GrowNYC - A Post Election Call to Action

 

Dear GrowNYC Supporters, 

For those of us dedicated to environmental action, justice, and sustainability, the recent election’s implications are profound. Our work and the communities we serve are facing significant challenges. Eight years ago, GrowNYC saw firsthand the destructive impact of policies that aimed to dismantle vital environmental, agricultural, and food security protections. Today, we find ourselves on the brink of similar threats. 

But this isn’t a time for despair—it’s a moment to come together, to reinvest and strengthen our commitment to each other, our planet, and our communities. 

Since 1970, GrowNYC has been powered by New Yorkers like you. Together, we’ve advocated for lasting environmental solutions, created green spaces, provided fresh produce to those in need, and empowered countless individuals to grow food, build community, and protect our urban environment. While much has changed, our mission and spirit remain as strong as ever. 

Today, we’re calling on you to help ensure that GrowNYC can continue to be a beacon of sustainability for all of New York City. The path to a just and sustainable future is long, and we cannot walk it alone. 

Your support now is more critical than ever. Will you stand with us in this fight for a future where all New Yorkers can thrive in a healthy, sustainable, and equitable city? 

Please consider making a tax deductible donation today. Every contribution makes a difference. Together, we’ll face the challenges ahead with resilience and hope. 

Thank you for being a part of our community and for your unwavering commitment. 

With gratitude, 

Marcel Van Ooyen 

GrowNYC President & CEO 

or visit www.grownyc.org/donate

Take Action Now 

If the election results have inspired you to take action, we welcome you to join us 

 Support Regional Agriculture: Find the GrowNYC Greenmarket or Farmstand closest to you and support small local farmers.

 Join your local community garden: While gardening season is coming to a close, winter is still a great time to prepare and organize with community gardeners for next season. Join one of NYC's 600 existing community gardens, find one at GrowNYC’s garden projects or NYC Parks GreenThumb.

 Volunteer: GrowNYC has opportunities for individuals and corporate groups to dig in and help us make New York City greener and healthier for all. Create a volunteer profile and sign up for an upcoming orientation.

 Spread the word: Share this email with your friends, family, and colleagues. Encourage them to join you in making a difference for the environment!

 Support our work: We are a 501(c)(3) and our work runs on support from friends like you. When you invest in GrowNYC, you are investing in programs that make New York City a more sustainable place for all.

Or visit grownyc.org/donate

East Bronx History Forum Wednesday, November 20th, 7:30 pm-9pm. Topic has changed.

 

Dear EBHF Member, 

The East Bronx History Forum (EBHF) is pleased to announce its 189th meeting on Wednesday, November 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the lower level of St. Clare of Assisi Church, located at 1027 Rhinelander Avenue. Parking is available.

Please note the change in topic. New topic: History of the Morris Park Racetrack. The presenters are our very own officers: Tom Vasti and Rich Vitacco.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Dorothy Krynicki, Secretary 





MAYOR ADAMS AWARDS KEY TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO GRACIE MANSION CONSERVANCY ANNUAL GALA HONOREES DARREN WALKER, MARC MORIAL, AND MICHELLE MILLER

 

Gala Honors Walker, Morial, and Miller for Decades of Work on Social Justice, Philanthropy, and Human Rights 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams awarded a Key to the City of New York to Gracie Mansion Annual Conservancy Gala honorees Darren Walker, Marc Morial, and Michelle Miller. Walker currently serves as president at the Ford Foundation, Morial is the president of the National Urban League, and Miller co-hosts CBS Saturday Morning and has additionally provided decades of volunteer work in philanthropy. The honorees received their respective Keys to the City for their decades of work toward social justice, human rights, and philanthropic support for marginalized communities.  

 

“Our administration has made it a priority to welcome New Yorkers from every community to Gracie Mansion, and to celebrate the diversity that defines our city across the globe,” said Mayor Adams. “Our city is a home for all New Yorkers and its history, including Black History, and tonight’s honorees are an impressive addition to our story. Marc Morial, Michelle Miller, and Darren Walker have transformed this city with their vision and advocacy and defined what Black excellence means for a new generation, and I am honored to present them with the Key to the City of New York for all their contributions to our city.” 

