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Sunday, April 9, 2023
Riverdale Main Streets Alliance - The Laughs Are Coming April 15th!
Painters Recruit Apprentices
The Finishing Trades Institute of New York will conduct a recruitment from May 8, 2023 through May 19, 2023 for 75 Painter and Decorator (Structural Steel - Bridges) apprentices, the New York State Department of Labor announced today.
Please note that the openings listed for apprentices represent the total number for three recruitment regions – Hudson Valley, Long Island, and New York City regions.
Applications must be obtained, in person only, from the Finishing Trades Institute of New York, 45-15 36th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of extended hours on Wednesdays 5/10/2023 and 5/17/2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the recruitment period. This is a limited-application recruitment. Only 750 applications will be distributed, on a first-come, first-served basis. The recruitment will be offered for 10 business days or until 750 applications have been issued, whichever comes first.
The Committee requires that applicants:
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Must have a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (such as TASC or GED). Proof will be required at the time of enrollment in apprenticeship.
- Must be physically able to perform the work required, as determined by a site evaluation and personal statement. More information will be provided during a mandatory orientation.
- Must be able to pass physical examination, at the expense of sponsor, after selection and prior to enrollment in apprenticeship.
- Must take and pass a drug test, at the expense of the sponsor, after selection and prior to enrollment in apprenticeship. Will be subject to random drug testing throughout the apprenticeship.
- Must sign an affidavit stating that they are physically able to perform the work of a Painter and Decorator (Structural Steel - Bridges), which may include:
- Lifting and moving heavy equipment and/or paint weighing up to 70 pounds.
- Working from ladders, scaffolds, and lifts which may exceed 100 feet in height.
- Must be able to hear and understand instructions and warnings in English.
For further information, applicants should contact Finishing Trades Institute of New York at (718) 937-7440. Additional job search assistance can be obtained at your local New York State Department of Labor Career Center (see: dol.ny.gov/career-centers).
Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner. Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or marital status. Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs. Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.
Nos Quedamos' 2023 "Harvesting Culture Awards" Recipients Announced!
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Wave Hill Events April 20-April 27
Time to escape the everyday and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. Join a Public Garden Highlights Walk, soak up some sun and take in the spring blooms as they bring fresh color to every corner of the garden. At the Family Art Project, learn how to make your own sailboat or raft using a mixture of upcycled materials—perfect for a day of family bonding and creativity.
Family Art Project: Set Sail!
Free with admission to the grounds
Meet at Wave Hill House
With an eye towards Wave Hill’s view of the Hudson River and the boats that navigate it, learn how to make your own handmade sailboat or raft using a mixture of upcycled materials. Keep it as a small sculpture—or see if it floats!
Registration not required.
The program takes place indoors in the Kerlin Learning Center located on the lower level of Wave Hill House. Please note the following important COVID-related information to ensure everyone’s safety:
Approximately nine families will be able to participate at a time, based on the time each family arrives.
If capacity is full when you arrive, we will provide a “come back” card so you will have first entry for the next session.
Each family will receive its own set of materials and cleaning will happen in between seating participants.
Unvaccinated visitors are encouraged to wear a mask inside.
Wave Hill House is located along a paved route with moderate changes in grade. The building is wheelchair-accessible. There is an accessible, ground-level entrance at the front of the building with a power-assist door. The restroom on the ground level is all-gender and ADA-compliant. Additional ADA-compliant restrooms are available on the lower level, which can be accessed by elevator.
Sun, April 23, 2023, 2–2:45PM
Free with admission to the grounds
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center
Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Severe weather cancels.
Registration is not required for this drop-in event. Public Garden Walks are most appropriate for adults or young adults. Not intended for groups; groups should sign-up for Private Garden Tours.
Questions? Please email us at information@wavehill.org or call 718.549.3200 x251.
Garden Highlights Walks follow a variety of routes along mixed-material pathways and varying elevations. Accessible routes are available as requested; please indicate your need to Wave Hill staff at the Greeter Desk in the Perkins Visitor Center.
HOURS: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday.
Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.
