Panel to host one more meeting on cancer
The World Trade Center Health Program’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (S.T.A.C.) is allowing for further public comment on the types of cancer to be considered under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, via a telephone and web conference. The conference is set for Wed., March 28 from 1:10 p.m. to 1:55 p.m.
The comments could influence the S.T.A.C.’s decisions before its final recommendation is sent to the bill’s health administrator, Dr. John Howard, by Monday, April 2. Up to 300 people may participate in the conference and will be allotted time slots on a first-come, first-served basis. To join in on the conference, dial 1-800-593-0693 and provide the following code: 4447238. Each participant will be granted up to five minutes for comment.
For further instructions and information about the meeting, visit www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/topics/wtc/stac/meetings.
Law firm drops 9/11 compensation victims
Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern, the law firm that secured more than $200 million for the approximately 10,000 Ground Zero workers from the city in a federal court settlement in November of 2010, will not be representing 9/11 survivors applying for compensation under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
The firm made the decision once its attorneys realized they couldn’t bill the clients involved in the settlement, according to the article.
“Despite the Zadroga legislation, the bill passed by Congress… not only prevents us from getting paid for our services but even prevents us from being reimbursed for our expenses and overhead,” according to a March 5 letter signed by Bill Groner, a partner at the law firm.
The firm is referring the victims to Barasch & McGarry and Kreindler & Kreindler, both whom Groner says has experience with 9/11 clients.
John Feal, head of the 9/11 advocacy group the FealGood Foundation, was angry that Groner didn’t give the clients prior notice before making their decision.
“They knew for a long time they weren’t going to be able to represent them,” said Feal. “The fact that they waited so long… is a disservice to the 9/11 community.”
15,000 run in seventh annual NYC Half Marathon
On Saturday, runners and the fans that cheer them along, took part in the Seventh Annual NYC Half Marathon, hosted by New York Road Runners.
Peter Kirui of Kenya took first place for the men with a time of 59:39. He was only 15 seconds shy of the men’s record for the 13.1-mile event.
For the women, Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Dado crossed the finish line first with a time of 1:08:35, and set a new event record, running the course 17 seconds faster than last year’s winner, Caroline Rotich. Dado also happens to be the reigning ING New York City Marathon champion.
This route for this year’s event was slightly different than the previous six half-marathons. Instead of ending in Battery Park City, the finish line was in the historic South Street Seaport. The race started in Central Park, ran along Seventh Avenue and the West Side Highway and then crossed over to the Seaport. Roughly 15,000 runners from 69 countries took part in the race. The runners’ ages ranged from 13 to 81.
Law firm nixes plan to move to One W.T.C.
Midtown-based law firm Chadbourne & Parke will not be moving into One W.T.C., according to a story published in the NY Post on March 19.
A representative from the organization curtly notified the tower’s owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and its leasing agent, the Durst Organization, that the deal was “dead.”
The news comes approximately one month before the 1,776-foot tower will stand taller than the Empire State Building and less than two years before it’s slated to open.
The involved parties couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
