Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Lettuce Eat! Farmstand Opens this Wednesday!

Our Youth Run Farmstand is back!     Featuring fresh local fruits & veggies: tomatoes, blueberries, corn, beets, onions, potatoes,  and more!    Special treats include farm fresh eggs, bread from  Arthur Avenue, and local honey.    Wednesdays 2-7pm July 6 to October 26 Train Park  (Gale Place & Orloff Avenue) Bronx, NY 10463   Every week there’s something different on the menu!  Stop by to enjoy cooking demonstrations and more.   We accept WIC, FMNP Checks, EBT, Snap, Cash and  Credit/Debit.   VCPA’s Youth Run Farmstand is managed by our  Garden 2 Market interns.    Garden 2 Market Internship and the Youth Run  Farmstand are made possible by these generous  supporters:   Leadership Support New York State Department of Environmental  Conservation   Additional Vital Support  Manhattan College Valentine Perry Snyder Fund Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation Con Edison  Bronx Council for Environmental Quality    Special Thanks GrowNYC Amalgamated Housing Corporation   With deep appreciation to NYC Parks for  their partnership.

Our Contact Information Van Cortlandt Park Alliance 80 Van Cortlandt Park, Ste. E1 Bronx, NY 10463 718-601-1460 http://vancortlandt.org

Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez - Community Shredding Event

 

 

Greetings,

On Friday, July 8th between 11:00am - 1pm, our office will be hosting a Community Shredding Event in partnership with the Department of Sanitation at

the 80th Assembly District Office - 2018 Williamsbridge Road, 10461

Our office invites you all to come out and shred as many documents as needed on a first come, first serve basis!

We appreciate your time and efforts in advance!

Best Regards,

New York State Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez

Brooklyn Scaffolding Company and its Foreperson Indicted for Reckless Endangerment and Criminal Mischief in Scaffolding Collapse

Allegedly Failed to Remove Unsecured Scaffolding from Park Slope Construction Site, Despite Safety Concerns and Industry Protocols, Leading to Collapse that Left Woman Seriously Injured 

 Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber and New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich, today announced that the foreman of a Brooklyn scaffolding company and the company have been arraigned on an indictment in which they are charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief for failing to remove unsecured scaffolding from a 12-story building under construction in Park Slope. High winds caused the scaffolding to collapse and plummet from the roof, striking a woman below in the courtyard of an adjacent bar.

 District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This is a tragedy that never should have happened. The defendant allegedly ignored industry safety protocols by failing for days to either secure or remove the scaffolding at this site. His alleged inaction has had a profound and devastating impact on a young woman who will suffer the consequences for the rest of her life. We will now seek to hold him accountable for his reckless, irresponsible and criminal behavior.”

 Commissioner Strauber said, “These charges make clear that disregard of New York City’s building code can have tragic consequences. As alleged, this foreman and his company knowingly failed to secure or remove roof scaffolding that posed a serious danger, and that ultimately caused injuries to individuals on the street below, including a young woman who suffered significant and permanent brain injuries. This tragedy was entirely preventable, and the charged conduct is not just unprofessional and irresponsible, it is criminal. We are committed to continuing to work with our law enforcement partners at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the City Department of Buildings to identify and prevent this type of dangerous misconduct.”

 Commissioner Ulrich said, “Choosing not to perform required safety work on a construction site can have tragic and devastating consequences. If proper precautions were taken, this incident might have been avoided. I would like to personally thank our partners at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and at the Department of Investigation for bringing criminal charges in this important case.

 The District Attorney identified the defendants as Zeke Fagan, 26, of Woodmere, New York, and Silvercup Scaffolding, of 29 Lorimer Street, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The defendants were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully on an indictment in which they are charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. They were ordered to return to court on August 11, 2022. Each of the misdemeanor counts they were charged with carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail.

