On July 2, 2022, my life changed forever. My youngest child, Justin Baerga, was shot and killed in Richmond Hill, Queens, at his own birthday party. I had just passed by to drop off my homemade empanadas, his favorite, when a group of young men ambushed them. Three people were shot, but only my son’s injuries were fatal. He was just 24 years old.
New York levies a mandatory surcharge on every criminal conviction, whether it’s for a violation, a misdemeanor or a felony. In some cases, court fees can add up to hundreds of dollars, and critics say the levies fall disproportionately on the backs of low-income residents. A proposed bill would eliminate them.
“We don’t need more police incarceration; we need a brand new mental health system with the accompanying resources required to make it work once and for all,” notes Jim Anderson, MSPAS, PA-C.
A federal judge on Friday scheduled a Monday afternoon hearing for the first legal challenge against Mayor Eric Adams’ recent directive to start forcibly