 

“New York City has long been a destination for people from all over the world who strive to reimagine what’s possible and realize their dreams, including me,” said Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation. “I have the privilege to call this world-class city home, and to lead one of the many great New York-based institutions that support the vibrant arts, culture, and economy that New York has to offer. But, most importantly, I have the privilege to work in support of the New Yorkers who will always be the crown jewel of this city. I thank the City of New York for this recognition and honor.”  

 

"I am honored to receive the Key to the City of New York and see the recognition as a celebration of the tireless work of countless individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing social justice, equality, and opportunity in this great city,” said Marc Morial, CEO, National Urban League. “Thank you to Mayor Adams for taking the time to recognize this important work and for helping us all tackle the tough challenges facing our communities — whether it's addressing disparities in education, economic mobility, or other persistent challenges. This key is a reminder that our collective work to deliver for New Yorkers is never finished, but is a powerful symbol that when we come together, we can unlock the doors to a better, more equitable future for all." 

 

"I am humbled to receive the Key to the City of New York and accept it standing on the shoulders of the generations of journalists, philanthropists, and public servants who continue to contribute to our great city,” Michelle Miller, co-host, CBS Saturday Morning. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the boards of the School of American Ballet and Education Africa, where I’ve seen firsthand the power of education and the arts to transform lives. I am also thankful for the chance to volunteer alongside dedicated individuals in public schools across Harlem and Brooklyn, where I work to uplift and empower our next generation of leaders. I am grateful to Mayor Adams for this meaningful honor, and I pledge to continue doing everything I can to serve the people of New York City.”  

 

The Key to the City of New York was first awarded in 1702 by New York City Mayor Phillip French, when he offered "Freedom of the City" to Viscount Edward Cornbury, governor of New York and New Jersey. By the mid-1800s, it became customary to award the Key to the City of New York as a direct symbol of the city's wish that a guest feel free to come and go at will. Today, the Key to the City of New York is a beloved symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement.  

Pakistani National Muhammad Asif Hafeez Pleads Guilty To Drug-Trafficking Charges

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MUHAMMAD ASIF HAFEEZ, a/k/a “Sultan,” pled guilty in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to import heroin, methamphetamine, and hashish into the United States.  HAFEEZ was provisionally arrested in London, United Kingdom, on August 25, 2017, and extradited to the U.S. on May 12, 2023. The defendant pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For more than two decades, Muhammad Asif Hafeez played a leading role in a sophisticated international drug trafficking network that was responsible for manufacturing and distributing ton quantities of dangerous narcotics to the U.S. and throughout the world.  This plea ensures that one of the world’s most prolific drug traffickers will be held accountable for his crimes.  I thank our partners at the DEA’s Special Operations Division for their incredible work and dedication to this case, which has taken years to investigate and prosecute, and thank the career prosecutors of this Office who remained dogged in their pursuit of the defendant and his co-conspirators.” 

According to the allegations contained in indictments charging HAFEEZ and his co-defendants and other public statements and filings:

From at least in or about 2013 through the date of his provisional arrest in 2017, HAFEEZ conspired with his co-defendants, Baktash Akasha Abdalla, Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, Gulam Hussein, and Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami to import heroin into the U.S.  Baktash Akasha Abdalla was the leader of an organized crime family in Kenya (the “Akasha Organization”), which was responsible for the production and distribution of ton quantities of narcotics within Kenya and throughout Africa and maintained a network used to distribute narcotics for importation into the U.S.  For years, HAFEEZ served as one of the primary suppliers of narcotics to the Akasha Organization, including to Bakash Akasha Abdalla’s father, who helmed the Akasha Organization before he was murdered in the Netherlands in 2000.  During this investigation, in October 2014, Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla delivered a one-kilogram heroin sample, on behalf of HAFEEZ and the Akasha Organization, to confidential sources acting at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in Nairobi, and, in early November 2014, Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla delivered 98 additional kilograms of heroin to the confidential sources. These samples were just a small portion of the narcotics that HAFEEZ distributed with the Akasha Organization; indeed, during this investigation, Baktash Akasha Abdalla boasted in a recorded meeting that HAFEEZ had distributed “tons” of narcotics with his father and the Akasha Organization.  Baktash Akasha, Ibrahim Akasha, and Goswami were provisionally arrested by Kenyan authorities in November 2014 and extradited to the U.S. in 2017.

