Mayor Adams Announces 500 free Apple Air Tags to Kia and Hyundai Owners in the 43rd Precinct

Mayor Adams Announces 500 free Apple Air Tags to Kia and Hyundai Owners in the 43rd Precinct

By Robert Press

Mayor Eric Adams came to the Castle Hill Library in the 43rd Precinct to announce that the Association for a Better New York  is paying for five hundred Apple Air Tags to be given out to owners of Kia and Hyundai cars that are featured in a Tic-Tock video on how to steal those cars to use them in other crimes. 

In the Bronx, Grand Larceny Auto better known as GLA is up by 23.7% or 290 autos January 1, 2023 to April 16, 2023, over the same period ending April 16, 2022. For the Week ending April 16, 2023 Bronx precincts are up in GLA 173.5% with the 42nd Precinct where GLA up 1,200%. Only the 44th Precinct showed a decrease in GLA of 33.3% for the week ending April 16, 2023. This is for reported cars stolen, as it is unknown if any stolen cars have not been reported.

Mayor Adams along with Chief of Patrol John Chell, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, 43rd Precinct commanding officer Deputy Inspector Carlos Peralta, and Steven Rubenstein Chairman of ABNY stood next to a table that was set up with five-hundred Apple Air Tags on it. Mayor Adams picked up one box and explained that with the Air Tag hidden in a car your Apple phone gets a notice whenever the car is moved. If it is being stolen you can report it to the police department so they can mark the car as stolen and track where it goes. 

Mayor Adams said that one such Air Tag was placed in a car that was being driven away from the library. He took out his IPhone clicked on the Air Tag app and showed that the car was moving. Mayor Adams said that smart leaders do not wait for big spikes in crime, but want to stop bumps in crime before they get larger, thanking Mr. Rubenstein of ABNY for donating to the city the 500 Apple Air Tags. 

Here is a photo of an Apple Air Tag Package with the size of the Air Tag on the package.

Mayor Adams holds the package of an Apple Air Tag which fits in the palm of his hand. With Mayor Adams are (R - L) Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, Chief of Patrol John Chell, and Steven Rubenstein of ABNY.

Mayor Adams holds the Air Tag between two of his fingers to how how small the Air Tag is. The commanding officer of the 43rd Precinct Deputy Inspector Carlos Peralta is also in the photo. The five-hundred Apple Air Tags are lined up on the table.

Mayor Adams shows on his IPhone how the Air Tag app is showing the car where the Air Tag was placed is now moving.

Deputy Inspector Peralta of the 43rd Precinct tells that GLA has doubled in the latest twenty-eight day period, and more than tripled in the week ending April 16, 2023 in his precinct. 

Housing Lottery Launches For 1760 Grand Avenue In Morris Heights, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 1760 Grand Avenue, a seven-story mixed-use building in Morris Heights, The Bronx. Designed by Gino Longo Architect and developed by Benjamin Sadykov of RBM Fundings LLC, the structure yields 15 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are five units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $73,920 to $187,330.

Amenities include shared laundry room, community center, virtual doorman, elevator, and a rooftop terrace. Units come equipped with energy-efficient appliances, air conditioning, high-speed internet, and patios or balconies. Residents are responsible for electricity.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there is one studio with a monthly rent of $2,156 for incomes ranging from $73,920 to $138,840; one one-bedroom with a monthly rent of $2,205 for incomes ranging from $75,600 to $156,130; and three two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,460 for incomes ranging from $84,343 to $187,330.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than May 19, 2023.

Wave Hill Events May 18-May 25

 

The gardens are a-blooming!. Practice yoga with instructor Susie Caramanica, create art at the Family Art Project and join our weekly garden guided walks! More info below.

 

Family Art Project: My Green Heaven 

Sat, May 20, 2023, 10AM–1PM 

Sun, May 21, 2023, 10AM–1PM 

Free with admission to the grounds

Meet at Wave Hill House                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Inspired by Wave Hill’s rolling, emerald hillsides, create a world of hues in paint and collage. We’ll explore the surprising history of the color green and make our own beautiful verdant shades. 

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. 

 

Yoga in the Garden  

Sundays, May 21 (continues through July), 2023, 10–11AM 

$25; including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill Members save 10% 

On the grounds

Root your feet in the grass and look out upon the vistas as you enjoy a gentle yoga class led by Susie Caramanica. All levels welcome. Rain cancels. Continues through July; no class May 28 & July 2.  

 

Registration required, online or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. Questions? Please email us at information@wavehill.org or call the telephone number and extension above.  

 

This is a beginner level class that can be modified. Class is usually held on the main lawn and is accessible via flat paved paths. Occasionally the location may change due to other activity on the grounds. The instructor uses a portable speaker.  