D.A. BRAGG ANNOUNCES GUILTY PLEAS OF COMPANY AND EMPLOYEES FOR STEALING MORE THAN $1 MILLION FROM WORKERS
Electrical Company Stole Worker Wages Paid by City on NYCHA and SCA Projects
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and New York City Department of Investigations Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber today announced the guilty pleas of SAMCO ELECTRICAL CORPORATION (“SAMCO”), principals SILVANO TRAVALJA and GIOVANNA “JOANNE” TRAVALJA and project foreman ZDRAVKO MAGLIC (“the defendants”) for stealing more than $1 million in wages from workers on School Construction Authority (“SCA”) and New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) projects.
MAGLIC pled guilty today to one count of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Bribery in the Third Degree will be sentenced to 6 months in jail and five years of probation on June 20, 2023. SILVANO and GIOVANNA TRAVALJA, along with SAMCO, each pled guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and were sentenced January 5. As part of the plea, they paid a required $900,00 in stolen wages to workers and are now barred from all SCA and NYCHA contracts for five years.
“It is unacceptable to steal from employees,” said District Attorney Bragg. “New Yorkers work hard to provide for their families, and they should get paid what they are owed. Not only did the perpetrators of this scheme take from workers, but they also ripped off New York taxpayers, who thought their money was going to our schools and public housing developments. Addressing the rampant issue of wage theft will continue to be a priority for my administration, and I thank our attorneys for a thorough investigation that has delivered real accountability.”
DOI Commissioner Strauber said, “The defendants schemed to steal public funds from SCA and NYCHA, and falsified payroll reports to cover up their failure to pay the legal prevailing wages. In addition, Zdravko Maglic, the project manager, bribed an SCA investigator with cash-stuffed envelopes to look the other way. He acknowledged at that time that he could go to jail for his actions; today he pleads guilty to two felony charges. DOI thanks the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their continued commitment to exposing and stopping wage theft and successful prosecution of this case.”
SAMCO is a licensed union electrical company that had multiple subcontracts with the SCA and NYCHA, two city agencies, which required workers receive prevailing wages and supplemental benefits. SAMCO instead staffed jobs with non-union labor from two shell corporations: Powertech Electrical Contractors (“Powertech”) and Cro-El Systems Corp. (“Cro-El”). The defendants paid their workers less than a quarter of what they were entitled to and pocketed more than $1 million in contract payments intended for its workers.
As admitted in their pleas, from 2017 to 2021, the defendants submitted falsified certified payroll reports to the SCA and NYCHA, claiming they had paid the proper prevailing wages and supplemental benefits to their workers. These reports purportedly listed employees, the number of regular and overtime hours they worked and their hourly rates of pay and benefits.
Additionally, as admitted in MAGLIC’s plea, from March 2021 to June 2021, MAGLIC paid $4,000 in bribes to an SCA investigator on three different dates.
The SCA suspended SAMCO from its projects in September 2021 after learning of the alleged criminal activity.
D.A. Bragg thanked the New York City Department of Investigation's Office of the Inspector General for the New York City School Construction Authority, specifically Financial Auditor Raymond Dowd; Investigators Leonard Rein and Kevin Clancy and the SCA Risk Management Department; SCA Labor Law Compliance Bureau; and SCA Finance Department under the supervision of Acting Inspectors General William Schaeffer and Gerard McEnroe. The case was also investigated by Investigative Auditor Lester Dier and Laureen Hintz, Counsel to DOI’s New York City Housing Authority Inspector General’s office, under the supervision of Inspector General Ralph Iannuzzi, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel G. Cort.
Defendant Information:
SILVANO TRAVALJA College Point, N.Y.
Convicted: • Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony
GIOVANNA “JOANNE” TRAVALJA College Point, N.Y.
Convicted: • Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony
ZDRAVKO MAGLIC Hawthorne, N.Y.
