Friday, May 3, 2019

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association General Meeting


  The next meeting  of the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association will be on Tuesday  May 14,2019  at Bronx House,990 Pelham Parkway South at 7:15 pm.

Our special featured speaker will be the Ms.Tanjila Rahman, Senior Community Affairs  Associate, NYC Dept. Of Consumer Affairs... Please bring  your ,problems, issues questions, and concerns to our next meeting.The PPNA works around the clock and year round to improve the quality of life in Pelham Parkway. .We can always be reached  by email at pelhamparkwayNA@gmail.com. Please look for and like  us on Facebook for neighborhood updates. Please join us for this very interesting guest..Get involved in your community. It's time.
Community  Always First!!



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MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS LOUISE CARROLL AS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT


   Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Louise Carroll will serve as the next Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. As Commissioner, she will intensify preservation efforts to address displacement before it occurs. Carroll will also work closely with the new Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants to create strategies to hold bad landlords accountable and ensure we are using every available resource to keep New Yorkers in their homes.

 “Affordable Housing is about more than just numbers for Louise – she knows that with every affordable home created and preserved, it means more New Yorkers can stabilize their lives and thrive in their neighborhoods. She will fight aggressively to protect tenants and prevent displacement,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“I’m going fight to ensure New Yorkers can afford to live and thrive in this City. Fighting means cutting through the red-tape, rejecting business as usual, and enacting policies that focus on the everyday lives of tenants,” said Commissioner Carroll.  “I want to thank Mayor de Blasio, and Deputy Mayor Been for the opportunity to build on the agency’s existing initiatives and join’s the administration’s historic efforts to ensure that New York is fairer and more affordable for generations to come.”   

“Louise is a brilliant lawyer and manager who is known for being tough and fair,” said Incoming Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “It’s her empathy, integrity, and tenacity as a litigator that will make her an excellent HPD Commissioner. Tenants now have a skilled negotiator and manager working on rent regulation reform and committed to protecting their homes.”

Carroll is currently the General Counsel of the Housing Development Corporation. She formerly served at HPD from 2006 to 2018, most recently as Associate Commissioner for Housing Incentives. During her tenure at the agency, Carroll revamped the City’s tax incentives programs to increase the amount of affordability they generated, producing record numbers of affordable housing. Carroll also led the creation of a compliance and enforcement unit to protect tenants’ rights and make sure landlords were following through on their promises to the City. She was also instrumental to both the design and implementation of mandatory, permanent affordable housing requirements.

Before her tenure at HPD, Louise served as an Associate Counsel at the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board and as a transactions attorney for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services.  Prior to beginning her career in public service, Louise worked as a Chief Financial Officer of an international ship-owning and brokerage company. 

Carroll was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and raised in St. Lucia. Carroll holds a J.D. from Tulane Law School, an M.B.A. from the University of Leicester, England, and a B.Sc. from the University of Wales at Aberystwyth.  Carroll is a recipient of the prestigious Ibo Balton Community Planner Award from the Citizens Housing Planning Commission. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and their seven-year-old son.

Acting HPD Commissioner Eric Enderlin will return to his position as President of the Housing Development Corporation.

Operation Oxy-Concourse: Attorney General James And Dea Take Down Narcotics Distribution Ring In New York City


Investigation Charges 28-Person Narcotics Operation With Conspiring To Purchase And Sell Tens of Thousands of Dangerous Prescription Pills Resulting In 181-Count Indictments 

   Attorney General Letitia James and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the indictment of 28 individuals involved in a large narcotics trafficking ring operating in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Westchester County and Connecticut. This network of oxycodone dealers and resellers were selling tens of thousands of prescription oxycodone pills, to countless customers on a daily basis. The two indictments, unsealed in Bronx County Supreme Court today, charged the 28 alleged co-conspirators with 181-counts of conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and other charges.

