Latest news with #Alterman
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Prosecutor looks into alleged overtime padding by NJ Transit police
An investigation into whether some NJ Transit police officers and supervisors falsified reports and padded overtime is being conducted by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The prosecutor's professional standards bureau is conducting the probe, said spokeswoman Carmen Martin. She did not provide more detail. exclusively reported in August that NJ Transit's internal affairs department was investigating a number of patrolmen, sergeants and lieutenants from the Newark Penn division for allegedly no-show court appearances and falsifying police reports in order to gain more overtime pay. The alleged scheme largely took place in 2021, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation who works at NJ Transit's Police Department and spoke to last person's name was withheld because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the investigation. In January, requested the summary and findings report from the internal affairs investigation, which can be made public in certain circumstances thanks to a 2022 directive authored by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin Antoinette Lejano, of NJ Transit's Open Public Records unit, denied the request on March 4, saying "there is no applicable law or court order mandating release of the requested records, nor has the County Prosecutor or Attorney General directed release of the requested records." When asked if the Attorney General's office or Essex County Prosecutor's Office would direct the release of the records, both responded that they do not get involved in the outcome of Open Public Records Act requests at an outside agency. However, the request was not filed under OPRA, but rather the common law right of access. On Friday, parent company, Gannett, sued NJ Transit for the records. Stuart Alterman, an attorney for the NJ Transit Policemen's Benevolent Association, said the allegations are "categorically denied." Alterman said there are some "matters that are outstanding," but did not know about the Essex County investigation. "These officers have already voluntarily cooperated with transit authorities and provided statements," Alterman said. "I can tell you with extreme certainty there were no violations of policy, procedure or any laws conducted by any of the police officers that are involved in this case." Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesman, declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. This article originally appeared on Alleged overtime padding by NJ Transit police investigated
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New CEO/president Igor Alterman says Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is ‘the future of the Jewish people'
After the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel, Igor Alterman felt a deep sense of meaning and a strong sense of accountability — feelings he carries with him into his new position as the CEO and president of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. 'It became very clear that Oct. 7 changed everything,' Alterman says. 'It reminded us that Israel's security is not just an Israeli issue, it's a Jewish issue. Under my leadership here, our federation will continue to provide unwavering support, mobilized resources and solidarity for Israel and its people.' Having been appointed in February, Alterman says he has already begun to lead the federation into a new era. He is known for having an entrepreneurial approach to his work, or in his words, 'I disrupt.' 'I am a millennial,' adds the 41-year-old Alterman. 'There aren't that many of us leading the federations and I want to make sure we adapt. The idea of federated giving is very different from the world we live in now, so for us, in order to be compelling, we have to be sure we are speaking to the people who can be excited about us and will respond in a meaningful and thoughtful way.' With the fight to combat antisemitism at the top of his list — Alterman says that antisemitism right now in America is critical for the federation's mission — he points to philanthropy and community engagement as keys to his success. The federation has a unique partnership between lay leaders and professionals, creating a large organization of community members. This allows for outward involvement that Alterman coins as the 'secret sauce' for locals to find engagement and meaning in their Jewish life and local community. There is also the financial aspect, something Alterman does not shy away from. 'Philanthropy is not just a charity, it's an investment in the Jewish future,' he says. 'We must think bigger, act bolder and reimagine how we inspire philanthropy to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. The community makes it possible, and the federation makes it happen.' As Alterman leads the federation, he is focused on that community, one that has seen a generational shift as of late. 'With the resources and unique character of Jewish Boca and the influx of young families, this notion of Boca being G-d's waiting room is far behind us,' Alterman says. With more families moving into South Florida than ever before, Alterman hopes to provide a welcoming and vibrant Jewish home for them despite the current state of the world. Whether families are searching for Jewish day schools for their young children or young adults are looking for opportunities for professional development, Alterman wants the federation to be their resource. 'There is no better organization than the federation to create that structure because we have the scale and access and opportunities,' he says. The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County bills itself as the largest Jewish campus in the country — its 100-acre Boca Raton campus has K-12 schools, residential living, the Center for Jewish Engagement, and more — and is already a hub for many Jews in the area. And, as Jewish families move into areas beyond West Boca, like Delray Beach and East Boca, Alterman wants to ensure that their questions are answered and they know where to turn when they want to engage in Jewish life. Alterman was born and raised in the former Soviet Union. When he was growing up, there was a big push for Russian-speaking Jews to experience a meaningful Jewish life. This allowed Alterman access to programs and education that centered around Judaism. He attended Hebrew Union College in Ohio, earning master's degrees in both Religious Education and Nonprofit Management. After leaving Russia in 2008, Alterman and wife Olga Zelzburg Alterman, who also works with Jewish nonprofit groups, eventually found a home in South Florida, where he worked for the University of Miami Hillel. After that, he took a position as president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, searching for a strong Jewish community that was in need of guidance. He ended up spearheading that federation into a post-Oct. 7 era. 