 The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on June 30, 2019, at approximately 3 p.m., support scaffolding on the roof of a 12-story building located at 243 4th Avenue in Park Slope, which was left largely disconnected from the bulkhead and which still had its netting attached, fell from that roof onto Mission Delores, an adjacent bar with an outdoor patio directly below the rooftop of 243 4th Avenue. Three patrons were struck by the debris, including a 32-year-old woman who suffered serious, permanent brain injuries. Two other women suffered minor injuries. In addition, pieces of scaffolding, including metal pipes and wooden planks, shattered panes of glass in the bar’s atrium area.

 The scaffolding was initially secured to the building by “tie backs,” which are metal rods that are connected to the building through a hole created in the wall. The scaffolding was also interconnected to itself and surrounded the entire bulkhead creating four interconnected sides to provide further support. Therefore, it was connected to the building and interconnected to itself, as required by the building code.

 However, according to the investigation, on June 12, 2019, a subcontractor doing stucco work disconnected the tie backs of the scaffolding to fill in the holes created by the tie backs. That contractor allegedly immediately informed the general contractor’s construction superintendent to make sure the scaffolding was dismantled by Silvercup the following day. Fagan, Silvercup’s foreman, who was responsible for overseeing the scaffolding, was allegedly informed of this by the superintendent on June 14, 2019. Also, on that date, the superintendent texted Fagan a photograph of the scaffolding coming apart on the roof’s bulkhead.

 The scaffolding was never properly dismantled and remained in a precarious, unsecured condition for over two weeks, including days where there were high winds. On June 30, 2019, gusts of high winds swept through Park Slope and caught the netting of the scaffolding, causing a sail-like effect lifting the scaffolding up and away from the building. Notably, the extreme weather condition had been forecasted and advisories about it were sent out by the DOB.

 The scaffolding then fell from the bulkhead over the side of the building and into the courtyard of Mission Dolores, a bar that was located at 249 4th Avenue, where numerous patrons were seated, including the 32-year-old woman who was struck in the head by a piece of the scaffolding and sustained serious injuries, including a fractured skull and permanent neurological trauma. Two other women seated in the courtyard sustained less severe injuries.

 An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at the Office of General Services' Annual July 4 Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony

 

Governor Hochul: "Your decision to join all of us makes us stronger. Bringing your language, your culture, your traditions, your religions, that is what makes this state and this country so spectacular. So on behalf of New York, your new home, your new family, we welcome you and we say to you: happy birthday, New Americans."  

 Happy 4th of July. Yes indeed, it is. We are all Americans today, and we celebrate the birth of the extraordinary experiment known as America. And as proof today, the people sitting before me came from all walks of life, every corner of this earth, to join in the family of not just Americans, but also the family of New Yorkers.   

So this is a huge point of pride for us. And I wanna thank two individuals. First of all, Jeanette Moy, who's done an extraordinary job. The weight of responsibility for running the entire State facilities is extraordinary. She has done amazing job, Commissioner of General Services, Jeanette Moy. Let's give her another round of applause. And our presiding judge today, Honorable Kimberly O'Connor, the Acting Justice of the Supreme Court. I want to thank her for her participation here today.  

I've had a number of levels of government before I became Governor. I've done countless immigration naturalization ceremonies, and I'll tell you why I always want to come. This is a time we renew our faith in our citizenship. We look at these individuals who worked so hard to be here. This was not just an accident of birth. They were born elsewhere, and they had to go through extraordinary challenges to say, "I want to be an American citizen." So as we celebrate America's birth on the 4th of July, we're also celebrating these individuals as their rebirth as American citizens. So let's give all of them a round of applause.  

And the immigrant experience in this country has not always been easy. I'm not even saying it's easy now. I think back to my grandparents who left tremendous poverty, they had nothing when they came here as teenagers, and they had a whole new life ahead of them, but had a lot of fear and uncertainty until they found jobs. My grandpa made steel and lifted his family up, and as a result, his granddaughter someday could be the Governor of New York. That is the New York dream that we cherish here, the opportunity for every single individual to come from a family from far away, but they have to have that gene to be a risk-taker.  

