Author: Opastaff
Haitian investigators are looking into new allegations of child sex abuse against an American man who founded an orphanage for boys in Haiti’s capital decades ago and who successfully sued a Freeport, Maine, man for defamation this summer. Police with an arrest warrant searched unsuccessfully Friday for Michael Geilenfeld at a modest private residence in a mountainside community above Port-au-Prince and the nearby Wings of Hope home for about 30 physically and mentally disabled children and young adults. On its website, the facility says it is a “critical part” of Geilenfeld’s charitable organization. Geilenfeld and his North Carolina charity, Hearts…
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—Haitians voted for a new president this past Sunday. A run-off looms, but whoever wins will face overwhelming challenges. What’s worse, the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola, is threatening to expel hundreds of thousands of ethnic Haitians. They ultimately could spill over America’s borders. Haiti was liberated in 1804 but never developed into a stable, prosperous democracy. Haiti’s economic problems are severe. The nation’s per capita GDP ran $846 last year, making the former the poorest nation in the region. Even an honest and competent president will have a difficult time transforming Haiti. According to the…
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Declining to go into details about his Fourth of July fireworks accident, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul says he’s fortunate to be alive and that he will still be the “same JPP.” “It wasn’t frightening at all,” Pierre-Paul said as he met with reporters for the first time after having his right index finger amputated as a result of the accident. “I am not going to go into detail with it. It is something I do every year for the kids. … It just happened. I did it for six, seven years. I live…
This program examines Haiti’s history, sense of cultural expression, the current political situation, and hopes for the future. Produced by Ayiti Vizyon and SCAT. (Somerville, MA) Run time 28:00 Producer Ayiti Vizyon and SCAT Audio/Visual sound, color
In 2010 the earthquake hit Haiti. Quarter of a million people died. The world promised to help the Haitians rebuild a new and better country. Yet something happened that day that has left those promises and the future of Haiti hanging in the balance. On January the 12th, the day of the earthquake, the national penitentiary held 4,500 inmates – powerful gang leaders and hundreds of their foot soldiers, men accused of robbery, kidnapping and murder. Terrified prisoners, packed 300 to a cell, tore open the gates with their bare hands facing them with the prison guards. As daylight faded the guards…
In 2010 the earthquake hit Haiti. Quarter of a million people died. The world promised to help the Haitians rebuild a new and better country. Yet something happened that day that has left those promises and the future of Haiti hanging in the balance. On January the 12th, the day of the earthquake, the national penitentiary held 4,500 inmates – powerful gang leaders and hundreds of their foot soldiers, men accused of robbery, kidnapping and murder. Terrified prisoners, packed 300 to a cell, tore open the gates with their bare hands facing them with the prison guards. As daylight faded the guards…
In 2009, on the eve of the Compas Festival, rumors began swirling that Georgy would reunite with her former Zin bandmates for a nostalgic performance at the festival. These rumors turned out to be true, and Georgy delivered a memorable performance. The stage interactions hinted at a possible reconciliation, but ultimately, nothing materialized. The successful performance led Venus International Promotion to produce “Zin Reunited,” featuring Georgy and several other former Zin members. Despite the seamless execution of the event, off-stage dramas unfolded. Reports surfaced of Georgy behaving like a diva, throwing tantrums and deviating from prior agreements regarding her wardrobe,…
Starting Tuesday, New Yorkers applying for jobs won’t initially need to disclose if they’ve previously been convicted of a crime. The Fair Chance Act, which was introduced in City Council in 2014 by Council Member Jumaane Williams, passed by the council in June and signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in late July. The law, which the city said “strengthens provisions of the City’s Human Right Law,” allows employers to conduct a criminal background check only after they make a conditional job offer to a prospective employee. De Blasio said at the signings the “bill opens the door to jobs…
The NYPD has unofficially changed its blue uniform for the month of October showing a more compassionate side. NY1’s criminal justice reporter Dean Meminger says it’s a friendly competition within the department that’s addressing a deadly disease. If you’ve noticed a bunch of pink police vehicles around the city or officers trading in their standard uniforms for pink ones, it’s for a good cause. “I am a three time breast cancer survivor,” said NYPD Captain Maria Codd-Perez. “I was first diagnosed at the age of 28 in 1995, just after giving birth to my second child.” There are countless stories…