First Defendant Charged With Violating Anti-Doping Act Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court

 

Eric Lira Distributed Multiple Performance-Enhancing Drugs in an Effort to Corrupt the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that defendant ERIC LIRA pled guilty today for his role in providing banned performance-enhancing drugs (“PEDs”) to Olympic athletes in advance of the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo in the summer of 2021.  LIRA is the first defendant to be charged under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, signed into law on December 4, 2020, which proscribes doping schemes for the purpose of influencing international sports competitions, including the Olympic Games.  LIRA pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This conviction is a watershed moment for international sport.  Lira provided banned performance-enhancing substances to Olympic athletes who wanted to corruptly gain a competitive edge.  Such craven efforts to undermine the integrity of sport subverts the purpose of the Olympic games: to showcase athletic excellence through a level playing field.  Lira’s efforts to pervert that goal will not go unpunished.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, the Indictment, other filings in this case, and statements during court proceedings:

The charges in this case arise from an investigation of a scheme to provide Olympic athletes with PEDs, including drugs widely banned throughout competitive sports, such as human growth hormone and the “blood building” drug erythropoietin, in advance of and for the purpose of corrupting the 2020 Olympic Games, which convened in Tokyo in the summer of 2021.  LIRA, who claims to be a “kinesiologist and naturopathic” doctor operating principally in and around El Paso, Texas, obtained unapproved versions of these, and other, prescription drugs from sources in Central and South America before bringing those drugs into the United States and distributing them to, among others, the two athletes referred to in the Indictment.  Throughout the scheme, LIRA and an athlete competing for Nigeria communicated via encrypted electronic communications regarding the sale, shipment, and use of LIRA’s illegal drugs and specifically discussed the “testability” of those drugs by anti-doping authorities.  LIRA separately communicated with an athlete competing for Switzerland, also via encrypted electronic communications, discussing the use of human growth hormone and erythropoietin.  Both athletes tested positive for prohibited substances, and in both cases, LIRA directly and indirectly advised that the athletes should blame the positive drug test on contaminated meat, knowing full well that the drug tests had accurately detected the presence of banned, performance-enhancing drugs.

LIRA is the first defendant charged and convicted pursuant to the recently enacted Rodchenkov Act.  On December 4, 2020, the Rodchenkov Act was signed into law, Pub. L. 116-206, and incorporated into Title 21 of the United States Code at sections 2401 through 2404.  The Rodchenkov Act prohibits any person, other than an athlete, to knowingly carry into effect, attempt to carry into effect, or conspire with any other person to carry into effect a scheme in commerce to influence by use of a prohibited substance or prohibited method any major international sports competition. 21 U.S.C. § 2402.

LIRA, 43, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty to violating the Rodchenkov Act, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the FBI’s Integrity in Sports and Gaming Initiative.  Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Anti-Doping Agency for their support of this investigation.

Governor Hochul Highlights $1 Billion Plan to Overhaul New York State's Continuum of Mental Health Care

 

FY 2024 Budget Provides $890 Million in Capital and $120 Million in Operating Funding to Establish and Operate 3,500 New Residential Units

Includes $30 Million to Expand Mental Health Services for School-Aged Children

Dramatically Expands Outpatient Services Throughout the State

Closes Gaps in Insurance Coverage that Have Posed a Barrier to New Yorkers Needing Mental Health Care and Substance Use Disorder Services

Governor Designates May as Mental Health Awareness Month, May 7-13 as Children's Mental Health Awareness Week

 Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted her $1 billion transformative, multi-year investment to overhaul the State's continuum of mental health care and drastically reduce the number of New Yorkers with unmet mental health needs. The Mental Health Care Plan was passed as part of the FY 2024 Budget, and will increase inpatient psychiatric treatment capacity, dramatically expand outpatient services, boost insurance coverage, and develop thousands of more units of supportive and transitional housing for people with mental illness. Governor Hochul made the announcement at the Delavan Grider Community Center in Buffalo, and was joined by Congressman Brian Higgins, Mayor Byron Brown, and mental health and community leaders.

"Since the onset of the pandemic, more than one in three New Yorkers has either personally sought or knows someone in need of mental health care, and our young people are reporting distress at rates unlike anything we've ever seen," Governor Hochul said. "My Mental Health Care Plan marks an historic shift in our approach towards addressing mental health challenges, reversing years of neglect to our system and bringing bold investments to ensure that every New Yorker has access to high-quality care. This plan uses an all-hands-on-deck approach that utilizes community resources at every level to meet the needs all New Yorkers in every corner of our state."

