Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Parkchester Clean-Up

  This should tell almost the whole story when word got out that Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was behind a clean up of a part of East Tremont Avenue in her district. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is standing to the left of the street pole behind all the bags of trash and garbage that were picked up. The area of East Tremont Avenue between Unionport and Castle Hill Avenues is also where the new Parkchester Metro North station is planned to go. Over forty volunteers were given trash grabbers and gloves and really cleaned up.

Above and Below - Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez speaks about some of the new ideas that she has brought to Washington D.C., such as the New Green Deal. She stressed how important it is that people think of what can be done to improve the planet.

Above - Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez spoke, but also listened to what her constituents had to say.

Below - Another group photo, this time without all the garbage.

Governor Cuomo Responds to Judge's Recommendation to Fire NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo

  "We have to have trust and respect for our criminal justice system. People have to respect it, they have to believe it's fair, they have to believe when someone does something wrong, even if they have a badge, that they will be punished.

"We have a judge who said the officer in the Eric Garner case should be fired. I did - in our society we say we follow the judge's orders and I think that's appropriate.

"You had an incident a couple of weeks ago where police officers had buckets of water thrown on them. That is not respecting the police. You know, police have to respect the community and the community has to respect the police and dousing NYPD officers or any officer for that matter with water is just the ultimate sign of disrespect. It's not just for those officers but for the entire force and the criminal justice system, so the old adage: you want respect, you give respect.

"When a judge says an officer should be fired because they did something wrong I believe the officer should be fired. The community needs to be respected and that's what the Eric Garner case is all about. It's gone on for five years. Five years that family has been suffering. Give them the respect of doing justice.  

"At the same time, the police, the police officers should give respect, they should get respect. You don't douse a police officer with a bucket of water. You don't disrespect the police. They're putting their life on the line for all of us every day. Whether you're an NYPD or in the Nassau police or Suffolk police you're putting your life on the line and they should be respected and I think that is way out of the realm of acceptable behavior."

Editor's Note:

This was an answer by Governor Cuomo at a press conference on a different subject matter, when asked about police officer Daniel Pantaleo. 

Bronx Park Gets New Adult Fitness Equipment

  Councilman Ritchie Torres was the first to try out the new Adult Fitness Equipment that was installed in Bronx Park East at the Arnow Avenue entrance next to the soccer field. Brand new pieces of Adult Fitness Equipment that you would see in a gym were installed at a cost of $292,000.00.

 The first $200,000.00 was part of the yearly Participatory Budgeting Councilman Torres does, and the rest was placed in the budget by the city under the current mayor. 

  The Adult Fitness Equipment are a Double Chest Press, A Sit Up Bench, an Overhead Ladder, and a Cross Trainer. 

Above - Councilman Torres explains about how the Adult Fitness Equipment came about during his Participatory Budgeting process.

Below - Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez thanked Councilman Torres for the money for the Adult Fitness Equipment, adding that this will be another Bronx park with this very requested amenity

Above - Councilman Torres tries out another piece of Adult Fitness Equipment.

Below - Bronx Parks Commissioner Rodriguez also wanted to try this out.

Above- The check for $292,000.00 presented to Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez, and Ralph Schweizer of BPECA.

Below- The Official ribbon cutting. 

Gerri Lamb Street Naming Celebration

You should know that this Saturday, August 3^rd we will be celebrating a street renaming activity in memory of the late Gerri Lamb.

Gerri Lamb was a community leader, advocate, and outspoken leader for senior citizens, NYCHA residents, and the community as a whole.

As the City Councilmember representing the area of Castle Hill, I was able to obtain approval from the City Council to rename the corner of Castle Hill Ave & Randall Ave as “Gerri Lamb Way”.

The street renaming ceremony will begin at 11am and will be a family festival filled with music, food, and games/entertainment for children throughout the day.

All are welcome and encouraged to come as we pay tribute to Ms. Gerri Lamb and celebrate her life. Elected officials, community leaders, friends of Gerri Lamb and anyone else who would like to come together to remember Ms. Lamb.

