MAYOR MAMDANI VISITS NYC311 CALL CENTER TO THANK STAFF, TAKE CALLS FROM NYC RESIDENTS

 

To mark the 23rd Anniversary of NYC311, Mayor Mamdani worked the 311 line, fielding calls from New Yorkers across the city  

  

On Wednesday, to mark the 23rd anniversary of NYC311, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani visited the NYC311 Call Center to thank staff for their dedicated service during the recent snowstorms and take live calls from New Yorkers across the city. 

 

Mayor Mamdani was paired with a 311 agent to experience firsthand the conversations between agents and callers and to highlight the many ways New Yorkers can access 311 services.

   

While working the phones, Mayor Mamdani helped connect residents with city resources — from submitting a service request related to an abandoned vehicle to helping another resident navigate the City’s recycling rules.    

  

“Tens of millions of New Yorkers have relied on NYC311 over the past 23 years to navigate City services and connect with critical resources,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Every single day, 100,000 New Yorkers reach dedicated staff at 311, many of whom braved the winter weather to ensure New Yorkers nonemergency needs were being met 24/7. We are deeply grateful for the 311 agents who continue to show up for their city day in and day out.” 

  

“Happy 311 Day, New York City!” said NYC Chief Technology Officer and OTI Commissioner Lisa Gelobter. “Thank you to Mayor Mamdani for taking time today to celebrate with our remarkable NYC311 team and take calls from New Yorkers. Since its launch in 2003, 311 has served as an indispensable lifeline for millions of New Yorkers to access trusted information and engage with their government. Today, we are proud to make useful information from across all of City government just one call, text, or online click away. We look forward to continuing to be a vital resource for New Yorkers when they need us most.”  

   

“After 23 years and 650 million contacts from New Yorkers, Team 311 continuously brings the magic to our mission,” said Joe Morrisroe, Deputy Commissioner, NYC311. “Our people maintain an extraordinary level of dedication with the recent blizzard serving as a perfect example. Team members walked through snowdrifts to get here and be available to help. Serving our customers is inherent to what we do, and I could not be prouder to celebrate 311 Day!”  

  

About NYC311:  

Since its launch in March 2003, NYC311 has been the nation's largest nonemergency government information hotline. The service has grown from taking 4 million calls in its first year to receiving 36 million customer contacts in 2025.  

  

NYC311 connects New Yorkers to nonemergency services from more than 200 City agencies and nonprofits, serving 8 million people, 24/7 every day of the year. Today, the service handles roughly 100,000 contacts daily across calls, texts, web, the 311 app and social media channels.  

  

In 2025, NYC311 received 36,510,581 contacts, including 17 million calls, 16.4 million online visits, 2.6 million app interactions, 278,000 texts and 11,000 social messages. So far in 2026, New Yorkers have contacted NYC311 more than 9 million times, including more than 800,000 contacts during the recent blizzard, from Feb. 21-24.  

  

To ensure access for all New Yorkers, NYC311 provides interpretation services in more than 175 languages. Residents can also text 311 at 311-692 to access translation services.  

 

In 2025, 311 call center representatives received a customer satisfaction score of 93 from New Yorkers.   

  

For more information on NYC311, New Yorkers can visit the NYC311 website. 

 

United States Arrests Alleged Tren de Aragua Leader Charged in Chile With Criminal Association, Extortion and Kidnapping Resulting in Homicide

 

Venezuelan national and illegal alien Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, 40, has been arrested at the request of the Government of Chile so that he may be prosecuted on seven charges stemming from his alleged role as a leader of “Los Piratas,” the primary Chilean cell of the Venezuelan transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).

Chile accuses Gamez Salas, who was arrested Wednesday, of directing multiple extortions and kidnappings on behalf of TdA, one of which resulted in the highly publicized murder of a former Venezuelan military officer. This arrest brings Gamez Salas, who also has criminal convictions in the United States for human smuggling and illegal reentry after deportation, one step closer to facing justice in Chile after illegally attempting to seek refuge in the United States.

“This illegal alien from Venezuela is an alleged leader of the foreign terrorist organization TdA,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “While in the United States, he was convicted of human smuggling and is accused by Chile of heinous violent crimes. This man is a clear public safety threat and should never have been in this country but reentered the United States illegally under the Biden Administration. The Justice Department, along with our federal and international partners, will continue to put safety and security first.”

“Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas’s arrest for purposes of extradition is evidence of the strong and ongoing cooperation between the United States and our foreign partners to combat transnational crime, dismantle foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua and hold members accountable for their heinous criminal acts,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The United States is not a safe haven for dangerous criminal aliens. Thanks to the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, which worked extensively with Chilean authorities over the last year to obtain the facts and evidence necessary to initiate these extradition proceedings.”

“Our country must never become a refuge for criminal illegal aliens who are senior members of foreign terrorist organizations,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We will continue to work closely with our overseas law enforcement partners to ensure this defendant will face justice in a Chilean courtroom.”

Gamez Salas, also known as “Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol” and “Turko,” is accused of overseeing the criminal activities of Los Piratas in Chile. According to Chilean authorities, he planned and coordinated kidnappings, homicides, extortions and other offenses on behalf of the TdA affiliate, which included instructing subordinates to obtain necessary resources to execute the offenses, and ensuring that financial resources generated for Los Piratas were transferred abroad. Chile is seeking Gamez Salas’s extradition so that he may stand trial for one count of criminal association, two counts of extortion, two counts of unjustified firearm discharge, one count of kidnapping resulting in homicide and one count of kidnapping for extortion, arising from separate crimes against multiple victims.

As set forth in the United States’ complaint for provisional arrest with a view toward extradition, Chile alleges, among other things, that Gamez Salas, acting under the supervision of senior TdA leadership, directed and planned the February 2024 kidnapping and murder in Santiago, Chile, of a former Lieutenant in the Venezuelan military.

According to Chile, members of Los Piratas arrived at the victim’s apartment building in the middle of the night armed with firearms and in a car equipped with a blue light in an apparent attempt to impersonate officers of the Chilean Investigative Police. After using a battering ram to force entry into the victim’s apartment, the perpetrators handcuffed the victim and forcibly removed him from the building and into a car.

Around one week later, in response to a tip from a witness, authorities discovered the victim’s body by drilling into the concrete floor of a makeshift dwelling in a housing development elsewhere in Santiago, Chile. The victim’s body was found covered in lime, concealed inside a suitcase, buried in concrete more than three feet deep and sealed beneath a concrete slab.

An autopsy determined that the victim’s cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging, and the victim’s body showed signs of suspension by the upper extremities, lesions consistent with torture and partial postmortem dismemberment. Testimony obtained in the Chilean investigation revealed that the victim’s kidnapping and murder was allegedly ordered by leaders of TdA and directed to be paid for from outside of Chile.

Additionally, in an intercepted conversation, Gamez Salas allegedly told other Los Piratas members that he had been assigned “from above” the task of coordinating and executing the crime.

In support of its other charges against Gamez Salas, Chile also alleges that he played a leading role in an April 2024 deadly armed confrontation that killed a Chilean police officer; February and June 2024 kidnappings for extortion; and a March 2024 attempted kidnapping, among other offenses.

In 2023, Gamez Salas was removed from the United States to Venezuela for having entered the United States illegally. He subsequently illegally reentered the United States and was prosecuted for human smuggling by the Val Verde County District Attorney’s Office in Texas. He was convicted in February 2025, after which he was indicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States. He pled guilty to the illegal reentry charge in April 2025 and was serving his prison sentence in the Central District of California when he was arrested on the extradition warrant. Gamez Salas is also subject to an order of removal to Venezuela, which does not extradite its own nationals.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Marshals Service executed the provisional arrest warrant by transferring Gamez Salas from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody to its custody in the Central District of California. He appeared on Wednesday for his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick for the Central District of California and was remanded into custody. The extradition matter for Gamez Salas is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Lulejian for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Reena T. Mittelman and Ruxandra Barbulescu of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

Previously, in September 2025, the United States extradited to Chile another alleged TdA member, Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, who was charged in Chile with multiple offenses arising from this same kidnapping and murder of the former Venezuelan Lieutenant. That extradition matter was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

HARLEM WOMAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER; PURPOSELY RAMMED HER CAR INTO MAN ON MOPED

 

Victim Was Not the Driver Who Collided with Her

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Manhattan woman has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for second-degree Murder for a road rage incident on the Grand Concourse in 2022 that claimed the life of a man. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant used her vehicle to hit a man driving a moped who she thought had collided with her car. The victim was sent flying across the Grand Concourse, causing fatal injuries. I hope this sentence will give some sense of peace to the widow and children of this innocent victim.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Tiffany James, 32, of Madison Avenue, West Harlem, was sentenced on March 11, 2026, to 15 years to life in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Tara Collins. The defendant was found guilty by a jury of second-degree Murder on December 18, 2025. 

