BRAC - Spring Classes 2026 Are Go!

Let your creative spirit bloom this spring!Registration for BRAC's Spring 2026 Art Classes is open, with courses in painting, ceramics, drawing, and more!

Spring Classes 2026



Monday Ceramics with Monoprinting: Textures & Transfers (4pm)

Monday Pottery (6:30pm)

Tuesday Handbuilding (4pm)

Tuesday Pottery (6:30pm)

Wednesday Comic Book Design (4pm)

Wednesday Glass Canvas: Stained Glass (4pm)

Wednesday Glass Canvas: Stained Glass (6:30pm)

Thursday Handbuilding (4pm)

Thursday Pottery (6:30pm)

Thursday Watercolor Painting (6:30pm)

Saturday Comic Book Design (11am)

Saturday Printmaking Linoleum (1pm)

Saturday Portrait Painting (3:30pm)

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News - $126 Million Returned to Rightful Owners in March

 

Corporate America Needs to Come Clean About AI’s Impact on Jobs

AI is rapidly reshaping how companies operate, promises major gains in productivity, and is increasingly driving hiring decisions, workforce size and layoffs. Comptroller DiNapoli recently authored an op-ed in City & State New York explaining why, as Trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, he’s calling on corporations to increase transparency around AI’s impacts on workers.

Read Comptroller DiNapoli's Op-Ed

$126 Million in Unclaimed Funds Returned in March

The Office of the State Comptroller returned $126 million in unclaimed funds to its rightful owners during the month of March. From uncashed payroll checks to forgotten bank accounts, Comptroller DiNapoli is dedicated to putting money back into the pockets of the people and organizations it belongs to.

Search for Unclaimed Funds

New York State Agency Overtime Costs Increased by $1.6 Billion in 2025

New York State agency overtime costs increased 22.7% in 2025 for a total of $1.6 billion, while the number of overtime hours increased by 5.9%, or 1.4 million hours, higher than the previous year, according to the annual report issued by Comptroller DiNapoli examining state agencies’ overtime and workforce trends. The size of the state workforce, not including SUNY and CUNY, grew for a third straight year in 2025 increasing by 2.7%, or 4,139 positions, from 2024, to an average annual total of 155,448.

“The use of overtime by state agencies continued to climb with overtime as a share of payroll at its second highest rate since at least 2007,” DiNapoli said. “Agencies need to ensure usage is justified while continuing to safely and effectively provide the services New Yorkers expect and deserve.”

Learn More

Post-Pandemic Unemployment in NYC Persists for Some Demographic Groups

The December unemployment rate in New York City remained higher than pre-pandemic levels for several demographic groups, particularly for youths and Blacks, according to a report released by Comptroller DiNapoli. The report also found that non-college-educated unemployment is closer to pre-pandemic levels than college-educated unemployment, a major shift from earlier in the decade.

“New York City continues to experience uneven employment across demographic groups, even as overall unemployment has improved since the pandemic,” DiNapoli said. “My report found that youths and Black people continue to face elevated unemployment while women, people without children, native-born and those with a college education are more likely to face higher unemployment now than in years past. These findings identify where support may be needed to fuel stronger and more broad-based workforce participation.”

Learn More

M U N I C I P A L   &   S C H O O L    A U D I T S

• East Norwich Volunteer Fire Company Number 1 – Fuel Monitoring
• City of Ithaca – Records and Reports
• Town of Cato – Supervisor’s Records and Reports
• Cincinnatus Fire Department – Financial Management
• Monroe 2-Orleans Board of Cooperative Educational Services – MiFi Usage Billings
• Town of Brant – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
• Truxton Fire District – Audit Follow-Up
• Chittenango Central School District – Audit Follow-Up

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• New York state workforce overtime surged 23% in 2025, driven by DOCCS, prison strike, DiNapoli says
• Post-pandemic unemployment persists in NYC: DiNapoli
• NY Sees Drop in International Tourism in 2025
• NYS Comptroller says federal tariffs are driving the state's drop in tourism and exports

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

DHS Issues Statement on Pedophile Convicted of Assaulting High School Girls in Fairfax County

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the below statement following the conviction of Israel Christopher Flores-Ortiz, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, after his conviction for nine counts of assault and battery while attending Fairfax High School. 