Location: 625 Castle Hill Ave (Corner of Randall Ave)

Date: Tomorrow Saturday, August 3^rd

Time: 10:30 am

Wave Hill events August 15–22: Honey Weekend

Thu, August 15

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, August 15

Sonic Experience: Dronechoir

Arone Dyer is director, composer, curator and performer, and aims to present beautiful musical experiences that provide deeper connections between women of different cultures within the musical community through Dronechoir. While the current sonic composition of the piece is a constant, Dronechoircontinually reshapes itself through reimagined movement directions designed specifically for each space, as well as thanks to the generous participation of adventurous vocalists of diverse backgrounds whose voices vary in volume, range and timbre. Movement directions embedded within the piece physically foregrounds specific singers at different points in the piece, and the singers may move closer to members of the audience, bringing depth to the listener’s experience by challenging barriers and introducing a heightened sense of engagement with the performance. Dronechoir combines unfamiliar collaborators with an unrehearsed performance, and everyone is singing together for the first time with people they may never have met before. Throughout the piece, the vocalists learn what their role is within the choir and composition. By committing to this unrehearsed performance the vocalists naturally demonstrate a sense of hope and support, acceptance, love and respect to the audience and each other. Free with admission to the grounds. Special evening admission to the grounds starts at 4PM. $12 general adult admission; $8 student and seniors 65+; $6 children ages six+. Purchase admission online by 4PM day of event and save $2. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under age six. No guest passes or reciprocal admission accepted.

Aquatic Garden, 7PM

Thu, August 15

Full-Moon Nature Walk

Traverse Wave Hill’s garden and woodland paths under the light of the “Sturgeon Moon,” the last full moon of summer. Expert naturalist Mike Feller leads this after-hours adventure along woodland edges and pocket meadows where fireflies, moths and other insects rendezvous for some evening revelry. Observe as Feller calls to local screech owls and look for signs of other nocturnal creatures taking advantage of the tranquility of the evening garden. Adults and children 10 and up welcome with an adult. Not recommended for persons with mobility issues; route includes rough terrain and some steep slopes. This event is held light rain or shine. $20; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Twilight in the Garden event.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 8‒9:30PM

Fri, August 16

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Sat, August 17

Family Art Project: Be a Bee

Outfit yourself with wings, antennae and a pollen cup to buzz around in a hive of six-sided cells and forage in the flowers. Join in a bee parade and do a bee dance as you search for flowers to pollinate. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sat, August 17

Honey Tasting in The Shop

You’ll be amazed at the complex flavors of different varieties of honey! Sample a few, then purchase your favorite to take home. Free, and admission to the grounds in free until noon. Honey Weekend event.

Perkins Visitor Center, 11AM−3PM

Sat, August 17

Bees and Beekeeping Information Station

Chat with beekeepers like Bronx beekeeper Junior Schouten, try on beekeeping gear, peek inside a hive and learn fascinating facts about honeybees. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM

Sat, August 17

Candle-Making Drop-in Workshop

Try your hand at creating an assortment of rolled beeswax candles to take home and enjoy. Materials fee: $15 materials charge per kit makes several candles. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM

Sat, August 17

Honey Extraction Demonstration

Drop in and see the sticky process of extracting honey from the comb with our resident bee experts. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, NOON−3PM

Sat, August 17

Wave Hill History Walk

Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Sat, August 17

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. The exhibition Figuring the Floralfeatures artists who employ flowers to explore representations of identity—constructing narratives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and aging. The exhibition includes paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and an outdoor installation. In the Sunroom, Kate Bae’s immersive installation consists of flowers created from layers of acrylic paint. They drape from the ceiling into a wishing well. The landscape evokes the ecosystem of Mount Hallaon South Korea’s Jeju Island, a holy symbol of the unification of South Korea and North Korea. In the Sun Porch, Riad Miah creates a multi-part installation of double-sided, oil and acrylic, rectangular paintings on Dura-Lar. He traces light throughout the calendar year to portray a sense of time, with each piece representing a single month. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Sun, August 18

Family Art Project: Be a Bee

Outfit yourself with wings, antennae and a pollen cup to buzz around in a hive of six-sided cells and forage in the flowers. Join in a bee parade and do a bee dance as you search for flowers to pollinate. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, August 18

Honey Tasting in The Shop

You’ll be amazed at the complex flavors of different varieties of honey! Sample a few, then purchase your favorite to take home. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.

