Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Vannie’s XC Course NEEDS YOU!

 

It’s time to get ready for Cross Country season in Van Cortlandt Park!

 

Recent rain storms have caused profound damage to the fields and trails and we need help. 

• Seasonal maintainers respond to each event, they:
• Repair storm damage to restore the fields and trails;
• Mow the grass on lawns and fields;
• Remove branches, trash, and leaves;
• Fill holes and ruts on the trails and clear drainage grates.

Volunteers are needed to work with VCPA and NYC Parks to ensure that the course is in tip-top shape for the upcoming season.

 

Volunteer as an individual…

 

Trail Thursdays on the XC

Every Thursday until November 21, 2024

Meet at 9am at the VCPA Garden & Compost Site

RSVP Now

 

Or join us with your school, corporate or other group of individuals by completing this form to schedule a date that works for you!

 

Want to help but can’t volunteer, then consider making a donation to our Field & Trail Fund.

 

With your support we can hire seasonal maintainers to supplement the work done by VCPA and NYC Parks’ staff.

 

This year, it is more important than ever to support VCPA’s work because the NYC Parks’ budget was slashed by $20 million and there is a hiring freeze that accounts for 1,000 jobs lost… which means there are not nearly enough Parks workers in Vannie! 

 

Together, we will make sure the Cross Country Course is ready for the 2024 season.

GrowNYC - 🌱 Cultivating the next generation of leaders

We hope you’re enjoying the summer as much as we are! Read on to learn more about GrowNYC’s summer interns and other fun updates.

 Meet GrowNYC's Workforce Development Interns

Igniting the spark of learning in the next generation is key to fostering a resilent climate future. GrowNYC’s 2024 Summer Workforce Development Interns, start their career journey with us in July!

What is it? This is a paid summer internship opportunity for young people ages 16-19 that helps them to gain skills in food and agriculture and prepare for green careers in NYC.

Through this program GrowNYC aims to:

• Build a future environmental workforce comprised of diverse participants from across NYC’s boroughs.

• Provide hands-on participation in NYC’s local food system and rich learning opportunities on topics such as food justice, environmental advocacy, and climate change.

• Foster collaboration between environmental organizations working to make NYC a more sustainable city.

• Support participants in developing skills in communication, teamwork, public speaking, and more!

What’s next: Throughout the next summer the interns engaged in hand-on workshops and cycle through various GrowNYC program sites including Greenmarket, Farmstand, Teaching Garden, and so much more! Stay tuned for future profiles and updates on these impressive young leaders.

 Summer produce and loyalty rewards

GrowNYC’s network of Greenmarket and Farmstand sites are all open and buzzing with shoppers and a beautiful array of summer produce!

• This is your friendly reminder it’s tomato season.  You can also expect to see a stunning selection of August delights such as melon, donut peaches, fairytale eggplant, okra, peppers, herbs, and so much more!

• What's new: We launched a Summer Shopper loyalty program to reward our loyal customers for shopping and supporting farmers through the summer months—between vacations, rainy days, and heat waves! Customers who check in 5x receive a GrowNYC branded foldable nylon tote bag, 10x a GrowNYC branded whisk, and entry into a raffle for a GrowNYC umbrella!

What’s next: Visit your nearest GrowNYC Greenmarket or Farmstand and get started TODAY! 

U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains Settlement Of Fair Housing Act Case Compensating Discrimination Victim Threatened With Eviction For Maintaining Support Animals

 

Co-op Agrees to Pay $165,000 in Damages to Victim of Housing Discrimination and to Offer to Purchase Shares in Her Co-operative Apartment for $585,000

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the entry of a Consent Decree with the RUTHERFORD TENANTS CORP. (“RUTHERFORD”) resolving the United States’ lawsuit against RUTHERFORD and its former Board President James Ramadei under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”). The lawsuit alleged that RUTHERFORD discriminated against a shareholder (the “Complainant”) in its co-operative building by refusing to permit her to live with emotional support animals to accommodate her disability and by retaliating against the Complainant when she filed a Complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”).  U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden approved the Consent Decree on August 16, 2024. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This is the largest recovery the Department of Justice has ever obtained for a person with disabilities whose housing provider denied them their right to have an assistance animal.  This outcome should prompt all housing providers to consider carefully whether their policies and procedures comply with federal law.  We greatly appreciate our partners at HUD who provided invaluable assistance in the investigation and resolution of this matter.”   