“There is zero tolerance for those who flood our communities with dangerous narcotics that claim lives,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “These individuals allegedly made profit off of prescription drugs and trafficked tens of thousands of highly addictive pills throughout New York City and Westchester. In order to combat the opioid crisis that is destroying our communities, we must tackle the issue from every angle and this investigation is our latest effort to take down those who sell these illicit drugs.” 
“These arrests are significant because they bring attention to an emerging threat – oxycodone trafficking networks,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. “Oxycodone pills have replaced heroin glassines on the street, and heroin trafficking rings’ new competition are oxycodone distribution organizations. This criminal motley crew had the means to distribute nearly two million oxycodone pills annually throughout counties of New York and Connecticut; but as a result of collaborative law enforcement efforts, their operation has been shut down and put out of business.” 
Over the course of the ten-month investigation, which was led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), in partnership with the DEA Westchester Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS), authorities seized approximately 1,200 oxycodone pills of varying dosages. During this time, the operation sold over 23,000 oxycodone pills, with a street value exceeding $2 million. Today’s takedown was dubbed “Operation Oxy-Concourse” due to the volume of oxycodone sales in and around Grand Concourse in the Bronx County. 
The investigation included hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, court-authorized wiretapping of numerous target phones, and the review of subpoena compliance including phone and Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement records. During the course of the wiretapping, conspirators frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit narcotics trafficking, such as referring to prescription pills as “footballs”, and referring to specific dosages of oxycodone pills based on the color of the pills, for example “yellows”, “pinks” and “blues”, and the milligram dosage, for example “15’s”, “20’s”, “30’s” and “big ones”.     
As alleged in the indictment, members of the criminal network focused their operation on the purchase and resale of prescription oxycodone pills. Elba Sanchez purchased prescriptions for large amounts of oxycodone from over a dozen sources in and around Kings County, and then sold the oxycodone to Wilkins Almonte. Often this was done with the assistance of Michael Sanchez and/or Richard De Pena Rodriguez. Wilkins and Esteban Almonte would then distribute the oxycodone, mainly from within the High Class Barberi in Bronx County, where both brothers worked as barbers. Wilkins Almonte utilized several other Bronx County sources, procuring oxycodone from Dora Sarita-Duran, Jeffrey Tavarez, Yamzi Aquino, Raul Morales, Luis DeJesus and others.  The Almonte brothers had multiple Bronx-based customers, but their largest customers were Joel and Jovany Lopez, who would purchase the bulk oxycodone in the Bronx and re-sell it to dozens of end users in and around Waterbury, Connecticut. 
The investigation uncovered that the organization distributed upwards of 23,000 oxycodone tablets. In each case, it is believed that the pills were paid for multiple times. For example, the initial source would pay $300 each for the doctor visit and the pharmacy (some of which were covered by insurance) for 100 oxycodone tablets (totaling $600).Those sources typically re-sold the 100 pills for approximately $10 per pill ($1,000) to a collecting manager (like Elba Sanchez). The collecting manager would then re-sell those 100 pills for approximately $18 per pill ($1,800) to the distributor (like Wilkins Almonte).The distributor would then re-sell those same 100 pills for approximately $23 per pill ($2,300) to the street-level dealer, who would then sell them to end users for approximately $30 per pill ($3,000). Thus, the average amount of currency transacted from a single 100-tablet prescription was approximately $8,700.  Consequently, it is estimated that the street-value of the oxycodone sold during this 10-month investigation exceeded 2 million dollars. 
The first indictment, unsealed today before Bronx County Acting Supreme Court Judge Ralph Fabrizio, charged 21 individuals, with crimes that include Conspiracy in the Second Degree among other charges, and various counts of “A” and “B” felony Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, including six individuals charged with “A” felony level counts.   
The second indictment charged Elba Sanchez and seven others, with crimes that include Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, and various counts of “B” felony Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance. This second indictment charged these individuals, primarily in Kings County, with filling oxycodone prescriptions on a monthly basis, and then selling them to Elba Sanchez. 
This takedown marks the latest drug bust since the launching of the Attorney General’s SURGE Initiative (Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic) on New York’s growing – and often violent – heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 465 alleged traffickers off the streets.   
The Attorney General would like to thank the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, and the U.S. Army National Guard Counterdrug Task Force for their assistance in this investigation.  
The investigation was directed by OCTF Investigators Kyle Vitale-O’Sullivan and Sixto Santiago, under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Bradford Miller and Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Christopher Vasta with the assistance of OCTF Legal Analyst Stephanie Tirado and members of the DEA Westchester TDS. The Attorney General’s Investigations Bureau is led by Acting Chief Investigator John Reidy.  
The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

Manhattan Doctor Pleads Guilty To Illegally Distributing Oxycodone And Other Drugs


