REVOLUTIONARY RESISTANCE AT PELHAM BAY

 

Come learn how the Battle of Pell's Point/Pelham Saved Washington's Army & the Fight for American Independence

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2026, 10:00AM-1:00PM

SUNY Maritime College

Free! Everyone invited!

SPEAKERS:

Friederike Baer, Lloyd Ultan, Nick Dembowski

The entire Maritime College campus was the 'landing site' and camp for 4,000 British soldiers who disembarked from British boats in the East River - in October 1776, 250 years ago.

John Glover and his small group of 'volunteer merchant mariners' held off these British soldiers and allowed the American Army to escape to relative safety in Westchester.

Glover just happened to own a fleet of five fishing vessels in Massachusetts, and 'signed up' all five crews for the Continental Army as soon as the fighting broke out.

Ten weeks later (Christmas night) these same merchant mariners ferried George Washington and his entire Army across the Delaware River.

The Symposium will start with a 10:00 am presentation by Nick Dembowski, Executive Director of the Kingsbridge Historical Society and continue with a presentation by the former Bronx historian Lloyd Ultan. After lunch our third historian, Friederike Baer, who was recently featured in THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Ken Burns, will present. After the program ends at 1 pm there will be a casual tour of the campus, the actual site of the landing and encampment of 4000 British soldiers in October of 1776.

SUNY MARITIME COLLEGE

Mess Deck/Vander Clute Hall

Special Events Room

6 Pennyfield Avenue

The Bronx, NY 10465

FREE REGISTRATION: BRONXHISTORY.ORG/SYMPOSIUM

This is the kick-off event for REVOLUTION ON THE SOUND...a month-long series of events in Sound Shore communities from Pelham Bay in The Bronx to Rye in Westchester. More events info at RW250.org/revolution-on-the-sound

MTA Announces Design Award for Hudson Line Resilience Project

 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has awarded a $19.7 million contract for the design phase of a resilience project to protect the Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line from the effects of climate change. The work will fortify the line against future stormwater runoff, tidal floods, and other risks between Spuyten Duyvil, The Bronx, and Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County. The design phase will be carried out as a joint venture between STV and WSP.

The award marks a major step forward in a flagship $800 million resiliency effort for the Hudson Line in the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan, and construction is expected to begin in 2029.

The $270 million project targets assets that manage water flow and drainage, stabilize the right of way, and are in poor condition along a segment of the lower Hudson that is highly vulnerable to extreme weather. The scope includes the fortification of retaining walls and slopes, the expansion of culverts and drainage along slopes and track, shoreline structure rehabilitation, and flood protection measures for tracks where possible. The project will also develop a resilient design blueprint to guide future investments along the entirety of the line.

The corridor’s geography is the root of its exposure. Located directly on the banks of the Hudson River, the Hudson Line is vulnerable to flooding from stormwater runoff during extreme rain and from coastal flooding, both heightened by climate change. The segment between Spuyten Duyvil and Hastings-on-Hudson sits between the Hudson River on the west and several steep slopes on the east, and has experienced numerous recent floods and mudslides. The resulting service disruptions affect a portion of the line used by 25,000 Metro-North riders each weekday, along with Amtrak and freight rail.

The award joins a broader body of work along the line. After Superstorm Sandy, the MTA completed more than $400 million to improve power, communications, and signal systems along a 30-mile portion of the Hudson Line from The Bronx to Croton-Harmon. The agency is also implementing a project to stabilize vulnerable, steep slopes and improve stormwater infrastructure between Glenwood and Greystone stations in Yonkers, funded by $20 million in the FY 2025 state budget secured by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. That project is currently in design.

Permits Filed for 53 West Fordham Road in University Heights, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a ten-story mixed-use building at 53 West Fordham Road in University Heights, The Bronx. Located at the intersection of West Fordham Road and Grand Avenue, the lot is steps from the Fordham Road subway station, served by the 4 train. Israel Tishler of Revamp NYC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 105-foot-tall development will yield 39,836 square feet, with 35,478 square feet designated for residential space, 3,935 square feet for commercial space, and 423 square feet of community facility space. The building will have 62 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 572 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and a 21-foot-long rear yard.