According to documents filed by the Government in federal court:

The Rutherford is a residential cooperative apartment building that contains 175 units and is located at 230 East 15th Street in New York, New York.  Defendant RUTHERFORD is the shareholder cooperative association.  The Complainant moved into the building in 1999.  At the time, RUTHERFORD did not have a reasonable accommodation policy of any kind, whether for people with disabilities generally or for assistance animals specifically.

The Complainant maintained parrots in her home as emotional support animals to assist her with her disabilities and did so without incident until March 2015, when one of her neighbors began complaining about alleged noise.  In response, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) visited the building and/or the Complainant’s apartment on 15 occasions over the course of a year and conducted inspections of these noise complaints.  DEP issued zero notices of noise violations.  RUTHERFORD never conducted any decibel testing or other objective evaluation of the alleged noise complaints.  Similarly, RUTHERFORD never retained the services of a noise prevention consultant, architect, engineer, or anyone with qualifications or experience in soundproofing to address the neighbor’s complaints.

In March 2016, the Complainant asked RUTHERFORD to allow her to maintain her parrots as support animals as a reasonable accommodation under the FHA, supporting her request with a letter from her treating psychiatrist.  

The FHA makes it unlawful to discriminate in the terms and conditions of the sale or rental of, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling based on the prospective buyer or renter’s disability.  The FHA also mandates that reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, and services be provided when necessary to afford equal housing opportunities to persons with disabilities.  The assistance animals that must be allowed in private dwellings under the FHA are different from those that must be allowed in places of public accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is limited to dogs and miniature horses.  Under the FHA and its applicable regulations, persons with disabilities may maintain in their homes a wide array of animals as support animals, provided the animal does not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, and does not physically damage the property.

Despite being aware that the Complainant was a person with a disability who needed the parrots as support animals, RUTHERFORD commenced eviction proceedings against the Complainant in May 2016.  The Complainant began to suffer severe emotional harm because of the eviction proceedings and left her apartment in July 2016.  Despite the fact that the Complainant left the building in 2016, RUTHERFORD continued to maintain the eviction proceeding against her well into 2024.

In May 2018, the Complainant filed a Complaint with HUD, alleging that the eviction proceeding interfered with her fair housing rights.  While HUD was investigating the Complaint, the Complainant obtained an offer to purchase the shares appurtenant to her unit for $467,500, but RUTHERFORD rejected the application from the proposed purchaser, thereby prolonging the dispute and, as alleged by the Government, engaging in retaliation against the Complainant for asserting her rights.

HUD completed its investigation and, in January 2021, found probable cause to believe that RUTHERFORD violated the FHA, at which juncture the parties had the opportunity to settle the matter, or, failing that, either the Complainant or RUTHERFORD could elect to proceed to federal court with the dispute.  RUTHERFORD chose to proceed to federal court, thereby triggering the statutory requirement that the Department of Justice file suit against it to resolve the matter in federal court.

Under the consent decree approved by Judge Rearden, RUTHERFORD must:

• Pay the Complainant $165,000 in damages, upon receipt of a release from the Complainant;

• Offer $585,000 to purchase the Complainant’s shares in the co-operative at a time when similarly situated units in the building are valued at approximately $500,000;

• In the event that the closing of the sale of the Complainant’s unit does not occur, provide the Complainant with additional accommodations, including a right to sublet the unit for 10 years;

• Adopt a reasonable accommodation policy regarding requests for assistance animals;

• Comply with certain notice, training, and recordkeeping requirements to ensure that its

agents and officers are knowledgeable about and comply with the requirements of the FHA;

• Allow the U.S. to monitor compliance with the Consent Decree;

• Dismiss the eviction proceedings against the Complainant in Housing Court.

This is the tenth case brought in recent years by the Southern District of New York to vindicate the rights of tenants and co-operative shareholders to maintain support animals in their homes, and the tenth case to end with an agreement compensating the victims of the alleged discriminatory acts and requiring the adoption of reasonable accommodation policies to protect future residents and co-operative shareholders from discrimination.  The monetary recovery for the Complainant in this case, above and beyond the value of her shares, is the largest recovery by the Government for a victim of housing discrimination denied the right to an assistance animal.

Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, by email to SDNY.Rights@usdoj.gov, or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or www.hud.gov.

Attorney General James Releases Footage from Investigation into Death of Albert Melendez, Jr.

New York Attorney General Letitia James released police body-worn camera footage that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Albert Melendez, Jr., who died on July 16, 2024 following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) in Sullivan County. 

In the early morning hours of July 16, NYSP troopers were pursuing Mr. Melendez, Jr., who was driving his vehicle on Rock Hill Drive in Rock Hill, Sullivan County. At the intersection of Rock Hill Drive and Emerald Place, Mr. Melendez, Jr. stopped his vehicle. A trooper got out of his patrol vehicle and approached Mr. Melendez, Jr. In the ensuing encounter, the trooper discharged his service weapon, striking Mr. Melendez, Jr. Mr. Melendez, Jr. was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The trooper sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the encounter and was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and has since been released.

The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) of the Attorney General’s Office released videos from body-worn cameras that the NYSP officers were equipped with during the incident. The release of these videos follows Attorney General James’ directive that camera footage obtained by her office during an OSI investigation be released to the public to increase transparency and strengthen public trust in these matters.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime. 

Warning: This video contains content that viewers may find disturbing.  

Housing Lottery Launches for 967 East 167th Street in Crotona Park East, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 967 East 167th Street, a four-story residential building in Crotona Park East, The Bronx. Designed by Node Architecture Engineering Consulting PC and developed by Jennifer Canales, the structure yields 12 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are four units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $87,635 to $181,740.

Units come with air conditioning, intercoms, energy-efficient appliances, and name-brand kitchen appliances, countertops, and finishes. Residents also have access to bike storage lockers. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are two studios with a monthly rent of $2,556 for incomes ranging from $87,635 to $161,590; and two one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,698 for incomes ranging from $92,503 to $181,740.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than September 6, 2024.

Justice Department Transfers Approximately $300,000 in Forfeited Criminal Proceeds to Bonaire

 

The Justice Department shared $300,921.09 in forfeited criminal assets with Bonaire, a special Dutch Caribbean municipality within the country of the Netherlands, in recognition of Bonaire’s assistance to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s investigation of, and the department’s forfeiture of criminal proceeds derived from, the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business that was active in the black market for exchanging Venezuelan bolivars for U.S. dollars.

This transfer marks the first international sharing of forfeited assets involving the Governments of the United States and Bonaire. Bonaire’s Public Prosecutors Office intends to use the funds to support ongoing criminal justice efforts.

The funds transferred are a share of net assets forfeited by U.S. authorities from an investigation into the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business run by Hjalmar Gibelli Gomez. A U.S. law enforcement investigation revealed that Gibelli was engaging in unlicensed money transmitting through his business, a Venezuelan insurance agency called Resguardo Sociedad de Corretahe. The unlicensed money transmitting business exchanged Venezuelan bolivars for U.S. dollars on a black market currency exchange in violation of U.S. law. The funds were used to promote Gibelli’s illegal money transmitting business and were utilized in money laundering transactions. As part of his illegal scheme, Gibelli transferred $2,486,525 from the scheme to purchase a luxury yacht named the “Navigante,” among other transactions.

On Dec. 22, 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the yacht and other assets held by Gibelli. As described in court documents, the yacht is subject to forfeiture as property involved in a transaction or attempted transaction in violation of U.S. money laundering statutes, or as property traceable to such property. Bonaire authorities provided important law enforcement assistance in the seizure and forfeiture by restraining the Navigante in their territory, safely offloading the yacht’s crew, and assisting in the yacht’s transfer to the United States. Gibelli consented to the forfeiture of the Navigante and other property. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Casey for the Eastern District of Missouri prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and U.S. Marshals Service. The DEA and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

The Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) provided assistance in connection with the international sharing process.  

The Criminal Division, through MLARS’ International Unit, administers the department’s international asset forfeiture sharing program. Pursuant to federal law, and in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and State, the department may share proceeds of successful forfeiture of property with foreign countries that participate in the seizure or forfeiture of the property.

