A.G. Schneiderman Announces Guilty Plea Of Leader Of Heroin Trafficking Ring That Operated Throughout New York City

Christopher Quinones Will Be Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison; Heroin Ring That Quinones Operated Sold Drugs Laced With Animal Tranquilizer

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the guilty plea of Christopher Quinones, the leader of a large-scale heroin trafficking ring. Quinones, of Brooklyn, pled guilty today to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He will be sentenced on April 21 to seven years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.

“We have no tolerance for dangerous drug trafficking rings like the one Christopher Quinones orchestrated,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “As New York continues to suffer through a serious opioid crisis, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those criminals who fuel the cycle of addiction.”

Christopher Quinones was the leader of the heroin trafficking ring, and personally stamped the heroin he sold with “Times Up” and other monikers to signal to his customer that the product was coming from him.  The investigation, conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the NYPD’s Brooklyn North Gang Squad, led to the recovery of over 1,000 glassines of heroin, some of which was cut with the animal tranquilizer ketamine. Quinones purchased and re-sold heroin on a daily basis out of several locations in Brooklyn.

At the time of his arrest in January 2017, Quinones attempted to flee police by running across rooftops while holding onto a book bag.  When he was apprehended, police discovered Quinones had filled his bag with his drug stash.  The bag included hundreds of glassines, bags of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Quinones also had a scale and his stamping equipment, including ink, inside of the bag.

The investigation, which began in fall 2015, led to the arrests of 9 other individuals who were all charged with Conspiracy to commit Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree: 

• Melvin Nieves, of Staten Island, New York
• Raphael Rodriguez, of Queens, New York
• Pablo Rodriguez, of Queens, New York
• Walter Quinones, of Brooklyn, New York
• Jose Perez, of Brooklyn, New York
• Johnny Gonzalez, of Brooklyn, New York
• Victor Beltran, of Brooklyn, New York
• Saul Drullard, of Queens, New York
• Brian Estevez, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The charges against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

In addition to prosecuting major drug trafficking rings, the Attorney General has taken numerous steps to combat the opioid crisis in New York. In June of 2011, Attorney General Schneiderman introduced state legislation for I-STOP, an online Prescription Monitoring Program or a “PMP,” that enables doctors and pharmacists to report and track controlled narcotics in real time. The OAG has also aggressively enforced laws that require parity in health plan coverage of mental health and addiction treatment, reaching agreements with six companies. Attorney General Schneiderman also announced national agreements with Cigna and Anthem, who both agreed to remove prior authorization requirements for medication-assisted treatment nationwide. The office has also reached agreements with Purdue Pharma and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., to ensure that these opioid makers engage in responsible and legal marketing.

Attorney General Schneiderman Announces Lawsuit And Other Legal Action Against Trump Administration For Illegally Blocking Cost-Saving, Pollution-Cutting Energy Efficiency Standards

Coalition Takes Action Against Trump DOE For Violating Federal Law By Obstructing Implementation Of Energy Efficiency Standards For Common Consumer And Commercial Products

 These Common Sense Standards Would, Over Time, Save Consumers And Businesses Approximately $24 Billion, Provide Energy Savings Equivalent To The Annual Electricity Consumption Of 36 Million Households, And Eliminate Millions Of Tons Of Air Pollution

Schneiderman: We Won't Hesitate To Use The Full Force Of Our Office To Protect New Yorkers

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, leading a state and municipal coalition, today announced that he is commencing legal action against the Trump Administration for violating federal law by delaying energy efficiency standards for several common consumer and commercial products - such as ceiling fans, portable air conditioners, walk-in coolers and freezers, commercial boilers, and more.

The six standards being blocked by the Trump Administration offer dramatic air pollution reductions, as well as energy- and cost-savings to consumers and businesses. According to federal Department of Energy (“DOE”) estimates, the standards would combine to eliminate emissions of 292 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, 734 thousand tons of the pollution that creates soot and smog, 1.2 million tons of the potent climate change pollutant methane, and over 1,000 pounds of highly-toxic mercury, over a 30 year period.

Over this same period, the Appliance Standard Awareness Project estimates that the efficiency standards would together save over 443 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity – the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of over 36 million households. The DOE itself estimates that the six standards would provide net savings to consumers and businesses of approximately $23.8 billion.

"Energy efficiency standards are vital to public health, our environment, and consumers. This is yet another example of how the Trump administration’s polluter-first energy policy has real and harmful impacts on the public health, environment – and pocketbooks – of New Yorkers,” Attorney General Schneiderman said.  “By blocking these common sense standards, the administration is reversing progress in cleaning the air we breathe and fighting climate change – and denying consumers and businesses some $24 billion in savings. I will continue to use the full force of my office to compel the Trump administration to live up to its obligations to the law and the people of New York.”

Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition charge that the Trump DOE is violating both the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (“EPCA”) and Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”) in the following ways:

• delaying the effective date of final energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans.
• stalling the final standards for compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers, power supply equipment, portable air conditioners, and commercial boilers, by failing to publish them in the Federal Register.      

Joining Attorney General Schneiderman in the lawsuit regarding ceiling fans are the Attorneys General of the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the City of New York. The same coalition, plus the Attorney General of Maryland, are joining Attorney General Schneiderman in sending a 60-day notice regarding the other standards. 

The DOE published new energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans as a final rule on January 19, 2017, with an effective date for the rule of March 20, 2017.  However, the Trump Administration has subsequently delayed the rule’s effective date twice – most recently pushing it back to September 30, 2017 – asserting that stalling the standards was a non-substantive action, and that seeking public input on the delay would be “impractical, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest.” 

Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition charge that these delays are illegal, violating EPCA’s “anti-backsliding” provisions by effectively weakening the final standards published in January, and violating the APA by being undertaken without the public notice and comment required by law when substantive changes are made to published final rules. Accordingly, the coalition has filed a lawsuit in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals against the Trump DOE over its illegal delay of the effective date of the ceiling fan efficiency standards. The suit seeks a court order to require the standards to go into effect immediately. Click here to read the petition for review.

Regarding energy efficiency standards for compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers, power supply equipment, portable air conditioners, and commercial boilers, DOE issued a “prepublication notice” of a final rule for compressors on December 5, 2016 and for the four other products on December 28, 2016.  The posting of these five rules triggered a limited “error correction” period for the public to identify any typographical or numbering errors for correction by the Department. By law, DOE was then required to publish final energy efficiency standards for compressors by February 21, 2017 and for the four other products by March 15, 2017. To date, the DOE has not published any of these final standards. 

The coalition charges that the DOE’s failure to publish these five final energy efficiency standards violates EPCA’s standards setting deadline requirements.  In accordance with requirements of EPCA, the coalition is sending a 60-day notice today to the DOE of its intention to sue the Department over these violations.  If the Department fails to publish the five energy efficiency standards as final rules within 60 days, the coalition intends to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court asking the court to declare that the DOE has failed to perform mandatory legal obligations, and require the Department to immediately publish the final rules. Click here to read the 60-day notice.

New York City Experiences Safest First Quarter in Modern Compstat-Era

Seven Fewer Murders, Forty-two Fewer Shootings, and 1,219 Fewer Index Crimes Compared with 2016

   New York City’s sustained reduction in violence and overall crime continued through March 2017, making this the safest first quarter in the modern Comstat-era. Compared with the same time period as last year, the first quarter of 2017 had: 7 fewer murders, or -10.2%; 42 fewer shootings, or -22%; and 1,219 fewer index crimes, or -5.2%.  

For the month of March 2017, there were 7,253 overall index crimes reported, compared with 7,948 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 695 crimes, or -8.7%. There were 18 murders reported in March 2017, compared with 28 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 10 crimes, or -35.7%. There were 104 rapes reported in March 2017, compared with 101 in March 2016. This is an increase of 3 crimes, or +3.0%. There were 949 robberies reported in March 2017, compared with 1,168 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 219 crimes, or -18.8%. There were 1,528 felonious assaults reported in March 2017, compared with 1,611 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 83 crimes, or -5.2%. There were 907 burglaries reported in March 2017, compared with 1,036 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 127 crimes, or -12.5%. There were 3,329 grand larcenies reported in March 2017, compared with 3,588 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 259 crimes, or -7.2%. There were 418 grand larceny autos reported in March 2017, compared with 416 in March 2016. This is an increase of 2 crimes, or +0.5%. There were 48 shooting incidents reported in March 2017, compared with 67 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 19 shooting incidents, or -28.3%.

“New York City continues to experience historic reductions in crime, as seen in the first quarter of 2017,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I am proud of the men and women of this Department, who remain focused on further reducing violence while working to strengthen relationships through neighborhood policing by solving problems and fighting crime.”

"The continued reduction of violent crime across the five boroughs is nothing short of remarkable, with this past quarter being the safest in the Comp-Stat era," said Mayor de Blasio. "The City is on pace for a record year in lows for shootings and homicides. These trends are due in large part to the NYPD's effective precision and neighborhood policing models that aim to root out violent crime in the small pockets where it still exists and work with the public stop crime before it starts and solve it when it occurs. A big congratulation is due to Police Commissioner O'Neill and the men and women who wear the uniform."