Governor Hochul also issued proclamations making May Mental Health Awareness Month and the week of May 7 to 13, Children's Mental Health Awareness Week.

The FY 2024 Budget provides $890 million in capital and $120 million in operating funding to establish and operate 3,500 new residential units serving those with mental health challenges. It also includes $30 million to expand mental health services for school-aged children throughout the state, including $20 million for school-based mental health services and $10 million to implement wraparound services training. Additionally, the Budget includes $10 million to strengthen suicide prevention programs for high-risk youth.

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Governor Hochul's Mental Heath Care Plan is a thoughtful and comprehensive strategy that will dramatically increase access to mental health services in communities all across the state, including those that have been underserved for many years. The historic initiatives she's championed will help ensure that all of New York's children, adults, and families have access to the mental health support and services they may need."

In addition to providing funding for new residential units and investing in mental health services for school-aged youth, the Mental Health Care Plan will invest in peer-based outreach, close gaps in insurance coverage for behavioral health services, and significantly expand outpatient services. The Plan delivers for New Yorkers in need through:

• Providing $18 million capital and $30 million operating funding to expand inpatient psychiatric beds, including opening 150 new adult beds in State-operated psychiatric hospitals, representing the largest expansion at these facilities in decades
• Investing $60 million in capital and $121.6 million operating funding, which will establish 12 new comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs providing hospital-level crisis care and triple the number of State-funded Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide -from 13 to 39 -that offer walk-in, immediate integrated mental health and substance use disorder services for New Yorkers of all ages and insurance status
• Funding 42 additional Assertive Community Treatment teams for children and adults to provide mobile, high intensity services to the most at-risk New Yorkers and eight additional Safe Options Support teams — five in New York City and three in the rest of state
• Providing $28 million to help create 50 new Critical Time Intervention care coordination teams to provide wrap-around services, from housing to job supports, for individuals needing transition assistance, including children and adults discharged from hospitals and emergency rooms
• Building on investments made in the FY 2023 Budget, including $12 million for HealthySteps and home-based crisis intervention programs to promote early childhood development and treatment for children and teens; and $3.1 million to bolster treatment for individuals with eating disorders
• Allocating $2.8 million to expand the Intensive and Sustained Engagement Treatment program to offer peer-based outreach and engagement for adults with serious mental illness
• Providing $18 million over two years to reimburse providers for family preventive mental health services for parents and their children; and $24 million over two years to reimburse providers for adverse childhood experience screenings
• Supporting the workforce with a 4 percent cost of living adjustment and $14 million for the Office of Mental Health's Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program, expanding the eligibility for the program to include licensed mental health professionals.
• Additionally, the Budget closes gaps in insurance coverage that have posed a barrier to New Yorkers needing mental health care and substance use disorder services 

The FY 2024 Budget also provides an additional $60 million to support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - an increase of $25 million from the prior Budget.

MAYOR ADAMS, CITY PLANNING DIRECTOR GARODNICK UNVEIL PLANNING FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE CONTINUED REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, FORT GREENE AS VIBRANT, 24/7 NEIGHBORHOODS

 

“Eds and Meds” Framework Outline Strategies to Promote Inclusive Growth, Family-Sustaining Jobs, Affordable Housing, High-Quality Public Spaces for Brooklyn’s Largest Economic Hub

 

Framework Builds on “New” New York Action Plan Recommendations to Reimagine Commercial Districts, Create Inclusive Growth

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today unveiled the Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene “Eds and Meds” Framework, which will promote and guide the area’s economic recovery and continued inclusive growth as a vibrant, 24/7 neighborhood. The framework, presented to the CPC today, identifies opportunities to create new housing, including affordable housing; family-sustaining jobs, including in the neighborhood’s core industries of education (“eds”) and health care (“meds”); safer streets; and high-quality public space. In particular, it prioritizes leveraging city-owned sites for public space improvements and strengthening connections to nearby New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) campuses, including Farragut Houses, Ingersoll Houses, and Whitman Houses.