  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH OLIVIERI, a physician who practiced in Manhattan, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty to participating in a conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone and other controlled substances.  OLIVIERI’s co-defendant MATTHEW BRADY pled guilty on April 30, 2019, to his role in the conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As he admitted today, Joseph Olivieri violated his oath to practice medicine for the sole purpose of improving his patients’ health and instead hid behind his medical license to sell addictive, dangerous narcotics.  He put his peoples’ lives at risk to line his own pockets.  He now faces time in prison for his crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
OLIVIERI, a physician who practiced in New York, New York, participated in a five-year-long scheme to divert oxycodone and other controlled substances for illicit use.  OLIVIERI was one of the top 15 prescribers of opioids in New York State during much of the diversion scheme.  He prescribed over 250,000 pills of controlled substances, including highly addictive opioids such as oxycodone, oxymorphone, and morphine sulfate, to individuals he knew did not have a legitimate medical need for them.  OLIVIERI was paid in cash for these prescriptions, often by other individuals, including co-defendant MATTHEW BRADY, who arranged with OLIVIERI for individuals posing as “patients” to obtain the prescriptions from OLIVIERI, and then collected the pills for their unlawful re-sale.  Financial records show that OLIVIERI deposited more than $1 million in cash into his bank accounts during the scheme.
OLIVIERI, 72, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  OLIVIERI is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Crotty on August 5, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.
BRADY, 34, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty on April 30, 2019, also before Judge Crotty, to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  BRADY is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Crotty on July 30, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendants’ sentences will be determined by Judge Crotty.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Attorney General James Launches $12 Million Program To Support Statewide Affordable Housing


  New York Attorney General Letitia James and Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) today announced the New York State Preservation Opportunity Program (NYS-POP), a $12 million program to support local housing agencies and authorities outside of New York City to develop strategic approaches to preserving existing affordable housing portfolios.  

“In addressing the need for affordable housing across the state, we must recognize the difficulties that housing authorities and agencies face in maintaining safe and decent affordable housing options,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “With NYS-POP, my office is prepared to tackle these challenges head-on, and help housing entities better understand the physical and financial scope and status of affordable housing portfolios. I have long advocated for more resources for housing authorities beyond New York City, and I am proud that this program will do exactly that.” 
NYS-POP will be administered by Enterprise, and will unfold in two phases; the first phase will be open to any New York State  housing authority or agency outside of New York City. Participants in the first phase of the program will be provided county-level data and maps of various affordable housing portfolios. Additionally, participants will receive information and advice about the different types of affordable housing and strategic preservation approaches through learning sessions via webinars from experts in the field.  
Later this summer, Enterprise will initiate the second phase of the program by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) where 10-15 housing authorities and agencies will be selected to receive in depth technical assistance to develop a preservation plan for a specific portfolio of affordable housing. Participation in the first round is required in order to be eligible to apply for the RFP.  
Selected housing authorities and agencies will receive individualized financing and development plans, education around preservation options, and, if applicable, funding for physical needs assessments and early predevelopment and acquisition costs. After the individualized plans are developed, municipalities will submit proposals for grants of approximately $500,000 each to kick-start their preservation strategies. Grants can include funding for acquisitions, database upgrades, or other early predevelopment costs. 
“Local governments in upstate New York know that the preservation of their affordable housing is incredibly important, but many just don’t have the tools they need to do this work,” said Judi Kende, Vice President and New York Market Leader for Enterprise Community Partners. “The New York State Preservation Opportunity Program will provide local governments the technical assistance to navigate the complexities of affordable housing preservation and early predevelopment funding to make that preservation a reality. We are excited to continue our partnership with the Office of the Attorney General and thankful for its support of this initiative.” 
Funding for the initiative comes from settlements between the Office of the Attorney General with the Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS to address the banks’ misconduct that contributed to the housing crisis.  
Housing agencies and authorities interested in participating can register now.

Wave Hill events May 16‒May 23:


Thu, May 16
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Fri, May 17
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Sat, May 18
Small but rugged, alpine troughs enable all gardeners to experiment creatively with rock gardening, even those with pint-sized gardens or limited time. Spend the day with alpine trough expert Lori Chips and Wave Hill’s own experts as they share the art of trough gardening.

