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>>> FROM THE WORLD'S LEADING
PUBLISHING, SCIENCE, RESEARCH,
MEDIA, INNOVATION AND MUCH MORE,
THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL
>> TONIGHT, SANDY'S IMPACT ONE
YEAR ON.
SHORE.
ROW FALLING IN CENTRAL PARK,
IT'S YOUR FAULT.
>> AND A CHEERLEADING SQUAD THAT
>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
FRONT LINES OF SOCIAL CHANGE
WORLDWIDE.
CORPORATE FUNDING FOR METROFOCUS
IS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF
AMERICA.
YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.
>>> HELLO.
I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.
WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."
REGION TO A FULL STOP LAST YEAR.
LIVES.
TO START, WE'LL LOOK BACK AT
HOSPITALS AND THE PROGRESS
THEN WE'LL HEAD DOWN THE SHORE
TO SEE A NOVEL IDEA IN NEW
JERSEY WHERE ONE TOWN IS
RICK KARR BEGINS OUR REPORTING
ISLAND HOSPITAL LAST OCTOBER AND
THE MULTIBILLION DOLLAR ROAD
AHEAD FOR THE REGION'S
HOSPITALS.
>> Reporter: THE DISASTER AT
BROOKLYN'S CONEY ISLAND HOSPITAL
OTHER HOSPITALS NEAR THE
WATERFRONT THAT NIGHT AS THE
SURGE ROLLED IN.
ABOUT A MONTH LATER, CHIEF
WHAT HAPPENED.
STARTED COMING THIS WAY.
TO MY SHOES.
AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, THE
THE TSUNAMI.
>> Reporter: THE FLOODWATERS
INTO AN ELECTRICAL SWITCHING
WATER WRECKED THE HOSPITAL'S
COMPUTER NERVE CENTER.
SAYS, THE HOSPITAL WAS TOTALLY
>> IT WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY
FRIGHTENING.
BECAUSE ALL THE SUDDEN THERE
NO LIGHTS.
NO COMMUNICATION EVEN WITH
NO COMMUNICATION WITH ANY CELL
PHONE.
WE LOOKED OUTSIDE.
OUTSIDE.
WE WERE PRETTY MUCH LEFT TOTALLY
BY CELL.
STORM DAMAGE CLOSED THE VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL FOR FOUR
BELLVIEW HOSPITAL TOOK THREE
NEXT DOOR, NYU LANGONE MEDICAL
CENTER WAS MOSTLY BACK AFTER TWO
BUT SOME PARTS OF A LABORATORY
BUILDING DIDN'T REOPEN UNTIL
STORM.
TODAY.
ASIDE FROM THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS
THAT EVERYTHING ELSE AT ALL FOUR
HOSPITALS IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL.
>> THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IT'S
GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A DECADE
FOR THEM TO DO ALL THE
REBUILDING NEEDED TO WITHSTAND
ANOTHER STORM OF SANDY'S
MAGNITUDE.
STORM?
>> DR. SHERI FINK IS A PHYSICIAN
TURNED JOURNALIST WHO'S REPORTED
EXTENSIVELY ON THE EFFECT OF
HURRICANES ON HOSPITALS.
SOME BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE
ONE FACILITY TO ANOTHER IF A
LARGE AMOUNT HAVE TO EVACUATE AT
THE SAME TIME.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS IT'LL TAKE
HOSPITALS TO BE COMPLETELY
HARDENED AGAINST STORMS.
BUT STATE AND CITY OFFICIALS AND
HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS HAVE
MADE INTERIM PLANS TO AVOID SOME
SANDY.
MOVED.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY WERE LOST IN
COULD NOT FIND THEM.
SO NOW THE STATE HAS A NEW
AND THAT WILL HELP, HOPEFULLY,
TRACK PATIENTS BETTER.
>> Reporter: BEFORE FINK RORPT
HOSPITALS, SHE SPENT YEARS
AND AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA.
