Flickr user nrbelex Over the weekend, the Department of Investigation began a probe into allegations that Sanitation Workers not only staged a slowdown , but that some were drinking on the job when they should have been plowing the streets. Witnesses say a few workers bought beer at a Brooklyn bodega, and according to the Post , “DOI investigators immediately responded.” However, once they went to retrieve a surveillance video of the incident, they found it had been mysteriously “overridden.” The workers allegedly walked into Ocean Mini Mart on 18th Avenue on the evening of December 26th and bought six packs of Corona Light and Heineken Light, and were then hanging out outside and laughing. They then allegedly spent the night in their Sanitation vehicle with the heat on, and returned to the bodega in the morning to call their bosses and claim they ran out of gas. Investigators are currently “taking steps to reconstruct [the video]…and are attempting to identify the sanitation workers.” Perhaps the Sanitation workers erased it because they were too ashamed at being caught buying light beer? Meanwhile, there is more anecdotal evidence that the Sanitation slowdown was very much planned. Commenter whitecastlerock told us what happened on his Astoria block on December 28th: I left my apartment to run an errand, when I came back 15 minutes later, a whole convoy of sanitation trucks were lined up behind there fallen comrade-like a chain of mechanical elephants. Some of the locals were milling about while the sanitation crew stared at the stuck plow in dismay. They were trying to remove it from the truck itself. There was plenty of cursing and swearing. The other trucks just sat there doing nothing. 4 out of the 5 idling trucks did nothing-the crew remained inside. One of the other trucks was trying to aid with the plow removal. A local was also attempting to shovel out the back wheels of the stuck truck. I went back upstairs and kept hearing curses-around 11:30ish I heard a loud “FUCK YEAH!” with some hooting and hollering. Eventually the trucks backed up and drove off-leaving the wounded truck to fend for itself. It went in reverse and forward-finally freeing itself around 12:15. Would I classify this as a slowdown? Not really sure, but I failed to see the logic in all of those trucks just standing there doing nothing-considering 31st Ave and others were in shambles. Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association head Harry Nespoli has repeatedly said there was no slowdown, and told Good Day New York , “This workforce does not turn around and jeopardize the safety of the people in New York City. We perform under snow. We always have been and we are going to do the best we possibly can now to pick up this garbage.”

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What Happened To Video Of "Drunk" Sanitation Workers?

Image via Daily News video A horrific Sunday crash has left 9-month twins hospitalized. A livery cab crashed into a minivan that was double parked on Fourth Avenue near 44th Street in Sunset Park, and then the minivan crashed into a legally parked pickup truck. The truck was pushed onto the sidewalk, hitting little Gustavo and Daniel Machuca, whose family was getting them ready to get into the truck. The babies’ mom, Patricia Machuca, was also badly injured. According to the Daily News , she has “stitches and bruises snaking across her face.” But she’s most worried about her sons—Gustavo is in critical condition at Cohen Children’s Medical Center while Daniel is in stable condition at Lutheran—who she hasn’t been able to see yet, “I think the little one [Daniel] is okay, but to be honest, I’m not sure… They took one of them [Gustavo] to a different hospital. They needed to check him out, because he had a fracture in his skull.” She, the babies, and her husband had been visiting relatives in the Brooklyn neighborhood and were about to head back to Baltimore when the crash occurred. The livery cab driver was charged with “driving without a license, reckless driving and imprudent speed.”

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Baby Twins Remain Hospitalized After Car Crash

On November 13th, 2008, one Gilberto Blanco, a 45-year-old unemployed and homeless construction worker, got caught trying to break into a car in a church parking lot. When officers Dawn Ortiz and India Archie confronted Blanco, he allegedly came at them with a metal chair. They ordered Blanco to drop the chair in English and Spanish, but he continued to charge at them, and Oritz says that when he got within a foot from her she shot him dead . For their conduct that day, the NYPD’s Holy Names Society presented them with “Cop of the Year” awards, at a ceremony attended by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. But now, two years later, they face disciplinary action over the shooting. The Daily News reports that an NYPD review of the Brooklyn shooting found no violation of NYPD guidelines, but recommended retraining in “less-than-lethal devices dealing with persons with dangerous instruments.” When Ortiz and Archie refused to accept the discipline, which also came with penalties ranging from a verbal reprimand to the loss of up to 10 vacation days, they were brought up on more formal charges and now face a departmental trial. Meanwhile, Blanco’s estate has filed a civil lawsuit accusing Ortiz of “wanton disregard for the safety, health and well-being of the decedent.” The NYPD’s position is that the officers should have tried pepper spray and/or swung a baton before shooting. Over on the NYPD Rant chat room , one wag asks, “They didn’t offer a hug first before shooting? Shame on them!”

