Memorial Ceremony at Soldiers Cemetery in the Bronx.

 On East 180th Street between Bryant and Vyse Avenues is a cemetery where soldiers from the Bronx were laid to rest from as far back as the Battle of the Bronx. 

 The Parks Department has had control of the Soldiers cemetery for the past ten years, and the gates were opened for an honorary Memorial Day ceremony by Sergeant John Perez (who resides a few blocks from the cemetery) and others. Bishop Angel Rosario was in attendance to take a tour of the cemetery, and give a prayer to the soldiers, some who have laid there from the Battle of the Bronx over one-hundred and fifty years ago, 

 It was a small turnout as the last minute event was planned only a few days before, it was on a workday, rain was forecasted, and there was a rumor of calls going to Bronx veterans not to attend this Memorial Day event. Sergeant Perez said that the Soldiers Cemetery is in disarray with broken or tilted head stones, and what appears to be headstones that were moved which he would like to have fixed.

Above - Sergeant John Perez looks over six headstones dating back to the mid 1800's.

Below - Appears to be many headstones put next to each other in no set placement. 

Above - Sergeant Perez and Bishop Rosario look over how the mighty trees over 100 years old have grown through walkway. You can see tilted headstones by them.

Below - Some of the broken headstones in the cemetery.

Police Commissioner O'Neill to Convene 30-Day Working Group on NYPD Marijuana Enforcement

  New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill announced the formation of a 30-day Working Group to review NYPD marijuana enforcement. The working group will be comprised of a diverse cross-section of NYPD executive leadership to review department policies and procedures regarding arrests and summonses for marijuana-related offenses. The working group will also be charged with seeking outside expert opinion from academics, advocacy organizations, prosecution and defense bar, Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, and other non-profits.

Commissioner O'Neill issued the following statement regarding the working group:

"Since 2014, the NYPD has worked to reduce arrests for marijuana possession in cases where that is the most serious charge a person faces, and instead issue summonses for possession that create no criminal record unless they go unanswered. The overall numbers reflect this new approach. Over the past four years, top charge marijuana arrests citywide are down 32%, while issuance of summonses is up 57%. This comes at a time when overall calls for service from the public about marijuana are up 26%. The NYPD does not target people based on race or other demographics. Among the reasons for enforcement are officer observations, and community complaints received from 911 and 311 calls, and from meetings like tenant associations, community councils, and Build The Block sector meetings with neighborhood police officers.

"But there are differences in arrest rates, and they have persisted going back many years, long before this current administration. We need an honest assessment about why they exist, and balance it in the context of the public safety needs of all communities. The NYPD will review our practices to ensure enforcement is consistent with the values of fairness and trust at the root of Neighborhood Policing. The NYPD has no interest in arresting New Yorkers for marijuana offenses when those arrests have no impact on public safety. The working group will review possession and public smoking of marijuana to address public concerns in the fairest way possible, while also promoting public safety and quality of life for all New Yorkers.

"I am confident we will achieve this in a manner that best serves our communities, and equip the women and men of the Police Department to do their jobs effectively and safely."

Wave Hill Events June 15‒June 22

Sat, June 16    Family Art Project: Pollinator Bats and Nocturnal Flowers

Thirsty at night? Some pollinators are, like the shy bat. Luckily for the bat, species like mango, cacao, banana, guava and agave rely on bats to pollinate their flowers. Take part in an interactive project painting nocturnal flowers in fluorescent colors to add to a night-garden, “glow room” installation. Then make a furry, handmade, paper-puppet bat to fly in the dayglo garden for a nectar feast at night. Free, and admission to the grounds in free until noon. Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, June 16    Pollination Headquarters

See butterfly and insect displays, learn about self-guided activities, take home pollinator-friendly plant lists, join pollinator walks, share your observations and check out our “bee hotel” in the Flower Garden. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Pollinators Weekend event. 

FLOWER GARDEN, 10AM–3PM

Sat, June 16    Meet the Bees: A Hands-on Adventure in the Apiary

Get up close and personal with the bees of Wave Hill! Observe bee behavior in the gardens, then suit up in a hat and veil to peek inside a hive filled with 50,000 honeybees. Search for worker bees, drones, brood (baby bees) and maybe even catch a glimpse of the elusive queen. Senior Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day leads this fascinating foray into the world of the honeybee. Appropriate for curious adults and kids ages 14 and older accompanied by an adult. $40. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, at www.wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM−1PM

Sat, June 16    In The Shop: Instore Vendor Rohsler’s Nursery

After strolling in the gardens to observe pollinators in the gardens, stop by The Shop for a special plant sale featuring locally-grown plants perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden or terrace. Horticulturist and garden designer Eric Rohsler ofRohsler’s Nursery fifth-generation nursery in Allendale, NJ, has collaborated with Wave Hill staff to select plants that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and more, many of which are featured in Wave Hill's gardens. Rohsler’s experts will be on hand to chat about your garden needs, provide expert horticultural advice, and to suggest pleasing plant combinations that also attract a plethora of pollinators. Familiar plants such as milkweed as well as more unusual plants for both sun and shade will be featured. There’s nothing like a lovely plant as the perfect gift for the gardening Dad in your life!