There were 225 crimes reported in the Transit Bureau in March 2017, compared with 178 in March 2016. This is an increase of 47 crimes, or +26.4%. There were 406 crimes reported in the Housing Bureau in March 2017, compared with 405 in March 2016. This is an increase of 1 crime, or +0.2%.

Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.

April at KRVC

Mark your Calendars for Five April KRVC Events  &  Two Other BIG Ones this Spring

Coming Up Later this Spring: krvcdc.org/news krvcdc.org/events Also check out our community calendar! www.krvcdc.org

Friends of VCP's April 2017 Enewsletter

Friends of VCP's April 2017 Enewsletter 

We are excited to be celebrating our 25th Anniversary this year. As part of the celebration we have a limited edition 25th Anniversary hat. New or lapsed members, can join the Friends for only $25 and receive a hat. Current members, can purchase a hat for $15 (includes shipping.)  

Throughout 2017, we will be celebrating our anniversary in many different ways including our first fundraiser for the year- A VIP Reception and New York Philharmonic Concert on Tuesday June 13th.  Ticket information will be available in the next few weeks.  

This spring is also packed with several free programs for the community.  Below is a list of our April events and all of our spring events can be found on the Events Page of our website.  

We hope to see you in the Park this Spring!  

Christina and all of your Friends at the Friends of VCP

      Friends of VCP's April Events

Food Scrap Drop-Off 

Tuesdays April 4th to May 30th from 4pm to 6pm 

We want to use your food scraps to make compost and grow veggies at the Van Cortlandt Park Garden and Compost Site. This site will be operated by the NYC Compost Project hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. For more information about NYC food scrap drop-off site guidelines, e-mail compost(at)nybg.org.

Held at the Garden & Compost Site – enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave.

Get Active Hiking Series

Second Saturday of Each Month at 10am

This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecology and the history of the Park. Please wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack for the hike.

April 8th, meet at the last stop of the 1 train (near Broadway and W. 242nd Street): Tibbetts Wetland Tour led by our Wetland Internship for a Healthier Bronx Interns.

Woodlawn Clean Up Day

Saturdays April 8th meeting at 10am

Join us and Women of Woodlawn for hands-on service projects to improve the Northeast Corner of Van Cortlandt Park around Woodlawn Playground.

Meet in front of Woodlawn Playground on Van Cortlandt Park East just south of Oneida Avenue.

Mycoremediation & Fungi Cultivation Workshop

Thursday April 13th from 4:30-6:30pm

Want to learn how to cultivate your own gourmet mushrooms?  Intrigued by the amazing abilities fungi mycelium can provide to remove pollutants from our soils and water?  FVCP is embarking on two project using fungi mycelium to remove pollutants from the soil and water and we would like to pass along the knowledge to you.  Please contact John at john@vancortlandt.orgto register for a workshop.  See vancortlandt.org/events for additional dates.  Space is limited to 15 people per workshop.

Earth Day Volunteer Event

Saturday April 22nd meeting at 10am

Join us on Earth Day to volunteer for one of two projects in Van Cortlandt Park.

Garden & Compost Site Prep for Planting Season: meet at the Garden & Compost Site- enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave.

Trail Restoration Project: meet at the last stop of the 1 train (near Broadway and W. 242nd Street)

MAYOR DE BLASIO, CHANCELLOR FARIÑA CELEBRATE FIRST-EVER SAT SCHOOL DAY, PART OF EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE’S COLLEGE ACCESS FOR ALL

Up to 70,000 High School Juniors Able to Take Free SAT During the School Day

   Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Fariña today visited Queens Vocational and Technical High School to rally juniors participating in the first-ever citywide SAT School Day this Wednesday, April 5. All high school juniors will be able to take the SAT during the school day free of charge this school year. 

The SAT School Day is part of College Access for All, a key initiative in Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda. The Equity and Excellence for All agenda aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college ready.

Building on record-high graduation rates, record-low dropout rates, and a high-quality pre-K seat for every New York City 4-year-old, Equity and Excellence for All is creating a path from pre-K to college and careers for every child in every neighborhood in New York City.

“By making the SAT available as part of the course of the normal school day, we are eliminating barriers that too often stand in the way of opportunity,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This is making a very real difference for our high school students who should never be held back because of the cost of the SAT or because they can’t make it to the exam on a Saturday.”  

“As the first person in my family to attend college, I understand how important SAT School Day can be – this is a game-changer,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “I wish all our juniors good luck on Wednesday. This is just one part of our commitment to providing all our students – from pre-K through 12 – with the instruction and support they need to succeed in college and careers.”

