The Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association will be restarting our Monthly meetings on TUES.Jan 13,2026 at Bronx House,990 Pelham Parkway South Bx NY 10461 .We start at 7 pm sharp.We have scheduled a very important and significant guest for January. From the Office of The Mayor:NYC Office for The Prevention of Hate Crimes .Please join us for this powerful event.
Today, you can help Van Cortlandt Park by sharing your voice. The New York Times is asking New Yorkers how the new mayor should prioritize our tax dollars.
It only takes a few minutes, and thousands of people have already weighed in.
We’re a little biased, but we hope you’ll give parks a big thumbs-up!
Did you know? Van Cortlandt Park Alliance advocates year-round for more local government funding for your park. In 2025, we hosted hundreds of volunteer events, and successfully petitioned City Council for funding to help protect and improve our valuable green space.
And, along with more than a dozen Bronx environmental organizations, VCPA helps organize the annual Bronx Parks Speak Up, which brings elected officials and the public together to improve parks in the Bronx. Join the 32nd annual Bronx Parks Speak Up, Saturday, February 28, 11am to 5pm at Lehman College. Free! Pre-registration is not necessary.
Thanks for standing up for Van Cortlandt Park!
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An associate of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges.
Mark Linnehan, 26, of West Roxbury, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2026.
Linnehan was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
The investigation of H Block began in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. Since the start of the investigation in 2021, law enforcement attributed 12 incidents of gunfire to growing tensions involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested and charged with drug dealing in Boston and the surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates were already in state custody at the time of the arrests. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during the subsequent arrests.
From 2022 through 2023, Linnehan, a long-time H Block gang associate, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, fentanyl and cocaine. According to court filings, Linnehan was a supplier of fentanyl to his co-conspirators and also engaged in various drug deals with an undercover officer.
According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Linnehan is the nineth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Ted E., Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Justice Department announced that the owner and property manager of residential rental properties in Davenport, Iowa, have agreed to pay $325,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the property manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in January 2025, alleges that for more than two decades, property manager Kurt Williams sexually harassed female tenants at various rental dwellings throughout Davenport. The suit alleges that Williams’ conduct included making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances to female tenants, exposing his genitals to female tenants, requesting sex or sex acts from female tenants in exchange for tangible housing benefits like reductions in rent, and taking adverse housing actions, such as initiating evictions or refusing to make repairs, against female tenants who objected to or refused his sexual advances.
“A home should be a place of security and comfort, not fear,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold property managers and landlords accountable when they prey on vulnerable tenants by sexually harassing them.”
“Housing should not be a tool used for exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa. “Our office will vigorously uphold the Fair Housing Act to protect tenants’ dignity, safety, and equal access to housing.”
“Kurt Williams exploited his authority as a landlord for sexual gain, victimizing our most vulnerable community members,” said Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Sexual misconduct in housing is not a misunderstanding — it is an abuse of power that turns shelter into leverage, and nobody should ever have to trade their safety for a place to live. HUD OIG will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for this type of horrible conduct.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit also names as a defendant Gearhead Properties LC, the owner of the rental dwellings where the sexual harassment occurred. The lawsuit alleges that this defendant is vicariously liable for the sexual harassment committed by their agent, Kurt Williams. HUD OIG participated in the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to the lawsuit.
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the defendants must pay $315,000 to tenants who were harmed by Williams’ harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement agreement permanently bars Williams from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment and permanently bars Williams from managing residential rental properties.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment.
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Adrian Cevallos, who died on August 3, 2024 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Queens. The OSI was previously conducting a preliminary assessment of the matter but has opened an investigation following the receipt of new information.
At approximately 8:36 p.m. on August 3, NYPD officers responded to 911 calls reporting what the NYPD refers to as an “emotionally disturbed person” on 62nd Street between 53rd Avenue and 53rd Drive in Queens. When officers arrived, they encountered Mr. Cevallos. Mr. Cevallos allegedly attempted to strike one of the officers, and the officers attempted to place him in handcuffs. During the struggle to handcuff Mr. Cevallos, one officer deployed his Taser. Mr. Cevallos became unresponsive and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
These are preliminary facts and subject to change.
An audit released by Comptroller DiNapoli of New York City’s largest housing voucher program found that weak oversight and administrative lapses are contributing to rising costs and placing some vulnerable families in unsafe housing. The program, known as the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) is overseen by the New York City Department of Social Services, and it is designed to help low-income New Yorkers avoid homelessness. It’s projected to cost the city $1.2 billion in city Fiscal Year 2025, up from $176 million in 2019.
“Stronger oversight of the CityFHEPS program is critical to helping individuals and families access safe housing and stay in their communities,” DiNapoli said. “Improving how the program operates will better protect tenants and taxpayer dollars.”
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An audit released by Comptroller DiNapoli found a lack of sufficient controls and guidance from the Department of Health for a state program intended to help municipalities replace lead drinking water service lines. The audit found millions of dollars in state funds left unused or spent on administrative costs rather than replacing lead lines and found that some communities with children with higher blood lead levels were not prioritized.