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM‒3PM

Sat, June 16    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide 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, June 16    Build a Bee-Abode Workshop

Assemble a rustic bee house (or condo) for the pollinators in your yard or community garden. Environmental educator Tim Stanley of Native Beeology joins Wave Hill interpreters to lead this hands-on workshop. $20. Wave Hill Members save 10%.Pollinators Weekend event. 

ON THE GROUNDS, NOON−1:30PM

Sat, June 16    Wave Hill History Walk

Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, June 16 Junior Pollinators Walk

Our youngest visitors and their families are encouraged to join an expedition to hunt for colorful flowers and their creature pollinators in the gardens. Ages four and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, June 16    Native Pollinators Walk

Environmental educator Tim Stanley of Native Beeology and naturalist Paul Keim lead this walk to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sat, June 16    Gallery Tour

Learn about Glyndor Gallery exhibitions on a tour led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow. Avifauna: Birds + Habitat features artworks that delve into the relationship between birds and their habitats—from the role birds play in propagating plants to changes in how natural and built environments affect migration patterns. Artists working in photography, video, artist books, wall painting, installation, drawing and sound include Tatiana Arocha, Tanya Chaly, Marna Chester, Nina Katchadourian,Paula McCartney, Jeff Mertz, Peter Morgan, Sarah Nicholls, James Prosek, Jenna Spevack and Fred Tomaselli. In the Sunroom Project Space, Austin Ballard’s installation Rumors is on view. Fabricating furniture using cane webbing and epoxy clay, Austin Ballard constructs an immersive domestic setting. Intended as functional sculpture, the forms are reminiscent of Victorian furniture and recall Wave Hill’s history as a private home. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, June 17    Yoga in the Garden

Enjoy a morning yoga class in the gardens, offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome; please bring a mat and be on time. Meets indoors in case of rain. Online registration suggested, or register day-of at the Front Gate. Yoga sessions continue through July 29. $25 per session. Wave Hill Members save 10%.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10–11AM

Sun, June 17    Family Art Project: Pollinator Bats and Nocturnal Flowers

Thirsty at night? Some pollinators are, like the shy bat. Luckily for the bat, species like mango, cacao, banana, guava and agave rely on bats to pollinate their flowers. Take part in an interactive project painting nocturnal flowers in fluorescent colors to add to a night-garden, “glow room” installation. Then make a furry, handmade, paper-puppet bat to fly in the dayglo garden for a nectar feast at night. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, June 16    Pollination Headquarters

See butterfly and insect displays, learn about self-guided activities, take home pollinator-friendly plant lists, join pollinator walks, share your observations and check out our “bee hotel” in the Flower Garden. Free with admission to the grounds.Pollinators Weekend event. 

FLOWER GARDEN, 10AM–3PM

Sun, June 17    In The Shop: Instore Vendor Rohsler’s Nursery

After strolling in the gardens to observe pollinators in the gardens, stop by The Shop for a special plant sale featuring locally-grown plants perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden or terrace. Horticulturist and garden designer Eric Rohsler ofRohsler’s Nursery fifth-generation nursery in Allendale, NJ, has collaborated with Wave Hill staff to select plants that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and more, many of which are featured in Wave Hill's gardens. Rohsler’s experts will be on hand to chat about your garden needs, provide expert horticultural advice, and to suggest pleasing plant combinations that also attract a plethora of pollinators. Familiar plants such as milkweed as well as more unusual plants for both sun and shade will be featured. There’s nothing like a lovely plant as the perfect gift for the gardening Dad in your life!

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM‒3PM

Sun, June 17    Build a Bee-Abode Workshop

Assemble a rustic bee house (or condo) for the pollinators in your yard or community garden. Environmental educator Tim Stanley of Native Beeology joins Wave Hill interpreters to lead this hands-on workshop. $20. Wave Hill Members save 10%.Pollinators Weekend event. 

ON THE GROUNDS, NOON−1:30PM

Sun, June 17    Wave Hill History Walk

Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sun, June 17 Junior Pollinators Walk

Our youngest visitors and their families are encouraged to join an expedition to hunt for colorful flowers and their creature pollinators in the gardens. Ages four and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sun, June 17    Native Pollinators Walk

Environmental educator Tim Stanley of Native Beeology and naturalist Paul Keim lead this walk to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, June 17    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Mon, June 18

Closed to the public.