The citywide SAT School Day removes a number of barriers to SAT participation for students: individually registering for the test; requesting a fee waiver; traveling to an unfamiliar location; and having to take the test on a Saturday, when students and families may have other obligations. Incorporating the SAT as a school activity also promotes a strong college and career culture – students envisioning and thinking about college and career planning throughout their high school career. Research has demonstrated the importance of strong college and career culture, and it is critical to the success of the College Access for All initiative and Equity and Excellence goals. Research has also demonstrated that SAT School Day broadens opportunities for all students and particularly for Hispanic and African-American students.

To facilitate the first-ever citywide SAT School Day, the City piloted free SAT administration for juniors during the day at 40 high schools in Spring 2015 and at 91 high schools in Spring 2016. This has driven an 8.2 percentage point increase in juniors taking the SAT over the past two years – including 12.1 percentage points among black students and 10.2 percentage points among Hispanic students. For the first time over 50 percent of an NYC high school junior class – the Class of 2017 – has taken the SAT.

The pilot also supported the creation of an SAT School Day Toolkit, which was provided to schools with guidance on test preparation and planning leading up to testing day, test administration, and activities for non-testing grades. Through the PSAT School Day, all sophomores are also able to take the PSAT during the school day free of charge. The PSAT School Day began in 2007 and has is now part of the SAT School Day at many schools; approximately 55,000 sophomores will be able to take the PSAT free of charge on Wednesday. Approximately 15,000 sophomores already took the PSAT this fall.

While the PSAT School Day has led to a nearly threefold increase in the number of students taking that exam, not all students have taken advantage of the PSAT School Day. Some eligible juniors and sophomores may not take the SAT or PSAT on Wednesday.

Through College Access for All, by 2018-19, every middle school student will have the opportunity to visit a college campus and every high school student will graduate with an individual college and career plan. The initiative has also eliminated the CUNY college application fee for low-income students. College Access for All is also supporting new training and funding for 100 high schools to build a schoolwide college and career culture. Queens Vocational and Technical High School is among these schools; the juniors that Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña met today just returned from an overnight trip to four colleges in Pennsylvania and Delaware funded through College Access for All.

From Pre-K for All to College Access for All, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality pre-K for every four-year-old through Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2^nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8^th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21^st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This sentence taken from the second paragraph is all that is needed to know.

"The Equity and Excellence for All agenda aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college ready".

It will take ten years to get to the above goal, but the mayor and chancellor do not say what the current on time graduation rate is, or exactly how many of those graduating are currently college ready.

That is what our elected officials need to know!

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 23-YEARS-TO-LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER IN 2011 SHOOTING

Defendant Also Fired at Man Trying to Grab Gun From Him

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 23-years-to-life in prison for second-degree Murder for fatally shooting a 29- year-old man in the Williamsbridge area of the Bronx and wounding another man who tried to stop the killing. 

  District Attorney Clark said “The defendant took the life of an innocent man, and tried to end the life of another man who, in a heroic moment, tried to stop the violence. For the defendant’s callous act, he could spend his life behind bars.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Mark McDonald, 37, of East 227th Street, was sentenced on March 30, 2017 before Acting Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ethan Greenberg to 23-years-to life for second-degree Murder which will be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. McDonald was convicted by a jury on Jan. 27, 2017 after a nearly month-long trial. He was also sentenced to 20 years for first-degree Assault and 15 years for second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, which will run concurrently. 

  According to trial testimony, on the night of Jan. 14, 2011 in Williamsbridge, McDonald fatally shot Angasha Sharras, 29, striking him in the head. McDonald also fired at Brian Wollery, 31, hitting him in the hand as he tried to wrestle the gun away from McDonald. Wollery survived his injuries.

640 West 238th Street -What is Going On Here?

  A photo is worth a thousand words so here are two from last Thursday of work being done at 640 West 238th Street in the street, and how both sides of the street are blocked without any flag persons on hand to safely move traffic.

Above - You can see the work truck blocking one side of the street. Notice that the protective netting around the island is missing, and garbage and other construction materials are in its place on the island. 

Below - You can see the back hoe blocking the other side of the street with the SUV right behind it. Notice the New Jersey plate on the SUV. So much for Bronx Businesses at Work. Also note there are no flag people anywhere, which is a requirement when closing a whole or part of a street.

The picture was very different later in the day, as the back hoe was on the other side of the street, the island area was cleaned up, and the protective netting was back up. I guess there was a visit from the DOT once again.