“Lead in drinking water poses a serious threat to public health, and can especially harm children, who are at greatest risk because their bodies and brains are still developing,” DiNapoli said. “New York State has worked to address this hazard by targeting funding towards finding and replacing lead water service lines, but my auditors found the Department of Health could improve its oversight. Although the cost to replace lead service lines in the state far exceeds available funding, better guidance could help ensure any additional funds allocated for this purpose will be more effectively deployed.”
Comptroller DiNapoli also released a global report summarizing the findings and recommendations from an audit series that examined school districts’ compliance with testing for lead in sources of drinking water.
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Comptroller DiNapoli and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities President Lola W. Brabham co-authored an op-ed in the New York Daily News on how new federal policy changes to lending undermine college access for students in New York. An excerpt is below:
For generations, higher education has powered New York’s promise of opportunity. Across New York State, public and private, not-for-profit colleges and universities educate more than 1.1 million students each year including the nurses, teachers, engineers, social workers, and entrepreneurs who sustain our workforce and fuel our economy.
But today, that ecosystem is under threat. Over 200,000 students across New York could see their education and opportunities cut short, based on projections from EY-Parthenon’s statewide analysis of federal loan caps.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” of July 2025 represents the most significant overhaul of federal student lending since the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, which enhanced borrower protections, created Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and lowered interest rates for millions of students. Unlike those reforms, the new law sharply restricts access to higher education based on wealth.
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Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 1 - 4pm
Join us on Saturday, January 17th to kick-off a brand new, FREE STEAM-focused program for youth and teens: BRAC Innovators!
Learning isn't just about science and math. It's about art, too! With BRAC Innovators, participants will explore all the ways that science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics all combine and relate to each other to fuel creative new ways of thinking.
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Mamdani Administration continues fast-paced, focused efforts to improve lives of working New Yorkers
New commitment of $4 million to bring modular, high-quality public bathrooms to NYC
Officials announce new public bathroom coming to West Harlem this year
TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the city is launching a new program to expand access to public bathrooms across the city, committing $4 million to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for high-quality modular public restrooms. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) will release the RFP within the administration’s first 100 days in office, seeking bids to install public bathrooms at a lower cost and on a faster timeline than existing public bathroom installations. Similar projects in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Portland, and other cities have delivered restrooms within months at a fraction of the cost as New York’s prior public restroom projects, and thanks to this program, New Yorkers will be able to benefit from more widely available public restrooms too.
Mayor Mamdani announced the new program on Saturday at 12th Avenue and St. Clair Place in West Harlem, where he and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin signed the final approvals for New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to install a new public bathroom on the site later this year.
“Everyone knows the feeling of needing a bathroom and not being able to find one. With this new commitment to public toilets, we're ensuring New Yorkers can travel through our city with a little less anxiety — starting today at 12th and St. Clair,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Our administration is proving that the government can get right to work to make progress for working people — and perform its essential civic ‘duty.’”
“Making our streets the envy of the world means creating welcoming public spaces where New Yorkers are safe, can get where they’re going easily and with dignity, and feel cared for — yet today in New York it can feel impossible to find a public bathroom for our most basic needs,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Public restrooms improve the quality of life for everyone, especially our seniors, parents with young children, delivery workers, people with disabilities, and so many more.”
“In the biggest city in the country, access to public bathrooms is basic infrastructure, not a luxury. When New Yorkers can’t find a restroom, it affects how they use our streets, parks, and public spaces, and ultimately whether they feel welcome in their own city,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “The City Council has been clear that this is a quality-of-life issue we can’t ignore, which is why we passed legislation to double the number of public restrooms by 2035. By working in partnership with Mayor Mamdani, we’re turning that commitment into action, and today’s announcement is an important step toward making it real for every New Yorker.”
“Public toilets are a perfect example of how simple investments can make a real difference in how people experience our city. They allow New Yorkers to spend more time enjoying their neighborhoods, whether that means walking along the river, spending an afternoon in our parks, or supporting local businesses, without worrying about basic necessities,” said Council Member Shaun Abreu. “I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani for supporting our office’s request to site an automatic public toilet in West Harlem at a strategic location that will improve riverfront access and make the neighborhood more welcoming and accessible, as well as to Speaker Menin for her strong support for projects like these across the city. When we approach our streetscapes with creativity and an open mind, we can make practical improvements that meaningfully enhance daily life for New Yorkers.”
This commitment is a part of the Mamdani administration’s efforts to improve the public realm and to ensure New Yorkers can enjoy and travel around their city safely and with dignity. The new public restroom at 12th Avenue and St. Clair Place will be free to use, fully accessible, self-cleaning, and contain a water bottle filler.
There are currently nearly 1,000 public restrooms in New York City, roughly 70% of which are in parks. This program will significantly grow the number of public restrooms elsewhere in the city, including public plazas – exponentially increasing the number of new restrooms that the city adds each year. City agencies including the New York City Department of Transportation will determine where the additional new facilities will be located.