THAT WON HER A PULITZER PRIZE.
HOSPITALS SITTING FOR A LONG
A MUCH SLOWER PROCESS OF GETTING
THOSE HOSPITALS BACK IN ORDER.
EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE STORM SOME
SLOWLY REOPENING MORE AND MORE
>> Reporter: NEW YORK'S HOSPITAL
SOME OF THAT CONSTRUCTION IS
HAPPENING NOW.
SYSTEMS OUT OF FLOOD PRONE AREAS
AND BUILD BETTER SEAWALLS.
HOSPITALS JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE
MONEY.
>> IN TERMS OF GETTING FEDERAL
EXPENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS, THAT
MONEY FLOWED FROM FEMA AFTER A
SO IT'S SORT OF AN AWFUL IRONY
DISASTER TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOME
>> Reporter: NYU LANGONE HAS
OVER $1 BILLION.
SO FAR, $180 MILLION OF THAT HAS
"METRO FOCUS."
VALUE OF SAND DUNES.
TONIGHT WE HAVE A SOLUTION STORY
THERE'S A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE
MARITIME FOREST AT BRADLEY
BEACH.
HOME TO OVER TWO DOZEN DIFFERENT
VARIETIES OF TREES, SHRUBS AND
GRASSES.
>> THIS AREA TOOK A POUNDING
AND THE VERY NATURE OF THE
THAT'S SERIOUS PROTECTION.
>> Reporter: THE FOREST, PLANTED
ALONG WITH COUNTY STAFFERS, IS
SITUATED BEHIND THE DUNES SYSTEM
WHICH WAS WIPED OUT BY SANDY AND
WITH SAND AND OTHER DEBRIS
HERE IN THIS AREA AND STAY OUT
OF THE LAKE.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY A
WINDBREAKER.
>> Reporter: THE FOREST IS MEANT
TO PROTECT THE BEACH TOWN,
PROMOTE RESILIENCY, REDUCE STORM
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT MODEL TO
REALLY BRING COMMUNITIES
TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS
WE CAN LEAVE IT FOR OUR CHILDREN
AND SO ON.
>> I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.
I THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT CAN
BE DONE TO PRESERVE THE NATURE
THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE JERSEY
>> Reporter: EXPERTS ARE CALLING
OTHER COASTAL COMMUNITIES.
COASTAL LAKES.
MANY OF WHICH ARE IN JEOPARDY.
>> THEY'RE RELATIVELY DYING.
A LOT OF SEDIMENT.
THEY'RE SHALLOW.
CIRCULATION YOU WANT TO SEE WITH
THE WATER.
WATER QUALITY HASN'T IMPROVED.
THEY'RE JUST KIND OF BEING
GLORIFIED RETENTION PONDS.
>> Reporter: THE 0.4 ACRE FOREST
SERVED AS A STAGING AREA FOR
EQUIPMENT.
>> THIS WAS A HARD HAND LOT.
WATER GOES RIGHT DOWN TO THE
IN THE STREET.
MACHINERY, THE WATER IS GOING TO
PLANTS WILL TAKE THE WATER UP.
YOU WON'T HAVE THAT SHEETING
>> Reporter: HIS TEAM WILL
COMING MONTHS.
WHATEVER DOESN'T SURVIVE THE
THIS SPRING.
IN BRADLEY BEACH, I'M LAUREN
SIX BALLOT MEASURES FACING
ATTENTION.
WE'LL TALK TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER ELEANOR
RANDOLPH ABOUT WHY THESE COMPLEX
ISSUES END UP ON THE BALLOT.
FIRST A LOOK AT ANOTHER BALLOT
MATT RYAN REPORTS.
>> Reporter: IMAGINE LIVING IN A
THERE FOR AGES AND AGES.