Woman Charged for Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

 

A Missouri woman was arrested on federal charges in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed after her arrest. Findley will make her initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

“As alleged in the complaint, the defendant orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland, falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged the historic landmark as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley family. Now she is facing federal charges. The Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding fraudsters to account.”

“As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark. Of course, all homeowners deserve to have their property protected from fraud, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits financial crimes or identity theft.”

According to court documents, Findley allegedly posed as three different individuals affiliated with a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC (Naussany Investments). Findley allegedly claimed falsely that Elvis Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from Naussany Investments, pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan, and failed to repay the debt. To settle the purported claim, Findley allegedly sought $2.85 million from Elvis Presley’s family. Findley allegedly fabricated loan documents on which Findley forged the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. Findley then allegedly filed a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, and a fake deed of trust with the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis. Findley also allegedly published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal, one of Memphis’s daily newspapers, announcing that Naussany Investments planned to auction Graceland to the highest bidder on May 23. Finally, when Naussany Investments was sued by Elvis Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings.

After the scheme attracted global media attention, Findley allegedly wrote to representatives of Elvis Presley’s family, the Tennessee state court, and the media to claim falsely that the person responsible for the scheme was a Nigerian identity thief located in Nigeria.

“Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “In this case, Ms. Findley allegedly took advantage of the very public and tragic occurrences in the Presley family as an opportunity to prey on the name and financial status of the heirs to the Graceland estate, attempting to steal what rightfully belongs to the Presley family for her personal gain. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners put an end to her alleged scheme, protecting the Presley family from continued harm and stress. This is an example of our relentless investigative work and commitment to bringing criminals to justice for their illegal activity.”

“This announcement of charges and law enforcement action shows our broad approach to investigating allegations of identity theft and mail fraud, which can affect people from all walks of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “We will continue to vigorously pursue cases against individuals, in the United States and abroad, who would steal an identity and use fraud to benefit themselves personally.”

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud.

USPIS and the FBI Memphis Field Office are investigating the case with significant assistance from the FBI Kansas City Field Office.  

Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

DEC Announces Fourth Round of 'Regenerate NY' Forestry Cost Share Grants

 

$500,000 Available for Eligible Private Forest Landowners

Projects Completed through Regenerate NY Contribute to 25 Million Tree Planting Goal

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar announced $500,000 in funding is now available for the fourth round of the State’s ‘Regenerate NY’ Forestry Cost Share Grant Program. The grant program assists private landowners with growing the next generation of resilient forests to mitigate climate change, provide wildlife habitat, protect air and water quality, and supply a critical renewable resource. Funded projects will enhance efforts made through Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious 25 Million Trees Initiative to restore and sustain New York’s natural landscapes.

 

“Regenerate NY funding provides critical financial support for projects that focus on regenerating and restoring forests, as well as creating new ones,” said Interim Commissioner Mahar. “This support gives private landowners the opportunity to foster biodiverse forests on their lands and increase the ecosystem benefits forests provide, including the absorption and storage of carbon. Every acre of forest improved or created through this grant program brings New York closer to achieving the State’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

Private landowners planning to restore or establish five or more acres of forest land in New York State may apply for grant awards ranging from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000. A 10 percent match is required. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, planting trees, soil scarification, removing competing or invasive vegetation that interferes with seedling establishment and growth, and installation of deer fence. Applicants must work with a forester or a qualified natural resource professional to develop their project.

“Regenerate NY has been a great incentive for private forest landowners to invest in improving New York’s forests,” John Bartow, Executive Director of the Empire State Forest Products Association said. “Private forest account for 75 percent of all New York’s forests and investing in them is a cost-effective way to improve regeneration, enhance forest health and sustain forest stocks that support or forest-based economy.”

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 6, 2024, or until funds are depleted, whichever comes first. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. Applications must be submitted through the SFS Grants Management System (SFS). Those wishing to apply need to establish an account in SFS. Once registered, search SFS for “Regenerate NY.” For more details about the grant opportunity including application criteria, visit DEC’s website.

Regenerate NY is funded by New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and managed by DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests. In the 2024-25 State Budget, Governor Hochul maintained EPF funding at $400 million, the highest level of funding in the program's history. 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.