During Hunger Action Month, Governor Hochul Launches $10 Million Program to Increase Food Access for New Yorkers

Food Access Expansion Grant Program To Provide Funding for the Development and Expansion of Supermarkets, Food Co-ops, Farm Stands and More

Builds on Governor’s Commitment To Enhance Access to Food in Underserved Communities, Address Affordability for New York Families and Strengthen the Food Supply Chain While Providing a Boost to New York Farmers 

During Hunger Action Month, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the new $10 million Food Access Expansion Grant Program to help increase food access for New Yorkers living in areas without grocery stores and options for healthy, affordable food. The program will provide infrastructure funding to support the development and expansion of supermarkets, food cooperatives, permanent farm stands, and other retail food stores in underserved regions of the state while also increasing markets for New York farmers. The application period for the program opens today.

“The Food Access Expansion Grant Program will support critical projects that will help us reach our goals of offering healthy, affordable food for our families,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Too often, families are faced with little to no options in their community to purchase fresh, local food that is also in their budget. This program will provide resources to assist with the upgrading of food stores and farm stands, and provide them with the capacity to prepare and sell locally sourced food while also supporting our farmers.”

According to a report from the Office of the State Comptroller, between 2019 and 2021, approximately 10 percent of New Yorkers, or some 800,000 households, experienced food insecurity and struggled with food affordability. Grants through the Food Access Expansion Grant program will range from $250,000 to $3 million and will be awarded to eligible applicants for projects that increase the availability of food, whether through construction of a new retail store, the purchase of equipment to improve food and meals offered, or the creation of a mobile market and more. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to the following:

• Start-up, improvement or expansion of a retail food store.
• Construction or upgrades of a commercial kitchen for food preparation, processing, and preservation for on-site sale or delivery.
• Purchase of kitchen equipment for the preparation, preservation and sale of ready-made food and/or shelf-stable whole foods.
• Construction or upgrades of retail food storage space, including cold storage expansion.
• Purchase of equipment for on-site food storage, processing or handling.
• Purchase of and/or expansion of retail refrigeration and market displays.
• Creation or expansion of mobile markets.

Eligible entities to receive this funding include nonprofit organizations, public benefit corporations, local or regional development corporations, tribal governments, and local and municipal government agencies. Eligible applicants may partner with for-profit retailers.

A webinar with additional information on the Food Access Expansion Grant Program will take place on Thursday, September 26 at 12 p.m. Registration is available online. The deadline to apply for the grant is Friday, November 22, 2024. Find additional information on funding opportunities here.

All questions about this funding opportunity must be submitted in writing to mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov.

The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is the newest initiative in an array of programs implemented by New York State to build a more resilient food system. New York continues to support several groundbreaking programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods through its 2025 Budget, including the Nourish NY program, the 30 Percent NYS School Initiative for school meals, and the Farm-to School program. Additionally, this year’s Budget included the second round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children.

These investments build on the Governor’s commitment to boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York's food supply chain, and ensure all New Yorkers can access fresh, local foods. This includes the Governor’s Executive Order 32 directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years and raising the discretionary threshold for schools to purchase local food and food products from $20,000 to $150,000, a significant increase from that prior threshold.

New York State continues to prioritize increasing access to food for all New Yorkers through a number of programs and initiatives, including the enhanced FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs and the recently announced increased benefit for WIC participants, the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, and more. The Department also administers the New York Food for New York Families program, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded program that provides a boost to New York farmers, increases communities’ access to local foods and further strengthens New York’s food system.

Learn about the Department’s programs and initiatives focused on providing new markets for farmers, increasing food access to underserved communities, and building healthier communities.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING MAN TO DEATH

 

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for Manslaughter for fatally shooting a man. 

District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant shot the victim six times. We must hold shooters accountable and continue our efforts to remove guns from our streets.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Diquinn Lacend, 31, of 328 East 145th Street, was sentenced on September 5, 2024, by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio to 20 years in prison and five years post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to firstdegree Manslaughter on July 25, 2024. 

According to the investigation, on July 15, 2022, at approximately 11:53 p.m., near East 162nd Street and Teller Avenue, the defendant shot James Thrower, 31, and after Thrower fell to his back, Lacend shot Thrower five more times about the body.

District Attorney Clark thanked Digital Forensic Examiner Julie Moy of the Digital Forensic Lab, Crime Victim Advocate Carina Diaz of the Crime Victims Assistance Bureau, and Correction Officer Investigator Walter Holmes of the Department of Correction Intelligence Bureau for their assistance in the investigation. District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective Arelis Collazo of Bronx Homicide, and Detective Anthony Romero of the NYPD’s Violent Felony Squad for their work on the case.  

North Carolina Auto Parts Seller and Its Owner to Pay $10M for Making, Selling and Installing Emissions Defeat Devices on Motor Vehicles

North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles.