Perkins Visitor Center, 11AM−3PM

Sun, August 18

Bees and Beekeeping Information Station

Chat with beekeepers like Bronx beekeeper Junior Schouten, try on beekeeping gear, peek inside a hive and learn fascinating facts about honeybees.  Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM

Sat, August 17

Candle-Making Drop-in Workshop

Try your hand at creating an assortment of rolled beeswax candles to take home and enjoy. Materials fee: $15 materials charge per kit makes several candles. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 11AM−3PM

Sat, August 17

Honey Extraction Demonstration

Drop in and see the sticky process of extracting honey from the comb with our resident bee experts. Free with admission to the grounds. Honey Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, NOON−3PM

Sun, August 18

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM

Tue, August 20

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. The exhibition Figuring the Floralfeatures artists who employ flowers to explore representations of identity—constructing narratives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and aging. The exhibition includes paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and an outdoor installation. In the Sunroom, Kate Bae’s immersive installation consists of flowers created from layers of acrylic paint. They drape from the ceiling into a wishing well. The landscape evokes the ecosystem of Mount Hallaon South Korea’s Jeju Island, a holy symbol of the unification of South Korea and North Korea. In the Sun Porch, Riad Miah creates a multi-part installation of double-sided, oil and acrylic, rectangular paintings on Dura-Lar. He traces light throughout the calendar year to portray a sense of time, with each piece representing a single month. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Wed, August 21

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, August 22

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, August 22

Sonic Experience: Gamelan Dharma Swara

Gamelan Dharma Swara have been described by The New York Times as “an ambitious and powerful ensemble who plays gamelan as a living language.” Now entering its thirtieth year, the 25-person ensemble will present an evening of works spanning centuries, exploring the many facets of the Balinese performing arts. Dedicated to the traditions of Balinese performing arts and committed to exploring new music, Gamelan Dharma Swara is carving out a compelling niche in New York City’s vibrant arts scene. Founded in 1989, Dharma Swara is one of the leading Balinese gamelan and dance ensembles in the United States, and has performed at renowned NYC music venues, including Le Poisson Rouge, Symphony Space, Joe’s Pub, Roulette Intermedium and BAM, as well as at such cultural institutions as MoMA and the Asia Society. While remaining firmly dedicated to traditional art, Dharma Swara collaborates across genres and commissions new compositions for semara dana, striving to present work that dissolves the separation between audience and performer, local and foreign. Free with admission to the grounds. Special evening admission to the grounds starts at 4PM. $12 general adult admission; $8 student and seniors 65+; $6 children ages six+. Purchase admission online by 4PM day of event and save $2. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under age six. No guest passes or reciprocal admission accepted.

Aquatic Garden, 7PM

Thu, August 22

Stargazing in the Garden

Prepare for an out-of-this-world experience with Irene Pease and a team of sidewalk astronomers. Learn what it takes to be an amateur astronomer in New York City, get oriented to the night sky, test out a telescope in the garden, and observe the starry night high above Wave Hill. Rain date: August 29.Adults and children 12 and up welcome. Space is limited. $40; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center.Twilight in the Garden event.

Meet at Wave Hill House, 7:30‒9:30PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS – Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES – Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

Assembly Member Marcos A. Crespo & Senator Jamaal Bailey Introduce New Legislation

  Assembly Member Marcos A. Crespo & Senator Jamaal Bailey Introduce New Legislation Requiring New Cars to be Equipped with Technology that Warns Drivers of Babies or Toddlers in Backseats

  Unfortunately, tragic accidents involving infants and small children being left too long or forgotten in passenger vehicles during hot summer months and cold winters reoccur all too often. Disastrously, many of these accidents end in the heartbreaking loss of life.  The recent tragic accident in the Bronx resulted in the loss of one year old twins Luna and Phoenix after being mistakenly forgotten in their car seats for 8 hours. Heat stroke, hyperthermia, dehydration, etc., can cause serious harm or death within a short while of a child being left behind in a locked motor vehicle. In addition, unattended small children have accidentally locked themselves inside cars without a parent or guardian’s knowledge. Studies show that a car can heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit within one hour in sunny weather. Each minute is crucial in preventing an unnecessary loss of life.