ICE lodged an arrest detainer requesting Virginia sanctuary politicians not release this criminal illegal alien from jail back into our communities to prey on more innocent young women. Flores-Ortiz will be sentenced on April 21.

“This 18-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls. Following his criminal convictions for nine counts of assault and battery, we are once again calling on Governor Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to NOT RELEASE this sexual predator from jail back into our communities to victimize more innocent women,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s failed open border policies.”

Flores-Ortiz illegally entered the United States in 2024 and was RELEASED into the country under the Biden Administration. 

Governor Spanberger’s decision to end cooperation with ICE in Virginia has allowed criminals to be released back into American communities. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers need to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities. While Governor Spanberger continues to allow the release of pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto Virginia’s streets, DHS law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals. 

DHS law enforcement is protecting American communities every day from another senseless tragedy like this taking place in another town, to another family. Victims of illegal alien crime may receive support from the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office by contacting 1-855-488-6423. 

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Sopchoppy Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun & Drug Crimes

 

Howard Neil Martin, 46, of Sopchoppy, Fla., was sentenced to seven-and-a half years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

“This joint investigation removes another methamphetamine trafficker from our North Florida communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “I’m thankful to our law enforcement partners for their support in bringing this criminal to justice.”

The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners, and the aggressive prosecution of this repeat offender by my office, our community can rest assured he will spend several years in prison for his armed drug dealing. Keeping our streets safe and drug-free remains a top priority for my office, and we will continue to deliver successful prosecutions under the Department of Justices Operation Take Back America initiative.”

Court documents reflect that Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report about a burglary in progress. When they arrived, the defendant was parked in the driveway of the residence and in a verbal dispute with someone watching the residence for the homeowner. Officers could see a firearm in plain view inside the defendant’s truck and upon running his criminal history, learned that he was a convicted felon. Officers ultimately searched the truck and located approximately half a pound of crystal methamphetamine.

Sheriff Jared F. Miller, Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office said: “Cases like this highlight the ongoing threat illegal drugs and firearms pose to our community. I’m proud of our deputies for their quick response and strong partnership with our federal agencies to ensure dangerous offenders are held accountable.”

When the defendant is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for a period of five years.

The case involved an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

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.

Speaker Julie Menin, Council Members Encourage New Yorkers to Join Participatory Budgeting Vote Week to Shape $22 Million in Capital Funding for Community Improvements

 

From Saturday, April 11 through Sunday, April 19, New Yorkers ages 11 years old and up can vote online or in person at poll sites in 22 participating Council districts

Speaker Julie Menin and the New York City Council kicked off Participatory Budgeting (PB) Vote Week, encouraging New Yorkers who are 11 years old and up to make their voices heard by voting for projects to improve their communities. From April 11 to April 19, New Yorkers can vote online or in-person at voting sites in the 22 participating City Council districts to decide how $22 million in capital funding will be spent in the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 city budget. New Yorkers will be able to choose projects focused on improving neighborhood schools, parks, libraries, and other public spaces.  

“Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is proof that the best ideas for our neighborhoods come from the people who live in them,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “When New Yorkers have a direct say in how public dollars are spent, we get a stronger, more responsive city. I encourage everyone in a participating district, including District 5, to cast their votes this week. To every New Yorker who has made participatory budgeting a priority, thank you for strengthening our civic democracy.”