 

The presentation of the framework comes as Long Island University and the Brooklyn Hospital Center consider development plans. With this guiding document, the administration will work to ensure the future development of these large and important Brooklyn institutions supports the local community and the city’s priorities. Downtown Brooklyn is the largest employment hub in the city outside of Manhattan and the fourth largest in the city. The neighborhood struggled during the pandemic — with foot traffic down 12 percent in 2020 and eight percent in 2022, relative to 2019 levels — but is recovering strongly, with consumer retail spending up 20 percent in 2022 over pre-pandemic levels.

 

“New Yorkers are counting on our local neighborhoods to be the economic engine that creates jobs and opportunity, and the Eds and Meds Framework lays the groundwork for exactly that,” said Mayor Adams. “Our administration is not waiting around — we are working proactively with communities to outline key goals and identify priorities to deliver inclusive growth that makes our neighborhoods safer, fairer, and more prosperous. This is just the beginning, and our team looks forward to continuing to work with residents and community partners to accelerate Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene’s recovery.”

A view of key sites in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Credit: New York City Department of City Planning

“The Eds and Meds Framework lays out a comprehensive, proactive path for the continued growth and success of Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and Fort Greene,” said DCP Director and CPC Chair Garodnick. “As we recover and adapt to a rapidly evolving economy, we are laser-focused on ensuring that these job hubs and local communities — including Whitman, Ingersoll, and Farragut Houses — are healthy, vibrant, and connected. We will continue to work with the Brooklyn community alongside this framework to guide future public and private investments and land use as we shape our ever-evolving city in the years to come.”

 

“The Eds and Meds Framework is a vital part of bringing the ‘New’ New York action plan to life in Brooklyn,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation president and CEO Andrew Kimball. “This strategy will build a stronger, more vibrant, 24/7 live-work hub in the heart of Brooklyn by advancing public realm improvements, affordable housing, and job growth. We look forward to continuing to work with DCP and all our partners in government to implement the ‘New’ New York action plan, leverage city assets for economic growth, and build a more inclusive economy for all New Yorkers.”

 

The Eds and Meds Framework builds on the “Making New York Work for Everyone” action plan with recommendations from the “New” New York panel that Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul convened last year, focused on reimagining and revitalizing the city’s commercial districts. It also builds on DCP’s renewed focus on community outreach, including with the agency’s new Community Planning and Engagement division created in February 2023.

 

The framework’s release marks an early step in the Adams administration’s planning efforts around Brooklyn’s central business district, which includes job hubs in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, as well as connections to the rest of the borough, the city, and the region through the area’s exceptional transit assets like Atlantic Terminal. Anchor institutions, such as universities and hospitals, are major economic drivers in business districts across the city and especially in Downtown Brooklyn, where anchor institutions have accounted for 20 percent of job growth. Arriving ahead of development proposals expected in the area, the Eds and Meds Framework reflects the Adams administration’s commitment to proactive planning and community engagement to develop shared goals and will serve as a valuable tool for residents and community organizations as development proposals in the surrounding area move forward.

The framework will supplement the existing public review process and will include further opportunities for local communities and stakeholders to make their voices heard on specific rezoning or development proposals.

“The Eds and Meds Framework will drive economic development in Downtown Brooklyn by addressing both our desperate need for housing and jobs head on,” said Regina Myer, president, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “This approach to neighborhood planning strengthens connections between key Brooklyn neighborhoods and will position our existing and future institutions for success. We look forward to working with the city on building out this vision for our Downtown Brooklyn and the borough more widely.”

“Reimagining economic development through smart design puts our city and borough at the cutting edge,” said Randy Peers, president and CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “The Eds and Meds Framework aims to boost jobs and improvements in urban spaces and housing for Downtown Brooklyn. Our economic prosperity depends on our ability to find innovative paths forward, and I commend DCP for leading the way. This framework includes recommendations that can benefit small business owners driving our borough’s economic center.”

Monday Fundays are BACK! Join us today, 3-5pm at KRVC!

 

Also, Our First Book Club was GREAT

Thank you to everyone who attended! We had a great conversation about an  interesting book. It was a very special afternoon. We hope to grow our club  and look forward to our next meeting in June. Please join us. We have more  FREE copies of our next book, The Personal Librarian, for anyone who would  like one. Please email TRACY to join the club and arrange to get the book. ___________________________________ A Bit About Our Next Book

Our book or our June 7th Meeting is The Personal Librarian by Marie  Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. In her twenties, Belle de Costa  Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of manuscripts, books,  and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a  fixture in New York City society, but she must also hide her true identity  and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation. SAVE THE DATES FOR ALL OUR UPCOMING BOOK CLUB MEETINGS

GrowNYC May Volunteer Newsletter 2023

 

Register for our May Virtual 

Volunteer Orientation

What's new: Interested in volunteering with GrowNYC? Join our online orientation where our Volunteer Program Manager will provide information about GrowNYC, local agriculture and food access, safety protocols, and current and upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Orientation is open to all, however, GrowNYC volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. The volunteer orientation is required to participate in our volunteer opportunities.