 

“The tragic loss of Luna & Phoenix in The Bronx last week has shaken us all to our core. As a parent and legislator I can’t begin to fathom the pain and suffering of the family. But I can understand that this and similar tragedies could be prevented with existing technology that should be mandated in all new vehicles, alerting drivers of the possible presence of an individual or even a pet remaining in the car” said Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx). 

 

Senator Jamaal Bailey (D-Bronx) added, “The loss of Luna and Phoenix this past week was a sad day for all of us. As a father of two, my heart hurts for the family of these angels, and as a legislator, I must respond with forward thinking legislation that looks to prevent future tragedies as this from happening. Technology does so much in our lives- let’s use it to save innocent lives as well.”

 

Technology to warn drivers of backseat occupants does exist. Drivers should be immediately contacted when a car’s functioning system detects any presence in the back seat when the motor engine is turned off. The new legislation will require all motor vehicles ten thousand pounds or less, registered after July 1^st, 2021 to be equipped with a functioning system that can detect and warn of any presence of an occupant in a rear seat if a seat belt is still latched or a weight of twenty pounds or more is sensed when the car engine is off.

 

MAYOR DE BLASIO RE: TRIAL DECISION FOR DANIEL PANTALEO

MAYOR DE BLASIO HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY

  Mayor Bill de Blasio: There’s been a lot of pain in this city over the last five years and there’s been a lot of fear. The pain was because we watched an innocent man die and the fear was because people worried that there would be no justice, that the inequities that have plagued us for generations would simply continue unchecked. But today, for the first time in these long five years, the system of justice is working. For the Garner family – and I’ve spent time with them and I’ve heard the pain that they have felt – it’s been a very long five years, with no sense of closure, no sense of justice. Until today, the Garner family has been failed by this entire process. And think about what they have gone through – they watched him die, just as we all did. They felt that pain, and then they were told over and over again by the District Attorney, by the Department of Justice that the government would do its job – and they waited, and they waited, and they waited, and nothing happened. And as all this stretched on, it reinforced a suspicion – and it’s one felt by millions – that justice doesn’t exist for people who look like Eric Garner. 

Today, we finally saw a step toward justice and accountability. We saw a process that was actually fair and impartial. And I hope that this will now bring the Garner family a sense of closure and the beginning of some peace. But full justice means that there can never be another tragedy like the one that befell Eric Garner. Full justice is when we never have another death. That is all of our responsibility, and it requires us to change everything. 

For the last five years, our mission has been to fundamentally change the nature of policing in New York City. After the death of Eric Garner, everything was reevaluated. The entire police force was retrained – 36,000 officers retrained to deescalate conflict, to understand the implicit bias that we all carry with us, to ensure it would not interfere with their duty. The approach to the community is entirely different today – and we had to weed out the distance and the separation that was the norm of the past, and, through neighborhood policing, actually create a dynamic where our officers and community members got to know each other as human beings, where people felt they were on the same side, working toward a common goal. 

And we had to change the approach on the ground. Last year, there were 150,000 fewer arrests than five years earlier because there were too many times when people were being arrested unnecessarily and too many conflicts that came from it. And this NYPD proved that fewer and fewer people could be arrested and the City could become safer. Safety and fairness must walk hand-in-hand. And I hoped that today begins the process of restoring some faith and in helping people believe that there actually is accountability and fairness. 