According to the facts introduced at trial, at approximately 10:30 p.m. on July 15, 2022, the defendant was driving her Ford Mustang in the vicinity of East 144th Street and the Grand Concourse when she purposely rammed her car into 51-year-old Xi Zou, who was driving his moped. The defendant had earlier collided with a driver of a different moped in Manhattan and had driven into the Bronx in pursuit of that individual. She thought she had located that moped but it was in fact Zou’s moped and he was not involved in the earlier incident. The force of the impact catapulted Zou across the Grand Concourse and he suffered blunt force trauma. He was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals Lincoln, where he died from his injuries the following day.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Gregory Giancopulos, of the Collision Investigation Squad, Police Officer Matthew Barlow of the 40th Precinct, Police Officer Alexey Skorokhodov of the 42nd Precinct, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Officer Adrian Loughnane and FDNY Paramedics Robert Boardman and Benjamin Briu for their work in the case.

Governor Hochul Urges Caution Ahead of Winter Storm Set to Impact Upstate New York

Winter Storm Warnings in Effect for Parts of the North Country, Northern Mohawk Valley and Central New York Through Saturday

Up to 18 Inches Possible for Parts of the Tug Hill Plateau With Snow Beginning Friday Morning; Up to Eight Inches Possible for Higher Elevations Throughout Western New York

High Wind Warnings in Effect for Parts of Western New York and the Finger Lakes With Gusts of Up to 60 Miles Per Hour Possible; Potential for Isolated Power Outages

Friday Evening Commute Could Be Hazardous; Leave Extra Time To Reach Destinations

New Yorkers Can Sign Up for Weather and Emergency Alerts by Texting 333111

Governor Kathy Hochul today urged New Yorkers to be cautious ahead of a winter storm set to impact parts of the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central and Western New York on Friday through Saturday. Areas east of Lake Ontario in the Tug Hill Plateau could see up to 18 inches of snow and winds up to 30 miles per hour. Higher elevations throughout Western New York have the potential to see up to eight inches of snow and wind gusts in areas along the Lake Erie shore could reach up to 60 miles per hour. Snowfall and winds are expected to result in power outages and create dangerous travel conditions during the Friday evening commute. Drivers should leave themselves extra time to reach their destinations.

“While New Yorkers enjoyed the past few days of sunshine and warm weather, our Upstate regions are expecting a winter storm through Saturday with up to 18 inches of snowfall and up to 60 mile per hour winds for parts of Western New York,” Governor Hochul said. “Our agencies are prepared and ready to respond to this storm and keep New Yorkers safe. Stay vigilant, avoid traveling during hazardous conditions and utilize Triple Three, Triple One — as always, it is important to monitor the latest forecast and plan accordingly.”

These conditions are the result of a clipper-type system that will bring the heaviest snowfall across the North Country and northern Mohawk Valley regions. Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect across portions of the North Country and Mohawk Valley Regions where the heaviest snowfall is expected and Winter Weather Advisories have been issued for additional portions of the Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, Mid-Hudson and North Country regions.

Strong winds are also anticipated with the clipper system for today through Saturday. High Wind Warnings have been issued across portions of Western New York and the Finger Lakes from this morning/afternoon through Saturday morning due to 25 to 35 mile per hour winds with gusts up to 60 miles per hour. The strongest winds will be closer to Lake Erie and along the Niagara Frontier. Wind Advisories have also been issued for other portions of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and Central New York. These winds are expected to cause some blowing/drifting snow adding to the threat of hazardous travel

New Yorkers should closely monitor their local forecasts and look for updates issued by the National Weather Service. For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website.

New Yorkers should also ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on their mobile phones. They should also sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting their county or borough name to 333111.