Rudy’s pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Washington, D.C., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden for the District of Columbia ordered Rudy’s to pay a criminal fine of $2.4 million and to complete a three-year period of organizational probation, consistent with a plea agreement. Rudolf, sole owner and chief executive officer of Rudy’s, previously pleaded guilty for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with monitoring devices on approximately 300 diesel trucks, which involved the installation of defeat devices on those trucks. He was sentenced in April to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $600,000 criminal fine. 

Separate from the criminal actions, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil suit in 2022 against Rudy’s and Rudolf for violating the Clean Air Act by manufacturing, selling and installing defeat devices and failing to adequately respond to the EPA’s formal requests for information. Under a consent decree filed July 29, Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay a $7 million civil penalty for those violations. The consent decree would also prohibit them from making, selling, offering to sell and installing defeat devices, transferring intellectual property that would allow others to make or sell defeat devices and investing in or profiting from defeat devices manufactured or sold by other businesses. The decree is subject to court approval.

“Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.”

“For too many years, companies like Rudy’s have installed illegal defeat devices to evade the public health protections of the Clean Air Act, to the detriment of communities across America,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that EPA will vigorously pursue criminal and civil penalties until this blatant illegal behavior comes to an end.” 

“Those selling defeat devices are willing to pollute the environment so that they can personally profit,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentencing makes clear that there will be significant consequences for those who traffic in these devices. Anyone considering peddling or installing these devices is on notice of the substantial costs of doing so.”

“The Clean Air Act’s protections are essential for the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Tampering with emissions controls adds excess pollutants to the air we breathe and harms both public health and the environment. Settlements like these are essential to hold entities who violate the Clean Air Act accountable and to prevent harmful air pollution.”

According to court documents in the criminal case, Rudy’s sold defeat devices, known as delete tuners, which tampered with the on-board diagnostic systems (OBDs) of vehicles. Rudy’s top selling product was the Mini Maxx delete tuner originally manufactured by another company, identified in court documents as “Company A.” Rudy’s also sold the XRT Pro, another Company A delete tuner. After Company A stopped making these tuners, Rudy’s conspired with others to manufacture imitation Company A tuners. Rudy’s reached an agreement with a software technician to convert certain tuners into imitation Company A tuners. That agreement ran from July 2015 through December 2016, when the software technician stopped converting tuners.

After that, Rudy’s manufactured the imitation delete tuners in-house using a laptop computer that Rudy’s purchased for $850,000. The laptop contained software to convert tuners into imitation Company A tuners. In-house manufacturing lasted from about December 2016 through July 2018. In total, Rudy’s sold approximately 43,900 imitation tuners, generating about $33 million in revenue.

The civil lawsuit alleges that from at least 2014 through mid-2019, Rudy’s and Rudolf manufactured and sold over 250,000 products designed to remove or disable EPA-mandated emissions controls. These products included hardware parts such as plates that block a vehicle’s exhaust gas recirculation system and pipes that replace pollution treatment components in a vehicle’s exhaust system.

Disabling or removing emissions controls and tampering with the OBD of a diesel truck causes its emissions — including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and non-methane hydrocarbons — to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust is a mobile source air toxic because it poses cancer and noncancer health risks. In the civil complaint, the EPA estimates that the number of products sold by Rudy’s amounted to adding over 1 million vehicles’ worth of pollution to America’s roads.

The $7 million that Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay pursuant to the consent decree was based on their financial capability.

The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the criminal case.

Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Blackwell for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the criminal case. Senior Counsel Elizabeth L. Loeb of ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassie Crawford and Rebecca Mayer for the Middle District of North Carolina and Attorney-Adviser Lauren Tozzi of EPA’s Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil case.

The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the Court. A copy of the consent decree and information on submitting comments is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. 

Stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of illegal delete devices is a priority for the EPA.  

Former Bronx Public Charter School Teacher Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Sexual Abuse Of Five Former Students

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JESUS CONCEPCION was sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska in connection with his sexual abuse of five minor victims who had been his students.  CONCEPCION previously pled guilty to five counts of child enticement, four counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today, Jesus Concepcion was sentenced to decades in prison for his horrific exploitation of children placed into his care as students.  The victims of these crimes have waited almost twenty years for Concepcion to be held accountable for the devastating harm and trauma he inflicted on them and their families.  Today’s sentencing is a reminder that it is never too late for justice to be served and that the Southern District of New York will work tirelessly to protect children from abuse and exploitation.”    

According to the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court and public filings:

CONCEPCION was a music teacher and orchestra instructor at a public charter middle school located in the Bronx, New York (“School-1”) from in or about 2000 up to and including in or about 2007.  During that same period, CONCEPCION abused his position as a teacher to induce and attempt to induce five of his students (“Minor Victim-1,” “Minor Victim-2,” “Minor Victim-3,” “Minor Victim-4,” and “Minor Victim-5,” and together the “Minor Victims”) to engage in sexual acts.  The Minor Victims were as young as 12 years old at the time of the abuse.