 

Public Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, May 21, 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.    

Plant “Pick-of-the-Day" 
Thu, May 25, 2023, 12–12:30PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center 

A Wave Hill Garden Guide shares the most notable plants or garden features of the day on this bite-size walk. Severe weather cancels. 

Registration is not required for this drop-in event. Guided 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.   

Plant “Pick-of-the-Day" walks follow a variety of routes along mixed-material pathways and varying elevations. Accessible routes are available as requested; please indicate your need to the 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.

DEC AND ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN RESERVE LAUNCH THIRD YEAR OF PARKING RESERVATION SYSTEM

Parking Reservations Required May 1 to Oct. 31

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR) today announced that the parking reservation system to promote safe access to trails in the Route 73 corridor will resume May 1, following a successful season in 2022. More than 35,000 users have registered at AMR's website to make parking reservations since the system’s launch in 2021.

 

From May 1 through Oct. 31, reservations will be required to access the parking lot, trailheads, and trails located on the privately owned 7,000-acre AMR property in the town of Keene in the Adirondack High Peaks region. AMR has a longstanding conservation easement with DEC that allows public access for hiking. Additional hiking opportunities and parking lots can be found throughout the 2.6 million acres of public lands within the Adirondack Forest Preserve on a first-come, first-served basis. View a map of AMR within the Adirondack Forest Preserve (PDF)

 

Advanced parking reservations at AMR are available at no-cost and must be obtained for single-day or overnight use. Seventy reservations, including overnight reservations, are available per day. Walk-in users without a reservation are not permitted unless these users can provide a Greyhound or Trailways bus ticket from within the past 24 hours. Reservations are also required for access to the Noonmark and Round Mountain trailheads located on AMR property. 

 

New bookings for 2023 began April 17. Reservations can be made as far as two weeks in advance. Users will be able to make reservations 14 days out on a 24-hour rolling basis. Reminder emails go out to reservation holders in advance of their designated time asking them to confirm or cancel. If a reservation is cancelled, the reservation immediately becomes available on the website. Reservations open frequently, so users are encouraged to check hikeamr.org often if reservations are not available on their chosen date. 

 

In 2022, the reservation system accepted 10,122 reservations. There were 3,801 reservation cancellations, with 3,776 of the cancelled reservations rebooked. Of that total, 14,200 were New Yorkers, 6,600 registrations were from people residing out of state, and 138 people from other countries. A total of 113 Canadian users registered in 2022.

 

DEC and AMR continue to work together to adaptively manage the program to improve public safety, ensure equitable access, and promote sustainable use of this popular hiking destination. Learn more about the Adirondack Mountain Reserve on DEC's website. For a list of frequently asked questions and to register, visit hikeamr.org.  

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Sex Trafficking

 

Defendant Forced Multiple Victims to Engage in Commercial Sex

 Joseph Harris, also known as “Luis Santana,” and “Joey Moscato,” was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 21 years in prison for sex trafficking multiple victims by force, fraud, and coercion. 

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 Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

From July 2017 until his arrest in May 2018, Harris used violence and threats of violence, along with abusive and coercive tactics, to compel multiple victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.  The defendant’s crimes were uncovered when NYPD officers responded to several 911 calls about girls being held at his apartment in Brooklyn.  Inside the apartment, the officers found two of the defendant’s adult victims along with a 16-year-old minor female, and recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun, a birth certificate for a 17-year-old female, hotel receipts, hand-written instructions written by Harris for posting advertisements for commercial sex, and other items. 

The investigation revealed that Harris used force and threats to compel his victims to work in prostitution and give him the money that they were paid. He also punished women who withheld money from him and, in at least on one dispute over money, dragged a victim through a pool of bleach he had poured on the floor.  On another occasion, he menaced a victim at gunpoint and posted a photograph of it on his Instagram account.  Harris had sexual intercourse with his victims, including underage girls as young as 14, and provided them with drugs including ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, and pills. The defendant used Backpage.com and social media websites to facilitate his business. 

The federal prosecution of the defendant was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI and NYPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with substantial assistance from the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. 

BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON`S STATEMENT ON PEP VOTE APPROVING A BARD EARLY COLLEGE CAMPUS AND SOUTH BRONX LITERACY ACADEMY IN THE BRONX

 

Last week, the Panel for Educational Policy voted to approve the arrival of two schools to the Bronx: The Bard Early College campus and the South Bronx Literacy Academy

“The arrival of both the Bard Early College campus and the South Bronx Literacy Academy designed to serve students with dyslexia, language-based learning disabilities, and other literacy challenges, marks a great day for the Bronx and a great day for education. The Bronx is on the edge of a renaissance, and we need our schools to equip our students for the future.

