State Senator Gustavo Rivera on Yesterday’s Five Alarm Fire in Norwood

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic five-alarm fire that occurred yesterday afternoon in the Norwood section of my district, which resulted in the loss of one of our neighbors, injured 14 of them and has displaced many families in our community. My thoughts are with the loved ones of the individual who died and with all those affected by this devastating incident.

I want to especially thank the brave FDNY firefighters for containing this terrible fire, especially those injured while courageously responding to this emergency. Further, I want to thank the NYPD, NYC Emergency Management, Department of Buildings, the Red Cross, and Con Edison for immediately assisting the displaced families during this difficult time.

My office will continue to monitor the situation closely and be on standby, ready to assist those affected in any way possible.

For those impacted by the fire who may need assistance please reach out to my office at 718-933-2034.” 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Report Shows How NYC's Business Costs Compare to Other Major Metropolitan Areas

 

New York City remains one of the nation’s most expensive places to start or operate a business, but several major business expenses have grown at a slower rate than in competing metropolitan areas over the past decade, according to a new report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“New York City remains one of the world’s premier places to do business because of its unmatched talent, innovation and access to customers,” DiNapoli said. “While operating here remains expensive, this report shows that some core businesses costs have grown more slowly than in many competing regions. Understanding where costs are rising more quickly can help inform policies that support both economic growth and affordability.”

Several of New York City’s largest business expenses have grown more slowly than national averages and many competing metropolitan areas over the past decade, including:

• Private-sector wages. Average private-sector pay reached $129,030 in 2025, among the highest in the nation, but inflation-adjusted wage growth trailed the national average over the last decade.
• Office rents. Manhattan office rents remain the highest in the country but rent growth has been modest compared with many competing markets.
• Employee benefits. Employer spending on health insurance, retirement benefits and paid leave remains above the national average, but growth in those costs has been lower than nationwide trends.

At the same time, several business costs in New York City continue to outpace national trends and pose significant challenges for employers, including:

• Electricity costs. Commercial electricity rates in the city substantially exceed national averages and have risen faster than nationwide rates.
• Health insurance costs. Health insurance remains one of the fastest-growing expenses facing employers and has increased more rapidly in the Northeast than nationally.
• Natural gas costs. Commercial natural gas costs have surged over the past decade, with some business customers seeing costs more than double since 2017.
• Business taxes. City businesses face the nation’s highest nominal combined corporate tax rate.

The report underscores the need for policymakers to better understand the factors driving business costs and competitiveness in New York City. While the city’s access to talent, capital, and customers remains a significant advantage, addressing rising energy, health care and tax costs could help ensure businesses of all sizes can continue to grow, invest and create jobs in the five boroughs. Recent efforts to reform regulations at both the state and city levels are steps in the right direction; but continued engagement with businesses and other stakeholders will be key to building on that progress across the five boroughs.

Report

The Cost of Doing Business in New York City

Related Work

Challenges Facing Small Businesses in New York

A 14-Year Veteran of the Agency, Garigliano Will Oversee DEP Bureau that Manages and Protects the Nation’s Largest Municipal Water Supply System

 

Today, NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa Garcia appointed Jennifer Garigliano as Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Water Supply (BWS). Garigliano will oversee nearly 1,000 employees who manage and protect the nation’s largest municipal water system, which provides over a billion gallons of high-quality drinking water to almost 10 million people each day.

“Jennifer’s detailed knowledge of the water supply, technical skill, and experience managing large teams made her the clear choice to lead the Bureau of Water Supply into the future,” DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia said. “As a lifelong resident of the watershed, Jen is also highly dedicated to the collaboration with our community partners who play an invaluable role in protecting the City’s reservoirs and the lands that surround them. I’m proud to announce appointment and have every confidence that she will lead with integrity and an unwavering commitment to protecting public health.”

“I am deeply honored to lead the Bureau of Water Supply, working alongside my extraordinary colleagues who dedicate themselves every day to serving their fellow New Yorkers,” said DEP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Garigliano said. “For nearly two centuries, generations of public servants have built, protected, and strengthened one of the world’s greatest water supply systems. It’s a privilege to help steward that legacy into the future, and I look forward to collaborating with our colleagues across the City and DEP, and stakeholders throughout the watershed.”