Mohammad Ahead is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet for the single-story commercial building on the iste. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Mayor Mamdani Unveils $128 Million Brownsville Multi-Service Center, Delivered Two Years Early and $10 Million Under Budget

60,000-square-foot, all-electric center will provide space for community-based organizations and Brooklyn Community Board 16

State-of-the-art facility features commercial kitchen, gardens, offices, community rooms and public artwork by Brooklyn artist Jazmine Hayes  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa, Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Erin Dalton and Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Diya Vij today unveiled the new $128 million Brownsville Multi-Service Center, a four-story, state-of-the-art facility that will provide space for community-based organizations serving residents across Brooklyn.

The 60,000-square-foot center features 10 office spaces, three flexible conference rooms that can be combined into a large meeting center, a commercial kitchen, a 1,600-square-foot outdoor community garden, green roofs and public artwork. The all-electric building was designed to meet the City’s climate resilience standards and includes solar panels across three floors and large windows that maximize natural light. The project is expected to meet or exceed LEED Gold certification.

“City government should deliver beautiful, sustainable public buildings that serve working people and the communities they call home,” said Mayor Mamdani. “And we delivered this one two years ahead of schedule and $10 million under budget. Brownsville deserves investment that is built with care, and that’s exactly what this center represents.”

The center will be operated by the Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs (NAICA) and will house a range of organizations serving Brownsville, including the offices of Brooklyn Community Board 16.

DDC managed the project for DSS using the design-build method of project delivery, reducing construction time by at least two years and saving the City $10 million. The design-build team was led by Gilbane Building Company and Marvel. Approximately 11,000 tons of material were removed during demolition, with 85% diverted to recycling facilities.

“It’s hard to build a community without building enough community space, and DDC is proud to deliver this amazing $128 million center for the residents of Brownsville,” said DDC Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa. “This four-story center will soon be home to community-based organizations that will offer programming and services to thousands of neighbors. We built a kitchen, community garden, meeting spaces and other areas that will allow residents of all ages to participate in classes, workshops, cultural activities and more. By bringing organizations, services and residents under one roof, the center will create so many new opportunities for connection, learning and community engagement, while also giving local organizations a dedicated place to serve Brownsville.”

“We’re proud to unveil the brand-new Brownsville Multi-Service Center which creates a state-of-the-art home for local organizations to provide services and resources that engage and support the community,” said DSS Commissioner Erin Dalton. “We are grateful to our agency partners at DDC for developing this sustainable, high-quality building with great efficiency and DCLA for working with an artist that has roots in the community to give this space more meaning. We are excited to open the doors of this resource to the community in the coming months.”

“Public art not only has the power to transform the appearance of a space, but the ways we experience it,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij. “Commissioned by our Percent for Art program, the powerful three-dimensional mural ‘I Am Protected’ by artist Jazmine Hayes is both an amulet and a vision for a just future, infused with input from Brownsville youth, where the surrounding community is honored and held high from now on. This is the promise of public art — to be both a marker of time and a map for times ahead.”

The center also features a series of installations commissioned through the Department of Cultural Affairs’ (DCLA) Percent for Art program by Brooklyn-based artist Jazmine Hayes, who was born and raised in East New York. Titled “I Am Protected,” the project includes four works placed throughout the building and community garden.

Many of Hayes’ works incorporate images of braids, cowry shells and repeating patterns that reflect the cultures and histories of Brownsville while exploring themes of protection, reclamation and healing. In 2025, the project received the NYC Public Design Commission’s 43rd Annual Award for Excellence in Design.

The four works featured in “I Am Protected” include:

• “In my mothers’ garden,” which depicts a person planting a seed while a deity pours water back into the land. Behind the figures, a map of patterned designs replicates an aerial view of architectural structures of NYCHA’s Brownsville Houses. 
• “I am divinely guided,” which features a suspended spiral installation from 444 cowry shells. Once used as currency across Black and Brown diasporas, the shells are rendered in resin, with 111 incorporating upcycled plastics, evoking connections through water and environmental justice. 
• “Like the seeds in my cornrows,” which draws on histories of storytelling and braid maps. It includes braid pattern motifs designed by Brownsville youth, layered over panels replicating the mapping used in the community garden.
• “I shall grow tall to the skies,” which features a massive mural of a Moko Jumbie, a stilt walker rooted in West African and Caribbean traditions regarded as a protector.

