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Due to the public holiday, Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. All programs, classes, and building access will be suspended for the day.
In addition, no education programming will be held on Tuesday, May 26th or Wednesday, May 27th, the latter in observance of Eid al-Adha. BRAC will resume classes and programs on Thursday, May 28th.
Defendant Allegedly Intoxicated, Driving 100 mph
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Westchester County man has been indicted on Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Manslaughter, Driving While Intoxicated and other related charges for allegedly killing two men on mopeds as he drove his car on the Bronx River Parkway at twice the speed limit while intoxicated.
District Attorney Clark said, “This was an egregious case of recklessness and negligence, leading to the deaths of two young men. We will not tolerate anyone who would turn our roads into speedways and put other drivers in danger.”
District Attorney Clark said, the defendant, Mauricio Neyra, 21, of White Plains, NY, was arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Timothy Lewis on Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, first-degree Vehicular Manslaughter, two counts of second-degree Vehicular Manslaughter, two counts of second-degree Manslaughter, two counts of Criminally Negligent Homicide, two counts of second-degree Assault , Reckless Driving, Driving While Intoxicated, and Driving While Ability Impaired. Bail was set at $25,000/50,000/50,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court on July 22, 2026.
According to the investigation, on August 11, 2025, at approximately 1 a.m., in the vicinity of the Bronx River Parkway and East 223 Street, the defendant is alleged to have been driving a black 2019 Mercedes Benz sedan when he struck and killed Enrique Martinez, 21, and Manuel Amarante Penalo, 19, who were travelling on the Parkway on mopeds. An analysis of the Mercedes’ event data recorder (black box) revealed that the car was travelling at a speed of 100 mph, double the posted speed limit of 50mph, just before the collision. A chemical test of the defendant’s blood taken later that morning revealed that the defendant had a reading of .08 of one per centum by weight of alcohol in his blood.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Police Officer Brian Kehoe of the Highway Collision Investigation Squad for his work in the investigation.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
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Governor Kathy Hochul announced the opening of Bethany Senior Terraces, a $48 million affordable housing development in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. The new four-story building includes 57 affordable apartments for seniors aged 55 and older, including eighteen apartments with supportive services. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 11,000 affordable homes in Brooklyn. Bethany Senior Terraces continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.
“Every New Yorker deserves a safe and affordable place to age with independence and stability,” Governor Hochul said. “Bethany Senior Terraces transforms a long-vacant site in Brooklyn into modern, energy-efficient homes for older adults while delivering supportive services that will help vulnerable seniors thrive. Developments like this are essential to addressing our housing shortage and building healthier neighborhoods across New York.”
Developed by RiseBoro Community Partnership Inc., Bethany Senior Terraces replaces two vacant buildings formerly occupied by the Bethany Methodist Home for the Aged. The new development includes 45 studio apartments, 12 one-bedroom apartments and one superintendent’s unit. All 57 affordable apartments are reserved for households earning at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income.
Eighteen apartments are reserved for tenants eligible for on-site supportive services including individuals struggling with homelessness. Services are provided by RiseBoro Community Partnership Inc. and include case management, health coordination, and social and recreational programming designed to help seniors maintain stable housing and age in place independently. The New York State Department of Health is providing operating funding for these supportive apartments through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award.
The development includes fully accessible and adaptable apartments. There will be five units to accommodate residents with mobility impairments and two units to accommodate residents with sensory disabilities.
The fully-electric building was designed to meet 2020 Enterprise Green Communities Plus and Passive House standards, incorporating sustainable features including Energy Recovery Ventilation systems, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, low-VOC materials and rooftop infrastructure capable of supporting a future solar array.
Residents will have access to supportive services offices, storage space and community rooms. The building includes outdoor terraces that step down to a large, common garden located off of the building lobby and offer entrances to interior social spaces at every floor. There is a hydroponic greenhouse — which uses water rather than soil to grow plants. There is a community kitchen directly connected to the greenhouse that is intended to host community demonstrations on gardening and cooking.