Tue, June 19    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide 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, June 19    Gallery Tour

Learn about Glyndor Gallery exhibitions on a tour led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow. Avifauna: Birds + Habitat features artworks that delve into the relationship between birds and their habitats—from the role birds play in propagating plants to changes in how natural and built environments affect migration patterns. Artists working in photography, video, artist books, wall painting, installation, drawing and sound include Tatiana Arocha, Tanya Chaly, Marna Chester, Nina Katchadourian,Paula McCartney, Jeff Mertz, Peter Morgan, Sarah Nicholls, James Prosek, Jenna Spevack and Fred Tomaselli. In the Sunroom Project Space, Austin Ballard’s installation Rumors is on view. Fabricating furniture using cane webbing and epoxy clay, Austin Ballard constructs an immersive domestic setting. Intended as functional sculpture, the forms are reminiscent of Victorian furniture and recall Wave Hill’s history as a private home. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, June 20    Sunset Wednesdays: Live Music on the Great Lawn‒The Brain Cloud

A fearless, genre-smashing Western Swing Band, The Brain Cloud encompasses everything from ragtime jazz to Appalachian old-time fiddling, led by the talented multi-instrumentalist Dennis Lichtman and prodigious vocalist Tamar Korn. Says Lincoln Center, “Dennis Lichtman’s Brain Cloud brings vintage era music to life with fresh attitude, outstanding vocals, and masterful playing. Resisting the dance floor is impossible with the Brain Cloud beckoning!”  Rain or shine, all Sunset Wednesday Concerts are held on the Great Lawn. In case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved indoors to Armor Hall with overflow space in the Mark Twain Room and the covered terrace behind Wave Hill House. Check wavehill.org for shuttle service and for The Café menu on Sunset Wednesdays. The onsite parking lot closes at 4PM, except to accommodate vehicles with a disability license plate or placard. Free with admission to the grounds, which is $12 starting at 4PM. Free to Wave Hill Members. The grounds close at 8:30PM. 

ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

Thu, June 21   Midsummer Night’s Solstice Meditation

Celebrate the summer equinox in the gardens with Sara Hart of iHart Lens. Explore the enchanted gardens on a guided meditative walk and finish with a series of restful poses. Bring a yoga mat. $25. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Serene Thursday event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6–8PM

Thu, June 21    Evening Garden Walk

Enjoy a short evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds. Serene Thursday event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

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,  March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.

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.

Assemblymember Michael Blake - Tomorrow (6/3): Join Us for a Free Outdoor Concert!

​

Rain or shine, we'll be hosting our free outdoor concert "Praise in the Park," tomorrow June 3rd!

We look forward to having you join us. If it rains, the event will be held indoors at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center for Tennis and Learning located at 1720 Crotona Ave. Bronx, NY 10457.

I hope to see you at this festive event with soul-stirring music and entertainment. It’s the perfect event for families and neighbors to come together and enjoy gospel music in the sunny outdoors.

Hear the joyful sounds from some of the most acclaimed choirs and musical ensembles in the Bronx. We are excited to have the choirs from Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Christ Church, Tremont United Methodist Church, and Gethsemane Baptist Church perform. 

This is an interfaith event that is open to the public. The power of music brings together communities and transcends generations.

​

What: 

Praise in the Park Celebration

When: 

Sunday, June 3rd 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Where: 

Shine Location:

Crotona Park Amphitheater

559 Claremont Parkway, Bronx, NY 10457

Contingency/Rain Location: 

Cary Leeds Tennis Center for Tennis and Learning,

1720 Crotona Ave. Bronx, NY 10457 

Will you join us for Praise in the Park? RSVP here!

Tell a friend or a neighbor and thank you for your support as we continue #BuildingABetterBronx.

​

Michael Blake

​

​

Husband And Wife Charged With Fraud Scheme Relating To Nursing Services At A Bronx-Based Hospital

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging BETSY MONTALVO and EDWARD GONZALEZ with a wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a fraudulent scheme to provide of nursing services at a Bronx-based hospital.  Both defendants were arrested yesterday in New York and presented before United States Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan federal court. 

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:

MONTALVO and GONZALEZ were principals of a Bronx-based nursing company (“Nursing Company-1”) that provided temporary nursing services to client companies in the New York City area.  From March 2015 to March 2017, one of Nursing Company-1’s clients was a Bronx-based hospital (“Hospital-1”), and Nursing Company-1 provided and scheduled registered and licensed practical nurses on a temporary basis to fill the staffing needs of Hospital-1. 

