“2fly” Gang Member Sentenced To More Than 23 Years In Prison For 2013 Murder Of Seventeen-Year-Old And 2012 Non-Fatal Shooting

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JAQUAN MCINTOSH, a/k/a “BJ,” a member of the violent “2Fly YGz” (“2Fly”), a violent street gang that operated in and around the Eastchester Gardens public housing development (“ECG”) in the Bronx, was sentenced today to 280 months in prison for his role in a 2013 murder of a boy on his seventeenth birthday at ECG and a shootout with rival gang members in 2012, during which three victims – including a 14-year-old girl caught in the crossfire – were shot in a Bronx park. MCINTOSH pled guilty on November 7, 2016, in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, MCINTOSH was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “During a shootout in October 2013, Jaquan McIntosh, a member of the violent street gang operating in Eastchester Gardens, murdered a seventeen year-old on his birthday and also engaged in a 2012 shootout during which three victims, including a 14 year-old girl, were shot. Gang violence of the type McIntosh engaged in threatens the safety and security of all New Yorkers. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent it and to bring to justice those who commit it.”

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the public proceedings in this case:

MCINTOSH was a member of 2Fly, a subset of the “Young Gunnaz,” or “YG” street gang, which operated throughout New York City. 2Fly was based in the Bronx, within and around ECG and in an area called the “Valley” or the “V,” which is in the vicinity of Gun Hill Road. ECG is a rectangular complex of residential buildings bordered by Burke, Adee, Yates, and Bouck Avenues, in the middle of which is a playground. The gang war between 2Fly and rival street gangs led to an enormous amount of fatal and non-fatal violence between 2007 and 2016 in the Northern Bronx, including shootings, stabbings, slashings, beatings, and robberies. Members and associates of 2Fly controlled the narcotics trade at ECG, which took place in the open air at the playground and in apartments at ECG. 2Fly primarily sold marijuana and crack cocaine, but also sold powder cocaine and prescription pills, such as oxycodone. 2Fly members and associates stored guns at the playground or in nearby apartments or cars in order to protect the narcotics business and for protection against rival gangs.

As part of his involvement in 2Fly, MCINTOSH murdered Donville Simpson on October 5, 2013 – Simpson’s seventeenth birthday – during a shootout at ECG with rival gang members. MCINTOSH also participated with other 2Fly members in a shootout with rival gang members on August 7, 2012, in a public park in the Bronx. Three victims were shot, including a 14-year-old girl caught in the crossfire.

MCINTOSH was arrested in this case as a result of a multi-year investigation by the New York City Police Department’s Bronx Gang Squad (the “Bronx Gang Squad”), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Violent Gang Unit (“HSI”), the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and the Joint Firearms Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) into gang violence in the Northern Bronx. On April 27, 2016, the Indictment captioned United States v. Laquan Parrish et al., 16 Cr. 212 (LAK) was unsealed, charging 57 members and associates of 2Fly with racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, narcotics distribution, and/or firearms charges. To date, 54 of these defendants have pled guilty.

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

A.G. Schneiderman and Comptroller DiNapoli Announce Jury Conviction Of Councilman Ruben Wills In Public Corruption Scheme

Jury Finds Wills Guilty Of Stealing Campaign Funds And Grant Money For Personal Benefit

Under State Law, Wills Will Be Required to Vacate City Council Seat

Wills Faces Up To Seven Years In Prison

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the jury conviction of  New York City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Queens) following an eleven-day trial that resulted in a guilty verdict on five of six counts related to Will’s theft of approximately $30,000 in public campaign funds and state grant money. The jury found Wills guilty of one count of a scheme to defraud in the 1st degree, two counts of grand larceny in the 3rd degree, and two counts of filing a false instrument in the 1st degree. The jury acquitted Wills on a single charge of filing false business records. In accordance with state law, upon sentencing, Wills will be automatically expelled from the New York City Council. Wills faces a maximum of seven years behind bars. 