Convicted: • Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class D felony • Bribery in the Third Degree, a class D felony
SAMCO ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Convicted: • Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony
DEC AND NYSERDA ANNOUNCE PUBLIC WEBINAR SERIES ON EXTREME HEAT AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEW YORK STATE
Webinar Topics Include Impacts of Extreme Heat and State Actions to Help Communities Prepare and Adapt
Outreach Efforts Advance Governor Hochul’s Directive to Develop a Statewide Extreme Heat Action Plan and Help Ensure Equitable Distribution of Extreme Heat-Related Information and Resources
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced today an upcoming public webinar series on the ways extreme heat is impacting New York State. As part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2022 State of the State directive and interim recommendations, work is underway to help New Yorkers and communities better understand and prepare for the impacts of extreme heat, including opportunities to learn about solutions for adapting to and forming partnerships to address extreme heat.
DEC Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos said, “New York State’s multi-agency effort to address extreme heat, particularly in our most vulnerable communities, is critical to protecting public health and safety and quality of life. The ongoing development of an extreme heat action plan will advance resiliency and ensure protection from frequent extreme weather events driven by climate change. I encourage all New Yorkers to participate in these public webinars to learn about this critical issue and support efforts to prepare for and adapt to extreme heat.”
NYSERDA President and CEO and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Doreen M. Harris said, “NYSERDA is proud to partner with our colleagues at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to help all New Yorkers – especially our most vulnerable populations – understand and prepare for extreme heat. As New York continues, under Governor Hochul’s leadership, to address the health hazards associated with climate change, it’s critical that we arm communities with this knowledge before we head into the hottest months of the year.”
Extreme heat is a leading cause of death among hazardous weather events in the United States. Extreme heat affects the health and well-being of communities and individuals across New York State. The impacts of extreme heat are more severe due to climate change, with disproportionately greater impacts experienced by heat-vulnerable populations, urban areas, and disadvantaged communities.
This webinar series is part of DEC and NYSERDA’s ongoing development of an extreme heat action plan in response to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme heat events caused by climate change. DEC and NYSERDA started convening the Extreme Heat Action Plan Work Group last year. The work group includes more than 20 State agencies working together on immediate steps to address the dangers of extreme heat. The webinar series, hosted by DEC and NYSERDA in conjunction with the Extreme Heat Action Plan Work Group and University at Buffalo, will include presentations by a panel of subject matter experts on topics relevant to State and local planning for extreme heat events.
Webinars are open to the public. Registration is encouraged and available online or at one of the individual webinar registration links below. Webinars will be recorded and shared on DEC’s website.
Webinar Schedule
Extreme Heat and the Built Environment
Learn about extreme heat impacts on the built environment, from buildings to transportation infrastructure. Consider impacts across a variety of scales, from the neighborhood level to the regional level. The webinar will also explore what interventions are working to moderate these impacts for individuals and communities.
Date: April 27, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/
Expert Panel:
Dr. Mikhail Chester - Director of the Metis Center for Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University
Dr. Zoé Hamstead - Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley
Dr. Nicholas Rajkovich - Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo
Moderator:
Dr. Susan Clark - Assistant Professor in the Department of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo
Extreme Heat, Health, and Policy: Strategies Across New York’s Many Landscapes
This webinar explores the impacts of extreme heat across New York’s diverse geographies and communities, including urban heat islands, rural and suburban communities, and workers. The webinar will also describe the intersection of extreme heat and the housing, energy, and agricultural sectors. Speakers will showcase potential solutions.
Date: May 18, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/
Expert Panel:
Dr. Augusta Williams - Assistant Professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Dr. Diana Hernández - Associate Professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health
Speaker TBA
Moderator:
Dr. Nicholas Rajkovich - Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo
Showcasing Local Solutions and Partnerships
This webinar will showcase local solutions from different communities across New York State and the people behind those solutions. The webinar will illuminate tangible and positive change advanced by partnerships among community organizations, local governments, and the State.
Date: June 8, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/
*This Expert Panel and Moderator are being finalized and additional information will be provided in coming weeks.
Preparing for Summer 2023: What Individuals and Local Governments Can Do During a Heat Wave
This webinar will highlight concrete approaches for staying cool and safe during heat waves. The presentations will describe individual measures to cool one’s home; the various ways in which local governments, emergency response coordinators and community groups can help their communities be safe during extreme heat events; and available resources the State provides to support local preparedness and adaptation.
Date: June 22, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/
*This Expert Panel and Moderator are being finalized and additional information will be provided in coming weeks.
For additional information on the State’s extreme heat action plan, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/