MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES PROSPECT PARK WILL GO ENTIRELY CAR-FREE FOR FIRST TIME THIS SUMMER

East Drive from Park Circle to Grand Army Plaza, now open to vehicles during weekday morning rush hours, will be car-free for two months from Monday, July 17 through the weekend after Labor Day

   Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that Prospect Park in Brooklyn would go entirely car-free for the first time this summer.  Currently open to northbound traffic during the morning rush-hour, Prospect Park will be car-free 24/7 from Monday, July 17 until Monday, September 11^th, the weekend after Labor Day.  Starting today, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with NYC Parks, will publicize Prospect Park East Drive’s new hours to affected drivers. 

“From getting married there to being a little-league parent inside Prospect Park, I can attest that it is a cool, even magical refuge this time of year,” saidMayor de Blasio.  “As we already saw when we made the Prospect Park West Drive car-free two years ago, a safer and quieter park improves the safety and enjoyment for thousands of park users – and has a negligible effect on traffic outside the park.   We are thrilled to bring even more of Prospect Park to even more of Brooklyn for the next couple months.”

“We are delighted to announce that Prospect Park for the rest of the summer will be completely car-free for the first time,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “Cyclists, joggers and pedestrians, young and old, can rejoice during these next couple warmer months in a safer and quieter park.”   

“New Yorkers look to their parks for green space and fresh air, especially in the heat of the summer,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP.  “Completely removing car traffic from Prospect Park turns one of our most historic sites back over to the kids, joggers, ball players, picnickers, and amblers who love it.  This summer, all visitors to Prospect Park will enjoy cleaner air, improved safety – and peace and quiet.”

In 2015, Mayor de Blasio announced that the West Drive of Prospect Park would be permanently car-free. Since that time, DOT has received a number of requests from the community and local officials to expand car-free hours to all of Prospect Park, which during the summer sees increased recreational use, including by several children’s day camps.  DOT is coordinating its efforts this summer with NYC Parks and the Prospect Park Alliance, and will be publicizing the change to drivers over the next week, using social media as well as VMS boards posted at the Park Circle entrance of the park. 

The East Drive of Prospect Park is currently open to northbound traffic between Park Circle and Grand Army Plaza from 7-9 a.m. on weekdays (except holidays).  According to DOT data, vehicle volumes on the East Drive are consistently lower during summer months: during a peak morning hour in the summer, fewer than 300 vehicles use the East Drive (a decline from over 400 hourly vehicles on a fall morning) while during a peak morning hour, the drive is used by nearly 1,000 pedestrians, joggers and cyclists.

The summertime car-free hours are also anticipated to have a negligible effect on travel times on alternative routes on streets around the park.  After the closure of the West Drive in June 2015, DOT studies showed that the most affected alternative southbound route saw an increased travel time of less than a minute after the West Drive went car-free, where other afternoon drivers actually saw travel times improve.  During the period of this summer’s East Drive closure, DOT will similarly collect data and conduct ongoing observations to determine the effect on alternate northbound routes during the morning rush period.   

Wave Hill Events Jul 20–Jul 28 Bountiful Blooms Weekend

Thu, July 20    Evening Yoga

Enjoy yoga on the lawn select Thursday evenings. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended, online atwavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

Sat, July 22    Family Art Project: Spray a Watercolor Garden

In conjunction with the exhibition Flora Fantastica! in Glyndor Gallery, paint the colors of summer into a garden painting made without brushes, inspired by all the flowering plants in the garden. Work with mists of watercolor in a painting outdoors, and combine it with color-soaked, paper flowers to create your own blooming vision. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, July 22    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, July 22    Family Gallery Tour

Explore artwork on view in Glyndor Gallery on a family-friendly tour with a Curatorial Fellow. Children ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON

Sat, July 22    Garden Walk: The Language of Flowers

The Victorians viewed individual flowers as objects of beauty, as well as symbols of emotion and sentiment. Walk the gardens with Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer to decode hidden messages in herbs and flowers according to the Victorian “Language of Flowers.” Free with admission to the grounds. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, July 22    Tussie Mussie Demonstration

In Victorian society, tussie mussies or “talking bouquets” were used to express secret messages according to the Language of Flowers. Drop by The Shop to see a florist create these charming bouquets using fragrant herbs and flowers. The demonstration will be followed by a walk highlighting the hidden symbolism in garden flowers. Select tussie mussies will be available for sale after the demonstration. Browse a selection of books explaining the fascinating language of flowers and enjoy 20% off select titles. Free with admission to the grounds, and admission is free until noon. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, NOON–1PM

Sat, July 22    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of the summer exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. An exuberant counterpoint to Wave Hill’s lush summer gardens, Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms. Nancy Blum, Amy Cheng and Elisabeth Condon each has an entire room for their paintings. Jill Parisi creates an installation for the entry foyer. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun combines digital and living media to explore the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings and collages with cartoon-inspired characters, along with historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, July 23    Family Art Project: Spray a Watercolor Garden