“Ruben Wills’ crimes were a shameful violation of the public trust. Now, after a conviction by a jury of his peers, Ruben Wills will face the consequences,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Ruben Wills stole taxpayer dollars to buy fancy purses and clothes for himself and his friends. New Yorkers deserved better. Today's conviction is another important step in our efforts to clean up New York politics and give voters the representation they deserve. I thank Comptroller DiNapoli and his staff for their continued and valuable partnership on Operation Integrity. My office will continue to hold accountable any public official who breaches the public trust and breaks the law."

“Councilman Ruben Wills stole public money and abused his position of trust,” State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said. “Thanks to the work of my staff and our partnership with Attorney General Schneiderman, we are targeting public corruption and holding public officials accountable for misuse of public resources.”

As state prosecutors argued at trial, Wills used public matching funds from his 2009 campaign for City Council to pay $11,500 to Micro Targeting, a shell company purportedly created to translate and distribute campaign literature. Prosecutors proved at trial that Micro Targeting never provided any campaign services, and that the money was instead redirected to a non-profit corporation called NY 4 Life, which Wills controlled. Wills withdrew the money and made a series of personal purchases, including at Macy’s, where he used a portion of the funds to purchase a $750 Louis Vuitton handbag.

Prosecutors also detailed how Wills used $21,000 in State grant funds for personal and political expenses.

The $21,000 was part of a $33,000 grant provided to NY 4 Life from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), earmarked by former State Senator Shirley Huntley while Wills was serving as Huntley’s chief of staff. The grant stipulated that the money had to be used to conduct four public service projects. Yet witnesses at trial testified that NY 4 Life only held one event, while Wills used approximately $21,000 of the funds for personal and political expenses, including at Nordstrom and Home Depot. Wills also used a portion of the money to pay individuals who had carried out campaign work for his City Council race.

Judge Ira Margulis presided over the trial, and scheduled sentencing for August 10th.

Since 2011, Attorney General Schneiderman, through his “Operation Integrity” partnership with Comptroller DiNapoli, has brought charges against dozens of individuals implicated in public corruption schemes around the state. The office has been able to return over $11 million in restitution to taxpayers through these convictions. 

Bronx Democratic County Dinner Recap

  I was wondering how this years Bronx Democratic County dinner was going to top last years dinner. After all there was going to be no presidential candidate, no New York State Senator, or even the Governor of New York in attendance, but I like everyone else enjoyed the evening go by quickly wondering 'How did they do it again'.

  The lovely Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was on hand, and when I said to her I think the governor's plane is having a little problem, she replied 'You tried that one on me two years ago'. My former State Senator now Attorney General said hello, as did State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli. Mayor Bill de Blasio winked at me knowing that I would give him a very hard question at his next press conference. After he said hello, I was able to speak to City Comptroller Scott Stringer on one of his latest DOE audits. Public Advocate Letitia James wanted to see the photo I took of her and District Leader Eric Dinowitz, to make sure I got her better side, which I always do. 

  Sitting at Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz's table was an old friend the former City Comptroller John Liu. Deputy BP Aurelia Greene was stunning as usual, and it seemed to be all business for Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo made sure to announce all the elected officials on hand, even if they were not from the Bronx and did not speak. in all County Leader Crespo said that there were over 800 people at the event. In the past empty seats were not hard to find, but that was not the case last night. The man behind the county leader the Executive Director of the Bronx Democratic County Committee Mr. Anthony Perez deserves a lot of the credit for making this county dinner the huge success it was, but Anthony was humble last night from the shock of the dinner and gave all the credit to the county leader. I will have to ask Mr. Perez again next week if he deserves some credit for great Bronx Democratic County Dinner. 

  I almost forgot the four Honorees of the 2017 Bronx Democratic County dinner were Mr. John Crotty, Mr. Edwin Lopez, Mr. Basil Smikle, and the darling Female District Leader from the 87th Assembly District Hon. Julia Rodriguez. Julia was introduced as being someone who dates back to the John Lindsay era which began in the late 1960's. Photos of the dinner are below. 

Above - Left - BDCC Executive Director Anthony Perez introduces Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo -Right.

Below - Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli, and State Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

 

Above - Left - District Leader Eric Dinowitz, Right - Councilman Jimmy Vacca with Public Advocate Letitia James.

Below - Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul and then State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli address the packed room.

Above Right - State Attorney General Eric Schniderman, Left - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Below Left - City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Right - Public Advocate Letitia James.

Above - Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks with City Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez.

Below - The Mayor points to where Bronx BP Diaz is sitting to commend him on the fine job he is doing as Bronx BP.

Above - Another photo of Mayor Bill de Blasio. The mayor had such a good time after all the speeches were over, that he talked one on one with many of the attendees.

Below - Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie congratulates his fellow Bronx assembly members on the fine job everyone did on this years state budget, and for supporting his work as Speaker of the State Assembly.

Wave Hill Events Aug 3–Aug 11 Salsa Take 2―and a Bat Walk!

Sunset Wednesdays come to a crescendo with a performance by salsa big band Orquesta SCC, all part of Bronx SalsaFest. It’s a joyous note on which to end the Sunset Wednesdays season. If that leaves you feeling a little mournful, come the next night for our last, late Thursday―and the last evening yoga session of the summer―and a wondrous Bat Walk with naturalist Paul Keim. 

Thu, August 3    Late Thursday

The rounds are open to the public open 8:30PM this evening.

Thu, August 3    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, August 3    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 at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

Sat, August 5    Family Art Project: Water is Life

“Mni Wiconi,” a saying of the indigenous people of Lakota, South Dakota, means “Water is Life.” With visiting Caddo Native American storyteller Joe Cross, hear time-honored stories about the importance of water for all people. Follow his lead in group movement and dance resembling water and honoring this vital resource. Make a simple pinch or coil, air-dry clay pot inspired by the patterns of authentic Caddo pots, with designs showing the beautiful, directional flow of swirling water. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, August 5    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, August 5    Family Garden Walk

Visit favorite, family-friendly locations in the gardens on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. 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, August 5     Illustrated Curatorial Talk: Floral Inspiration

This presentation looks at the flowers of Glenview, the 1877 historic house at the Hudson River Museum. Hudson River Museum Curatorial ChairLaura Vookles discusses how floral decoration was used for every aspect of the Victorian house, from wallpaper and woodwork to stenciling and all varieties of its interior design. Jennifer McGregor, Wave Hill’s Senior Curator, discusses how the artists in Flora Fantastica!, the summer show in Wave Hill’s Glyndor Gallery, are bringing flowers to the fore in public art projects around the country. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2PM

Sun, August 6    Family Art Project: Water is Life

“Mni Wiconi,” a saying of the indigenous people of Lakota, South Dakota, means “Water is Life.” With visiting Caddo Native American storyteller Joe Cross, hear time-honored stories about the importance of water for all people. Follow his lead in group movement and dance resembling water and honoring this vital resource. Make a simple pinch or coil, air-dry clay pot inspired by the patterns of authentic Caddo pots, with designs showing the beautiful, directional flow of swirling water. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, August 6    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, August 7    

Closed to the public.

Tue, August 8    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, August 8    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads 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 Muncombines 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, August 9    Illustrated Curatorial Talk: Flowers Abound

The complex floral drawings of contemporary artist Nancy Blum may call to mind the intricate 19th-century aesthetic of the Victorians William Morris and Charles Eastlake. Blum, who is known for her public art installations, is currently featured in Flora Fantastica!, Wave Hill’s summer exhibition. Join Wave Hill Director of Arts and Senior Curator Jennifer McGregor as she shares the many ways in which Victorian design informs the work of Nancy Blum. Following her illustrated talk, explore the fields of flowers in the Museum’s Victorian home, Glenview, with Jennifer McGregor and Laura Vookles, Chair of the Hudson River Museum’s Curatorial Department. Free with admission to the Museum; admission is free to Wave Hill Members through the Fairfield Westchester Museum Alliance.

HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, 1:30PM

Wed, August 9    Sunset Wednesdays Outdoor Music: Orquesta SSC Salsa Band

Contemporary salsa big band Orquesta SCC returns to Wave Hill to close the 2017 Sunset Wednesdays season. An eleven-member, all-male band led by Jose Vazquez-Cofresi and Edwin Perez, SCC stands for Salsa Con Conciencia, and the band’s mission is to make music that benefits society. The group has toured in more than 23 European and Latin American countries, and its music has been featured on the FOX Television show “So You Think You Can Dance” and the NFL’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts. This event will be part of the Bronx Salsa Fest celebration. 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, August 10    Late Thursday

The rounds are open to the public open 8:30PM this evening.

Thu, August 10    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, August 10    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 at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

Thu, August 10    Bat Walk: Creatures of the Night

Take an evening walk with naturalist Paul Keim to hear how bats, crickets, frogs and other creatures use sound to navigate the nighttime landscape. Use eyes and ears—and an echo-locator (electronic device)—to search for bats as they skim the evening sky in search of insects. Don’t forget your flashlight! Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.  

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 7–8:30PM

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.

5th Annual International Music Festival

ASSEMBLYMAN MARK GJONAJ,

SENATOR JEFF KLEIN 

& ASSEMBLYMAN MICHAEL BENEDETTO 

present

5th Annual International Music Festival

July 22,2017

1:00PM - 5:00PM

Loreto Park 

Morris Park Ave. between Haight Avenue & Tomlinson Avenue

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION REVEALS 10 NEW SCHOOLYARDS TO PLAYGROUNDS SITES

$24 Million in NYC Parks and Community Development Block Grant Funding to Help Close Walk to a Park Gap

  Mayor de Blasio today announced that 10 new sites will be added to the Schoolyards to Playgrounds program, with many of the sites slated for full capital renovations or minor improvements. Funded with more than $24 million dollars, with $18.2 million from NYC Parks and $6 million in Community Development Block Grants, these additional Brooklyn and Queens sites will help to close the city’s walk to a park goal of bringing 85 percent of New Yorkers within walking distance to a park by 2030.

“Every New Yorker deserves access to quality recreational space," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.”This program is an innovative way to bring more residents within walking distance to a park simply by opening up our schoolyards to the public when school isn't in session."

“Schoolyards to Playgrounds is a powerful partnership founded on the belief that public spaces are where our communities thrive. These ten new sites are targeted strategically in neighborhoods with below-average access to public space, and will bring even more New York City families within a walk to a park where they can play, relax, and grow,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP.

“Schools are hubs for communities and the Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative provides public space for children in the area to play and be active,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “It’s important for children to engage in physical activity from a young age and this will provide additional space for families to come together and strengthen community relationships.”

Schoolyards to Playgrounds opens school play space during non-school hours. Currently, there are 251 schoolyards are already open in this capacity, and upon renovation completion, the expansion brings the number to 261 across the five boroughs. This new investment will also fund improvements to existing sites in the program, including PS 54 in Queens. Each site receiving complete capital reconstruction will receive up to $3 million dollars for completion; improvement site funding varies. Additionally, NYC DOE will provide $70,000 in funding annually, per site, for custodial labor and supplies.

Full capital construction: 

Queens:

·         PS 136 – NYC School Construction Authority    

Brooklyn:

·         PS 361 – NYC Parks

·         PS 95 – NYC School Construction Authority

·         PS 177 – NYC School Construction Authority

·         PS 163 – NYC School Construction Authority

·         IS 228 – NYC Parks       

Minor improvements: 

Queens:

·         PS 306 – NYC Department of Education to include new sports coating, safety surface, and fencing.

Brooklyn:

·         PS 377 – NYC Department of Education to include a new basketball court.

No Improvements Needed:

Brooklyn:

·         PS 29

·         PS 202

NYC Parks has conducted community input meetings for IS 228 and PS 361 and are expected for fall 2019 completion; both are currently in design.

“Playgrounds provide public space for students, families and community members to come together and be active,” said Lorraine Grillo, School Construction Authority President and CEO. “We look forward to working with the Parks Department, schools and community members throughout the renovation process to ensure the design meets the needs of the community.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It looks like the Bronx is first to get new homeless shelters, but when it comes to schools, school yards, and parks the Bronx is last.