With a campus in Manhattan and Queens, the Bard Early College campus has a clear record of supporting underserved students by giving them alternative pathways into higher education that will prepare them for their future careers. The importance of our students graduating from high school with an associate degree prepares our scholars for college, careers, and workforce opportunities.

The co-location and launch of South Bronx Literacy Academy (SBLA) incubating at PS161, the Ponce De Leon school in District 7, will ensure every student has equitable access to receiving a quality education and can serve as a model for other future schools.

Education is the gateway to a successful future, and I am so pleased that our Borough will welcome these two new schools which will serve as a beacon of hope and opportunity for generations to come. I want to thank the Panel for Educational Policy, our PEP Appointee, Geneal Chacon, for her commitment and leadership on behalf of our Bronx students, parent advocates, and all the other stakeholders who have prioritized our students by providing them with the resources they need to excel.”

Governor Hochul Celebrates Arbor Day and Announces $3 Million in Grants Now Available for Urban and Community Forestry Projects

 

Funding Supports Community Tree Projects to Protect Natural Resources, Air, and Water Quality and Help Combat Climate Change

 This new grant funding will increase the health of community forests and strengthen local community forestry programs.

"New York State is proud to celebrate Arbor Day with tree plantings across the state and offering this grant opportunity for projects in communities to inventory, plant, and maintain public trees," Governor Hochul said. "These community partnerships will protect and enhance our state's natural resources and beautify our neighborhoods while also improving quality of life for a greener future."

Arbor Day is a national observance that celebrates the role of trees and promotes tree planting and care. First celebrated in 1872, Arbor Day was established as a way to encourage farmers and homesteaders to plant trees that would provide shade, shelter, food, fuel, and beauty to open areas. In New York, Arbor Day is traditionally celebrated the last Friday in April.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos highlighted this new funding opportunity today at an Arbor Day tree planting event with the city of Albany, local partners, and students at Eagle Point Elementary School.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Arbor Day is an opportunity to remember the value of trees in daily life and planting and maintaining trees is one of the best things we can do to protect our environment. The grants announced today are one of many successful forestry tools DEC is using to advance the State's forest conservation goals, invest in communities across the state, and implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Scoping Plan recommendations."

Eligible Urban and Community Forest (UCF) grant applicants are communities with populations greater than 65,000. Applicants may apply for up to $100,000 to fund tree inventory, community forest management planning, tree planting, or tree maintenance projects. Applicants in smaller communities may apply for up to $75,000. To access these grant opportunities, visit the Grants Gatewa site at grantsmanagement.ny.gov and search for "tree." DEC01-UCF1-2023 is the opportunity for tree inventory and community forest management plan projects and has a grant application deadline of June 21, 2023; DEC01-UCF2-2023 is the opportunity for tree planting and tree maintenance projects and has a grant application deadline of August 16, 2023. To learn more about the State's Urban and Community Forestry Program, visit DEC's webpage at www.dec.ny.gov/lands.

A free web-based information session about this grant will be held on Thursday, May 4, at 10 a.m. To join the two-hour information session, go to this link. The first half will be about the grant requirements and the second half about how to navigate Grants Gateway. For anyone who cannot attend the information session, a recording will be posted on the Urban and Community Forestry grants webpage at www.dec.ny.gov.

Funding for the grant program is provided by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The Governor's 2023-24 Executive Budget sustains the EPF at a historic $400 million. The EPF provides funding for critical environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvement, and an aggressive environmental justice agenda.

Former Green Haven Correction Officer Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Inmate In State Custody

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that TAJ EVERLY pled guilty to a deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law.  On May 28, 2020, EVERLY, then a correction officer at Green Haven Correctional Facility, assaulted an individual incarcerated in the custody of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (“DOCCS”), striking and tackling the inmate without provocation, and then attempted to obstruct the investigation of his assault by preparing a false report.  EVERLY’s actions deprived the incarcerated individual of the constitutional right to be free from excessive force amounting to cruel and unusual punishment.  EVERLY pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted today, former correction officer Taj Everly violated the constitutional rights of an incarcerated individual by using excessive force amounting to cruel and unusual punishment.  The protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution extend to all Americans, including those who are serving time in prison.  When individuals in power abuse their authority to injure the powerless, we will act aggressively to ensure justice is served.”

According to the Superseding Indictment and other documents in the public record as well as statements made in public court proceedings:

EVERLY previously worked as a correction officer assigned to Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York.  On May 28, 2020, while on duty, EVERLY assaulted an incarcerated individual without provocation, striking him with a closed fist and then tackling him to the ground.  After the assault, EVERLY falsified a report about the incident, identifying the inmate as the aggressor, thereby obstructing the investigation into the unjustified use of force.

EVERLY, 32, of Cortlandt Manor, New York, pled guilty to a deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations.