MAYOR ADAMS APPOINTS ELIJAH HUTCHINSON AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR’S OFFICE OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

 

Hutchison Previously Served as Vice President for Waterfronts at NYCEDC, Launched Lower Manhattan Coastal Resilience

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of Elijah M. Hutchinson as executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ). An experienced public servant with expertise in waterfronts and coastal resiliency, Hutchinson will lead the Adams administration’s strategy for creating a healthy, resilient, sustainable city for all New Yorkers, including through the implementation of “PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done.”

 

MOCEJ leads the city’s efforts to ensure that New York City is both reducing its emissions and preparing to adapt and protect New Yorkers from the intensifying impacts of climate change. Through science-based analysis, policy and program development, and capacity building, with a focus on equity and public health, MOCEJ works to make buildings efficient and resilient; ensure infrastructure is climate-ready; transform streets and the public realm into living, open spaces; and make energy clean and resilient. Victoria Cerullo, the acting executive director, will transition to a senior role with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright’s team.

 

“Our Office of Climate and Environmental Justice is the tip of the spear in our fight to dismantle decades of environmental racism and build a cleaner, greener, more sustainable city,” said Mayor Adams. “Elijah Hutchinson has the skills and expertise we need in a leader of that fight. He will continue to innovate and activate in the fight against climate change, because he, like this administration, knows how to ‘Get Stuff Done.’”

 

“The Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice is charged with fighting on the front lines of the climate crisis," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "Elijah Hutchinson will lead New York City's efforts to protect New Yorkers from extreme heat and flooding, clean the air New Yorkers' breathe, and decarbonize our city's buildings, transportation, and food networks. I am grateful to Vicki Cerullo for her leadership and commitment to climate justice and look forward to working with her in her new role.”

 

“When he was at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Elijah demonstrated both the vision needed to create and gain support for a priority focus on resilience, as well as the management capability needed to move multiple projects forward on schedule” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “He’s the right person to deliver Mayor Adams’s ambitious ‘PlaNYC’ objectives and to continue integrating climate action, resilience, and environmental justice into a consistent action agenda.”

 

"With the most ambitious climate agenda in the nation, we can do more than secure the future of New York. We can improve the daily life of New Yorkers, create jobs and housing, provide more transit and energy options, protect our waterways and environment, and keep our neighborhoods and neighbors healthy and safe," said Acting Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Executive Director Hutchinson. "By 2050, emissions from large buildings will be reduced to zero, and, by 2040, we will be powered entirely by clean renewable energy. This will only be possible by giving all New Yorkers the tools, resources, and technologies they need to be resilient in a rapidly changing climate. We must do this with urgency and without leaving vulnerable populations behind. I look forward to working with our local communities, our state and federal partners, and global leaders to future-proof the New York that I love." 

 

About Elijah M. Hutchinson

 

Elijah M. Hutchinson led coastal resilience and new greenway initiatives as vice president for waterfronts at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). He established the resilience practice at NYCEDC, working to integrate climate, resiliency, hazard mitigation, and sustainability into a multibillion-dollar portfolio of neighborhood infrastructure, open space, transportation, and mixed-use development projects. From helping to launch the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resilience project — which includes Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience, Seaport Coastal Resilience, the FiDi-Seaport Master Plan, and Battery Coastal Resilience — to securing federal funding to create an equitable citywide greenway master plan, Hutchinson has focused on speeding up projects, identifying new resources, and centering environmental justice to protect the New Yorkers of today and tomorrow.

 

Hutchinson has a master’s in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.

 

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul on Tentative WGA and AMPTP Agreement

“I am pleased to see that the WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement to end the writers' strike. For months, negotiations brought the film industry to a halt, impacting hundreds of small businesses, film projects and thousands of workers all across New York State. As the talks progressed, I was proud to stand with workers on the picket line and meet last week with MPA studio executives to urge them to reach a timely agreement. New York's film industry is the backbone of our economy, creating more than 50,000 direct and indirect jobs each year and generating at least $35 billion in investment over the past decade, and as the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, I hope that all of the parties can move quickly toward final agreements that get New Yorkers and businesses back to work.”