Garigliano began her DEP career in 2012 as Chief of Staff to former Deputy Commissioner Paul V. Rush, who retired in June after leading BWS for two decades. Most recently she served as Executive Director of Strategic Operations and Research for the bureau. She has also led reservoir operations, water quality modeling, wholesale water programs, emergency planning, and long-term strategy for the City’s “Filtration Avoidance Determination” (FAD), which allows the City to operate the largest unfiltered water supply in the United States. A West Point graduate and decorated Army veteran, Garigliano previously commanded units specializing in defense against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats, and served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

DEP’s Bureau of Water Supply operates and maintains more than 280 facilities, including dams, aqueducts, and treatment plants that collect, convey, and treat New York City’s drinking water. BWS scientists monitor water quality at nearly 1,200 locations across the watershed and the five boroughs to ensure compliance with state and federal standards. In addition, BWS protects the 2,000-square-mile watershed through environmental stewardship, land management, and partnerships with local communities. DEP’s source water protection programs are internationally recognized and help the City maintain its filtration waiver for its water supply from the Catskill Mountain region.

About DEP:

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.3 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X.

ICE Asks Miami-Dade County to Not Release Illegal Alien Charged in Hit-and-Run that Critically Injured 74-Year-Old Woman

 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asked officials in Miami-Dade County to not release a criminal illegal alien charged with hit-and-run after injuring a 74-year-old woman. 

According to local reporting, the incident occurred on the morning of August 2. The victim, 74-year-old Geraldine Byrd, had stopped her vehicle to get out and open the gate to her driveway when another vehicle struck her car from behind, causing it to spin and hit her. The truck that hit Byrd then continued forward and hit her again, trapping her underneath. The driver then got out and fled the scene. Byrd was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and remains on life support. 

Shortly after the crash, police arrested Tomas Reymundo Brito, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala. Arresting officers said that Brito admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash. He now faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury and driving without a license. ICE lodged a detainer with the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center the same day Brito was arrested.

Tomas Reymundo Brito

“This criminal illegal alien from Guatemala is charged with hit-and-run after a drunk-driving accident that sent a 74-year-old woman to the hospital in critical condition in Miami-Dade County,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “He should have never been allowed in our communities or on our streets. ICE is asking officials in Miami-Dade County to cooperate with us and not release this criminal from jail, and to turn him over to ICE custody so we can remove him from our country. Thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, ICE is unleashed to go after criminal illegal aliens like this one so that we can make America safe again.”

Brito illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location.

Fairbanks Woman Sentenced to 21 Years for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Fatal Overdose in Homeland Security Task Force Case

 

The Defendant is One of Over 60 Charged in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Ring Targeting Alaska

A Fairbanks woman was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Wednesday for her role in distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of local man in 2022.

According to court documents, from May to July 2022, Samantha Pearson, 39, and Edward Ginnis, 40, of Fairbanks, conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute drugs in the Fairbanks area. Specifically, Ginnis distributed drugs to Pearson, who then sold the substances to others. Ginnis and Pearson’s actions were a small part of a larger drug trafficking enterprise allegedly being directed by an inmate in a California prison.

On or about June 11, 2022, Ginnis received a shipment of drugs through the mail that contained fentanyl. Later that day, Ginnis sent text messages to several distributors asking if they had potential purchasers. Pearson offered to help sell drugs. On June 25, Adam Sakkinen, 32, an individual who struggled with heroin usage, messaged Pearson asking to purchase drugs. Around noon, Pearson agreed to sell drugs to Sakkinen. Sakkinen sent Pearson $50.00 before messaging that he was on his way. At 12:34 p.m., Sakkinen called Pearson. 

Later, at 12:58 p.m. that same day, local fire and emergency medical services responded to a single car accident on the side of a road in Badger, Alaska. First responders found Sakkinen unconscious behind the wheel of a car with drug paraphernalia in his hands and near him. Law enforcement officials tested the paraphernalia, and it tested positive for fentanyl.

First responders administered six doses of Narcan to Sakkinen and he regained a pulse. Sakkinen was transported to two hospitals and was put on life support at a hospital in Anchorage. Sakkinen spent 11 days in the intensive care unit before he passed away. A sample of Sakkinen’s blood was sent for testing and lab results found that he had 20 nanograms per milliliter of fentanyl in his bloodstream at the time of his death. Reports show that the average lethal level of fentanyl in the bloodstream is eight nanograms per milliliter.