THEY ALWAYS PAINTED EVERYTHING
GREEN SO HOPEFULLY IT DIDN'T
>> Reporter: AS A YOUNG GIRL
CAROLYN GIRDEN RECEIVED VERY
RAQUETTE LAKE.
>> I WAS TOLD NEVER TO DISCUSS
SO THIS HAS BEEN VERY HARD FOR
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH AT STAKE
A SENSE, LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW,
DOING JUST THAT.
THE CASE OF TOWNSHIP 40.
WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE MAJORITY
OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE
IT WILL BE PROPOSITION 4 ON YOUR
STATE AND THE RESIDENTS HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WHY?
THE SHORE WITH CRUDE CAMPS AND
STRUCTURES AND SOME OF THE
REASONS, POOR RECORDKEEPING,
CLERICAL ERRORS, OR CONFUSION,
THERE HAS BEEN A TITLE DISPUTE
FROM LAKE HOMES TO THE
SCHOOLHOUSE TO THE FIRE STATION.
HUNTING CAMP ON THE LAKE AFTER
THE CIVIL WAR.
HE RUNS A BED AND BREAKFAST ON
THE SAME LAND SOME 150 YEARS
LATER.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY TO TALK
PUBLICLY WERE AFRAID OF THAT
ANGST BECAUSE IT'S AGGRAVATING
STRESS IS THE STATE USED TO CALL
THIS STATE LAND CONTESTED BY US.
AND IT IS NOT.
IT'S OUR LAND CONTESTED BY THE
STATE.
TIMES OVER THE LAST CENTURY WITH
FEW VICTORIES.
IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WAS THE
AS REQUIRED, IT PASSED TWO
LEGISLATURE IN 2012 AND IN 2013.
ON THIS YEAR'S BALLOT.
DISPUTED OWNER WILL PAY A FLAT
RATE OF $2,000 PER PARCEL AND AN
THE TOWN OF LONG LAKE.
THE DEC ESTIMATES THE COST FOR
CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO THE
THIS MONEY WOULD THEN BE USED TO
PURCHASE LAND THAT WILL BECOME
PART OF THE FOREST PRESERVE.
EVERYBODY IN NEW YORK STATE TO
THE STATE.
TO BE RECREATIONAL LAND.
IT'S GOING TO BE VALUABLE.
THE AMOUNT REQUIRES THAT IT BE
IT DOES SOLVE OUR PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: IF THIS DOESN'T
>> WELL, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY.
BUT WE'RE NOT LEAVING.
THIS IS MY HOME.
IT'LL ALWAYS BE MY HOME.
>> Reporter: I'M MATT RYAN FOR
THROUGH WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT AND
WHY IS ELEANOR RANDOLPH, A
MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK TIMES
"FIXING ALBANY."
>> FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S SIX
THIS YEAR.
IS THAT UNUSUAL?
>> NOT REALLY.
IF YOU BACK UP A LITTLE, THE
TINY TYPE.
CITY BALLOT, BY THE WAY.
ABOUT JUDGES, THEY WANT TO RAISE
WELL, WHEN THAT WAS PUT IN THE
CONSTITUTION, PEOPLE DIDN'T LIVE
SORT OF 50 WAS CONSIDERED OLD,
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A
AND SO WHAT VERY OFTEN HAPPENS
CONSTITUTIONAL -- THEY SET IT UP
A COURT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS NOT JUST ESOTERIC.
IT'S EXTREMELY LOCAL, AS YOU
SAY.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE IT TO THE
>> IT MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT
BECAUSE IT'S EASIER IN ALBANY TO
THE STATE OF NEW YORK CAN HAVE A
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
GOVERNMENT GROUPS KEEP HOPING IS
A CON CON WHEN YOU CAN SORT OF
CLEAN UP THIS CONSTITUTION AND
MAKE IT SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE
TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT EVERY TIME A CERTAIN
NECESSARY.
MEASURES THERE, AS YOU SAID, ARE
IMPORTANT.