 

Permits Filed For 950 Rogers Place In Longwood, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 950 Rogers Place in Longwood, The Bronx. Located between East 165th Street and Westchester Avenue, the lot is steps from the Intervale Avenue subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Gjek Popaj is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 40-foot-tall development will yield 11,700 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 11 residences, most likely condos based on the average unit scope of 1,063 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a cellar, a 31-foot-long rear yard, five open parking spaces, and five enclosed parking spaces.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By: Rev. Ruben Diaz

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By: Rev. Ruben Diaz

Bronx, New York

Will Republicans take advantage of the great opportunity that has been presented to them or will they do as Lee Zeldin has done?

You should know that the Republican Party has been presented with a great opportunity to obtain the majority in both houses of Congress and take the White House.

However, the question is will they know how to take advantage of this great opportunity before them?

You should know that the Democrats have a slim majority in the U.S. Senate. But now the Democratic Senator Bob Melendez from New Jersey has been indicted, accused of having received gold bars, a Mercedes Benz and about one million dollars in cash in exchange for his influence as a United States Senator.

Another member of the Democratic Senate is apparently showing serious signs of dementia, and deteriorating signs of health. Another Democratic Senator walks the halls of the Senate as if he were heading to a basketball court dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a hoodie, oblivious to any kind of decorum. The New York Senator and Speaker of the Senate, Chuck Schumer, has now removed the Senate Dress code to cuddle his hoodie wearing colleague. Thanks to Shumer, and Pennsylvania Senator Fetterman, all decorum and respect is out the window.

You should also know that in Democratic-controlled cities, crime, and violence reign supreme and laws to stop crime have been eviscerated, which have emboldened the criminal element and miscreants, while weakening law enforcement.

Democrats have cut police budgets in Blue Cities across the nation and some Democrats run cities are even considering eliminating police departments altogether.

The parental authority in our educational system is being challenged in Democrat cities, where policies are geared toward indoctrination while academics are ignored. The indoctrination and woke policies dominating the education of children has gone as far as a parent being arrested and put in prison, and having their child taken away from them if they object to their child’s gender transitioning and being administered puberty blockers.

To make matters worse, the Democratic President Joe Biden has flung open the borders of our Country, allowing an invasion of millions of people from approximately 140 nations throughout the world to enter the United States illegally. Sanctuary cities like New York City are experiencing chaos, riots, increase in violence, increase in homelessness, people sleeping on the streets, tents everywhere and the budget for vital services for Tax Paying citizens, children, youth and the elderly have now been reallocated to provide services to support the influx, of thousands of migrants, with no end sight.

So, I wonder, given this mess created by Democrats, if Republicans will be smart enough to take advantage of this opportunity, especially given that Hispanics and African Americans, are not at all happy with the Democrat Party. Republicans should not do as Lee Zeldin has done. Republican Lee Zeldin has shown no interest in returning to visit our communities since the last election. Mr. Zeldin came very close to winning the governorship. It is not advisable to wait until the last moment, to make your move. I have always said, opportunity is like a ball with (3) strings, when it gets thrown at you, you must be quick and grab it by one of those strings, because otherwise it is a lost opportunity that may never come back.

I am Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is what you should know. 

FIVE PEOPLE CHARGED AFTER SEARCH WARRANT TURNS UP DRUGS AND WEAPONS

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five people have been arraigned on drugs and weapons charges after a search warrant executed at their Queens Village home uncovered four firearms, including an assault rifle, and more than 4 kilograms of fentanyl-laced cocaine and heroin with a street value of more than $200,000. A 10-year-old boy lived in the home.

District Attorney Katz said: “Where there are drugs and guns, there is addiction, violence and death. We cannot, and will not, relent in the war against lethal illegal drugs and weapons and will hold accountable drug traffickers threatening the safety of communities.”