This year, 22 districts across Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn are participating. The following list includes participating City Council Districts:

Council District	Borough	Council Member	Neighborhoods
1	Manhattan	Council Member Christopher Marte	Financial District-Battery Park City, Tribeca-Civic Center, The Battery-Governors Island-Ellis Island-Liberty Island, SoHo-Little Italy-Hudson Square, Chinatown-Two Bridges, Lower East Side
2	Manhattan	Council Member Harvey Epstein	Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, East Village, Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square, Gramercy, Murray Hill-Kips Bay
3	Manhattan		SoHo-Little Italy-Hudson Square, West Village, Chelsea-Hudson Yards, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square, Midtown-Times Square
5	Manhattan	Speaker Julie Menin	East Midtown-Turtle Bay, United Nations, Upper East Side-Lenox Hill-Roosevelt Island, Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill, Upper East Side-Yorkville
6	Manhattan	Council Member Gale A. Brewer	Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown-Times Square, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Central Park
7	Manhattan	Majority Leader Shaun Abreu	Upper West Side, Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights, Manhattanville-West Harlem, Hamilton Heights-Sugar Hill, Washington Heights
8	Manhattan/Bronx	Deputy Whip Elsie Encarnación	Mott Haven-Port Morris, Melrose, Concourse-Concourse Village, Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill, Upper East Side-Yorkville, East Harlem, Randall’s Island
12	Bronx	Council Member Kevin C. Riley	Co-op City, Pelham Gardens, Allerton, Williamsbridge-Olinville, Eastchester-Edenwald-Baychester, Wakefield-Woodlawn, Pelham Bay Park
14	Bronx	Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez	University Heights, Morris Heights, Mount Hope, Fordham Heights, Fordham, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge Heights-Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge-Marble Hill
16	Bronx	Council Member Althea Stevens	Morrisania, Claremont Village, Concourse-Concourse Village, Highbridge, Mount Eden, Yankee Stadium-Macombs Dam Park, Claremont Park, Morris Heights, University Heights, Fordham
18	Bronx	Council Member Amanda Farías	Soundview-Bruckner, Clason Point, Castle Hill-Unionport, Harding Park, Parkchester, Westchester Square
22	Queens	Council Member Tiffany Caban	Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, Hallets Point, Woodside, Dutch Kills, Rikers Island, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst
25	Queens	Council Member Shekar Krishnan	Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Woodside
26	Queens	Council Member Julie Won	Astoria, Woodside, Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Dutch Kills, Long Island City, Hunters Point, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Maspeth
27	Queens	Deputy Speaker Dr. Nantasha Williams	Jamaica, South Jamaica, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans, Hollis, Queens Village, Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Jamaica
29	Queens	Council Member Lynn Schulman	Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, Ozone Park (North), South Ozone Park
34	Brooklyn/Queens	Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez	Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick, Ridgewood
35	Brooklyn	Council Member Crystal Hudson	Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens-Wingate
37	Brooklyn	Council Member Sandy Nurse	Bushwick, Cypress Hills, East New York, City Line, Ocean Hill, Brownsville
39	Brooklyn	Council Member Shahana Hanif	Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Red Hook, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, South Slope, Sunset Park, Prospect Heights, Borough Park, Kensington, Flatbush, Ditmas Park
40	Brooklyn	Council Member Rita Joseph	Windsor Terrace, South Slope, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Wingate, Borough Park, Kensington, Mapleton-Midwood, Flatbush, Parkville, East Flatbush-Erasmus, East Flatbush-Rugby,
45	Brooklyn	Council Member Farah Louis	Flatbush, Midwood, East Flatbush, Flatlands, Marine Park, Canarsie

New Yorkers can call or contact their Council Member’s office or check their social media pages to confirm the exact hours, locations, and times of neighborhood Participatory Budgeting poll sites. Council Member’s District Offices will also be used as voting sites during the week.

The Participatory Budgeting proposals on this year’s ballots were created by New Yorkers who attended neighborhood assemblies and budget delegate meetings throughout the fall and winter. All projects are capital budget proposals, which are significant neighborhood infrastructure investments. They were crafted and refined in partnership with relevant city agencies and facilitated by participating Council Members’ offices.

2026 marks the 15th year that the New York City Council has hosted Participatory Budgeting since the initiative began in 2011. To read more about the Council’s Participatory Budgeting initiative and past results, visit council.nyc.gov/PB.