And that's why America is so unique and special, because it's a lot easier to stay home in the world you know, even those circumstances may be tough, but to say, "I'm going across the world. I want to become a citizen in a different country. I will go where no one in my family has gone before." You are the individuals whose shoulders we will stand upon someday when you, like those who came before you, build this community, build this state and build this country to be stronger than ever before. We are looking to you as the leaders. We're going to help our next generation believe in the American Dream once again.   

And it's been a tough time, my friends. But we are not unique. There are challenges all across this world and there's always been challenges, way back to 1776. The common denominator is, though, we always rise up. We always prevail. We always will stand together united in the belief that this is the greatest country on earth. That is why we celebrate you. Your decision to join all of us makes us stronger.   

Bringing your language, your culture, your traditions, your religions. That is what makes this state and this country so spectacular. So on behalf of New York, your new home, your new family, we welcome you and we say to all of you: Happy birthday, New Americans. Congratulations everyone. Congratulations.  

Statement from Speaker Adrienne Adams on Passage of Gun Safety Legislation by the State Legislature

 

“New Yorkers deserve to be safe from all forms of violence, including the gun violence that has harmed our communities for too long. The U.S. Supreme Court’s dangerous ruling to make the concealed carrying of guns in New York easier puts us at risk of even more bloodshed and trauma. I applaud our state partners for convening a special session to pass laws that will protect New Yorkers and save lives, especially the expansion of ‘sensitive areas’ to restrict guns in locations that the New York City Council identified as in need of protection. These measures are crucial, and I thank Governor Hochul and state legislative leaders for their leadership to protect New York from the detrimental impacts of this misguided decision.” 

Bronx Fashion Week Casting - July 10, 2022

 

Bronx Fashion Week Model & Designer Casting

Would you like to take your experience further? Have you always wanted to walk the runway? Do you want to break into the fashion industry, but need the skills to hit the scene like a professional model? Develop your skills with Bronx Fashion Week!

Between the Ages of 15 & Up, All Sizes, Models Please Wear All Black Attire, High Heels & Dress Shoes ONLY! NO Sneakers or Open Toe Sandals or Shoes will be ALLOWED! NO LATE ARRIVALS!

Upon Arrival Please Make Sure to Submit Comp Cards, Portfolio & Head Shots with Your Contact Information!

Bronx Fashion Week Casting: July 10, 2022

Times: 12:00pm to 2:00pm

Where: Mall at Bay Plaza, 200 Baychester Avenue, Third Floor (Food Court)

See you there
Bronx Fashion NYC

Mayor Eric Adams and The Members of The New York City Council Have Cut $557.5 Million Dollars to The Education of Our Children

 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Former NYC Councilman

Rev. Ruben Diaz

You should know that Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC City Council members have approved the budget for the Fiscal Year 2023, which will be devastating to the education of our children.

 

It is important for you to know that the Education of our children will receive a cut of $557.5 million dollars directly affecting the schools in low-income areas more so than in any of the other sectors. 

Hundreds of teachers have already received their notices that they are not to report to their teaching jobs in the next coming school year because of these cuts.  Once again, the Democratic Party takes actions that directly affect the future of our children.

You should know that both Mayor Adams and the city council members ALL, during their political campaigns, promised to watch over and protect our children's education, lower rents, create affordable housing, and repair public housing.

 

According to news reports, during the COVID pandemic,Congress passed the This Act allocated $7 BILLION dollars to the City of New York and the Department of Education.  Out of those funds allocated to the City, $4.3 BILLION were not used and as a result those funds are now in reserve. The question is why cut the funding for our children's education? And why keep this amount of funds, already allocated to the New York City Schools, in reserve?

  

How is it possible that Mayor Adams and the City Council, intend to cut $557.5 MILLION to the education of our children, and keep hidden $4.7 BILLION in reserve?  No doubt this will serve the Democrats with talking points to blame Donald Trump and the Republicans as racists, vile and perverse.  Which is ironic given that in the State of New York, the Governor, The Senate, the State Assembly, the Mayor and the City Council are all Democrats.  

You should know that this state is totally controlled by the Democratic Party. They are the ones who are ignoring the well-being and education of our children. 