Further, from at least in or about 1993 through the date of his provisional arrest in 2017, HAFEEZ also conspired to import hashish and methamphetamine into the U.S.  In connection with this conspiracy, HAFEEZ and co-conspirators transported multi-ton shipments of hashish to Europe and North America.  Between 2013 and 2016, HAFEEZ and certain co-conspirators also sought to establish a methamphetamine-production facility in Mozambique, which was intended to produce methamphetamine for sale in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.  HAFEEZ and his co-conspirators abandoned their plan after law enforcement authorities seized approximately 18 tons of ephedrine from a factory in Solapur, India, including several tons of ephedrine that HAFEEZ and his co-conspirators planned to use as a precursor chemical to manufacture methamphetamine in Mozambique.

HAFEEZ, 66, a Pakistani national residing in, among other places, London, pled guilty to conspiring to manufacture and distribute heroin for importation into the U.S. and conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and hashish for importation into the U.S.  Each of these offenses carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Baktash Akasha Abdallah, 47, and Ibrahim Akasha Abdallah, 36, previously pled guilty to conspiring to import and importing heroin and methamphetamine into the U.S., conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices in connection with their drug-trafficking crimes, and obstructing justice by paying bribes to Kenyan officials in an effort to avoid being extradited to the U.S.  Baktash Akasha Abdallah was sentenced on August 16, 2018, to 25 years in prison, and Ibrahim Akasha Abdallah was sentenced on January 10, 2020, to 23 years in prison.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Special Operations Division of the DEA, Bilateral Investigations Unit.  Mr. Williams also thanked the United Kingdom authorities, the DEA Dubai Country Office, the DEA Nairobi Country Office, the DEA Pretoria Country Office, the DEA New Delhi Country Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and London Attaché. 

Phobos Ransomware Administrator Extradited from South Korea to Face Cybercrime Charges

Russian National Alleged to Have Coordinated Sale, Distribution, and Operation of Phobos Ransomware as Part of International Hacking and Extortion Conspiracy 

The Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against Evgenii Ptitsyn, 42, a Russian national, for allegedly administering the sale, distribution, and operation of Phobos ransomware. Ptitsyn made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Nov. 4 after being extradited from South Korea. Phobos ransomware, through its affiliates, victimized more than 1,000 public and private entities in the United States and around the world, and extorted ransom payments worth more than $16 million dollars.

“The Justice Department is committed to leveraging the full range of our international partnerships to combat the threats posed by ransomware like Phobos,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Evgenii Ptitsyn allegedly extorted millions of dollars of ransom payments from thousands of victims and now faces justice in the United States thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of law enforcement agencies around the world — from the Republic of Korea to Japan to Europe and finally to Baltimore, Maryland. Together with our partners across the globe, we will continue to hold cybercriminals accountable and protect innocent victims.”

“The indictment alleges that Ptitsyn and his co-conspirators ran the Phobos ransomware group, whose members committed ransomware attacks against more than 1,000 public and private victims throughout the United States and the rest of the world,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ptitsyn and his co-conspirators hacked not only large corporations but also schools, hospitals, nonprofits, and a federally recognized tribe, and they extorted more than $16 million in ransom payments. Ptitsyn’s indictment, arrest, and extradition reflect the Criminal Division’s commitment to leading the fight against the international scourge of ransomware. We are especially grateful to our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, like South Korea, whose collaboration is essential to disrupting and deterring the most significant cybercriminal threats facing the United States.”

“It’s only a matter of time, cybercriminals will be caught and brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “According to the indictment, Ptitsyn facilitated the worldwide use of a dangerous ransomware strain to target corporations and various organizations, including government agencies, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and critical infrastructure. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is committed to bringing cybercriminals to justice and working with the private sector and the academic community to prevent and disrupt their activities.”

