Monday, October 21, 2024
NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S STATEMENT ON ‘CITY OF YES’ HOUSING PROPOSAL
Philadelphia Resident Charged for Election-Related Threat to State Party Representative
An indictment was unsealed today charging a Pennsylvania man with threatening to kill a representative of a state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, sent threatening text messages to Victim 1. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1:
- “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”
- “Your days are numbered, B****!”
- “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”
Pollard was arrested today and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of transmitting interstate threats. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Statement by NYC Comptroller Lander in Support of City of Yes
As the New York City Council holds its two-day public meeting on the Department of City Planning’s City of Yes: Zoning for Housing Opportunity citywide zoning reform proposals, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander issued the following statement:
“I support the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning reform proposal, which is common sense policy that would allow a little more housing to be built in every neighborhood. Increasing the city’s housing supply is essential in combatting our dire housing shortage.
“The proposals would also help us catch up with cities across the country that are working to end exclusionary zoning and further fair housing goals, correcting for dozens of rezonings over the past 20 years that limited new development in neighborhoods with strong access to public services. In particular, allowing new development in transit-rich neighborhoods will help increase New Yorkers’ economic mobility and access to opportunity.
“However, as Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso stated in his favorable recommendation on City of Yes, ‘the proposal should be best understood as a housing supply strategy rather than a housing affordability strategy.’ The market alone cannot meet the housing affordability challenge that New York’s working families face every day.
“We urgently need a renewed commitment and a more comprehensive strategy from the City, State, and Federal governments for creating and sustaining much more deeply affordable housing. In order for New Yorkers to actually see themselves sharing in the prosperity that comes along with growth, we must expand access to housing vouchers and families’ ability to use them, bolster tenant protections, live up to the City’s ‘right to counsel’ promise to protect tenants from evictions, and generate affordable homeownership opportunities for working families. It is also urgent that we strengthen the capacity of our City’s housing agencies, as we have previously called for.
“I applaud City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick and Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer for putting forward the City of Yes proposals, and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for her leadership and efforts to ensure that its passage is part of a broader strategy that can more adequately address the housing affordability crisis that New York City faces. The City of New York has the tools to combat the housing crisis, and we must use all of them to create a more affordable, fairer, and thriving city.”
Governor Hochul Announces Start of $26.3 Million Project to Improve Resiliency Along U.S. Route 9W in Orange County
Upgraded Drainage System, Stone Wall and Road Surface Will Enhance Safety and Harden Key Roadway Against Severe Weather Impacts
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has begun on a $26.3 million project to enhance safety and improve resiliency along a 4.9-mile stretch of U.S. Route 9W atop Storm King Mountain in the Towns of Cornwall and Highlands, Orange County. The project will upgrade drainage systems, fortify stone walls, replace concrete barriers and resurface the road to improve travel conditions and help this vital roadway better withstand the impacts of severe weather. This stretch of the scenic highway, located between Newburgh and Bear Mountain on the western side of the Hudson River, serves as an important access road for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and many other popular attractions in the Hudson Valley region.
“New Yorkers need only look at the significant damage done to our roads and bridges by severe storms in recent years to know that climate change is already having an impact and we need to be ready,” Governor Hochul said. “This resiliency project along U.S. Route 9W in Orange County exemplifies our Build-it-Back-Better mantra and will mitigate persistent drainage issues on this important Orange County roadway, ensuring its long-term ability to withstand the growing challenges posed by mother nature.”
A key focus of the project will be the installation of 6,700 linear feet of perforated pipe, known as an underdrain, that is designed to collect and redirect subsurface water before it saturates the road surface. Additionally, 12,300 feet of asphalt gutter will be constructed, and existing drainage structures will be repaired to better channel surface water runoff and prevent ponding.
Deteriorating sections of the 88-year-old stone wall located along the eastern, or cliff side, of the roadway will be rebuilt and strengthened using a concrete barrier placed on a structurally integrated concrete slab. Where possible, salvaged stones from the existing wall will be repurposed as stone veneer, seamlessly blending the aesthetics and keeping a similar appearance. Additional portions of the existing wall will also be repaired and repointed, where necessary.