On Jan. 18, 2025, Pearson and Ginnis were indicted on federal drug trafficking charges. Pearson and Ginnis both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death on April 20, 2026, and April 3, 2025, respectively. On July 8, 2025, Ginnis was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

In handing down Pearson’s sentence, the Court recognized the devastating impact fentanyl has had in Alaskan communities, stating that “this was more of a poisoning than an overdose.” The Court also emphasized the need for general deterrence by stating that the public should know that if someone sells an illegal substance and another person dies, the sentence imposed will be harsh.

“Fentanyl traffickers who choose profit over human life will be held accountable,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division. “The defendant’s role in distributing the fentanyl that killed a member of the Fairbanks community underscores the deadly consequences of this poison. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is relentlessly disrupting the criminal networks driving this crisis, reducing the availability of fentanyl, and protecting American lives. DEA and our law enforcement partners will not stop until those responsible are brought to justice.”

“This sentence is the conclusion of a multi-year investigation and prosecution to hold Ms. Pearson and Mr. Ginnis accountable for their greed-motivated decision to distribute the drugs that took an innocent life,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “I commend the phenomenal investigatory and prosecutorial efforts put forth by the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement in Alaska throughout this case. It takes all of us to dismantle the drug pipeline targeting our country.”

“Those who traffic fentanyl in Alaska endanger entire communities and destroy families,” said Colonel Maurice Hughes, Director of the Alaska State Troopers. “This sentence reinforces a simple point: drug traffickers will be held accountable for the destruction that they cause. The Alaska State Troopers, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue these criminals, disrupt their operations, and protect Alaskans from the deadly impact of these illicit substances.” 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases.  He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.

The DEA Seattle Field Division's Anchorage District Office, Alaska State Troopers, North Slope Borough Police Department, North Pole Police Department and Fairbanks Police Department investigated the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from  Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

Individual Arrested for Arson of Historic Brooklyn Church

 

South Bushwick Reformed Church Was Built in the 1850s, Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a New York City Landmark

A criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging John Jones with intentionally setting fire to the South Bushwick Reformed Church (the Church) located at 855 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, on June 19, 2026.  Jones was arrested earlier today in Manhattan and will make his initial appearance at a later date in the Eastern District of New York. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Lillian Bonsignore, Commissioner, New York City Fire Department (FDNY), announced the arrest. 

“As alleged, Jones intentionally set fire to a historic and beloved church, significantly damaging the structure,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “I commend the Special Agents and the NYPD Detectives who have worked tirelessly to identify and apprehend the perpetrator of this senseless act that has deeply wounded the Church’s congregation and the entire Bushwick community. Our Office will vigorously prosecute Jones to the full extent of the law.  Arson is a terrible crime that strikes at the heart of public safety and endangers first responders.”

“This arrest reflects the strength of our law enforcement partnerships. Through the coordinated efforts of the ATF Arson & Explosives Task Force, NYPD, FDNY, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office EDNY, we acted swiftly to hold the individual allegedly responsible accountable for setting fire to a historic church that has been part of New York City’s fabric since the 1850s,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo.

“This defendant placed countless Brooklyn residents at risk when he recklessly set fire to the South Bushwick Reformed Church in broad daylight,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “New Yorkers deserve to practice their faith freely and without fear, and the destruction of this sacred New York City landmark will be met with swift justice. I thank the NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners for their work to hold this individual accountable.”

“The intentional burning of a house of worship is an attack on a historic building and on the sense of safety and community it represents,” stated FDNY Commissioner Bonsignore.  “This fire placed lives at risk, including the first responders who responded to protect the church and the surrounding neighborhood. We are grateful for the outstanding work of our partners at the ATF, NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that led to this arrest. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold those responsible for these dangerous crimes accountable.”

The Church was constructed in the 1850s and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.  It was also designated as a New York City Landmark in 1968.