To carry out his sexual abuse of the Minor Victims, CONCEPCION singled out the Minor Victims for personal attention; he gave them money, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts, and he provided certain Minor Victims with alcohol to facilitate the abuse.  He persuaded the Minor Victims to believe that they were in romantic relationships with him and provided certain Minor Victims with cellphones so that he could communicate with them to arrange sexual encounters.

CONCEPCION engaged in sexual acts including, oral and vaginal sex, with Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, Minor Victim-3, and Minor Victim-4 in various locations on multiple occasions, including in School-1’s music room, in the back room of School-1’s auditorium, in his car, at motels, and at his residences.  On numerous occasions, CONCEPCION brought Minor Victims from School-1 or other locations in the Bronx to motels in New Jersey to sexually abuse them.  On at least one occasion, after Minor Victim-1 graduated from middle school, CONCEPCION traveled to Minor Victim-1’s high school in Connecticut to have sexual intercourse with her.  CONCEPCION also paid, on multiple occasions, for Minor Victim-2 to travel from her high school in Pennsylvania to visit him in New York, where he had sexual intercourse with her.  To continue his abuse, CONCEPCION threatened to physically harm Minor Victim-3 and her family if she told anyone about his sexual abuse of her and her younger sister, Minor Victim-4.

CONCEPCION similarly pursued Minor Victim-5 and sent hundreds of text messages over the course of several months to Minor Victim-5, who was then 13 years old, leading her to believe that they were in a romantic relationship.  CONCEPCION arranged to meet Minor Victim-5 during school hours at School-1 and kissed Minor Victim-5 on the mouth.  The abuse stopped only after Minor Victim-5’s parents discovered CONCEPCION’s communications and reported him.

In addition to the prison term, CONCEPCION, 51, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $1000 in assessments and restitution in an amount to be determined.

Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) for their outstanding work in this matter, particularly the FBI-NYPD New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. 

Homeless Shelter Progresses at 3966 Tenth Avenue in Inwood, Manhattan

 

Exterior work is progressing on 3966 Tenth Avenue, a four-story homeless shelter in Inwood, Manhattan. Designed by Edelman Sultan Knox Wood Architects and developed by Lilia Marini-Calves of the Bowery Residents’​ Committee (BRC) and Inwood Housing Development Corporation, the 44-foot-tall structure will yield 12 units with an average scope of 360 square feet, as well as a 30,000-square-foot community facility and a rear yard. The property is located at the intersection of Tenth Avenue and West 212th Street.

Recent photographs show façade work taking place on the topped-out superstructure behind a network of scaffolding and black netting. A layer of yellow insulation is being applied across the eastern and northern elevations, while the southern lot line wall is left blank. Some windows have already been installed, and crews are beginning to lay the beige brick façade on the lower levels.

Photo by Michael Young

The property was formerly occupied by a one-story auto repair shop, shown in the following Google Street View image before its demolition. The site also once served as a cemetery for African slaves and as a Native American ritual site.

No finalized renderings have been revealed for 3966 Tenth Avenue apart for the following rudimentary diagram posted on the construction board. This drawing shows the ground floor clad in brick, followed by what looks to be EIFS on the three stories above. The fenestration will be made up of a grid of recessed windows with dark frames and mullions. A mechanical bulkhead caps the flat roof parapet along the eastern edge of the structure, and the main entrance appears to be tucked under the northeastern corner with an adjacent bench by the doorway.

Photo by Michael Young

The nearest subways from the site are the 1 train at the 215th Street station to the north and the A train at the Inwood-207th Street station to the west.

3966 Tenth Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for March 2025, as noted on site.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: NY's Higher Education Sector Boosts State and Local Economies, But Job Recovery Lags

 

A new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli highlights the higher education sector’s importance to New York’s local economies and to the state’s overall economic health. The state’s 290 degree-granting, postsecondary institutions employed over 296,000 people, paying wages of around $26.5 billion in 2023, but the sector still has over 13,000 fewer jobs since the pandemic.

“The higher education sector brings tremendous value to the state and regional economies through employment, wages, student spending and more,” said DiNapoli. “These institutions of learning also foster long-term economic growth by creating a skilled workforce and stimulating innovation. It is essential that the state attract and retain the educators and students who can bring their talents to the various sectors of our economy.”

Consumer spending on higher education in the state totaled $15.7 billion and spending on research and development (R&D) by colleges and universities totaled $8.3 billion in 2022. New York ranks third nationally for consumer spending on higher education, behind California and Texas, with total spending increasing 12.2% in 2022.

