October 26, 2024 - Day 1
*Unofficial as of Close of Polls 140,145
October 27, 2024 - Day 2
*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 257,860
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar announced more than $1.26 million in grants for four land trusts to support five projects that help safeguard local forests. Land trusts will use this funding to create new conservation easements that will protect water quality, build wildlife corridors, preserve old growth forests, increase climate resilience, strengthen biodiversity, and expand recreation opportunities for New Yorkers.
“New York’s natural landscapes are vital to our quality of life and our economy,” said Interim Commissioner Mahar. “This $1.26 million in funding for land trusts will empower communities to protect cherished open spaces and contribute to the State’s 30 by 30 initiative—conserving 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. Together, we are investing in a sustainable future for all New Yorkers and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the beauty of our state.”
The grants, administered by the Land Trust Alliance in partnership with DEC, were made available through the Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts (FCELT) Grant Program.
"We want to thank DEC and the State for partnering with the Alliance to offer funding to land trusts through the FCELT Grant Program," said Jamie Brown, New York Senior Program Manager for the Land Trust Alliance. "Our forest lands play critical roles in terms of providing jobs, wildlife habitat, and helping to mitigate climate change. New York’s nearly 95 land trusts are working to protect these important lands, as well as other open space that is important to all New Yorkers. We are grateful to the State’s support and leadership in protecting our natural resources and important places.”
Funded Projects:
Cazenovia Preservation Foundation, Inc., Madison County: $350,000 to purchase a 467-acre conservation easement on forested land adjacent to the State’s Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. The property was identified as a conservation target in the organizations recent Strategic Land Conservation Plan and will be conserved for sustainable forestry, recreational hunting, and habitat protection. The large size of this easement ensures substantive climate resilient forest characteristics and habitat connectivity benefits for future generations.
Dutchess Land Conservancy, Dutchess County: $350,000 to purchase a 260-acre conservation easement on property located within the Taconic Ridge/Harlem Valley, which was identified in the New York State Open Space Plan as a priority for protection. The property, comprised of upland conifer and hardwood forests, will add to more than 1,100 contiguous acres of adjacent protected land and provide important habitat for the threatened timber rattlesnake and endangered Indiana bat.
Genesee Valley Conservancy, Livingston County: $199,950 to purchase a 129-acre conservation easement on property located within the Finger Lakes Plateau Forest Legacy Area and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative area. The new easement will provide a buffer to the nearby Hemlock-Canadice State Forest and Hemlock Lake, a primary water supply for the City of Rochester and the towns of Livonia, Henrietta, and Rush. The area contains forests that are diverse in species composition, age, and structure, and support bird species of Special Concern including the golden-winged warbler and American woodcock.
Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Herkimer County: $139,250 to purchase a 190-acre conservation easement on land adjacent to the Hinckley State Forest and near West Canada Creek, an area which was identified by the land trust as a priority conservation area. The conservation easement will promote sustainable forestry, help mitigate the impacts of climate change, preserve the area’s biodiversity, and protect important habitat for several threatened and endangered species.
Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Oswego County: $222,550 to purchase a 268-acre conservation easement on property located adjacent to the Stave Mill State Forest. The forest is dominated by northern hardwood species and contains areas of old growth forest designated as “Important Habitat Area Significant Natural Communities” by the town of Boylston. The property includes areas along Pine Creek recognized by the New York State Natural Heritage Program as containing a significantly rare, largely undisturbed hemlock-hardwood swamp, which is also designated as a Special Area by the town of Boylston under the Special Areas and Tug Hill Reserve Act.
The grants are funded through the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Among the many environmental victories in the enacted 2024-25 State Budget, Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders maintained the historically high level of $400 million in EPF funding. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers. The EPF also supports New York’s 30x30 initiative, which commits to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.
Senator Rivera joined Senator Persaud, Senator Brisport, and various state agencies for a roundtable to discuss the increasingly shrinking cost of living adjustment (COLA), both in percentage and in who is eligible in New York State. In 2018, during the final year that Republicans controlled the State Senate, the Department of Health COLA was permanently eliminated. Even as the Democrats regained the majority, the need for COLA has not been remedied. When the state does not adjust for inflation with a cost of living adjustment, we effectively cut these programs. Senator Rivera discussed alternative revenue streams that would remedy this issue instead of de-facto cuts, namely his Capital Gains Tax Bill (S2162). According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, this tax would raise over 12 billion annually and reduce income inequality.
Senator Rivera attended Fiscal Policy Institute's (FPI) policy conference, where he joined Elisabeth Benjamin from Community Service Society and Lara Kassel from Medicaid Matters on "The Future of New York's Medicaid." Senator Rivera discussed why he views healthcare is a human right and why it is essential for New York to pass the New York Health Act (S7590), which will guarantee care for all residents and full-time employees of New York through a single-payer health plan with the state as the payer.
This week, Senator Rivera presented a long-awaited State Senate Empire Award to the Bronx Optical Center and their CEO, Jessica Betancourt. The Bronx Optical Center was established in 2019 and has become a staple of the community, providing amazing customer service and patient care to its customers for the last five years. Ms. Betancourt is also the co-founder and president of the Burnside Jerome Tremont Merchant Association, and has partnered with a wide variety of organizations to give back to the community with back-to-school drives and free eye care appointments. Senator Rivera believes that when small and local businesses thrive, so does our community. Congratulations to both the Bronx Optical Center and Jessica Betancourt!
This week, Senator Rivera attended both Community Board 7 and the 52nd Precinct Council's October meetings. Community Board 7 and the 52nd Precinct cover Bedford Park, Fordham, Jerome, Kingsbridge Heights, Moshulu Parkway, and Norwood. Senator Rivera discussed his agenda for the 2025 session, particularly his Safer Consumption Services Act (S399A), which will authorize the opening of Overdose Prevention Centers statewide, establishing a program that has proven to save thousands of lives while making the neighborhood safer by reducing public drug use and syringe litter.
Senator Rivera received his annual Flu Shot and COVID-19 Booster as part of his “Get Your Shots! Meet and Greet” at Mt. Carmel Pharmacy in Belmont. The Senator’s longtime pharmacist, Roger Paganelli, administered the vaccinations
During the event, Senator Rivera met with neighbors and encouraged them to get their Flu, COVID and RSV vaccines for people who meet eligibility. You can get your annual vaccines administered at community pharmacies like Mt. Carmel Pharmacy, which offers personalized services to their customers since 1964.
Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect yourself from potentially fatal illnesses and to help protect neighbors who may be more vulnerable to them. New Yorkers 18 and under with or without insurance are eligible for flu vaccines and COVID-19 boosters at no cost through the NYC Vaccines for Children Program (VFC). Adults over the age of 18 covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and most commercial insurance can be vaccinated at no cost. Adults over the age of 75 and those aged 60-74 with chronic conditions are eligible for the RSV vaccination and should consult their doctor for more information and check with their insurance if they cover the RSV vaccine at no cost.
For more information about getting vaccines at no cost or other community health services, neighbors can call Senator Rivera's district office at 718-933-2034.
This week, Senator Rivera attended Brighter Bites programming at PS 236x, where they distributed fresh produce to children and families. Senator Rivera also took the opportunity to tour the school and discussed potential capital funding. Thank you to the entire Brighter Bites team for inviting the Senator to this distribution.
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”); and Francis J. Russo, the Director of the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), announced the arrest of ARSEN LUSHER, who orchestrated a scheme to defraud more than 20 investors of more than $5 million between 2017 and 2021. LUSHER was arrested and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, the defendant allegedly solicited investors’ funds by representing that he had a hugely profitable trucking business. That wasn’t true, and the defendant instead allegedly used the funds to run a classic Ponzi scheme, enriching himself along the way. When luck ran out, the victims sustained millions of dollars in losses. This arrest serves as a stark reminder that the illusion of success built on fraud and deceit will inevitably fail.”
FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said: “For four years, Arsen Lusher allegedly defrauded numerous victims of more than $5 million by cycling their investments to conceal the business’s inability to produce its promised returns, and altered official tax documents to reflect inflated balances in furtherance of this ploy. The alleged empty assurances allowed the defendant to wrongfully haul in funding from investors and selfishly benefit from their losses. The FBI will continue to disrupt and hit the brakes on any investment scheme rooted in deceit.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “It’s alleged Lusher acted with impunity for years, deceiving over 20 investors out of more than five million dollars. He created a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme, then sold his victims a dream of high-returns on their investment. Instead of a profit, investors were left with a loss of money and of trust. Today’s arrest ensures that Lusher can now be held accountable for his alleged fraud.”
CBP Director Francis J. Russo said: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud to have played an important role in this investigation that resulted in the takedown of an elaborate conspiracy to defraud the United States. This case serves as a great example of how collaborative law enforcement efforts can dismantle nefarious enterprises that cause economic harm to their competitors.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between 2017 and 2021, LUSHER engaged in a scheme to defraud more than 20 victims of more than $5 million. LUSHER and a small group of trusted lieutenants acting at LUSHER’s direction solicited investments from the victims, usually by representing that LUSHER had a profitable trucking business that enjoyed delivery and installation contracts with multiple large retailers. LUSHER and his lieutenants typically represented that the victims’ investments would fund the purchase of trucks, each truck costing around $45,000. Through written and signed investment agreements, LUSHER and his lieutenants normally guaranteed the victims that their investments would generate high rates of return over a fixed period—typically between 30 and 40 percent over one or two years. In that way, LUSHER succeeded in raising more than $40 million.
In fact, though, LUSHER did not have a large trucking business. Instead, LUSHER had a small trucking business that performed a small amount of work—less than $300,000—for just one large retailer. The amount that LUSHER earned from his legitimate trucking business could not have compensated the victims and produced the promised returns.
Indeed, LUSHER did not use the victims’ funds to purchase trucks or to grow his trucking business. Instead, for years, LUSHER engaged in a Ponzi scheme: LUSHER paid earlier victims with later victims’ funds. LUSHER also used the victims’ funds to enrich himself, such as by gambling or shopping for high-end goods. In that way, LUSHER was able to sustain his scheme for a number of years. But in early 2021, the scheme collapsed, leaving numerous victims with losses totaling more than $5 million.
LUSHER used fake documents to carry out his scheme. For example, in December 2020, LUSHER caused to be sent to a particular victim an apparent U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation for one of the companies that LUSHER controlled and used to perpetrate his scheme. That alleged tax return was falsified: the accountant listed as having prepared the return did not, in fact, prepare it. And in February 2021, LUSHER altered account balances on an email sent by a bank employee to make it appear that LUSHER’s companies had healthy account balances when, in fact, they did not. Specifically, while the bank employee wrote that LUSHER’s companies had account balances of $8,767.26 and $320.76, LUSHER altered the bank employee’s email before forwarding it to state that his companies had account balances of $1,228,767.26 and $987,320.76 (italics and bold added). In other words, LUSHER altered the bank employee’s email such that the account balances for his companies were approximately 140 times and 3,078 times greater than they actually were. LUSHER then caused that falsified email to be sent to a particular victim.
If you believe you or your family has been a victim of LUSHER’s fraud, please contact XtremeHDtips@fbi.gov.
LUSHER, 49, of Millstone, New Jersey, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and are 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 FBI, the IRS, the CBP, and the New York City Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Rosenberg is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth in this press release, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
State Senator Gustavo Rivera presented the New York State Senate Empire Award to the Bronx Optical Center in Morris Heights. Jessica Betancourt, CEO of Bronx Optical Center, accepted this prestigious award on behalf of the center.
“I’m very glad to honor the Bronx Optical Center with the New York State Senate Empire Award and to present it to Jessica Betancourt, co-founder and CEO of this business. Jessica has a big heart and a passion for serving her community,” said Senator Rivera. “I’m incredibly proud to award this to a local business in my district whose owner uses her experience and platform to organize other business owners to improve the neighborhood.”