As alleged in the Complaint, in May 2015, a factoring company (“Factoring Company-1”) entered into a contractual relationship with Nursing Company-1 to purchase Nursing Company-1’s accounts receivable (invoices) owed to it by Hospital-1.  The Complaint alleges that MONTALVO, GONZALEZ, and a co-conspirator not named as a defendant in the Complaint engaged in a scheme in which they presented to Factoring Company-1 false, fraudulent, and inflated invoices that did not reflect the nursing services for Hospital-1 that had been performed by Nursing Company-1.  In some instances, the identities of nurses who performed no services for Nursing Company-1 or Hospital-1 were listed on the fraudulent invoices.  Relying on the fraudulent invoices, Factoring Company-1 paid Nursing Company-1 a percentage of the fraudulent invoices. 

The Complaint alleges that the attempted losses associated with the fraud scheme are $664,761. 

MONTALVO, 49, and GONZALEZ, 47, both of Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1]   As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Managing Partner And Principal Of Accounting Firm Charged With Aiding And Abetting Union Embezzlement Scheme And Making False Filings With The U.S. Department Of Labor

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) Office of Inspector General, announced today the arrests of SALVATORE ARMAO, the founder and managing partner of an accounting firm (the “Firm”), and KAREN AUER, a principal at the Firm, for aiding and abetting the embezzlement of over $100,000 from a labor union (the “Union”) and its employee welfare benefit plan (the “Plan”), and for making false filings with DOL to conceal the embezzlement scheme.  AUER was also charged with making false statements to a DOL agent during the investigation of the embezzlement scheme.  Both defendants surrendered this morning in Manhattan and are expected be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Salvatore Armao and Karen Auer are professional accountants who allegedly facilitated and concealed a long-running union embezzlement scheme by knowingly submitting false filings with the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service.  Accountants and auditors like Armao and Auer are supposed to serve as safeguards against labor fraud, not facilitate it.”

DOL-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Michael C. Mikulka said:  “The Office of Inspector General is responsible for identifying and reducing labor racketeering and corruption in employee benefit plans, labor-management relations, and internal union affairs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:

From at least in or about 2010 through in or about 2014, the president of the Union, who also served as a trustee of the Plan (the “President-Trustee”), repeatedly used Union funds to pay for his personal expenses, including payments for spa treatments, a gym membership, a second car, medical charges, unrelated union dues for an actors’ union, purchases from retail establishments, payments to personal credit cards, and ATM cash withdrawals.  The President-Trustee used his Union credit card to pay for personal expenses and then “reimbursed” the Union with funds transferred from the Plan.  In total, the President-Trustee embezzled over $100,000 from the Union over approximately three years. 

During the period of the embezzlement, the Firm served as the accountant and auditor for the Union and the Plan.  To facilitate and conceal the President-Trustee’s embezzlement, ARMAO and AUER falsely classified as “loans” the personal expenses for which the President-Trustee paid using Union and Plan funds in accounting records and on DOL filings for the Union.  ARMAO falsely classified the President-Trustee’s personal expenses as loans for at least five years, while AUER did so for at least one year.  ARMAO and AUER also provided false information on DOL filings for the Plan, concealing from DOL the President-Trustee’s prohibited transfers of tens of thousands of dollars from the Plan to the Union which, in turn, facilitated and concealed the President-Trustee’s use of Union funds to pay his personal expenses.  ARMAO repeatedly caused these false filings to be made to DOL despite being a Certified Fraud Examiner. 

During the DOL’s investigation of the embezzlement scheme, ARMAO and AUER were interviewed by DOL.  ARMAO admitted that he was aware of the President-Trustee’s use of Union assets to pay for personal expenses based upon his review of records that showed that the President-Trustee used Union funds to pay for his family vacations and his wife’s car payments, and then used the Plan to reimburse the Union.  During her interview, AUER lied about a false response on a DOL form that AUER and ARMAO caused to be filed with the DOL.

SALVATORE ARMAO, 64, of Howard Beach, New York, and KAREN AUER, 47, of Bethpage, New York, are each charged with one count of aiding and abetting embezzlement from a labor organization, one count of conspiracy to make false statements in employee benefit plan records and reports, and one count of making false statements in employee benefit plan records and reports.  AUER is also charged with making false statements to a federal agent.  Each of the four counts carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. 

Mr. Berman thanked the DOL’s Office of Inspector General, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Office of Chief Accountant, and Office of Labor-Management Standards for their outstanding work on this investigation.  Mr. Berman also expressed gratitude to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice’s Labor-Management Racketeering Unit of the Organized Crime and Gang Section for their assistance.  Mr. Berman added that the investigation is continuing.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

SAVE THE DATE: Bronx Democratic Party's Annual Gala Dinner