• Next virtual orientation: Friday, May 12, 5pm - 6pm (sign up)

Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Talia, our spotlight volunteer of the month, you can read the interview below to learn more about them!

1. How long have you been volunteering with GrowNYC?

 Since October 2022.

2. Tell us about yourself, what interests you and how do you spend your time?

 I’m originally from Newton, Massachusetts and have lived in New Orleans, D.C., and now Ridgewood! I work as a sustainability consultant, but when I’m not doing that I love spending time outside, cooking, traveling, learning new things, and kicking it with friends. 

3. Why did you decide to volunteer with GrowNYC? 

 I’m passionate about creating community-centered systems, specially those related to food access and food equity. I came across GrowNYC in my search for an organization working to democratize access to fresh and seasonable produce. 

4. What has been your favorite moment/memory volunteering with GrowNYC so far? 

I can’t choose just one! I absolutely love the people I volunteer with and the folks that come through. It’s an extremely special way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and I’m looking forward to more!

Stop 'N' Swap Volunteer Opportunities

Stop 'N' Swaps encourage reuse, build community, and reduce the waste NYC sends to landfills. By volunteering you will create an opportunity for people to share things they no longer need instead of throwing them away, and find things they do want without manufacturing, packaging, or transportation.

• As a volunteer, you will help receive, sort, and display the gently used items that people bring. You might also help keep areas neat, take pictures, or help promote some of the other great work this GrowNYC Zero Waste Program does!

Bronx:

Morris Park, Bronx - Stop 'N' Swap - 5/13 (sign up)

Queens:

Little Neck, Queens - Stop 'N' Swap - 5/21 (sign up)

Brooklyn:

Sunset Park, Brooklyn - Stop 'N' Swap - 5/25 (sign up)

Sign up for the Stop N Swap Newsletter for updates on upcoming SNS events!

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association MEETING TUESDAY MAY 16th, 7 PM

 

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association 

MEETING TUESDAY MAY 16th 7 PM

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER:

Chief Derek Skuzenski

Office of The Sheriff of The City of New York ,Bronx County.

Location - 2134 Barnes Avenue.

Bx NY 10462

Torres, Dinowitz, and Dinowitz Riverdale Shredding Event

 

Congressman Ritchie Torres, Councilman Eric Dinowitz, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz got together to have a Riverdale Community Shred Day on Johnson Avenue at West 235th Street in the Johnson Avenue/West 235th Shopping area. 

While Congressman Torres was in Washington, and both Dinowitz's were at other events going on in their districts staff members held down the shredding truck. Assemblyman Dinowitz's Chief of staff gave up her Sunday morning as did other staff members of the three elected officials to help the community safely dispose of documents that should be shredded so their private information does not get into the wrong hands. 

Riverdale community members lined up on Johnson Avenue at the corner of West 235th Street to get their documents that were no longer needed shredded.

Randi Martos Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz supervises the filling of bins with documents that were no longer needed to be shredded.

Once a bin was filled with documents to be shredded it was moved into the street.

Locked in place the bin was then lifted into the shredding truck where the documents were cut into very little pieces that were unidentifiable. 

Governor Hochul Releases Fair Housing Report Revealing Segregated Housing Patterns and Obstacles to Housing Opportunities Across New York

 

Report Identifies Persistent Barriers to Housing That Disproportionately Impact Communities of Color, People with Disabilities, Older Adults, and Those with Limited English Proficiency

Recommends Specific Goals and Action Items to Remove Obstacles and Address Segregated Living Patterns Statewide

Builds on Governor's Commitment to Addressing Systemic Inequities in Housing

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of Fair Housing Matters NY, a comprehensive examination of housing segregation and discrimination in New York State. The report reveals the extent of New York's housing segregation and outlines eight primary goals aimed at eliminating the barriers that prevent too many New Yorkers from moving into the homes and neighborhoods of their choice.