Since 1982, New York City’s Percent for Art law has required that one percent of the budget for eligible City-funded construction projects be dedicated to public artwork. Managed by DCLA, the program has commissioned hundreds of site-specific works integrated into public spaces across the five boroughs.

“There are many themes in each work that honors the history, the now and the tomorrow of Brownsville, Brooklyn and communities alike. With each design at an entry point across the Multi-Service Center, my intent is that every visitor and youth of the Brownsville community is met with an affirmation of curiosity, care and imagination,” said artist Jazmine Hayes. “May this space be a resourceful and united place of activity and programming for the children, families and people to come. I am truly grateful to have been a part of this phenomenal accomplishment and team.”

Macon Man Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl and Meth with a Machine Gun

 

Defendant Found Guilty of 21 Federal Charges, Faces Maximum Life in Prison

A federal jury found a Macon resident guilty of armed drug trafficking, including distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine while in possession of a machine gun, resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation.

“This conviction holds a repeat offender accountable for distributing dangerous drugs,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Fentanyl continues to devastate families and communities, and removing drug distributors from our streets is an important part of protecting the public. This case also demonstrates what can be accomplished through joint police work and cooperation among law-enforcement agencies. Together, we remain committed to working toward a Fentanyl Free America.”

“Families in our country are suffering from the tragic loss of loved ones due to fentanyl and drug overdoses. Brazen, armed criminals pushing the deadliest drugs into our communities will be found and brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “These cases are saving lives, and I am proud of the unwavering commitment of prosecutors and law enforcement at every level to disrupt the flow of these deadly drugs and ensure traffickers are held accountable.”

“This conviction holds accountable an armed repeat offender who continued trafficking dangerous drugs, despite already facing federal drug charges. Drug trafficking doesn’t just affect those who use drugs; it impacts families, neighborhoods, and entire communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case began with a tip from a community member, demonstrating the important role the public plays in helping law enforcement identify and disrupt criminal activity. The GBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to investigating those who threaten the safety of our communities and ensuring they are held accountable for their actions.”

“This conviction sends a clear message that those who bring dangerous drugs and illegal firearms into our community will be held accountable. Fentanyl, methamphetamine, and gun violence have taken far too much from too many families, and every time we remove these drugs and weapons from our streets, we have an opportunity to prevent another tragedy,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “I’m proud of the work of our investigators and grateful for the strong partnership we share with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. By working together, we are not only enforcing the law, but we are also protecting lives and making our community safer.”

“This case reflects the power of collaboration, especially as we continue to confront the threat of fentanyl that endangers countless lives,” said Warner Robins Police Chief Wayne Fisher. “The Warner Robins Police Department is steadfast in our commitment to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to protect the safety of our community.”

Tony Jermaine Reese, 46, of Macon, was found guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl; four counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine; three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; one count of possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of illegal possession of a machine gun; two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Reese faces a mandatory minimum of 40 years, with a maximum of life in prison. The trial began on Monday, September 21, and concluded on Wednesday, September 23, before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell in Macon. The Court will schedule the sentencing hearing for a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the filed indictment, court documents, and statements made in court, an anonymous community member tipped off Macon Crimestoppers in June 2023 about Reese dealing drugs from a shed located at Dottie Court in Macon. Working with a confidential source, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Reese, who had multiple firearms in the shed and a camera surveillance system. Agents executed a search warrant in August 2023, finding methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with firearms.

On Aug. 24, 2023, Reese was taken into custody in Peach County in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and other illegal drugs, along with a loaded Glock 17 handgun with an extended magazine and a switch converter attached, making the firearm an automatic weapon, or a machine gun. Agents found cellphones, unused plastic baggies and syringes, a digital scale, and $11,262 in the truck he was traveling in.

Despite state charges for the 2023 crimes, investigators learned in 2025 that Reese was continuing to traffic drugs from his shed on Dottie Court. Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Warner Robins Police Department, and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation in June 2025, purchasing methamphetamine and fentanyl from Reese at his shed. 