'For the first time in a generation, American Jews all felt a little bit uneasy. We have this perception that this will never happen in America and, all of a sudden, we started seeing horrible scenes at college campuses and in general antisemitism spiked through the roof,' he says. 'That's where the federation was so integral.' Alterman created communal gatherings, commissioned a strict security infrastructure to ensure the safety of Jewish day-school students, and raised almost $1 billion in just seven months to go back into the community. More importantly, though, he created a space for his community to find strength and comfort. His return to South Florida was much-awaited, he says, and after years building his career, Alterman and his family (he and his wife have two children, ages 9 and 11) are happy to be back. 'It's the best place to live,' he says. 'We are very much South Florida people. We love the lifestyle.' Now, he's looking to expand efforts beyond the steps of the federation and provide outlets for the Jewish community to, once again, find joy in being Jewish. Plans to develop intellectual entertainment are in the works, as are new ways for young adults to come together as a community and create friendships that will grow with them and last forever. 'The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is the future of the Jewish people,' he says. 'It will become the blueprint of the Jewish community and I'm so excited.'
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Yahoo
Senior Alert issued for missing man out of Chesapeake
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia State Police has issued a Senior Alert on behalf of the Chesapeake Police Department. Jay Alterman, 74, was last seen today, Feb. 16, 2025, around 8:45 a.m. in the 1100 block of Fairways Drive in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake. He has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and does not have his necessary medication, raising urgent concerns for his well-being. Alterman is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 176 pounds, with gray hair. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt layered over a flannel shirt and blue jeans. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Alterman's whereabouts to contact the Chesapeake Police Department at (757)382-6161. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or by visiting Additionally, residents can share information via the P3TIPS APP on their smartphones. Callers will not be asked to provide their names or testify in court, and those whose tips lead to an arrest or recovery of property may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,500. The police emphasize the importance of community involvement in helping reunite Alterman with his loved ones. Residents are encouraged to stay vigilant and report any sightings or information that could assist in his safe return. If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting and submitting a tip. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
08-02-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump has put America's allies in an impossible position. That might be where he likes them
For two weeks, America's friends held their tongues. Since his inauguration President Donald Trump had enjoyed a steady stream of warm words — and very little criticism — from leaders in Europe and the Anglosphere who, privately, might bristle at the noise and bombast he brings to the White House. But that accord was never bound to last, and it shattered this week after Trump unleashed perhaps his most provocative foreign policy idea yet: taking Gaza under American control, relocating its Palestinian population, and redeveloping the enclave into the 'Riviera of the Middle East.' The suggestion seemed to shred in an instant decades of Western policy-making, darting away from a 'two-state solution' model that had been long-established, if glaringly elusive in terms of progress. Nations rushed to reject it. America's allies in the region reacted with disbelief and concern about the impact the call would have on live diplomatic efforts, particularly the ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Palestinians have expressed dismay at the prospect of leaving their homeland. In Europe, where the United States usually enjoys less complicated relationships, leaders varied in tone but were clear in their stance: They do not support this. Still, Trump has left America's partners in a difficult spot. Criticizing the US is a last resort for many leaders – doing it so early in a presidential term is fraught with downsides. 'My read is that they're all gobsmacked. They didn't see it coming,' Jon B. Alterman said of America's allies. Alterman, a former US State Department official, is now the director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. There are wider, more diffuse reverberations too. Trump's history of haphazard geopolitical interventions has already threatened to ideologically isolate the United States, bit by bit, among its global allies. His remarks on Gaza – whether they represent an idea, a plan, or something inbetween – may accelerate that process. 'This administration has not only an instinct but an appetite to be disruptive,' Alterman said. He predicted 'a much deeper soul-searching in Europe, about how it wants to engage with a United States that is much more self-absorbed, and much less committed to supporting a multilateral system.' Most Western nations are cautious of the unpredictability Trump brings to the White House, but they were more prepared for his second election win than his first. They expected a test like this. And their responses to Trump's Gaza plan highlighted how they might more broadly tackle Trump 2.0. The United Nations was robust, its secretary-general warning Trump against 'ethnic cleansing.' France said the proposal would constitute 'a serious violation of international law.' (The forced removal of a population is prohibited by the Geneva Convention.) Spain's foreign minister told radio station RNE that 'Gazans' land is Gaza.' In Western Europe, only Dutch far-right figurehead Geert Wilders broke ranks to endorse the plan. 