ONE IS MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO ADD
AND ANOTHER ONE, EXTENDING, AS
YOU MENTIONED, EXTENDING THE
THOSE TWO BALLOT ISSUES?
>> WELL, IF YOU START WITH THE
GAMBLING AMENDMENT, ONE OF THE
THINGS IS THAT -- THAT
OUTLAWED GAMBLING.
EARLIER IN THE 20th CENTURY, YOU
KNOW, THIS BECAME A BIG ISSUE,
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE RASINOS.
THE STATE AND THE GOVERNOR SAID,
WELL, LET'S SORT OF CLEAR THIS
WELL, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS
THAT THERE'S 150-PAGE BILL
SEEN WHAT THAT IS.
GOING TO GO?
TO THAT.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME
AND THE THING THAT THOSE OF US
WHO -- I MEAN, WE'VE WRITTEN
ABOUT THIS IN THE "TIMES."
THIS GAMBLING AMENDMENT,
ACCORDING TO THE SORT OF RULES
AMENDMENTS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
FIRST ONE.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF HAVING A
YOU APPROVE THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE
ALL THESE REASONS WHY IT'LL BE
GREAT.
JOBS, BETTER -- A LOT MORE MONEY
FOR EDUCATION.
AND SO IT'S REALLY SKEWED TO TRY
I MEAN, DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY PAY
ATTENTION TO THEM?
DO THEY VOTE FOR THEM?
THEY'RE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE BALLOT.
IN NEW YORK CITY, AT LEAST, IT'S
GOING TO BE LITTLE TINY PRINT.
SO IT WILL REALLY BE HARD TO
SORT OF DRAG THE VOTER'S EYE
DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.
PEOPLE GET BALLOT FATIGUE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'LL
IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
>>> IN THE RACE FOR MAYOR OF NEW
YORK CITY, FORMER MAYORS SEEM TO
DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE BILL DE
LHOTA SAME DINKINS WAS
NEVER BEEN SEEN IN THE CITY.
TALK TO FORMER MAYOR DINKINS
NEW BOOK "A MAYOR'S LIFE."
MAYOR DINKINS, THANK YOU FOR
WITH US.
>> I NOTICED THAT.
>> FOR AN EXAMPLE, AMONG OTHER
CALLED YOU THE BIGGEST FAILURE
OF A MAYOR THAT EVER HIT THE
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO SUCH
ATTACKS?
>> WELL, I WAS IN THE AUDIENCE
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WHEN JOE LHOTA
BETTER NEW YORK.
600 TO 800 PEOPLE IN THE
REDUCTION OF CRIME THROUGH OUR
BUT I SUPPOSE HE'S -- HE'S A
CANDIDATE.
HE'S GOING TO SAY WHAT HE THINKS
ACHIEVE SUCCESS.
LHOTA SAID ABOUT YOU AT THAT
WAITED SO LONG TO WRITE YOUR
THE STORY, MUCH OF WHAT YOUR
OPPONENTS CLAIMED ABOUT YOU IS
TENURE CRIME EXPLODED.
>> WELL, THE TRUTH IS THAT CRIME
STARTED TO GO DOWN AS EARLY AS
'91.
JANUARY 1st, 1990.
ABOUT THE CRIME OF THE '80s,
THEY WRITE AS THOUGH THERE WAS
NO CRIME ON DECEMBER 31st, 1989,
JUST THE NEXT DAY WHEN I ASSUMED
WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE CASE.
ED WAS A VICTIM OF THE CRACK
AND A LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS.
HIMSELF, IF YOU'RE MAYOR AND A
SPARROW FATHERS AND MOTHERS IN
CENTRAL PARK, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
>> FROM READING YOUR BOOK, I
KNOW THAT REDUCING CRIME WAS
BIGGEST MISTAKE OR BIGGEST
FAILURE?
HEIGHTS.