State financing for the development included federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that generated approximately $14.4 million in equity and $7.8 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) provided $716,000 in funding. $9.3 million in financing was provided by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
The passing of a gentle spring breeze carries the promise of a summer through the air for flora across the garden, sparking hope into our minds. Tree tops that kiss the sky carrying shade on sunny days, blooming flowers acting as pit stops for our pollinators, and the seeds of our plants giving us hope for a brighter future. Stop by The Shop and select from an array of seeds for your vision of what's ahead, whether that’s supporting local pollinators or starting a garden of your own. Take the future into your own hands at Wave Hill.
Early Closing: 2PM
Wave Hill closes at 2PM today to prepare for our annual Garden Fête.
Nature & Wellness
Yoga in the Garden
Root your feet in the grass and look out upon our vistas as you enjoy a gentle yoga class led by Susie Caramanica. All levels welcome; this is a beginner level class that can be modified.
Garden Highlights Walk
Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide; each walk varies with the Guide leading it.
Art
Public Gallery Tour
Solo and group exhibitions at Glyndor Gallery explore the dynamic relationships between nature, culture, and site. Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden.
Family
Family Art Project: Blooming Tie Dyes
Transform a plain piece of fabric using vibrant dyes inspired by spring flowers. Learn how plants use pigments to attract pollinators and protect themselves. Create your own patterns and let your creativity blossom.
Special Events
Early Closing: 2PM
Wave Hill closes at 2PM today to prepare for our annual Garden Fête to help sustain our arts, horticultural, and educational programs and ensure we can continue welcoming our community in the Garden year-round. Wave Hill House, including The Café, the Perkins Visitor Center, the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, and Glyndor Gallery will close at 1:30PM.
Garden Fête: A Celebration Under the Pergola Honoring Katie Michel
Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.
A Culver City man who works for a nonprofit organization that distributes syringes to homeless drug users in Los Angeles and elsewhere was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possessing fentanyl when police pulled him over while he drove a BMW near MacArthur Park earlier this month.
Christopher Barret Johnson, 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Johnson works for People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a nationwide nonprofit that offers services to homeless people including street outreach, interim and permanent housing. PATH also serves as a vendor distributing syringes, including in MacArthur Park, a sector of the city characterized by high rates of poverty with many of its residents and visitors being drug users.
Johnson is made his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, during the late evening of May 5, 2026, Los Angeles Police officers patrolled the MacArthur Park area, which is notorious for the use and sale illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, in open-air markets.
At approximately 10:20 p.m., the officers observed a white BMW lacking a front license plate abruptly conduct a U-turn in front of them. The officers then conducted a traffic stop on the BMW.
The vehicle’s sole occupant was Johnson, who “appeared very nervous,” the affidavit states. While speaking with Johnson, one of the officers observed in plain view on the BMW’s center console a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine. The officer also saw Johnson carrying two knives in his waistband. The officer then ordered Johnson out of the car. Johnson complied.
The officers conducted a pat-down search of Johnson and found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine in Johnson’s left front trouser pocket. Officers also searched the BMW and located a partially opened backpack that contained more plastic baggies containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, a digital scale that had fentanyl residue on it, empty plastic baggies, and cash.
Also found inside the BMW was a dish soap container that contained additional plastic baggies containing fentanyl. The BMW’s center console also contained cash and a large amount of plastic baggies.
Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed that the drugs seized from Johnson’s BMW and person included at least 142 grams of a substance that contained fentanyl and nearly 46 grams of methamphetamine.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Johnson would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division’s Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a DEA-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Comptroller DiNapoli announced that the New York State Common Retirement Fund delivered a strong estimated investment return of 11.94% for the state fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, closing at a record-high estimated value of $295.4 billion — the highest fiscal year-end value in the Fund’s history
Comptroller DiNapoli noted that the historic results were achieved despite economic uncertainty, persistent inflation, and turbulence out of Washington. By focusing on smart diversification, responsible risk management, and long-term stability, the Fund continues to successfully protect the retirement security of nearly 1.3 million New York public workers, retirees, and their families.
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