In conjunction with the exhibition Flora Fantastica! in Glyndor Gallery, paint the colors of summer into a garden painting made without brushes, inspired by all the flowering plants in the garden. Work with mists of watercolor in a painting outdoors, and combine it with color-soaked, paper flowers to create your own blooming vision. Free with admission to the grounds. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, July 23    Art Workshop: Drawing Flowers―An Introduction to Botanical Illustration

Botanical illustration is the intersection of art and science. Observe and record the intricate details of Wave Hill’s summer flora with artist and naturalist Gabriel Willow. Using pen and pencil, practice accurate and scientific depictions of buds and blooms. All levels welcome. $55/$45 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 1–4PM

Sun, July 23    Cooking Demo: Edible Flowers

A surprising number of beautiful flowers are edible, adding color and zing to salads or subtle floral aromas to desserts. Sample some delicious flowery recipes with Chef Stephen Rosenberg of Great Performances, then take a stroll with a horticultural interpreter to view gourmet blossoms in the garden. Free admission to the grounds. Bountiful Blooms Weekend event. 

ON THE GROUNDS, 1PM

Sun, July 23    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Mon, July 24    

Closed to the public.

Tue, July 25    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, July 25    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of the summer exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. An exuberant counterpoint to Wave Hill’s lush summer gardens, Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms. Nancy Blum, Amy Cheng and Elisabeth Condon each has an entire room for their paintings. Jill Parisi creates an installation for the entry foyer. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun combines digital and living media to explore the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings and collages with cartoon-inspired characters, along with historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, July 26    Sunset Wednesdays Outdoor Music: Libby Richman & Co

Libby Richman & Co―Libby Richman, alto sax; Hiroshi Yamazaki, piano; Fred Weidenhammer, bass; Alan Bates, drums―is back by popular demand. Led by the Bronx-based saxophonist, the group’s sound echoes many influences including classical, Latin and current music. Libby appears regularly at Cleopatra's Needle in Manhattan and was part of the AirTrain Jazz Festival earlier this year. She has traveled widely, leading her jazz quartet and as a side musician for big bands and touring musical theater productions. Her set includes “The Days of Wine and Roses” by Henry Mancini as a complement to Flora Fantastica!, Wave Hill’s summer exhibition in Glyndor Gallery. Free with admission to the grounds. On Sunset Wednesdays, admission is $10, $6 for students and seniors 65+, and $4 for children ages six to 18. Free to Members and children under six.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

Thu, July 27    Evening Garden Walk

Enjoy an evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Thu, July 27    Evening Yoga

Enjoy yoga on the lawn select Thursday evenings. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended, online atwavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

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, starting March 15.  Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 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.

Bronx Democratic Party - Upcoming Events

Dear Bronx Democrat,

Below is a list of upcoming events. Attached you will find flyers for each event.

The Bronx Democratic Party

1640 Eastchester Road

Bronx, NY 10461

T: 347-281-9759

www.bronxdems.org

info@bronxdems.org

NYC Small Business Services - Love Your Local NYC Neighborhood Businesses

Love Your Local Neighborhood Business

New York City’s neighborhood businesses keep us going 24/7 and give us local connections in our fast-paced city. In February, the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) launched Love Your Local, a new program to show neighborhood businesses how much we care and we're still taking nominations! All New Yorkers (including business owners) are invited to submit their favorite businesses to the Love Your Local map. Later this year, twenty businesses will be selected to receive expert advice and up to $90K in grants to keep their businesses strong & vital.  Love Your Local is for independent businesses, located in the five boroughs that operate in space they rent, not own. Special consideration will be given to longstanding businesses, in operation for twenty years or more, but businesses at least three years old are eligible. SBS will highlight the businesses you share throughout the spring and summer using the #LoveYourLocalNYC hashtag. Help your favorite restaurant, bodega, or dry cleaner get on the map and stay on the map. Spread the love with Love Your Local today!

KRVC - Upcoming Community Events

 Mark your Calendars 
for all these Great Upcoming Events

Click  HERE for more!

VISIT  www.krvcdc.org

for more information

South Bronx Unite - Sat, July 15, 10:30 am - Enviro Justice Waterfront Bike Tour

Waterfront Alliance City of Water Day South Bronx Environmental Justice Waterfront Bike Tour

Saturday, July 15, 10:30 am Meet at Brook Park (Brook Avenue and 141st Street) RSVP