'Let Palestinians move to Jordan. Gaza-problem solved!' he wrote on X. German President Walter Steinmeier said the suggestion was 'unacceptable,' and the country's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said it would 'lead to new suffering and new hatred.' 'As a career diplomat, my job was always to explain the interests of the US government in the best light possible. President Trump made that a tougher job,' Eric Nelson, Trump's former ambassador to Bosnia and later the associate director of the German-American Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Munich, told CNN. 'It was very hard to anticipate what he was going to do next.' 'In Germany, the government reaction is as expected: they're very dismissive,' he noted. An upcoming federal election has increased the incentive for the beleaguered German government to condemn Trump, who is widely unpopular in the country and across Western Europe. It is a dynamic Trump's team will be relaxed about. 'They're not going to expect Western capitals to break out in a chorus of 'me too, sign us up!',' said Nathan Sales, Trump's former Coordinator for Counterterrorism. 'We don't have to agree with our friends 100% of the time.' Besides, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government have little incentive to hold back: they likely won't be in power next month to clear up the mess. But criticizing the US president is not easy for everyone. Take Britain. America's steadfast ally is desperate for a productive relationship with Trump, and early signs indicate that a charm offensive from Prime Minister Keir Starmer is paying off. Trump said this week that Starmer had been 'very nice,' and hinted the United Kingdom could avoid the tariffs he has threatened for the European Union. That is a monumental carrot for a British leader looking everywhere for a kickstart to economic growth. Yet those bridges are built on sand. London is acutely aware that an ill-judged remark could upend months of work to appease Trump. At the same time, Starmer knows the pitfalls of appearing subservient to an American president; it's exactly what he once launched barbs at Conservative prime ministers for. That conundrum forces some delicate wordcraft. 'On the issue of Gaza, Donald Trump is right,' Starmer's Foreign Secretary David Lammy told reporters in Ukraine this week, reciting the part of his answer intended for an audience of one. 'Looking at those scenes, Palestinians who have been horrendously displaced over so many months of war, it is clear that Gaza is lying in rubble.' The rest was meant for everyone else: 'We have always been clear in our view that we must see two states and we must see Palestinians able to live and prosper in their homelands in Gaza.' A Labour MP told CNN he and his colleagues were 'aghast' by Trump's suggestion. But he said there were too many factors – including a live ceasefire and a key trade relationship – to warrant criticizing the president publicly. The MP said he had 'a lot of sympathy with (Starmer)' as he tries to '(keep) the relationship as positive as possible.' 'Hard-balling allies is certainly an odd foreign policy approach,' the lawmaker added of Trump. 'Will he do it with enemies?' As with most of Trump's more provocative comments, his Gaza proposal was simultaneously derided and analyzed at home and abroad for hints of strategy. Those familiar with his thinking suggested that tossing out an unpalatable benchmark could – whether by design or not – create an urgency among America's allies to come up with something better. 'He enjoys keeping people in reactive mode,' Nelson said. 'We've seen this play from President Trump many times before … this is the art of the deal,' Sales added. 'Most Western allies of the US are stuck in a rut when it comes to thinking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… in the first term, the Trump administration recognized that that path was a dead end.' But if unlocking an intractable diplomatic stalemate was the plan, it comes with risks that America's allies will not welcome. 'Sometimes when you unfreeze things, you can unleash forces that are much more negative than you can even begin to contemplate,' Alterman said. Among them is an American isolation on global issues that would create a vacuum of international leadership. 'A number of countries are going to feel that they need a different relationship with Russia and China,' Alterman warned. 'Partly so that they don't rely on the United States, (and) partly because they don't see the moral benefits of having a close relationship with the United States.' That danger is heightened in the context of Trump's moves to sanction, exit or criticize international agencies, and to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID). 'People are confusing USAID with a charity,' Nelson said. 'Americans are among the most charitable people in the world. But making strategic investments is an important way for us to support our friends and expand our influence.' This won't be the last geopolitical rupture between Trump and Europe. Many are already eyeing possible negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine with interest; Trump has previously suggested ceding Ukrainian land to Moscow, and officials in NATO countries have long feared he may go public with a proposed arrangement that leaves Kyiv and European capitals scrambling. They will seek to diffuse those fears next week, when several members of Trump's inner circle – including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine-Russia envoy Keith Kellogg – are expected to travel to the Munich Security Conference in Germany. 'I would hope that the administration would pursue a more balanced and calculated approach to Ukraine,' Nelson said. 'One hopes that Trump would be very much relying on expert advice' on that conflict, he added. On more issues than one, Trump's global honeymoon appears to be over. And if Western countries needed a reminder of the tumult he can inject into global affairs, they have it. 'The Biden administration tried very hard to be reliable and predictable' on the world stage, Alterman said. 'The Trump administration has exactly the opposite instinct.'