On June 18, 2025, Reese was under surveillance during a suspected narcotics resupply trip to metro Atlanta, where he was seen meeting with an individual at an apartment complex and receiving a large green bag. On his return trip to Macon, Reese was taken into custody with nearly three kilograms of methamphetamine found in the green bag. Officers executed a search warrant at the three sheds on Dottie Court the same day. Officers found more methamphetamine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, blue pills, and other substances. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The DEA, the GBI, the Warner Robins Police Department Narcotics Intelligence Unit, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Another Federal Judge Strikes Down New York’s Climate Superfund Law as Unconstitutional

 

Last week, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the United States’ motion for summary judgment and invalidated New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act.” The court held the law is unconstitutional and enjoined the state from imposing $75 billion in penalties on global energy producers for the alleged local effects of climate change. Last month, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York also ruled against the state.

“New York’s woke climate change law is not only unconstitutional, it is harmful, jeopardizing every American’s access to affordable and reliable energy,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “We are pleased with the district courts’ decisions finding New York’s law unlawful and recognizing that the Federal Sovereign, not the States, regulates our Nation’s energy market. This Department of Justice will take every step to stop those who wish to thwart President Trump’s agenda to unleash American energy dominance.”

“Both federal judges to consider New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act have held it unconstitutional,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Both hold that the federal government is responsible for setting national policy on global pollution, not states. This decision marks another significant step in advancing President Trump’s energy agenda and protecting American energy from state overreach. The Department of Justice will continue to fight for affordable, reliable energy for all Americans.”

New York enacted its law in 2024 seeking to impose billions of dollars in liability on domestic and foreign energy companies that extract fossil fuels or refine crude oil. 

In its ruling last week, the court held that the United States has standing to vindicate its sovereign authority to regulate interstate emissions and to promote its foreign affairs interests. The court also held the New York law is preempted on two independent grounds: first, because it is not authorized by the Clean Air Act, which displaced the federal common law governing interstate emissions; and second, because it is field-preempted under the foreign affairs doctrine. 

Two Former USPS Employees Charged In Connection With Scheme To Steal More Than 200 Gift Cards Out Of The Mail

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), Matthew M. Modafferi, announced that PIAN PIAN WONG-TAM, a former United States Postal Service (“USPS”) Mail Processing Clerk in White Plains, New York, and WILLIAM WONG, a former USPS Mail Clerk in Millwood, New York, were presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy on charges that they engaged in a scheme and conspiracy in which WONG-TAM removed mail entrusted to her by USPS, stole gift cards and other items out of that mail, and then, together with WONG, used those gift cards and other items for their own personal gain.

“The charges against the defendants reflect this Office’s and our law enforcement partners’ continued commitment to ensuring the integrity of the U.S. postal system,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.  “As alleged, Pian Pian Wong-Tam stole more than 200 gift cards out of mail entrusted to her for processing, and then, together with William Wong, used those gift cards for their own benefit, abusing their positions of trust and victimizing hundreds of people in the process.  The complaint against Wong-Tam and Wong should send a clear message that stealing from the mail entrusted to USPS for delivery is a serious federal offense that will not be tolerated.”

“Misconduct by postal employees undermines the trust placed in the Postal Service and will not be tolerated,” said USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Matthew M. Modafferi.  “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General remains committed to protecting the integrity of the Postal Service and ensuring accountability.  We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its partnership in this investigation.”

According to the Complaint:

Until July 24, 2026, WONG-TAM was working as a Mail Processing Clerk at the USPS White Plains Processing & Distribution Center (“P&DC”) in White Plains, New York, while WONG was working as a Mail Clerk at a post office in Millwood, New York.

After receiving multiple customer complaints about mail that had been processed through the P&DC being delivered damaged, with expected gift cards missing, USPS-OIG’s investigation revealed that, from April 2025 to July 24, 2026, WONG-TAM took advantage of her position of trust at the P&DC to steal, among other things, gift cards from the mail she was responsible for processing.  WONG-TAM then shared the gift cards she stole with WONG and, together, they used those gift cards at a variety of businesses in multiple states for their own personal benefit.  All told, WONG-TAM and WONG’s scheme resulted in the theft of no less than 200 gift cards, ranging in value from $25 to $500 each.