Join South Bronx Unite as we partner with Friends of Brook Park and TIMES UP! to host a South Bronx environmental justice waterfront bike tour - part of the annual Waterfront Alliance City of Water Day. Bikers will learn about the community's ongoing fight against the disproportionate siting of waste transfer stations and fossil fuel power plants, and will learn about the people's environmental impact study, a dynamic effort being undertaken in partnership with Columbia University to monitor air quality and traffic pre- and post-arrival of FreshDirect, a company given $150 million to relocate its diesel trucking business to the South Bronx waterfront (relying on a 21 year old environmental impact statement to assess the effect of 1,000 more diesel truck trips through a community where one in five children have asthma.) We will also bike to the 132nd Street Pier, the Port Morris Gantries and the Lincoln Avenue waterfront to discuss the community-developed and -driven Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan, a blueprint for a public waterfront now recognized as a priority project on the State Open Space Plan, and we will discuss the unprecedented real estate speculation threatening displacement and what the community is doing to confront it.  The group will then travel up the west side of the peninsula to Pier 5 where the city is currently trying to reneg on its promise to provide public green space and waterfront access in favor of additional residential highrise buildings. The bike tour will end at Mill Pond Park, where we will join together with the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, Harlem River Working Group and the Bronx Children's Museum to host a waterfront family day with music, food, rock-climbing, children's games, face painting, water testing and other environmental demonstrations.   Join us! - RSVP

“BMB” Gang Member Charged With 2010 Murder Of 15-Year-Old Boy Who Was Mistaken For Rival Gang Member

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”),  Ashan M. Benedict, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and James J. Hunt, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that DOMINICK SHERLAND, a/k/a “D-Nick,” was charged today in a Superseding Indictment with the murder of Jeffrey Delmore, who was stabbed to death on May 15, 2010, at the age of 15.  SHERLAND, along with 62 others, was originally charged on April 27, 2016, with racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, and firearms offenses in connection with his membership in the “Big Money Bosses” (“BMB”), a violent street gang that operated primarily on White Plains Road from 215th Street to 233rd Street in the Bronx.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As alleged, Dominick Sherland mistook 15-year-old Jeffrey Delmore for a gang rival, and stabbed him to death in defense of gang turf.  This brutal and senseless murder ended a young life.  Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to providing Jeffrey Delmore’s family with the justice they deserve.”

HSI SAC Angel Melendez said:  “Dominick Sherland is already facing trial for a slew of charges including narcotics distribution and racketeering, and now he faces charges of murder for allegedly stabbing a 15-year-old boy to death as he pled for his life.  The alleged heinous act of this individual certifies that our unrelenting efforts to crack down on gang activity and the ensuing violence are necessary, and HSI and its partners will not waiver in that resolve.”

ATF SAC Ashan M. Benedict said:  “The members of BMB, including the defendant, terrorized the streets of the Northern Bronx, committing numerous wanton acts of violence. The alleged homicide of an innocent victim mistaken as a member of a rival gang highlights the depth of the defendant’s alleged depravity and the senselessness of the violence the defendant and his criminal associates allegedly brought to the streets. Today’s charges demonstrate that our investigation has not stopped, and that we will continue to hold these gang members accountable to ensure they face justice for all the crimes they are alleged to have committed.”

DEA SAC James J. Hunt said:  “Drug trafficking and violent crime are synonymous with gang activity. It is not surprising that additional crimes were unearthed as a result of last year’s massive gang takedown targeting the 2Fly YGZ and the BMB. What are shocking and appalling are casualties of this gang war; including the murder of a teenage boy whose identity was mistaken.”

According to the Superseding Indictment[1] and other documents filed in the case, as well as public proceedings in this case:

BMB was a subset of the “Young Bosses,” or “YBz” street gang, which operates throughout New York City.  Between 2007 and 2016, members and associates of BMB committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members in the Bronx – including murders, attempted murders, and armed robberies – and sold crack cocaine and marijuana.  

SHERLAND was a member of BMB.  On May 15, 2010, SHERLAND and a group of other BMB members encountered a group of people in the vicinity of Gun Hill Road in the Bronx who the BMB members believed were members of the rival 2Fly YGz (“2Fly”) gang, which was based at the Eastchester Gardens public housing development.  The BMB members mistook Delmore for a member of 2Fly.  SHERLAND stabbed Delmore to death as Delmore pled for his life.

SHERLAND, 25, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested on April 27, 2016, and has been detained pending trial.  In the Superseding Indictment, he is charged with murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison; possessing a firearm during the narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed; and discharging a firearm during the racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum of sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the judge.  SHERLAND is scheduled for trial on November 6, 2017, before United States District Judge Alison J. Nathan.

SHERLAND was arrested in this case as a result of a multi-year investigation by the Bronx Gang Squad of the NYPD, the HSI Violent Gang Unit, the DEA, and the Joint Firearms Task Force of ATF into gang violence in the Northern Bronx. On April 27, 2016, Indictment S2 15 Cr. 95 (AJN) was unsealed, charging 63 members and associates of BMB, including SHERLAND, with racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, narcotics distribution, and firearms charges.  To date, 49 of these defendants have pled guilty.  Also on April 27, 2016, Indictment S1 16 Cr. 212 (LAK) was unsealed, charging 57 members of 2Fly with the same offenses.  To date, 54 of these defendants have pled guilty.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the NYPD’s 49th Precinct Detective Squad, the NYPD’s Bronx Gang Squad, HSI, DEA, ATF, and the Department of Investigation, NYCHA Inspector General’s Office.  He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their ongoing support in this investigation.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.