Ancil Hazelwood, 48, Courtney Jackson, 32, Malik Lewis, 43, Domonique Sierra, 37, and Jessica Smythe, 28, of 100th Avenue, Queens Village, were arraigned late last night on a complaint charging them each with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first, second, third, fourth and fifth degrees; one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree; two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree; criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree; and endangering the welfare of a child.

Judge Edwin Novillo ordered the defendants to return to court September 25. If convicted, they face up to 30 years in prison.

According to the charges, at approximately 4:40 a.m. on September 20, police executed a court-authorized search warrant on the home shared by the defendants where police found:

• 2,387 grams of cocaine with traces of fentanyl
• 1,676 grams of heroin with traces of fentanyl
• A quantity of crack cocaine
• Psilocybin mushrooms
• Three scales containing cocaine residue
• A Smith and Wesson .45mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition
• A Taurus .9mm pistol with a large capacity ammunition-feeding device containing 22 rounds
• A Taurus 410G revolver with five rounds of ammunition
• A Zastava .223mm assault rifle with five rounds of ammunition
• $1,052 in cash
• Six kilo presses

At the time of the raid, the 10-year-old was asleep in the bedroom he shared with his parents, Lewis and Jackson.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Edwin Montanez, Sergeant Steven Franzel, Lieutenant Javier Rodriguez, Captain Charles Campisi of Queens South Narcotics and Sergeant Nicholas Bekas of the 105th Police Precinct.

Statement by New York City Comptroller on Mayor’s Announcement to Arbitrarily End the Right to Shelter for Single Adults Seeking Asylum After 30 Days

 

“We should work harder to house people before we unhouse them.”

“It is deeply disappointing that the Adams Administration, which arbitrarily cut the duration of shelter placements for single adult migrants to 60 days just a few weeks ago, has now cut it in half to 30 days, all without the permission of the court or the consent of the Callahan conferees.

“The next hearing on the Administration’s rash request to curtail the decades-long right to shelter is just next week. I don’t support the effort to eliminate that right for new arrivals – but in any case, negotiation in court is the right way to proceed, not arbitrary action on a Friday afternoon.

“The right to shelter is what makes New York City a place where the vast majority of homeless people don’t sleep on the streets, unlike peer U.S. cities. Eroding it will have long-term consequences.  

“Rather than pushing people into the street, the City should stay laser focused on getting people into housing. With President Biden’s expansion of Temporary Protected Status opening up work authorization for Venezuelans, additional federal and state capacity to expedite processing of work authorization for people granted humanitarian parole, and the City’s expansion of its Asylum Seeker Application Center and intensive case management, we are in a strong position to do what the Mayor and Governor have said they want to do: help tens of thousands of asylum seekers get on their feet and out of shelter before the end of the year. A genuine statewide resettlement program coordinated and supported by Albany – which is what we need instead of the City’s $432 million no-bid contract with DocGo – could double the scale.  

“And by building on the strategies that helped the City increase exits from shelter into housing for long-time stayers over the past year, implementing CityFHEPs reforms, and working with Albany to establish the Housing Access Voucher Program, we could help tens of thousands of long-time New Yorkers move out of shelter into permanent housing – creating space in our existing shelters so we don’t have to rely on costly and inappropriate sites to shelter new arrivals.     

“We should work harder to house people before we unhouse them.”

Governor Hochul Announces Grand Opening of $80 Million Dassai Blue Sake Brewery in Dutchess County

First-Ever Japan-led Sake Brewery to Open on U.S. East Coast in Hyde Park

Partnership with The Culinary Institute of America to Develop Curriculum, Certification Programs and Public Classes

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced premium sake maker Dassai, celebrated the opening of their $80 million, 55,000 square foot, state-of-the-art brewery and tasting room in Hyde Park, Dutchess County, and the launch of their new U.S. brand, Dassai Blue. Over the past thirty years, Dassai has experienced exponential growth in Japan, the U.S. and globally. Opening their New York brewery is their latest expansion into the global sake market.

