildings. One Brooklyn owner was able to better position himself for increased foot traffic.
Douglas Grater, owner of Something Else, an apparel and home goods store with locations in Cobble Hill and Park Slope, told Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight, sponsored by Dime Community Bank, that the Cobble Hill store has taken the biggest hit because it relies on tourist foot traffic from Manhattan.
“I mean you have millions of tourists that maybe 10 years ago would walk across the Brooklyn bridge, take a picture, and then reverse themselves and walk right back. And now, with Brooklyn being so hot over the last 10 years, it’s really cool to continue on into Brooklyn and the flow takes them right into our shop, which is on Smith Street,” he said.
Something Else in Park Slope is in a residential neighborhood. Grater actually moved one block where he said he gets “70 percent more eye balls” on the store.
“That move was a magical move for us because it just put us on the corner of two major streets,” said Grater whose store is now on the corner of Union Street and 5th Avenue.
The 30-year retail veteran was able to negotiate with a small landlord at the new location who was willing to give him a reduced rent plus a break while non-essential businesses were shut down last spring.
“So we probably got three and a half months where we were able to move, build a new shop, get ready, and then, the second we were opened up, then that landlord started our lease,” Grater explained. “By getting out of the lease, I stopped the rent at the older store and by moving to the new store, I didn’t pay any rent.”
He says he “got lucky” because he was a good tenant. On the Small Business Spotlight, Grater advised other owners to be respectful to their landlords.
Another key to Grater’s success was liquidating old inventory and being patient, knowing the pandemic will not end overnight.
“Understand that it’s not a day-to-day or a week-to-week or a month-to-month situation; this is a 5 to 10 year plan all of a sudden,” he said.
Apparel sales at Something Else were down 30 percent before the pandemic and remained low in the last year, but now, clothing sales are increasing as New York State lifts COVID-19 restrictions.
“I’m seeing men and women starting to buy more fashionable products than just sweats and stuff,” Grater said. They’re looking to go out even in New York.
They’re dining, they’re eating outside, they’re preparing to look good. I think there’s a lot of people out there that say, ‘I need to meet a significant other and look good.’ And, I see it ticking up.”The third generation apparel business owner told Connolly and Carousso dress sales are rising along with fashionable tops for men and women. That was not the case a year ago. Candles have been the top selling home goods item at Something Else.
See advice for recovering in retail on the Small Business Spotlight video above.
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Global Citizen CEO talks ‘VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World’
By Lynda Lopez, WCBS Newsradio 880
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The first large-scale concert for a COVID-compliant audience will be televised on Saturday night.
“VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World” aims to improve equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
The COVID-19 vaccines have given a shot of hope for millions after an arduous year, but some nations are still far behind in the global fight.
The event will call on world leaders to step up for equitable distribution of the vaccines.
International advocacy organization Global Citizen, which is presenting the event, says more than $53 million has been raised so far in charitable and corporate commitments.
“When we set out on this initiative we partnered with the Ad Council and there was really two objectives. First thing was overcoming vaccine hesitancy by showing the power of science, showing that the vaccine is safe and effective, but the second thing we want to focus on was really ensuring vaccine equity,” Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans told WCBS 880’s Lynda Lopez. “So we’ve been calling on companies, calling on governments to step up in support of vaccine equity and donate dollars for doses or doses directly and I’m proud to tell you that through this campaign already, over 10 million doses have been committed to those who need it most.”
While watching the concert, fans who want to help the effort can visit GlobalCitizen.org/take-action.
“There’s two things they can do right now. They can actually donate doses directly, so for every $5 you contribute that’s one vaccine dose donated through COVAX which has also worked in partnership with UNICEF to get this vaccine to everyone on the planet,” Evans said. “But the second thing you can do is you can actually take action you can call on governments, call on the pharmaceutical companies to really step up and be more generous at this time because as French President Macron said every G7 nation should be donating right now at least 5% of their total vaccine dose to support those who need it most so we want to call on the G7 to step up.”