The roadway will be resurfaced using warm-mix asphalt – which utilizes less energy to produce than traditional asphalt – and high-visibility pavement markings and reflectors on barriers will be installed to enhance safety, especially during nighttime driving conditions. Additionally, about 10,000 linear feet of concrete median barrier will be replaced and equipped with new impact attenuators, substantially mitigating crash risks.
During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction to allow for construction activities, which will be complete in Spring 2026.
News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Thank you to all the Bronxites that turned out to celebrate our Boricua culture!
We also stopped by to meet with Guns Down Life Up staff to discuss ways to expand their program initiatives to serve more areas of the Bronx.
The day’s events included
• A proud supporter of The New York Public Library, it was an honor to receive my official “Libraries Make NYC Stronger” promotional poster
• Discussing initiatives to rid our community of gun violence and establishing safe spaces for our youth with Gilberto from ‘Guns Down Life Up’
Read more
1070 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, New York 10459
(718) 402-6130
salamanca@council.nyc.gov
Wave Hill Weekly Events: Nov 7 – Nov 14 | Fall Foliage Week!
Fall Foliage Fest kicks off Nov 5–10! Come see the colors at their best! We’ll have special programming all week long including Accessible Foliage Walks, birding, free sunset yoga, music and more. Wave Hill will also be open Monday, Nov 11 for Veteran’s Day.
Celebrate Halloween at Wave Hill! The grounds will be decked out with a treasure trail of Tricks & Treats and ending at a family friendly dance party and pumpkin art projects in historic Wave Hill House. Admission is free.
Sat, Nov 2, spend a beautiful day in the garden as we honor Día de los Muertos with storytelling and artmaking for both children and adults.
Fall Foliage: Accessible Views from the Garden
Free, with admission to the grounds
Enjoy colorful foliage at its seasonal peak. Wave Hill garden experts share some of their favorite trees and shrubs in their vibrant fall finery. Fall Foliage Walks are most appropriate for adults or young adults.
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 in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden. Today’s tour features current exhibitions by artists Soeun Bae, Jordany Genao, Dario Mohr, and Judy Pfaff. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Family Art Project: Rolling Out Autumn Landscapes
Experience the many colors of Wave Hill’s seasonal landscape through sketching and painting. Then, transform your scenic art into a scroll that can be unfurled whenever you wish.
Autumn is when the groundwork for spring is laid—get a jumpstart on your spring garden by planting a container of bulbs. Gardener Gelene Scarborough will share favorite bulb combinations for containers and beyond and guide participants through the proper steps to plant their container and care for it over the next few months.
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 in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden. Today’s tour features current exhibitions by artists Soeun Bae, Jordany Genao, Dario Mohr, and Judy Pfaff. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Experience a free session of community yoga on our Great Lawn with unforgettable views of the Hudson River and Palisades at their colorful fall peak.
Fall is peak migration time along the Hudson River, and we have a front row seat! Join naturalists and bird guides Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim as you explore Wave Hill’s gardens, woodlands and the skies overhead to look for resident and migrating birds.
Don't leaf yourself out of this amazing class! Explore the Wave Hill grounds with museum educator Corinne Flax, finding leaves of all shapes, sizes and colors. Learn about the complex process of photosynthesis and how trees use, and lose, their leaves in the fall. After the walk, spread your leaves and grow in a leaf inspired family yoga class.
In conjunction with Fall Foliage weekend, pianist Sarah Cahill presents a program entitled The Woods So Wild, featuring a selection of sylvan themed music. Throughout music’s history, composers have celebrated nature and the great outdoors.
Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Public Garden Walks are most appropriate for adults or young adults.
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 in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden. Today’s tour features current exhibitions by artists Soeun Bae, Jordany Genao, Dario Mohr, and Judy Pfaff. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.