It is my responsibility, as a Conservative Democrat, to be the voice of one who cries out in the wilderness, and to inform my readers of the atrocities and barbarities that our own legislators and representatives have been subjecting us to year after year. 

My advice to Mayor Adams and the members of the NYC City Council is to take the needed $557.5 MILLION dollars out of the 4.7 BILLION that was not used from the "Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act." and restore the funds they eliminated from our children’s Education and return the teachers to their classrooms.    It's as simple as That!

 

I am Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is What You Should Know.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The former City Councilman fails to remember that public school budgets are driven by the enrollment of students in a school. While a school is given a certain amount of money for administration, it is the number of students that makes up the rest of the school budget. 

A projected student enrollment is done for the opening of the school year, but it is the October 31 student population that will either add or subtract to the estimated school budget. The more students a school has over projection, then more money will be added to the school budget. the less students the school has from the projection will mean that the school budget will have to be cut to match the enrollment numbers. 

New York City as a whole has lost public school students due to certain mandates that were put in place, movement of families elsewhere, and deaths due to COVID-19.

Female MS-13 Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to 2019 Murder of 15-Year-Old in Central Islip

 

Defendant Lured the Victim to his Death in a Secluded Wooded Area

 Lidia DelCarmen-Rodriguez, an associate of the Leeward Locos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the use of a firearm, which caused the death of 15-year-old Jasson Medrano-Molina, on August 7, 2019 in Central Islip.  The proceeding was held before United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco.  

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.

“The defendant today admitted that she helped carry out a despicable crime by luring a 15-year-old boy to his violent death as part of the MS-13 gang’s agenda to attack and kill their rivals,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “It is my sincere hope that the family of this young victim can find some solace in knowing that the individuals responsible for this crime have been brought to justice.  This Office, in partnership with the Long Island Gang Task Force, will continue to work tirelessly to prevent these senseless killings and eliminate gang violence that endangers our communities.” 

“The senseless violence that MS-13 carries out is incomprehensible and we will continue to dedicate resources to and work with our law enforcement partners to hold these gang members accountable,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison.  “This attack had the potential to take even more lives and we must send a message to this criminal organization, that no matter your age, if you act like an adult, you will pay the price as one.”

Mr. Peace thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance with the prosecution.

According to court filings and statements by the defendant at the guilty plea proceeding, in July and August 2019, the defendant and other MS-13 members and associates were seeking to identify, attack and kill individuals whom they believed were rival gang members in an effort to elevate their own positions in the gang.  The defendant and her co-conspirators targeted several individuals, including Medrano-Molina, who were suspected of being members of the rival 18th Street gang.  In the early morning hours of August 7, 2019, she lured Medrano-Molina and two other individuals to a secluded wooded area in Central Islip, where two of her co-conspirators, who were armed with a .40 caliber handgun and a baseball bat, were waiting.  Upon realizing the ambush, Medrano-Molina and the other two individuals ran away.  Medrano-Molina was pursued, and fatally shot multiple times at close range.  The other two individuals were able to escape unharmed. 

DelCarmen-Rodriguez is now 19 years old, and was 16 years old at the time of the Medrano-Molina murder. She was initially charged by complaint on August 21, 2019, and, thereafter, a juvenile information on September 20, 2019, both of which were both filed under seal in the Eastern District of New York.  A juvenile transfer hearing was held on December 14, 2021, and she was ultimately transferred to adult status by order of the Court, dated January 26, 2022.  In connection with her plea today, the defendant waived indictment and a Superseding Information, charging her as an adult, was filed publicly.     

In October 2021, co-conspirator Jose Omar Sorto Portillo, also a member of the Leeward Locos Salvatruchas clique of MS-13, pleaded guilty to murder in aid of racketeering for his participation in the murder of Medrano-Molina.  He is currently awaiting sentencing.

Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members and associates of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members and associates with carrying out more than 60 murders in the district, and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders, members, and associates in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Hempstead Police Department, Rockville Centre Police Department, and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.