WONG-TAM, 59, of New York, New York, and WONG, 57, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and unlawfully possess mail, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of unlawful possession of mail, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and two counts of access device fraud, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  WONG-TAM is also charged with one count of theft of mail by a Postal Service officer or employee, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the Northeast Area Field Office of the USPS-OIG.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Deal is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

1.  As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation. 

Governor Hochul Celebrates Start of Tunnel Boring for Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project

First Tunnel Boring Machine To Launch in Coming Days

First New Tunnel Underneath Hudson River Since the Holland Tunnel Was Opened in 1927; Project Will Serve 200,000 Daily Riders Between New York and New Jersey

Governor Kathy Hochul today celebrated the start of tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project by the Gateway Development Commission (GDC). Following the ceremonial launch, final testing will be completed and the first tunnel boring machine that will be used to build the new train tunnel under the Hudson River will begin digging the new connection between New Jersey and New York Penn Station. A second machine will launch soon after. This historic moment marks the start of the first phase of tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project — the first new rail tunnel under the river in more than 100 years. It is the culmination of more than a decade of planning and nearly three years of construction work.

“Building a new rail connection across the Hudson River has been a dream for over a generation, one that would improve reliability and resilience for over 200,000 daily riders who power our economy,” Governor Hochul said. “We fought and beat efforts from the Trump administration to halt the Gateway project and today, that dream becomes a reality, with state of the art machinery operated by expert union workers starting their journey through soil and bedrock under the Hudson to Penn Station. This is a historic day for New York and a clear demonstration of our ambitions to once again be a state that dreams and builds big.”

The two tunnel boring machines launching this fall will bore approximately one mile through the hard rock under the Palisades Cliffs in New Jersey to the Hudson County Access Shaft in Weehawken. These two machines will be removed via the access shaft and replaced with a second pair of machines that will build the section of the tunnel under the Hudson River.

The two hard-rock tunnel boring machines are expected to build roughly 30 feet of tunnel per day, including scheduled pauses for maintenance. They will reach the Hudson County Access Shaft approximately one year after launching. 

The first phase of tunnel boring is being completed by Schiavone Dragados Lane JV as part of the contract for the Palisades Tunnel Project construction package. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is managing delivery of this construction package in partnership with GDC.

The Hudson Tunnel Project

The Hudson Tunnel Project is an urgent investment in the most heavily traveled stretch of America’s rail network that will improve transportation between New Jersey and New York by building a new two-tube rail tunnel under the Hudson River and rehabilitating the existing North River Tunnel, which has been in continuous service since 1910 and is a leading cause of train delays for hundreds of thousands of daily passengers.

The project is being delivered through ten construction packages. The first construction package was completed in early 2026. Six additional packages are currently in progress.

Boring the New Tunnel

The new tunnel under the Hudson River will be bored using two sets of two tunnel boring machines — four machines total. Each pair of tunnel boring machines will build the two parallel tunnel tubes simultaneously. The two machines launching in the coming weeks will bore 5,100 feet through the Palisades Cliffs, from the tunnel portal in North Bergen to the Hudson County Access Shaft in Weehawken.

The machines will be removed via the access shaft, and a second pair of tunnel boring machines optimized for the mixed ground conditions under the Hudson River will be inserted to build the stretch of the tunnel tubes from New Jersey to Manhattan.

Tunneling Using Single Shield Tunnel Boring Machines

The first set of tunnel boring machines are single shield machines, designed for efficient tunneling through hard, dry rock. Each machine's cutterhead is 28 feet, 8 inches in diameter and the trailing gantry extends roughly 500 feet. Each weighs more than 1,680 tons.

These machines dig through the rock in front of them using a rotating cutterhead fitted with disc cutters that press against the rock face, applying intense pressure that breaks the rock into chips. Buckets behind the cutterheads collect the excavated rock and direct it through a muck ring onto the machine’s conveyor belt, which moves it through the trailing gantry to the back of the machine, where it is hauled out of the tunnel.

As the machine advances, an erector arm is used to place precast concrete segments to form the permanent tunnel lining. Hydraulic thrust jacks push the machine forward, bracing against the edges of the completed tunnel lining.

Years of Work To Reach This Milestone

Today’s milestone is the culmination of nearly three years of construction work. Starting in late 2023, GDC’s contractors built a bridge supporting Tonnelle Avenue to create space under the highway for the machines’ gantries and excavated the launch box where the tunnel boring machines will start digging.

While this construction was happening, the tunnel boring machines were being manufactured. A single machine is comprised of nearly one hundred complex components, and manufacturing took more than a year.

After factory testing at the end of 2025, the machines were disassembled and shipped to New Jersey. Workers spent months reassembling and testing them on site in preparation for launch.