Egypt Independent
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Trump has put America's allies in an impossible position. That might be where he likes them
London CNN — For two weeks, America's friends held their tongues. Since his inauguration President Donald Trump had enjoyed a steady stream of warm words — and very little criticism — from leaders in Europe and the Anglosphere who, privately, might bristle at the noise and bombast he brings to the White House. But that accord was never bound to last, and it shattered this week after Trump unleashed perhaps his most provocative foreign policy idea yet: taking Gaza under American control, relocating its Palestinian population, and redeveloping the enclave into the 'Riviera of the Middle East.' The suggestion seemed to shred in an instant decades of Western policy-making, darting away from a 'two-state solution' model that had been long-established, if glaringly elusive in terms of progress. Nations rushed to reject it. America's allies in the region reacted with disbelief and concern about the impact the call would have on live diplomatic efforts, particularly the ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Palestinians have expressed dismay at the prospect of leaving their homeland. In Europe, where the United States usually enjoys less complicated relationships, leaders varied in tone but were clear in their stance: They do not support this. Still, Trump has left America's partners in a difficult spot. Criticizing the US is a last resort for many leaders – doing it so early in a presidential term is fraught with downsides. 'My read is that they're all gobsmacked. They didn't see it coming,' Jon B. Alterman said of America's allies. Alterman, a former US State Department official, is now the director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. People walk past the rubble of collapsed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip. Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images There are wider, more diffuse reverberations too. Trump's history of haphazard geopolitical interventions has already threatened to ideologically isolate the United States, bit by bit, among its global allies. His remarks on Gaza – whether they represent an idea, a plan, or something inbetween – may accelerate that process. 'This administration has not only an instinct but an appetite to be disruptive,' Alterman said. He predicted 'a much deeper soul-searching in Europe, about how it wants to engage with a United States that is much more self-absorbed, and much less committed to supporting a multilateral system.' Trump vs. Europe Most Western nations are cautious of the unpredictability Trump brings to the White House, but they were more prepared for his second election win than his first. They expected a test like this. And their responses to Trump's Gaza plan highlighted how they might more broadly tackle Trump 2.0. The United Nations was robust, its secretary-general warning Trump against 'ethnic cleansing.' France said the proposal would constitute 'a serious violation of international law.' (The forced removal of a population is prohibited by the Geneva Convention.) Spain's foreign minister told radio station RNE that 'Gazans' land is Gaza.' In Western Europe, only Dutch far-right figurehead Geert Wilders broke ranks to endorse the plan. 'Let Palestinians move to Jordan. Gaza-problem solved!' he wrote on X. German President Walter Steinmeier said the suggestion was 'unacceptable,' and the country's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said it would 'lead to new suffering and new hatred.' 'As a career diplomat, my job was always to explain the interests of the US government in the best light possible. President Trump made that a tougher job,' Eric Nelson, Trump's former ambassador to Bosnia and later the associate director of the German-American Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Munich, told CNN. 'It was very hard to anticipate what he was going to do next.' 'In Germany, the government reaction is as expected: they're very dismissive,' he noted. An upcoming federal election has increased the incentive for the beleaguered German government to condemn Trump, who is widely unpopular in the country and across Western Europe. It is a dynamic Trump's team will be relaxed about. 'They're not going to expect Western capitals to break out in a chorus of 'me too, sign us up!',' said Nathan Sales, Trump's former Coordinator for Counterterrorism. 'We don't have to agree with our friends 100% of the time.' Besides, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government have little incentive to hold back: they likely won't be in power next month to clear up the mess. But criticizing the US president is not easy for everyone. Take Britain. America's steadfast ally is desperate for a productive relationship with Trump, and early signs indicate that a charm offensive from Prime Minister Keir Starmer is paying off. Trump said this week that Starmer had been 'very nice,' and hinted the United Kingdom could avoid the tariffs he has threatened for the European Union. That is a monumental carrot for a British leader looking everywhere for a kickstart to economic growth. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is desperate for a productive relationship with Trump. Benjamin Cremel/Reuters Yet those bridges are built on sand. London is acutely aware that an ill-judged remark could upend months of work to appease Trump. At the same time, Starmer knows the pitfalls of appearing subservient to an American president; it's exactly what he once launched barbs at Conservative prime ministers for. That conundrum forces some delicate wordcraft. 'On the issue of Gaza, Donald Trump is right,' Starmer's Foreign Secretary David Lammy told reporters in Ukraine this week, reciting the part of his answer intended for an audience of one. 'Looking at those scenes, Palestinians who have been horrendously displaced over so many months of war, it is clear that Gaza is lying in rubble.' The rest was meant for everyone else: 'We have always been clear in our view that we must see two states and we must see Palestinians able to live and prosper in their homelands in Gaza.' A Labour MP told CNN he and his colleagues were 'aghast' by Trump's suggestion. But he said there were too many factors – including a live ceasefire and a key trade relationship – to warrant criticizing the president publicly. The MP said he had 'a lot of sympathy with (Starmer)' as he tries to '(keep) the relationship as positive as possible.' 'Hard-balling allies is certainly an odd foreign policy approach,' the lawmaker added of Trump. 'Will he do it with enemies?' The next fight As with most of Trump's more provocative comments, his Gaza proposal was simultaneously derided and analyzed at home and abroad for hints of strategy. Those familiar with his thinking suggested that tossing out an unpalatable benchmark could – whether by design or not – create an urgency among America's allies to come up with something better. 'He enjoys keeping people in reactive mode,' Nelson said. 'We've seen this play from President Trump many times before … this is the art of the deal,' Sales added. 'Most Western allies of the US are stuck in a rut when it comes to thinking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… in the first term, the Trump administration recognized that that path was a dead end.' But if unlocking an intractable diplomatic stalemate was the plan, it comes with risks that America's allies will not welcome. 'Sometimes when you unfreeze things, you can unleash forces that are much more negative than you can even begin to contemplate,' Alterman said. Among them is an American isolation on global issues that would create a vacuum of international leadership. 'A number of countries are going to feel that they need a different relationship with Russia and China,' Alterman warned. 'Partly so that they don't rely on the United States, (and) partly because they don't see the moral benefits of having a close relationship with the United States.' That danger is heightened in the context of Trump's moves to sanction, exit or criticize international agencies, and to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID). 'People are confusing USAID with a charity,' Nelson said. 'Americans are among the most charitable people in the world. But making strategic investments is an important way for us to support our friends and expand our influence.' Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu speak to the media during the Israeli Prime Minister's visit to Washington won't be the last geopolitical rupture between Trump and Europe. Many are already eyeing possible negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine with interest; Trump has previously suggested ceding Ukrainian land to Moscow, and officials in NATO countries have long feared he may go public with a proposed arrangement that leaves Kyiv and European capitals scrambling. They will seek to diffuse those fears next week, when several members of Trump's inner circle – including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine-Russia envoy Keith Kellogg – are expected to travel to the Munich Security Conference in Germany. 'I would hope that the administration would pursue a more balanced and calculated approach to Ukraine,' Nelson said. 'One hopes that Trump would be very much relying on expert advice' on that conflict, he added. On more issues than one, Trump's global honeymoon appears to be over. And if Western countries needed a reminder of the tumult he can inject into global affairs, they have it. 'The Biden administration tried very hard to be reliable and predictable' on the world stage, Alterman said. 'The Trump administration has exactly the opposite instinct.'