The U.S. government, for example, recently vowed to donate 60 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries in need.
VAX LIVE is part of Global Citizen’s year-long campaign to “end COVID-19 for all, end the hunger crisis, resume learning everywhere, protect the planet, and advance equity for all.”
“This has really been a yearlong effort for the organization focused not just on PPE, but then on vaccine development and now vaccine deployment and it’s been a whole-hearted commitment to make sure that the world can get back on track to eradicating extreme poverty within our lifetime,” Evans said.
VAX LIVE will be hosted by Selena Gomez and feature musical performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin and H.E.R.
“When J. Lo agreed to headline VAX LIVE she immediately said, ‘I’ve been passionate working with UNICEF for a long time and I want to see vaccine equity on the planet. I want to see that the Latinx community have access to the vaccine not just here in the United States, but in Latin America.’ So the only way we could do that is actually calling on governments to step up funding and so that partnership became critical to this advocacy effort,” Evans said.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are serving as Campaign Chairs of VAX LIVE and will deliver an important global message for vaccine equity during the event.
President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will also make a special appearance.
YouTube will stream an extended version of VAX LIVE on the Global Citizen channel for a full run-time of 90 minutes.
It will also air and livestream on on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App, at 8:00 PM ET/PT, 7:00 PM CT. The concert will also air on FOX at 11:00 PM ET/PT.
Evans also promises there will be a Global Citizen Festival in Central Park this summer.
Produced by Neil A. Carousso for The 880 Weekly Rewind hosted by Lynda Lopez. Listen to this week’s full show on the media player above.
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Small Business Spotlight: Social Missions Brew Business for Midtown Coffee Shop
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Bird & Branch Coffee Shop on 45th Street and 9th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan is brewing opportunity for those struggling to find work.
“It’s just in our face all the time like the great need that New Yorkers have and I just felt like what I did either helping out at a soup kitchen or giving money were just very small Band-Aids to a huge problem,” said owner Faith Lee on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight with Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso, sponsored by Dime Community Bank.
Faith and her husband Brandon opened the store four and a half years ago not for a love of coffee but out of a mission to help New Yorkers overcome barriers to employment. They train mostly younger workers on soft skills that are transferrable to careers in retail and hospitality. Currently, six people work at Bird & Branch – down from 13 pre-pandemic.
“We allow them to sort of go through that process without the pressure of having to perform at the level we ultimately want them to perform at, but allows them to sort of grow into that space and I think people need that time,” she explained.
Bird & Branch Coffee Shop was awarded a $10,000 grant through Newell Brands’ “Made For More” Small Business Fund for their commitment in helping to restore the city through their skills training program. The makers of Ball® home canning products selected 10 small businesses for the grant out of about 2,000 applicants in recognition of those who have gone above and beyond in their local communities. The winners receive the grant, public relations support and exposure on the Ball home canning brand’s social media.
Faith was an opera singer for 10 years and Brandon worked in event marketing before they got into the coffee business with the help of friends and family who wanted to invest in their social mission.
“We were talking about it a lot to just our friends, random people we met, and every one of our investors actually approached us about investing,” Lee said. “We never pitched anyone.”
Sometimes the most effective sales strategy is not outwardly selling but letting one’s passion for his or her business shine through.
Bird & Branch is seeing a gradual increase in foot traffic now that some people have returned to work in Midtown offices more than a year after the pandemic ravaged the Big Apple. Their customer base changed in the pandemic from mostly commuters to Manhattanites living nearby.
During the height of the pandemic, they collected donations for breakfast meals they prepared for hospital workers. Lee told Connolly and Carousso that a number of her customers started inquiring about similar care packages to send their loved ones.
“We just started shipping out these care packages, which include baked goods that we make in-house as well just some other fun things,” she said. “People have been down or they haven’t seen each other in so long they just wanted to send their friends something and that has really enabled us to stay alive as well.”
Bird & Branch’s business pivot led to a full-time, profitable service.
See how to grow a business with a social mission on the WCBS Small Business Spotlight video above.