“New York’s craft beverage manufacturers are engines for job creation, tourism, and regional economic growth,” Governor Hochul said. “Dassai’s expansion into the Mid-Hudson Region builds on New York’s national and international leadership in agribusiness and will be a welcome addition to this industry.”

To encourage Dassai’s growth in New York, Empire State Development offered the Japan-based brewery up to $588,235 in performance-based tax credits through the Excelsior Jobs Program. Dassai has invested more than $80 million in the facility and will create 32 new jobs.

A Junmai Daiginjo-only sake, Dassai is considered the highest level of premium sake. Made from 100 percent Yamada Nishiki rice, the gold standard of sake rice, Dassai still utilizes craft sake methods, making sake batch-by-batch, using handmade koji, and fermenting in each small tank. However, the brand also employs detailed analysis and technology to achieve its delicious taste and premium quality. Sake breweries that only produce such premium sake are rare even in Japan, with Dassai Blue becoming the first of its kind in the U.S. The Sakurai’s named their new creation “Dassai Blue,” which comes from an old Japanese proverb that says, “indigo dye is bluer than the indigo plant from which it is derived”.

The Dassai Blue property, located at 5 St Andrew Rd in Hyde Park, consists of two buildings: the brewery and a rice polishing facility, both of which were designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and their Japanese partner, Jun Mitsui. The interior is designed with both beauty and function in mind, welcoming visitors to observe the brewing process through multiple windows looking into various production rooms. The exterior design mixes modern and traditional, as seen in the tin roof and the burnt cedar walls of the rice mill. The use of wood incorporates Japanese elements while still blending with the natural surroundings of Hyde Park.

Dassai is also collaborating with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), also located in the Hyde Park, to further the education and awareness of sake in the United States. As part of the partnership, they have developed curriculum, certification programs, and public classes. Since sake plays an important role in Japanese society, these new unique programs will further the education of Japanese cuisine and culture for CIA students, food enthusiasts, food industry professionals and other visitors to the Mid-Hudson Region.

 About Dassai Blue and Dassai

Dassai Sake is a super-premium Junmai Daiginjo sake made with Yamada Nishiki rice – the gold standard for sake production – rice utilizing “craft” methods — making sake batch by batch, koji by hand, and the yeast starter in small tanks. The original brewery was founded in the 1700s and is still in the same location in the town of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi, in Southern Japan. The Sakurai family took over in the late 1800s during the Meiji era and started the sake brewing business as Sakurai Liquor Store. After the Second World War, in 1948, they established Asahi Shuzo with Hiroshi Sakurai becoming the family’s third-generation CEO in 1984. Under Hiroshi’s tenure, the brand of Dassai launched and within 14 years it grew from a small, local craft sake brand, to an international sensation as it began exporting to the US and Hong Kong. In 2015, Kazuhiro Sakurai succeeded his father as the 4th generation CEO, a role which he remains in today with Hiroshi serving as Chairman. Dassai currently ranks as a top ten sake brand in Japan by both production volume and sales. Its core range includes Dassai 23, 39 and 45 with numbers reflective of the rice polishing ratio, as well as Dassai Sparkling and Dassai Beyond.

Wave Hill Weekly Events: October 12 – October 19 | Mindful Birding & Meet the Artists

 

Come mid-October, the autumn foliage is beginning to paint the beautiful, panoramic views at Wave Hill. It’s a perfect time to reflect on the transformative power of nature to inspire and heal us. Join us for two special Meet the Artist sessions on Saturday afternoon as current exhibiting artists discuss their creative process and the inspiration behind some of their site-specific works.  

This weekend we also have our eyes on the sky. Join Bronx birder Haley Scott for a free Easy Mindful Birding experience, just as we reach peak migrating season for hawks. Then craft your own raptor gliders at the Family Art Project.  

  

Public Garden Highlights Walk   

Thu, Oct 12, 2023, 12–12:45PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays 

Registration is not required  

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.  