Sat, May 18
Scientists estimate that there are over five million plant and animal species unknown to humans. Celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity by going on an imaginary bioblitz—your own biological survey—to find make-believe animals and plants that may just exist. Create your own species using upcycled electronic parts and other recycled materials, and place them in their very own habitats. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sat, May 18
Learn how traditional alpine trough gardening in rectilinear stone or “hypertufa” containers can take on a contemporary twist by using organically shaped troughs and creative planting designs. Alpine trough expert Lori Chips shares time-tested techniques for constructing her unique designs and offers inspiration for your own adventures in trough gardening. $10; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration encouraged; walk-ins welcome if space allows. Book sale and signing to follow the lecture. Alpine Trough Day event.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 11AM

Sat, May 18
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, May 18
With guidance from alpine plant expert and author Lori Chips of Oliver Nurseries, plant a one-of-a-kind alpine trough with diminutive plants specially selected for their artistic merit, as well as ease of care. Learn how to combine rocks with anchor plants, “droolers” and “buns” to create magical miniature landscapes in this intimate, hands-on workshop. $80; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Space is limited. Alpine Trough Day event.
Wave Hill House, 1:30PM

Sat, May 18
Join us at this artist talk with Rachel Sydlowski and Curator of Visual Arts Eileen Jeng Lynch about her installation in the Sunroom Project Space. Sydlowski’s installation addresses both history and the natural world. Layers of historical wallpaper serve as a background for complex screen print collages consisting of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces in New York. The Sunroom will be transformed into an anachronistic collage of the past and present—a reconstruction of histories and narratives based in research and fiction. Free with admission to the grounds.
Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Sat, May 18
Meet Wave Hill gardener Susannah Strazzera at the T. H. Everett Alpine House to get an insider’s view of our eclectic collection of alpine troughs and rock garden plants. Alpine Trough Day event.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 3PM

Sun, May 19
With a garden setting for your yoga practice, find your breath and become connected to the landscape. Classes are led by certified Yoga Haveninstructors. All levels welcome. Please bring a mat and be on time. Rain or shine; Glyndor Gallery is the rain location. $25 includes admission to the grounds; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration suggested, online.
On the grounds, 9:30AM

Sun, May 19
Scientists estimate that there are over five million plant and animal species unknown to humans. Celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity by going on an imaginary bioblitz—your own biological survey—to find make-believe animals and plants that may just exist. Create your own species using upcycled electronic parts and other recycled materials, and place them in their very own habitats. Free with admission to the grounds.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, May 19
Ever wondered what it’s like to encounter new species on a jungle trek? Uncover the wild world of biodiversity right here in Wave Hill’s woodland. Become a community scientist by capturing data and categorizing the unique flora and fauna that comprise our local ecological community. Learn about each creature’s special adaptations and find where they fit to help our forest thrive. Registration suggested, online or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.
Meet at Wave Hill House, 11AM

Sun, May 19
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Mon, May 20
Closed to the public.

Sun, May 20
Experience springtime in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, while visiting gardens along the scenic Delaware River with knowledgeable staff from Wave Hill. At Mill Fleurs, expect the unexpected in an eclectic private garden designed around a historic mill on the banks of the Tohickon Creek. Explore this picturesque hillside garden and its extensive collection of rare plants on a personalized tour with owner and designer Barbara Tiffany. Enjoy light snacks in the garden and shop for rare plants at Tiffany Perennials. At Paxson Hill Farm and Nursery, wander the extensive property on your own, visiting formal perennial borders, ponds, a naturalistic shade garden, and even a hobbit house, all peppered with outdoor art and friendly farm animals. Before heading back to Wave Hill, shop for unusual perennials, shrubs and tropical plants at the nursery and greenhouses. $100; includes admission, guided tours; transportation and snacks; lunch additional. Registration required, online or at the Perkins Visitor Center.
Meet at Front Gate, 7:30AM–6PM

Tue, May 21
Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. Here We Land features three, former Winter Workspace artists Camille HoffmanMaria Hupfield and Sara Jimenez who return explore narratives about contested space that draw on personal and cultural touch points in their immersive installations. Rachel Sydlowski fills the Sunroom Project Space walls with complex, screen-print collages of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces. Free with admission to the grounds.
Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Wed, May 22
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, May 23
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

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 – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 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.