Established in 2019, the Bronx Optical Center strives to provide exceptional customer service and patient care, meeting the vision care needs of the Morris Heights community. Jessica Betancourt, the CEO, is also the co-founder and president of the Burnside Jerome Tremont Merchant Association, where she collaborates with various organizations to give back to the community through back-to-school drives and free eye care appointments. The Bronx Optical Center opened up a second location in April of this year, called the New York Optical Center, located at 1 East Kingsbridge Road.
“I’m happy and honored to receive this award. It means so much to me, and we will continue to make a difference in our community. Thank you, Senator, for your ongoing support. This is my first location; we have two now, and we will keep growing with the support of the community,” said Jessica Betancourt, co-founder and CEO of the Bronx Optical Center.
Senator Rivera honors local businesses with the New York State Senate Empire Award for demonstrating exemplary service to customers and the community in business districts and commercial corridors across his district.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) announced the annual “Create a Watershed Superhero” poster contest for middle school students. The 2025 Create a Watershed Superhero poster theme challenges middle school students to create their own superhero to inspire environmental stewardship.
“DEC is excited to launch the 20th ‘Create a Watershed Superhero’ poster contest, which for two decades has helped inspire New York's next generation of environmental stewards,” Interim Commissioner Mahar said. “DEC's annual poster contest encourages young people across New York State to become guardians of their watersheds and reminds all New Yorkers of the everyday actions each of us can take to protect and conserve precious water resources.”
"This poster contest is one of the things that makes NYWEA members proud of what we do,” NYWEA Executive Director Khris Dodson said. “I am even more proud of all of the Watershed Superheroes we now have because of the involvement of the students and teachers who have participated throughout the years."
Since 2004, the annual poster contest has encouraged thousands of middle school students across New York State to learn about their role in protecting local watersheds and how to conserve and safeguard water resources, now and for future generations. This is the fourth year of the superhero poster contest theme. Previous themes include "We All Live in a Watershed," "Conserve and Protect our Watersheds," and "The Importance of Wastewater Treatment."
New York State teachers, schools, and clubs are advised to visit DEC's website for more information about participating in the 2024-25 school year contest. Posters will be accepted through Jan. 3, 2025. The 14 winning posters will be featured in DEC and NYWEA's 2026 Annual Calendar.
The poster contest helps raise awareness of the importance of natural resources and the DEC programs that help manage sources of water pollution and improve water quality. Many lakes and rivers are managed through watershed programs that plan and initiate activities to protect and restore water quality. DEC is one of several New York State agencies funding projects to conserve water and protect water quality through statewide grant funding opportunities.
To see if an area is covered by a Clean Watershed Plan, check out DECInfo Locator under the Environmental Monitoring layer category. To learn more about positive actions New Yorkers can take to protect New York's waters visit DEC's Keep Water Clean and Water Quality Management webpages.
The Losing State's Governor Will Display the Winning Team's Memorabilia in Their Office for 24 Hours
First Yankees-Dodgers World Series Matchup Since 1981
Governor Kathy Hochul announced a friendly wager with California Governor Gavin Newsom ahead of the 2024 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. If the Yankees win, Governor Newsom will display Yankees memorabilia in his office for one day. If the Dodgers win, Governor Hochul will display Dodgers memorabilia in her office for one day.
“Here’s my wager to you Governor Newsom: If it turns out that I win — and I will — I’ll be requiring that you display some Yankees memorabilia in your office,” Governor Hochul said. “If the opposite occurs, we’ll talk about that then, but I’d have to do the same for you. Let’s play ball!”
California Governor Gavin Newsom said, “Game on, Governor Hochul! While I respect the Yankees' storied history, California knows how to win championships. As a proud San Franciscan, you won’t hear me say this often, but this year: Go Dodgers!”
The bet was announced Friday on Governor Hochul and Governor Newsom’s Twitter/X accounts.
The Yankees–Dodgers rivalry is one of baseball's most storied, dating back to the 1940s when the Dodgers were based in Brooklyn and the Yankees in the Bronx. Since then, the teams have met 11 times in the World Series — more than any other matchup — with the Yankees winning eight of those championships. The 2024 World Series will mark the twelfth meeting between the two teams.