As set forth in the complaint, between approximately 12:12 p.m. and 12:47 p.m. on June 19, 2026, Jones was captured on surveillance video attempting unsuccessfully to enter the Church.  At approximately 12:30 p.m., Jones was observed on surveillance video inside a convenience store that was a short walking distance from the Church. He asked the cashier “for a lighter” and then paid for the lighter.  Jones then returned to the Church, walking on and around the Church property and within the Church gates.  A photo taken by a witness at about 1:27 p.m. shows smoke and low burning on an area of the Bushwick Avenue side of the Church. Jones appears to have approached areas of the Church exterior near to the location where low burning ultimately appears on the front of the Church.

The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Jones faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Justice Department Files Complaint to Stop Nevada Firm from Manufacturing and Selling Adulterated and Misbranded Dental Products

 

The United States filed a complaint today seeking to permanently enjoin a Nevada-based medical device manufacturer from manufacturing and selling adulterated and misbranded products.

In a civil complaint for permanent injunction filed on Aug. 6, the United States alleges that Gregory S. Steiner and Roslynn L. Steiner (the Steiners), and their company, Steiner Biotechnology LLC., violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) and Quality System (QS) requirements and by selling or holding for sale dental products, including synthetic bone grafting materials and dental cement, that are adulterated. Some of the Steiners’ devices are also adulterated and misbranded for failing to submit premarket applications or adequate premarket notices for their devices.

“Today’s action reflects the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding patients and maintaining accountability within the medical device industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When medical device manufacturers fail to meet their obligations under federal law, we will take appropriate steps to ensure patient safety.”

“Patients deserve confidence that the medical devices they rely on are safe and effective, said Michelle Tarver, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The FDA is committed to holding manufacturers accountable when they fail to meet federal requirements and will continue working to safeguard patients and protect the public health.”

The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, alleges FDA investigators inspected Steiner Biotechnology’s facility at least four times from 2018 to 2025 and observed repeated violations of CGMP and QS requirements, such as failing to: establish and maintain adequate procedures to control the design of the device; adequately validate processes according to established procedures; establish and maintain adequate procedures for validating the device design, including risk analysis; establish and maintain procedures to adequately control environmental conditions; adequately maintain and implement procedures to fully investigate the cause of nonconformities relating to product, processes, and the quality system; identify the action(s) needed to correct and prevent recurrence of nonconforming product and other quality problems; verify or validate the corrective and preventive action to ensure that such action is effective and does not adversely affect the finished device; and to submit relevant information on identified quality problems, as well as corrective and preventive actions, for management review.

FDA also repeatedly warned the Steiners that their company was distributing Class III medical devices for which they do not have an approved premarket application, a cleared premarket notification submission, or an effective investigational device exemption. Despite numerous warnings from FDA over the past seven years and the Steiners’ repeated promises, the Steiners continue to violate the FDCA.

According to the complaint, Steiner Biotechnology’s dental products are sold throughout the country. The government’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief requiring the Steiners to implement sanitation and process improvements and to comply with the FDCA’s requirements before manufacturing or distributing any additional dental products.

Trial Attorney Kyu Yun Kim of the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch is handling the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia T. Tomova for the District of Nevada, and Associate Chief Counsel Leah A. Edelman in FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.

Additional information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.

The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.

Governor Hochul Signs Cannabis Bill Into Law, Expanding Opportunities for Microbusinesses and Dispensaries

S.10113/A.11217 Allows Licensed Microbusinesses and Dispensaries To Sell Cannabis at Approved Events

New Law Advances Equity, Supports Small Businesses and Strengthens Market Opportunities

Governor Hochul today signed legislation designed to strengthen New York’s regulated cannabis market. S.10113/A.11217 supports small businesses and advances one of the state’s fastest-growing industries, marking an important step forward for business owners, consumers and the continued growth of New York’s cannabis marketplace.

“This new law gives licensed microbusinesses and dispensaries a real chance to succeed in New York’s legal cannabis market,” Governor Hochul said. “By opening the door for legal operators to sell at approved community events and farmer’s markets we are putting small entrepreneurs on a level playing field, expanding consumer access to safer, regulated products and strengthening one of New York’s fastest growing industries.”

This legislation ensures that licensed cannabis microbusinesses are eligible to fully participate in Cannabis Showcase Events (CSEs). These permits allow licensed operators to engage directly with consumers at approved pop-ups, farmers’ markets and public market events, while strengthening partnerships with local municipalities. The law recognizes the unique role microbusinesses play in New York’s cannabis marketplace and expands opportunities for them to participate in these community-centered events.