 

Public Gallery Tour 

Thu, Oct 12, 2023, 2–2:45PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays 

Registration is not required  

Solo and group exhibitions at Glyndor Gallery explore the dynamic relationships between nature, culture and site. When exhibitions are on view in the spring, summer and fall, Gallery Greeters lead public exhibition tours on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.    

Family Art Project: Raptors in the Autumn Sky

Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 10AM–1PM 

Sun, Oct 15, 2023, 10AM–1PM 

Free with admission to the grounds

Registration is not required  

Look for migrating hawks soaring, circling and gliding above the Hudson River. Be inspired by our feathery friends as you fashion a raptor glider for the autumn breezes.   

Meet the Artists: Bel Falleiros & Sound Activation by Koyoltzintli

Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 2–3PM 

Free with and admission to the grounds

Registration is not required  

Join us on the opening day of Floresta de Pulsares (Forest of Pulses) for a conversation between exhibiting artist Bel Falleiros and Curator of Visual Arts Rachel Raphaela Gugelberger, followed by an activation of the site-specific work. Falleiros has transformed the Sunroom into an immersive, all-seeing forest to experience contemplation, reconnection, reflection and refuge through the body and the senses. The sound activation of the installation will be performed by Falleiros and Koyoltzintli, an interdisciplinary artist, healer and educator. 

“Meet the Artist” is an ongoing series of conversations between exhibiting artists and curators. The program provides an opportunity for Wave Hill visitors, the artist’s community and others to learn more about an artist’s creative process and the themes that shape their work.  

Meet the Artists: LoVid

Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 3–4PM 

Free with and admission to the grounds

Registration is not required  

Join artist duo LoVid and Director of Arts and Chief Curator Gabriel de Guzman in conversation about LoVid’s exhibition Tap Root in Wave Hill House. On view are recent fabric works and works on paper that LoVid, an ongoing collaboration between Tali Hinkis and Kyle Lapidus, began working on while in residence at Wave Hill in 2020. 

“Meet the Artist” is an ongoing series of conversations between exhibiting artists and curators. The program provides an opportunity for Wave Hill visitors, the artist’s community and others to learn more about an artist’s creative process and the themes that shape their work.  

Easy Mindful Birding 

Sun, Oct 15, 2023, 10–11AM 

Free with admission to the grounds

Registration required  

Enjoy a casual birding experience with Bronx birder Haley Scott from the Feminist Bird Club. Starting with a brief introduction and informal chat, proceed at a leisurely pace along paved paths and open lawns of Wave Hill to observe birds during fall migration season. Severe weather cancels. A limited number of binoculars, monoculars and walking sticks are available to borrow at the Perkins Visitor Center. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. 

Haley Scott is a BIPOC bird watcher and guide for Feminist Bird Club and NYC Audubon. She is from the Bronx, NY and is an enrolled member of the state-recognized Unkechaug Indian Nation. She has a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. It was there where she developed her passion for bird watching and environmental and outdoor education. As a college student, she spent a semester as a bird watching mentor; teaching elementary school students about native birds and local wildlife. After receiving her degree in Environmental Studies, she taught environmental education for K-5 students at a local non-profit youth development organization in The Bronx. Haley is passionate about protecting wildlife, environmental conservation, and promoting safe and accessible outdoor exploration opportunities for women, BIPOC and members of the LGBTQ community. Through her work she hopes to further educate her community about local and large-scale environmental issues and influence appreciation for and re-connection with urban parks and wildlife. 

Public Garden Highlights Walk   

Sun, Oct 15, 2023, 2–3PM 

Free with admission to the grounds 

Registration is not required  

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.   

Public Garden Highlights Walk   

Thu, Oct 19, 2023, 12–12:45PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays

Registration is not required  

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.   

Public Gallery Tour 

Thu, Oct 19, 2023, 2–2:45PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays 

Registration is not required  

Solo and group exhibitions at Glyndor Gallery explore the dynamic relationships between nature, culture and site. When exhibitions are on view in the spring, summer and fall, Gallery Greeters lead public exhibition tours on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.   

HOURS: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday 

Shuttle Service runs Thursday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.