We have a lot more work to do. We’ll be at this a long time, but we all have a sense of common mission – there can never be another tragedy like this. This city, this nation should never be put through this agony. We should never lose another innocent man or woman. We should never have people’s faith undermined. It’s in our power to do something better and to do something different. That is the course we set five years ago and that’s the course we will stay on. 

Assemblymember Michael Blake - Statement Regarding Officer Daniel Pantaleo and Justice for Eric Garner

Today, Deputy Commissioner of Trials, Rosemarie Maldonado recommended that NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo should be fired for his direct involvement in the death of Eric Garner. After half a decade, we are on the road towards long-awaited justice.   But that's not enough. I call on Commissioner O'Neill to fire all parties involved with Mr. Garner's death and the subsequent cover-up, including Officers Justin D’Amico, Mark Ramos and Craig Furlani, Sergeant Kizzy Adonis and Lieutenant Christopher Bannon. I standby the Garner family on their call for New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill to do his job and fire Pantaleo, without pension or benefits. It has been five years. Five years since Mr. Garner's tragic death at the hands of an individual who swore to protect and serve his community. Five years since we've been waiting for justice to be served. We will not allow this to be swept under the rug. Eric Garner deserves justice beyond recommendations for the firing of the man who murdered him in broad daylight and in cold blood. Officer Pantaleo's suspension is not enough. All officers involved must be charged and fired for their conduct. New Yorkers deserve to know that bad actors in the NYPD will be held responsible for misconduct, regardless of their name and title. We will continue to fight and make our voices heard until all parties involved have been held accountable for their actions.

Sincerely,  Assembly Member Michael A. Blake

WILLIAMS' STATEMENT ON THE PANTALEO TRIAL RECOMMENDATION

 Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams issued the following statement after the judge in the NYPD disciplinary trial for Daniel Pantaleo recommended that the officer be fired for his role in the death of Eric Garner.

  "The judge confirmed what many of us have known for years - Daniel Pantaleo used a banned chokehold and killed Eric Garner. The world saw it on camera, heard Eric Garner say 'I can't breathe' eleven times, watched Pantaleo ignore those pleas. It has always been clear that he should be fired - that removing him from the NYPD is the absolute minimum of what some semblance of justice looks like. 

"Nothing can undo what occurred five years ago on a Staten Island sidewalk. Nothing can truly heal the pain caused by years of inaction since. Eric Garner lost his life. Gwen Carr lost her son. Daniel Pantaleo may lose his job. 

"I turn to Commissioner O'Neill and Mayor de Blasio. All of the work done toward better policing in this city is overshadowed if there is no accountability for someone who killed a man on camera. Accept this recommendation, and the refrain echoed for five long years from the streets of this city to the stage in Detroit. Fire Pantaleo."

D.A. VANCE, NYS INSPECTOR GENERAL, NYC DOI COMMISSIONER, ANNOUNCE INDICTMENT OF NON-PROFIT HEAD FOR STEALING $631K FROM ADDICTS REHABILITATION CENTER FOUNDATION AND ADDICTS REHABILITATION CENTER FUND

Reginald Williams Charged With Years-Long Theft From Publicly-Funded Organizations

 Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro, and New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”) Commissioner Margaret Garnett today announced the indictment of REGINALD WILLIAMS, 67, for stealing more than $631,271 from the Addicts Rehabilitation Center Foundation, Inc. (“ARC Foundation”) and the Addicts Rehabilitation Center Fund Inc. (“ARC Fund”), while he served as the President and CEO of the ARC Fund, and the Chairman of the Board (and previously President and CEO) of the ARC Foundation. The ARC Foundation and the ARC Fund are taxpayer-funded not-for-profit entities that contract with City and State agencies to provide housing and social services to New Yorkers with substance and alcohol use disorders, HIV/AIDS, and others. NAOMI BARRERA, 42, who served as the President and CEO of the ARC Foundation, and BENNIE HADNOTT, 74, president of Tondah Consulting Group, which provided financial consulting services to the ARC Foundation, are also charged for their roles in WILLIAMS’s schemes. The defendants are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with various counts of Grand Larceny in the Second and Third Degree, as well as Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. [1]

 D.A. Vance said: “As alleged, these defendants shamelessly stole from publicly funded organizations dedicated to helping vulnerable New Yorkers. Even while their organizations struggled financially – failing to meet contractual obligations and even furloughing employees without pay – these defendants continued to drain the coffers for their personal gain. I would like to thank the New York State Inspector General’s Office and the New York City Department of Investigation for their valuable partnership, and urge anyone who knows of similar abuse of public funds to contact my Office at 212-335-8987.”

New York State Inspector General Tagliafierro said: “The defendants engaged in fraud to steal taxpayer dollars awarded to non-profits assisting vulnerable New Yorkers in need of housing, social services, and drug treatment. I thank District Attorney Vance and his office for their commitment to this case and the New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett and her office for their efforts and cooperation in the investigation.”

DOI Commissioner Garnett said: “These defendants should have safeguarded the finances of these taxpayer-funded nonprofits. Instead, they diverted public funds from their intended mission to provide housing and social services to individuals overcoming alcohol and substance abuse and those living with HIV/AIDS. They then used this stolen money for their personal benefit, including paying for personal travel and hotels, according to the charges. DOI thanks the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the State Inspector General for their partnership in this joint investigation.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, since 2010, WILLIAMS – at times acting in concert with HADNOTT and BARRERA – has stolen $65,432.76 from the ARC Fund, and $565,839.56 from the ARC Foundation through multiple schemes. 

During one scheme, the ARC Foundation paid HADNOTT’s Tondah Consulting Group $40,000 each year for financial consulting services under WILLIAMS’s direction. In exchange, HADNOTT kicked back approximately 25% to WILLIAMS each year between 2010 and 2015, totaling more than $54,000. All but one of these checks were made payable to Alternative Strategies, a shell entity controlled by WILLIAMS, which he used to conceal and spend stolen funds.

WILLIAMS, acting in concert with BARRERA, also stole from the ARC Foundation on two separate occasions after the Foundation received an influx of cash, including after receiving bridge loans and after the sale of Heritage House, one of its affordable housing properties. As a result of these schemes, WILLIAMS received $135,000 and BARRERA received $30,000. BARRERA also filed a false document with the New York City Human Resources Administration when applying for the bridge loans on behalf of the ARC Foundation.

Finally, WILLIAMS stole funds from the ARC Foundation and the ARC Fund by requesting reimbursements for personal matters that he falsely claimed were business expenses. WILLIAMS received more than $100,000 for near-monthly travel expenses to the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic for himself, family, and friends, including lodging, restaurant and bar tabs, and taxis. He was also paid more than $170,000 for frequent restaurant and bar tabs in New York City. At times, WILLIAMS submitted the same expenses to the ARC Fund and the ARC Foundation in order to receive double the reimbursement, or falsely inflated expenses by altering the receipts he submitted for reimbursement.

District Attorney Vance thanked the New York State Inspector General’s Office, particularly Senior Investigative Counsel Kenneth Michaels, Director of Audit Giovanni Liotine, Investigative Auditor Teresa Mohabir, Investigative Auditor Ran Chen, Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, and Investigative Auditor Alla Korsunskiy, under the direction of Special Deputy Inspector General Philip Foglia; and the New York City Department of Investigation, particularly Assistant Inspector General Sara Leibowitz, Investigative Auditor Lidia Bautista, and Senior Investigative Auditor/Special Investigator Tiffany Coles, who worked under the supervision of Senior Inspector General Andrew Sein, First Deputy Inspector General/Chief Forensic Auditor Ivette Morales, and Deputy Inspector General Peter Relyea, for their partnership in the investigation.  

Defendant Information: 

REGINALD WILLIAMS, D.O.B. 7/11/1952 New York, NY 

Charges: 

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 4 counts

• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 1 count 

BENNIE HADNOTT, D.O.B. 11/23/1944 Teaneck, NJ Charge: 

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 1 count 

NAOMI BARRERA, D.O.B. 5/24/1977 Teaneck, NJ Charges: 

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts 

• Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony, 1 count

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.