"The work of undoing historic, systemic, and entrenched segregated living patterns and eliminating discrimination in housing will always be a priority of my administration," Governor Hochul said. "The findings in this report show that confronting these inequalities will require an aggressive multi-faceted approach. I look forward to working with our partners at the federal, state, and local levels to take the bold actions necessary to foster more diverse communities and create and preserve affordable housing for more New Yorkers."

The report, drafted by New York State Homes and Community Renewal's Fair and Equitable Housing Office and Office of Research and Strategic Analysis, found not only segregated housing patterns throughout New York, but also that access to community resources, poverty, and substandard housing conditions consistently fall along segregated racial and ethnic lines. The report also underscores other forms of segregation and inequitable access to resources beyond those centering on race and ethnicity. For example, older adults, those with limited English proficiencies, and those with disabilities also find themselves concentrated in areas of poverty with access to fewer community resources.

Some key findings:

• Approximately one-third of New Yorkers live in highly white/nonwhite segregated counties, 44 percent living in such counties downstate.
• Approximately 95 percent of Black/African American households in New York live in a county that is highly segregated between Black/African American and white households.
• Two-thirds of white households own their homes, compared to only a third of Black/African American households and a quarter of Hispanic/Latinx households that own their homes.
• Women and children experience poverty at higher rates in all regions of the state than men and adults.
• Households containing a member with a disability are much more likely to be classified as extremely low-income.

The Fair Housing Matters NY initiative solicited input from community leaders, nonprofit organizations, housing professionals and residents on housing choice and access to housing opportunity. In addition to public surveys, which were made available in seven languages, HCR hosted a series of focus groups and resident engagement sessions to discuss fair housing issues.

This public input was vital to providing timely information that best reflects the housing landscape in New York. Participants offered tangible accounts of discriminatory real estate and lending practices; the impact of local zoning and land use policies that restrict housing choice; and the placement of affordable housing in lower-income areas of the state.

As a result of this public input, the report identifies eight goals and a multitude of action items that represent the ways New York can create more access to housing through a combination of market-driven, regulatory, financial, and administrative changes:

• Build upon opportunities for wealth creation through affordable home ownership.
• Increase access to suitable affordable housing for those with disabilities.
• Create more affordable housing with avenues for community supports.
• Remove barriers to housing by addressing redlining and disinvestment in neighborhoods.
• Increase access to affordable housing by addressing barriers to housing choice.
• Increase access to affordable housing through fair housing education and enforcement.
• Promote development of affordable housing in areas where land use and development regulations provide barriers.
• Implement environmental justice principles in state-funded housing in response to climate change.

Members of the public are encouraged to read the report, review the goals and action items, and participate in a 45-day comment period that ends on June 8, 2023 by emailing fairhousingmattersny@hcr.ny.gov. HCR will finalize the report after review and incorporation of the public comments, as appropriate.

Governor's Commitment to Fighting Housing Discrimination

Today's announcement is part of Governor Hochul's ongoing commitment to fighting systemic inequities and discrimination in housing. Earlier this year the Governor announced a $2.2 million expansion of New York's Fair Housing Testing Program designed to root out discrimination in home rental and sale transactions. New York is partnering with six nonprofit organizations across the state to deploy undercover testers to act as potential renters and home seekers. The expansion will increase the state's ability to proactively investigate suspected housing discrimination and to enhance education and outreach efforts on fair housing rights and requirements to landlords, tenants, real estate professionals, and local governments.

In December 2022, the Governor announced a Department of Financial Services report that found continued racial disparities in mortgage lending practices on Long Island, in Rochester and in Syracuse. The report was part of an ongoing statewide inquiry into redlining and followed another DFS study that identified redlining and other forms of housing discrimination by mortgage lenders, particularly non-depository lenders, in majority-minority neighborhoods in Buffalo. In August of the same year, Governor Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James acted to stop illegal and discriminatory housing practices at three Long Island real estate brokerages that were discriminating against Black, Hispanic, and other homebuyers of color, announcing settlements with the brokerages totaling more than $115,000.

And in December 2021, Governor Hochul signed into law nine fair housing bills designed to combat discriminatory housing practices that persist around the state. These bills included legislation to increase penalties for unlawful housing discrimination and creation of a fund to support fair housing testing. Another expands required trainings for real estate professionals on subjects such as legacy of segregation, unequal treatment, and historic lack of access to housing opportunities.

To view the full report, visit: hcr.ny.gov/fairhousingmattersny