Winter Driving Safety Tips

• Monitor the forecast for your local area and areas you may be travelling to.
• Avoid unnecessary travel.
• If you must travel, make sure your car is stocked with survival gear like blankets, a shovel, flashlight and extra batteries, extra warm clothing, set of tire chains, battery booster cables, quick energy foods and brightly colored cloth to use as a distress flag.
• If you have a cellphone or other communications device such as a two-way radio available for your use, keep the battery charged and keep it with you whenever traveling. If you should become stranded, you will be able to call for help, advising rescuers of your location.
• The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents. Before getting behind the wheel, make sure that your vehicle is clear of ice and snow; good vision is key to good driving. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert and remember that snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.
• It is important for motorists on all roads to note that snowplows travel at speeds up to 35 mph, which in many cases is lower than the posted speed limit.
• Oftentimes on interstate highways, snowplows will operate side by side, to safely clear several lanes at one time.
• Motorists and pedestrians should also keep in mind that snowplow drivers have limited lines of sight, and the size and weight of snowplows can make it very difficult to maneuver and stop quickly. Snow blowing from behind the plow can severely reduce visibility or cause whiteout conditions.
• Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted. Never attempt to pass a snowplow while it's operating.

Power Outage Safety Tips

• Do not go near or touch fallen or sagging power lines: treat all wires as live and dangerous. Keep children and pets away from fallen electric wires. Never touch any lines or any items that are in contact with lines.
• Check with your utility to determine area repair schedules.
• Turn off or unplug lights and appliances to prevent a circuit overload when service is restored; leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.
• If heat goes out during a storm, keep warm by closing off rooms you do not need.

To Report an Electric Outage, Call:

• Central Hudson: Electric: 800-527-2714 or Gas: 800-942-8274
• Con Ed: Electric: 800-752-6633 or Gas: 800-752-6633
• Corning Gas: 800-834-2134
• Liberty Utilities (St. Lawrence Gas) Corp.: 800-673- 3301
• National Fuel Gas: 1-800-444-3130
• National Grid:
• Electric: 800-867-5222
• Long Island (gas): 1-800-490-0045
• Metro NYC (gas): 1-718-643-4050
• Upstate (gas): 1-800-892-2345
• NYSEG: Electric: 800-572-1131 or Gas: 800-572-1121
• O&R: Electric: 877-434-4100 or Gas: 800-533-5325
• PSEG-LI: 800-490-0075
• RG&E: Electric: 800-743-1701 or Gas: 800-743-1702

 

MAYOR MAMDANI LAUNCHES MAJOR POTHOLE BLITZ FOLLOWING RECORD-SETTING WINTER WEATHER

 

More than 80 NYC DOT crews will fill thousands of potholes across all five boroughs in one day

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced a citywide pothole repair blitz following a historic winter marked by record snowfall and sustained cold temperatures. 

Beginning at 6 a.m. this Saturday, more than 80 NYC DOT crews will be deployed across city streets and highways in all five boroughs. The City expects to fill thousands of potholes in a single day, with additional repair blitzes planned in the weeks ahead. 

Since Jan. 1, NYC DOT has repaired more than 50,000 potholes, maintaining a response time of just over two days. More than 10,000 potholes have been filled in the past week alone. The accelerated repair effort coincides with the City’s annual road resurfacing season, which begins this month and includes full curb-to-curb repaving projects. 

NYC DOT plans to resurface 1,150 lane miles of roadway this year. New York City is also one of the few cities in the country that operates its own asphalt plants, allowing crews to respond quickly to road damage and complete repairs efficiently. 

“While most New Yorkers are still asleep, 80 DOT crews will take to the streets to repair potholes in a five-borough blitz,” said Mayor Mamdani. “In a single day, they'll fill thousands of potholes that pop up every year as spring arrives and our city streets begin to thaw. Safe, accessible streets are a basic promise of city government, and after a historically brutal winter, I'm incredibly grateful to the DOT teams who are not wasting a moment of time in delivering the street improvements we need.” 

“New Yorkers have braved a rough winter, and we can see and feel the resulting potholes from wear-and-tear on our roads,” said Commissioner Flynn. “That’s why the men and women of NYC DOT are doubling down on repair efforts in recent weeks and will step it up this weekend with a five-borough, 80-crew blitz. We appreciate New Yorkers’ patience on the roads as we complete this critical work and encourage the public to report road defects to 311.” 

Pothole season begins in New York City around the spring, when more potholes form on our roadways because of high-moisture, winter weather conditions and the cycle of freezing and thawing conditions. 

Drivers should expect travel delays Saturday. New Yorkers should report any potholes they come across to NYC311 to be addressed as soon as possible.  

VCJC News & Notes 3/13/2026

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Lots of things this week, including our Finding Your Haven class, Purim greetings, belated Tu b’Shevat kiddush, and the MLK park cleanup.  Read all the way through!

Reminders

1. Shabbos schedule
   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 3/13/26 @ 6:42 pm
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 3/14/26 @ 7:46 pm

   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.

   
   

   Come join us for services and stay to enjoy the kiddush and the company.
   

2. About our new kiddushim
   For the past several weeks, the VCJC has upgraded its kiddush after Shabbos services. Kiddush now takes place in the ballroom. There is a greater variety of food, which can be enjoyed while seated at covered tables. Our aim is to offer a more enjoyable and meaningful experience, and to encourage conversation and interaction among attendees. This is an evolving effort. It has received very positive reviews so far; we’d love to have your opinion as well. Please join us for services and kiddush, and let us know what you think!
   
   

3. The VCJC Chavurah

   The VCJC Chavurah will be meeting one night during the week to continue learning Tractate Berachot together.  Anyone who is interested in learning torah together with fellow members of our community is welcome to join us.  
   If you are interested in learning torah with a group of fellow members of your community, but want more details, contact the VCJC office at 718-884-6105 or info@vcjewishcenter.org, or speak to Stuart Harris or Matthew Hartstein after davening on Shabbat morning.
   
   

4. Shabbos parsha

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיַּקְהֵל־פְקוּדֵי

   14 March 2026 / 25 Adar 5786

   Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei is the 22nd and 23rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

   Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38, 12:1-20

   Vayakhel (“He Assembled”) opens as God commands the Israelites to observe the Sabbath. Moses asks for material donations for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and the people donate. A group of artisans designated by God begin building the Mishkan and its vessels. Pekudei (“Accountings Of”) is the final Torah reading in the Book of Exodus. It describes the making of priestly garments worn in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the completion of its construction. At God’s command, Moses erects the Mishkan and puts its vessels in place, and God's presence fills the Mishkan. [1]

   
   

   
   

5. You can do it! Give VCJC a boost!  Leave a (positive) review for us on Google
   -->You can do this!  We know you can! YES, YOU!

   The VCJC is working to build and grow for its next century in Van Cortlandt Village.  If you have had a good experience with us or recognize our value to the community, please consider telling the world about it.  Go to our Google Business Profile and leave a review.  Thanks!

Save your place now for March 15 for a Master Class "Finding a Haven Within" NOTE THE DATE HAS CHANGED A SECOND TIME!

Sunday March 15, 12 PM

RSVP By 3/11/26: call the office (718) 884-6105 or email info@vcjewishcenter.org

Suggested fee is $15.00. If you have a mat, bring it. If not, we have a few.

In the swiftly moving, ever-changing world we live in today, you can find a quiet, safe, and secure haven in which there is peace, deep relaxation, and inner joy. This is what we offer you in an easy yoga-based stretching, soft meditation, and guided, systematic deep relaxation class. The results can be more effective and dramatic than you might expect. Students have had a profound effect on the increased level of their grades.  

It is based on Prof. Barbara Kitai's 37 years of teaching this system to college academics, corporate executives, athletes, students, children, and adults of all backgrounds.

The class consists of an introduction explaining the purpose and theory, 15 minutes of easy yoga-based stretching, and a cool down, 15 minutes of breathing techniques, meditation, 20 minutes of excellent guided relaxation throughout the body & mind, and 10-15 minutes  (time allowing) for a creative writing of self-reflection and awareness.

See our blog post.

Please help with information about buildings

As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue.  If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them.  This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.

3rd annual Community Cleanup Day for MLK Day

This event, for which the VCJC is an acknowledged collaborator, has now been scheduled for March 29.  See the poster below. Registration link

Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463

Governor Hochul Announces Four Major Events at Jones Beach State Park Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of America’s Founding

Long Island State Parks will be Host to Dozens of Semiquincentennial Events All Year Long

I LOVE NY Website Outlines Commemorations Statewide Throughout 2026

Governor Kathy Hochul announced signature events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States will take place over the Memorial Day and July Fourth weekends at Jones Beach State Park. The July Fourth weekend celebration will feature the United States Navy Blue Angels as part of the FourLeaf Air Show and Fireworks: Celebrating America250. These events launch a series of 250th themed programs hosted by State Parks throughout the year on Long Island, which was the scene of numerous Revolutionary battles and skirmishes between Patriot and British forces.

“The founding of America250 years ago cannot be told without including New York's pivotal role in the American Revolution," Governor Hochul said. "That history can be found across our state, from Long Island all the way to Niagara and the Great Lakes, the Hudson and Mohawk valleys, the Capital Region and the North Country. We’re looking forward to an incredible range of programs at State Parks on Long Island throughout the year. And our I LOVE NY website makes it easy to find these as well as many other sites and programs, and learn more about both the familiar and unknown people who helped shape our democracy.”

The Memorial Day weekend events at Jones Beach will include:

• A first-ever drone show with patriotic themes over the Atlantic Ocean in front of the Central Mall at Jones Beach State Park
• Historic reenactors portraying the four signers of the Declaration of Independence from New York: Philip Livingston, Lewis Morris, William Floyd, and Francis Lewis
• Revolutionary War reenactor encampments from the all-Black 1st Rhode Island Regiment and the 5th New York Regiment
• Additional reenactors portraying George Washington on horseback, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, as well as Benjamin Tallmadge and Robert Townsend (both Long Island residents and businesspeople who were key members of Washington’s Culper Spy Ring)
• Period music with fife and drum band
• Demonstrations of Colonial-era cooking
• History-themed family games
• Inflatable play areas to be enjoyed by children

Additionally, on the July Fourth weekend, Jones Beach State Park will host the FourLeaf Air Show and Fireworks: Celebrating America250. Fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. on the Fourth, with the annual air show set for July 5 and 6. Headliners are the United States Navy Blue Angels, joined by international military jet teams, including the Canadian Snowbirds. Other performances will include the United States Army Golden Knights, United States Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team, Australian professional aerobatic and air race pilot Aarron Deliu, American Air Power Museum Warbirds, Farmingdale State College Aviation, 105th Airlift Wing, and NY Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III Flyover.

I LOVE NY will continue to promote commemorative events and historic locations, and share inspiration guides for the 250th Anniversary throughout the year. For updates to the America250 commemorative events calendar, as well as ideas for discovering some of the state’s most storied destinations, visit iloveny.com/america250.

Revisit the Revolution at these upcoming monthly programs on Long Island. For the events listed, reservations are required and will be taken two weeks prior to the program. To register, please visit Eventbrite.com and search by program title or #NatureEdventure. For questions, please call (631) 581-1072.

• March 15, 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve: Colonial Games - Test your coordination with a ball and cup. How far can you roll a hoop? Take a journey to the past and visit Colonial America!
• March 21, 11 AM – 12 PM | Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center: The Science of Spying - Join an educator to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more. Learn about the Culper Spy Ring through a hands-on activity.
• March 28, 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Nissequogue River State Park: Revolutionary Remedies: The Women Who Healed a Nation - Explore the overlooked medical work of women during the American Revolution. We’ll highlight the nurses, caregivers, Indigenous healers, and enslaved African women whose herbal knowledge, improvised remedies, and daily labor sustained the Continental Army. Through a hands-on activity, visitors will discover how ordinary women used extraordinary ingenuity to keep a nation alive.
• March 29, 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Caleb Smith State Park Preserve: Flag Code of the Revolution - Explore how our flag has evolved over the past 250 years and how flag code was useful communication during the Revolutionary War. Go on a guided hike to decode a spy letter using flag code and create a flag of your own to take home.
• April 8, 1 – 2:30 PM | Caleb Smith State Park Preserve: Spy Through Parks - Become a code breaker like Washington’s spies! Learn how the Culper Spy Ring used codes during the American Revolution, then try to crack the secret codes for real!
• April 11, 10 AM – 12 PM | Hallock State Park Preserve: Hike Through History - Go on a hike through Long Island’s role in Revolutionary History in a year-long series highlighting how local sites played a role during the American Revolution.
• April 12, 1:30 – 3 PM | Connetquot River State Park Preserve: Recognizing Women’s Right To Vote in NY State - On November 6, 1917, women won the right to vote in NY State. Join this special America250 program to hear Town of Islip Historian George Munkenbeck share the history of local Long Island suffragists. Also on display will be a travelling exhibit provided by the Long Island Library Resources Council.
• May 30, 10 AM – 12 PM | Belmont Lake State Park: Colonial Cooking - Learn how colonialists grew and cooked their food as well as popular recipes from this time. Watch as Diane Schwindt from the Ketcham Inn cooks food over an open-air hearth and then sample items that she cooked! 40 people max.
• June 6, 10 AM – 12 PM | Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve: Hike Through History - Go on a hike through Long Island’s role in Revolutionary History in a year-long series highlighting how local sites played a role during the American Revolution.
• June 14, 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Caleb Smith State Park Preserve: Flag Code of the Revolution - Explore how our flag has evolved over the past 250 years, and how flag code was useful communication during the Revolutionary War. Go on a guided hike to decode a spy letter using flag code and create a flag of your own to take home.
• June 20, 11 AM – 12:30 PM | Hempstead Lake State Park: Spy Through Parks - Become a code breaker like Washington’s spies! Learn how the Culper Spy Ring used codes during the American Revolution, then try to crack the secret codes for real!
• August 2, 1 – 3 PM | Connetquot River State Park Preserve: He Dared To Sign: William Floyd - Long Islander William Floyd dared to sign the Declaration of Independence for New York in 1776. In doing so he risked his life, family and fortunes. But he didn’t sign on July 4th! Most of the men signed today, August 2, 250 years ago! This talk will cover Floyd’s life and times and the actual signing of the Declaration, along with 3 other New Yorkers.
• August 15, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Caleb Smith State Park Preserve: Hike Through History - Go on a hike through Long Island’s role in Revolutionary History in a year-long series highlighting how local sites played a role during the American Revolution.
• September 4, 6 PM – 8 PM | Connetquot River State Park Preserve: Spy Through Parks - Become a code breaker like Washington’s spies! Learn how the Culper Spy Ring used codes during the American Revolution, then try to crack the secret codes for real!
• October 4, 10 AM – 12 PM | Sunken Meadow State Park: Hike Through History - Go on a hike through Long Island’s role in Revolutionary History in a year-long series highlighting how local sites played a role during the American Revolution.
• October 17, 1 – 3 PM | Nissequogue River State Park Preserve: Unfinished Revolutions: First Nations - The American Revolution itself was imperfect and many Native Americans did not benefit from its ideals of liberty and freedom. Learn more about the ongoing struggle of New York’s Indigenous communities to achieve the ideals of the Revolution from author Travis Bowman and Montaukett Executive Director Sandi Brewster-Walker.
• November 14, 10:30 AM – 12 PM | Connetquot River State Park Preserve: Revolutionary Remedies: The Women Who Healed a Nation - Explore the overlooked medical work of women during the American Revolution. We’ll highlight the nurses, caregivers, Indigenous healers, and enslaved African women whose herbal knowledge, improvised remedies, and daily labor sustained the Continental Army. Through a hands-on activity, visitors will discover how ordinary women used extraordinary ingenuity to keep a nation alive.

The Long Island initiatives are supported in part by a $125,000 grant from the State 250th Commemoration Commission. More information on the commission can be found here.

Revisit the Revolution at New York State Historic Sites and Parks

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, OPRHP’s state historic sites and parks are hosting special exhibitions, offering dynamic programs, showcasing preservation projects, and sharing new digital resources for New York residents and tourists to discover. Revisit the Revolution explores New York’s influential role in the American Revolution and its lasting impact for the state and the nation. Revisit the Revolution is an initiative of the New York State Division for Historic Preservation and is supported in part by the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission. Learn more about Revisit the Revolution.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 86 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call (518) 474-0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.