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Cops Face Trial For Not Pepper-Spraying Perp Before Shooting

A dangerous aerial sequence from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark [UPDATE BELOW] Actors’ Equity has issued a statement declaring that performances of the beleaguered $65 million Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark “will not resume until back-up safety measures are in place.” Or, as John Kerry might have put it, how do you ask an actor to be the last actor to die for a mistake? New York State Department of Labor inspectors are currently at the Foxwoods Theater, where the rock musical is performed, and DoL spokesman Leo Rosales tells us inspectors are carefully examining all the moving parts and cables, with a particular focus on the equipment involved in the accident last evening, when Spider-Man’s stunt double Christopher Tierney plummeted nearly thirty feet . We asked Rosales if he can recall any previous instance when the Department of Labor has intervened to shut down a Broadway production, and he told us, “The Department of Labor wouldn’t shut down a production, but if aerial maneuvers and equipment are deemed unsafe, we make sure they’re not used. We inspect amusement park rides across the state in the same way.” Rosales said inspectors are conducting a thorough investigation and are interviewing witnesses to determine what happened during last night’s accident. Broadway World reports that Tierney is in serious but stable condition, having broken several ribs during the fall. This is the fourth time that the Julie Taymor/Bono/Edge production, the most expensive musical in history, has had a brush with danger. Previously Natalie Mendoza, the female lead who plays new villainess Arachne, suffered a concussion after being hit by a rope and two actors have broken bones performing stunts. Update 5:08 p.m.: As long as there is an actor left standing with unbroken bones, the show must go on! A spokesman for the producers says tomorrow’s matinee has been postponed, but Taymor’s charnel house—always hungry for fresh marrow—will resume Wednesday night. In a statement, a spokesperson for Actors’ Equity Association says the union “worked today with the Department of Labor, OSHA and the production to determine that the cause of the accident at last night’s performance of Spiderman was, in fact, human error. Further protocols are now being implemented, including redundancies recommended by Equity, the DOL and OSHA, to address this situation as well as other elements of the production. Equity continues to vigilantly monitor the production for the safety of its members.”

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[UPDATE] Spider-Man Musical May Be Foiled by Actors’ Union

Photo via tud5000′s flickr As we mentioned in our indispensable newsletter this week, Rooftop Films was taking their show underground for the weekend. Their “Trapped in the Tunnel” event was to take place in the Atlantic Avenue tunnel , and would have included a tour by Bob Diamond as well as screenings of short films… but the FDNY has just put an end to the fun. (Perhaps calling the event “Trapped in the Tunnel” sent up some red flags.) The Rooftop Films folk have released a statement, saying: Unfortunately we must announce that late this evening we received a phone call from Battalion Chief Martorana of the New York Fire Department telling us that they were insisting that we cancel this weekend’s events in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association has been running tours in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel for years, and Rooftop had even assisted with a screening very similar to the one we had planned to hold this weekend back in August. None of the BHRA tours had been cancelled previously, and many thousands of people had attended various events in the tunnels, and as far as we understood there had been no incidents or conflicts with city agencies regarding these events. The event that we had planned was on the same scale as the tours, and we had been reassured that there would be no problems with city agencies so long as we were to stick to the safety parameters of the dozens of previous events. Unfortunately, the FDNY has informed us that at this time they do not feel that it is not safe for any number of people to have access to the tunnel. This came as a complete surprise to us, as we had every reason to believe the events were entirely legal and sanctioned. While we believe that the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is a valuable and historic New York City landmark, we also have a strong commitment to safety, and hope that arrangements can be made to reopen the Tunnel safely and legally so that it can again be enjoyed by all New Yorkers and visitors. Find out more about refunds for this weekend here . We’ve contacted Bob Diamond to find out if there is a threat of the tunnel tours being canceled in the future, and if National Geographic will still be able to film this weekend (as Carroll Gardens Patch points out, they were scheduled to)—we’ll update when we hear back. Recently Diamond has been trying to cut through the red tape and gain access to other parts of the historic tunnel that may house some hidden treasures.

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FDNY Shuts Down Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Event

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe is warning New Yorkers about one of winter’s many silent killers: ice. Don’t become a statistic, people, the ice doesn’t have to win! Not this year! That is, not if you follow the ice safety guidelines provided by Benepe (below) and exercise extreme caution (and/or less extreme common sense). While you probably won’t fall through the ice at Wollman Rink, you can AND WILL if you dare venture onto the thin ice coating ponds and lakes. Benepe says, “New York City’s parks are beautiful year-round, and we encourage everyone to enjoy winter activities, but our urgent message is: Stay off of the ice on our lakes and ponds. It has very suddenly become colder earlier than usual and park visitors must not venture onto a frozen water body unless they are explicitly notified by Parks & Recreation staff at a specifically designated area that it is safe for skating.” If the ice becomes strong enough (at least 6 inches thick), safe-skating areas will be marked, and with a ladder installed nearby in case of an emergency. Ice Safety Tips: Never go on frozen waters (unless clearly marked otherwise with official signs). Parents and caregivers should make sure children are never unattended near ice. If you hear cracking, lie down immediately to try to distribute your weight. If you witness someone falling through ice, never attempt to make a rescue by yourself. Call 911 and notify the proper authorities. Be sure to give the exact location and an account of the incident. While the parks department doesn’t touch upon frozen puddles—now is a good timeto remind you that it’s always nice to salt or sand slippery spots on the sidewalk… or film your fellow pedestrians falling and put the video on the internet. Your call!