SHOULD HAVE SOONER SAID TO THE
POLICE BRASS, AS I DID
LET'S GET IT DONE.
PRIMARY.
DID HE ASK YOU TO ACTIVELY
>> HE HAS NOT YET.
BUT I SPOKE WITH HIM ON ELECTION
NIGHT.
COURSE, AND OFFERED HIM MY
DO WELL.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT HE KNOWS THAT
AMONG OTHER THINGS, WHAT HE MUST
BRIGHT, HONEST, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
WILL GET THE JOB DONE.
>> NOW, MR. MAYOR, WHAT IS THE
ONE THING THAT THE NEXT MAYOR OF
NEW YORK CITY MUST DO?
TO IMPROVE THE CITY.
>> WELL, EDUCATION, I SUPPOSE,
IT'S PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT
THING.
BUT IN CONCERT WITH EDUCATION,
OBVIOUSLY, IS HEALTH CARE.
TO QUIT SMOKING, FOR INSTANCE.
PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF HIM ABOUT
BEING A NANNY.
AND HIS SUGARY DRINKS IN
BUT THE FACT IS, MARK GREEN, WHO
TRYING TO GET SMOKING REDUCED.
HE WANTED TO TAKE DOWN THE
BILLBOARDS IN BALLPARKS, BECAUSE
THEY WERE ON CAMERA.
WITH THAT.
EVERY MAYOR, ED KOCH, ALL OF US,
CONTROL OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
DONE THAT.
IT'S A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN
IT USED TO BE.
>> ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR.
HONOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GOOD TO BE HERE.
CALLED THE CONTENDER
>> Reporter: YOUTH FOOTBALL.
IT'S AN AUTUMN WEEKEND RITUAL.
NO GAME DAY WOULD QUITE BE
HERE IN HIGH BRIDGE, THAT RITUAL
IS PLAYING OUT JUST LIKE IT DOES
COUNTRY.
ONLY A CLOSER LOOK REVEALS A
VERY SPECIAL COLLECTION OF YOUNG
WE HAVE TEN GIRLS THIS YEAR.
IT'S -- MY CHEERLEADERS HAVE
SPECIAL NEEDS.
TO AUTISM, CEREBRAL PALSY.
BASICALLY THEY'RE TEENAGERS THAT
>> Reporter: DEBBIE HAD BEEN
COMPETITION SOME YEARS BACK.
KIDS CHEERING AS WELL.
INTEREST AND GET ADVICE.
IT WAS A NO-BRAINER.
THEY LOVED THE IDEA.
SAY WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE
PROGRAM WITH US.
AND I THINK WHAT IS SO SPECIAL
IS THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A
AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OF ANYBODY,
NECESSARILY.
THE WHOLE THOUGHT OF YOU BUILD
AND THEY CAME.
HOME GAMES HERE AT HUSKIES FIELD
IN UNION FORGE PARK.
THIS IS THE CONTENDERS' MOMENT
IT'S THEIR TIME TO TAKE CENTER
STAGE AND SHINE.
>> THIS IS ATHLETICALLY EQUAL TO
IT'S NOT 100 SPECIAL NEEDS
IT'S TEN SPECIAL NEEDS
NEEDS.
COMMUNITY.
>> ALL THE GIRLS WANT TO BE WITH
OTHER GIRLS.
THEY WANT TO BE PART OF A GROUP.
THEY SEE THE TYPICAL CHILDREN AT
AND THEY HAVE FUN.
AND THEY DO THINGS TOGETHER.
WONDERFUL.
IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO WATCH HER
I THOUGHT THAT WHEN THEY'RE WITH
ARE NONEXISTENT.
>> ANDRE MALOK IN HIGH BRIDGE,
>> WE KNOW THE COACH ISN'T THE
WE'RE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN
THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THIS
STORY.
>>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION
OF "METROFOCUS."
NEWS, CONVERSATIONS, AND
FRONT LINES OF SOCIAL CHANGE