Employment and Wages

As in other states, however, some of New York’s higher education institutions have faced challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, employment at the state’s colleges and universities fell by just over 22,000 jobs through 2021, a 7.1% drop from 2019. As of 2023, there were 13,090 fewer jobs than 2019.

In 2023, average annual wages paid by the state’s colleges and universities were $73,396 compared to average annual wages of $91,320 for all sectors statewide. The average wage at public institutions, $72,200, was slightly lower than the $75,100 average at private institutions. Private colleges and universities provide nearly two in every three jobs in this sector, and New York leads the nation in private higher education employment.

Regional Impact

Higher education provides sizable employment in many areas across the state, and changes in employment at these institutions can affect local economies. New York City has the greatest number of jobs in this sector (125,931) but the Southern Tier has the highest share, 7.9%, as it contains more than a dozen postsecondary institutions, including large campuses such as Cornell and Binghamton universities.

None of the regions had fully recovered the jobs lost in the higher education sector in 2020 and 2021. The most impacted was the Mid-Hudson region, where employment in 2023 was 12.1% below 2019 levels. The Southern Tier fared the best but was still 3.6% below.

Since 2021, six private higher education institutions have closed, resulting in losses of 2,235 permanent jobs and $167.8 million in payroll. These closures also have a negative impact on businesses in the areas surrounding these institutions, such as entertainment venues and restaurants.

Economic Development and Higher Education

Several of New York’s colleges and universities prioritize R&D. The state has programs, including the Center of Excellence (COE) and Center of Advanced Technology (CAT) programs, which provide monetary support for R&D and act as a conduit for translating such R&D into new products and businesses. The state provides funding to 16 COEs operating at 14 colleges and universities and 15 CATs at 13 institutions across New York. According to the Empire State Development Corp., these programs had an economic impact of nearly $3.2 billion from 2019 to 2022.

Analysis

Economic Policy and Insights: Economic Impact: Higher Education

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

LONGWOOD FESTIVAL PART II!

 ‘El Rey Supremo’ Luis Vargas, Jose Alberto ‘El Canario’ & Hip Hop Jibarito for helping us close out an incredible summer of #salsa & #bachata in the Bronx at the Longwood Festival Part II! 
 
 

Congratulations to our co-sponsors Freddy Perez, Jr., the Hispanic Federation, Ponce Bank, Montefiore Einstein, & Hogar, and a massive thank you to all the Bronxites who stuck around, rain or shine, to dance the day away with us  

OPENING OF P.S. 487!

 Happy 1st Day of School to all the Bronx students kicking off a new school year!

I was very proud to join Mayor Eric Adams for the unveiling of P.S. 487 (Leaders of Excellence, Advocacy, and Discovery) — one of EIGHT new schools opening its doors in the Bronx!

 With a record number of affordable housing units coming into our Borough, the necessity for new educational centers to accommodate our community’s needs has grown exponentially. These 8 new schools will not only serve as a beacon for countless generations of Bronxites, but the expanded educational amenities will guarantee that Bronx youth will no longer be left behind.

SALSA IN THE BRONX!

 Salsa in the Bronx came to an exciting close thanks to an unforgettable performance by Charlie Aponte!

 all of the Bronxites who came out to dance under the stars with us, and of course to our amazing co-sponsors Acacia Network and Freddy Perez Jr for another successful Summer Salsa Concert Series at Al Quiñones Playground.

WALKTHROUGH WITH NYC DCP

 New York City Department of Planning Commissioner Dan Garodnick for joining me, Bronx Community Board 2, The Point CDC, and District Leader Freddy Perez Jr for a walkthrough of Hunts Point's last-mile facilities. 

I look forward to the continued partnership between New York City Council & DCP staff to create a special permit for these new facilities.

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOHN ZACCARO, JR. 

 Team Salamanca continued our B2S preparations partnering with NYS Assembly Member John Zaccaro Jr for a free school supply kit & backpack distribution event. 

 It is imperative that we continue working to close the gap for our Bronx families in need who are struggling to equip their kids for the new school year.

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE 40TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL 

📚Team Salamanca continued our B2S school supply kit distributions at the 40th Precinct Community Council’s Back to School & BBQ Event at City of Refuge Church

🙏🏽 40th Precinct Community Council President Gabriel de Jesus for putting together such an amazing event for our youth!

With the new school year upon us, my office will continue working to ensure that Bronx families and educators aren’t struggling to equip our youth with the necessary supplies they need to succeed in their educational pursuits.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PELHAM BAY PARK BAY CLEANUP   🗓️ Please note we still have a few remaining spots  for our family-friendly Pelham Bay Park Clean-Up  Event next Saturday, September 14th.  Pre-registration is required and can be made by  scanning the QR codes or through the link below:   https://forms.gle/q1FCbaJkKxH4u5bG6   We hope to see you there! Visit our District Office at:  1070 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10459 (718) 402-6130 salamanca@council.nyc.gov