Seniors

Robert Tucker Sworn in as 35th Fire Commissioner of New York City

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Robert Tucker was appointed as the new fire commissioner of the FDNY and was sworn in on Aug. 12. He is the 35th person to hold the position. City officials said, previously, Tucker worked for the Queens DA’s office and was CEO of a private security and cyber intelligence company, T&M Protection Resources. They said he also worked at the FDNY, though never as a firefighter, served as secretary of the FDNY Foundation, and was also a past honorary fire commissioner. “I can think of no higher calling than serving as the fire commissioner for the City of New York,” he said.

New Protections Against Deed Theft Recently Became Law

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York Attorney General Letitia James reminded New Yorkers during the summer that a new law (S08306) establishing deed theft as a crime, and expanding the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) ability to prosecute deed theft, went into effect in mid-July.

AG James Warns of AI Generated Fake Videos Showing Celebrities Touting Investment Scams

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James issued an investor alert on Aug. 29, warning New Yorkers about scams luring potential investors with fake videos created with artificial intelligence (AI) that apparently show celebrities or wealthy business leaders touting investment schemes, which are actually fraudulent. James said the videos, known as deepfakes, often appear in social media feeds, digital ads, and messaging apps and are expected to fuel billions of dollars in fraud every year.

Norwood: Tenants at 3322 Decatur Avenue Launch Tenants Association

By SÍLE MOLONEY & ARIEL PACHECO
Tenants at 3322 Decatur Avenue in Norwood gathered in the first-floor reception area of their building on June 19 to discuss forming a tenants’ association and possible avenues to tackle what they said were “poor conditions” in the 122-unit building.

DOT Launches New “Daylighting” Pedestrian Safety Program at 33 Bronx Locations

By ARIEL PACHECO
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced on Sept. 3, that the NYC Department of Transportation has improved pedestrian visibility at 33 locations in The Bronx, using a technique called “daylighting” which removes obstructions, like parked cars, from intersections in an effort to enhance safety.