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Parks Department Warns Against Winter’s Silent Killer: Ice

Do you know the city has a sheriff? Mayor Bloomberg doesn’t think you do, which is why he is extra exited to announce his appointment of new Sheriff Edgar Domenech. Bloomberg said , “Most people don’t realize that New York City has a sheriff. He does not ride around on a horse, carry a six-shooter and look for cattle rustlers, but as the city’s chief civil law enforcement officer, he really is vitally important to the safety and well-being of New York.” Well, if you wanted more people to be aware of the sheriff, you should probably give him a horse and a six-shooter. In case you don’t know, the city’s sheriff is responsible for things like collecting money or property due from a court judgment, assisting with evictions involving a court order and making different types of civil arrests at the order of the court. Domenech said at a press conference, “The Sheriff’s Office is often the unseen hand in the administration of justice in New York City and I look forward to working with the incredible team in place at the Sheriff’s Office to carry out that mission.” And from his record, Domenech seems willing to uphold the law at any cost. Domenech served as the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives until 2007, when he was demoted for raising questions about some allegedly questionable financial management. He said his whistleblowing “reinforced the importance that I believe management has to have in protecting the taxpayers.” Domenech will be replacing Sheriff Lindsay Eason, who announced his retirement in October. Now you know!

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Bloomberg Appoints City’s New Sheriff

The curtain wall of the hospital’s new patient pavilion boasts a blow of the hospital’s famous WPA murals (via J Schumacher ‘s flickr stream). The first thing Google suggests when you type in Harlem currently is “Harlem Hospital.” So of course locals would be upset at the rumors that the financially troubled hospital would be closing. So let’s be clear everybody: Harlem Hospital is not closing . It is just, like most hospitals these days, going through a tough time. To help squelch the rumors the Hospital held a town hall meeting last weekend and everyone was invited. Seriously, not only were State Sen. Bill Perkins and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer on hand but so was Rep. Charles Rangel (an admitted “Johnny-come-lately” to the concerns). The hospital’s executive director, Dr. John Palmer, reviewed the causes of Harlem Hospital’s troubles for the audience—which include the budget deficits in New York, Medicaid cuts in general and the hospitals disaffiliation with Columbia University (the two had been entwined since 1962)—summing up “as you reduce funds coming in and revenues coming in, you can no longer provide the staffing and services you need. Part of HHC’s plan is to reduce and consolidate services, preserve necessary medical services and create centers of excellence to improve the quality of care provision.” In the end though the core message seems to be “yes, the hospital is going through some pains right now but don’t worry. It isn’t going to be the next St. Vincent’s .

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The Harlem Hospital Is Not Closing, Repeat Not Closing

There was more pandemonium at Rikers last night when a fight broke out while correction officers tried to lock inmates into their cells for the night. CNN reports that fifteen corrections officers were injured (the Wall Street Journal puts the counts 16 ) but none of the injuries were life threatening. It’s unclear what started the fight, but a spokesman for the Corrections Officers’ Benevolent Association says the inmates started it. It’s unclear what injuries the inmates sustained, if any. The C.O. union also pins the blame on the budget cuts: “Correction officers are being violently attacked at the hands of inmates because they know that staffing levels are low, and the Department of Correction continues to cut posts, jeopardizing the safety and security of Correction Officers and inmates alike.”

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Rikers Island Melee Injures at Least 15 Correction Officers

Flickr user Idle Type According to an investigation by Barry L. Kluger, Inspector General of the MTA, a number NYC Transit supervisors forced maintainers to lie on vital signal inspection reports, threatening them with things like loss of overtime. But one signal maintainer argued that meeting the MTA’s exacting standards was just too hard . He told the Post , “Instead of five signals to inspect [in a shift], they would give you 15. There’s no way 15 could be done, but they would say you had to do it. It’s like you think your car is fine after going to the mechanic, but they never looked at it.” The fibbing came after the MTA began to face pressure to meet federal standards that call for railway switches and signals to be inspected monthly. The signals are used to keep appropriate space between trains, and a faulty signal could cause unnecessary delays or even a dangerous crash, like Washington D.C.’s June 2009 commuter-rail crash . High-earning Signal Department supervisor Tracy Bowdwin resigned a few weeks ago according to the Daily News , but the Post reports she was demoted following the scandal. All of the signals have since been reinspected and found safe, and Kluger thanked subway officials jumping on the case. “Because of the seriousness of the issue, rather than wait for the investigation to be completed, we’ve been providing NYC Transit with oversight on an ongoing basis,” he said , adding that officials acted with “prompt and immediate attention to ensure the safety and integrity of the signal system.” Straphangers weren’t to pleased to learn about the corner cutting. One said, “Of course anytime there are questions raised about safety, you have concerns…. You should be able to trust the people doing these jobs.” But this is the MTA we’re talking about—maybe the feds should have sent their own guys to do the job.

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Great: Officials Faked Thousands Of Subway Inspections