“The FBI is working tirelessly to ensure that ransomware actors, both developers and affiliates, face the consequences of their actions,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “We know it takes strong partnerships to disrupt cybercriminal networks, and the FBI must thank our partners for the important roles they play in carrying out this mission. The extradition announced today would not have been possible without their assistance.”

As alleged in the indictment, beginning in at least November 2020, Ptitsyn and others conspired to engage in an international computer hacking and extortion scheme that victimized public and private entities through the deployment of Phobos ransomware.

As part of the scheme, Ptitsyn and his co-conspirators allegedly developed and offered access to Phobos ransomware to other criminals or “affiliates” for the purposes of encrypting victims’ data and extorting ransom payments from victims. The administrators operated a darknet website to coordinate the sale and distribution of Phobos ransomware to co-conspirators and used online monikers to advertise their services on criminal forums and messaging platforms. At relevant times, Ptitsyn allegedly used the monikers “derxan” and “zimmermanx.”

Affiliates would then allegedly hack into the victims’ computer networks, often using stolen or otherwise unauthorized credentials; copy and steal files and programs on the victims’ networks; and encrypt the original versions of the stolen data on the networks by installing and executing Phobos ransomware. Affiliates then extorted the victims for ransom payments in exchange for the decryption keys to regain access to encrypted data by leaving ransom notes on compromised victims’ computers and by calling and emailing victims to initiate the ransom payment negotiations. Affiliates also threatened to expose victims’ stolen files to the public or to the victims’ clients, customers, or constituents if the ransoms were not paid.

After a successful Phobos ransomware attack, criminal affiliates paid fees to Phobos administrators like Ptitsyn for a decryption key to regain access to the encrypted files. Each deployment of Phobos ransomware was assigned a unique alphanumeric string in order to match it to the corresponding decryption key, and each affiliate was directed to pay the decryption key fee to a cryptocurrency wallet unique to that affiliate. From December 2021 to April 2024, the decryption key fees were then transferred from the unique affiliate cryptocurrency wallet to a wallet controlled by Ptitsyn.

Ptitsyn is charged in a 13-count indictment with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, four counts of causing intentional damage to protected computers, and four counts of extortion in relation to hacking. If convicted, Ptitsyn faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count; 10 years in prison for each computer hacking count; and five years in prison for conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Criminal Affairs Division of the Korean Ministry of Justice to secure the arrest and extradition of Ptitsyn. The Justice Department extends its thanks to international judicial and law enforcement partners in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, France, and Romania, as well as Europol and the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, for their cooperation and coordination with the Phobos ransomware investigation. The Justice Department’s National Security Division also provided valuable assistance.

Senior Counsel Aarash A. Haghighat of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. CCIPS Trial Attorney Riane Harper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant for the District of Maryland provided substantial assistance.

Additional details on protecting networks against Phobos ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov, including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory AA24-060A.

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

Governor Hochul Announces $22 Million is Now Available to Strengthen and Modernize New York’s Electric Grid

New Competitive Program Supports Projects that Help Ensure Reliability of Infrastructure and Expand Access to Clean Energy

New York Also Awarded Additional $11.5 Million in U.S. Department of Energy Formula Grant Funding 

Governor Kathy Hochul announced $22 million is now available for projects that strengthen and modernize New York’s electric grid. Funded by a U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Resilience Formula Grant, the State’s new competitive grid modernization program supports projects that help to ensure the reliability of infrastructure and expand access to clean energy for New Yorkers, supporting the transition to a zero-emission electricity system. Additionally, the Governor also announced that in October, New York State was awarded an additional $11.5 million under the federal formula grant program to supplement this initial phase of funding.

“New York’s grid infrastructure is the backbone of energy distribution and we must maintain its reliability and resiliency to withstand extreme weather events,” Governor Hochul said. “This federal formula grant complements ongoing State investments to meet the growing energy needs of families and businesses in our communities.”

The new grid modernization program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), provides funding to municipal utilities, rural cooperatives, or consortiums that apply on their behalf, and small electricity providers that sell no more than 4,000,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year for projects that strengthen the capacity of New York State’s grid systems to prepare for future extreme weather events. Proposals must meet all federal requirements, including at least a one-third cost share, and include direct and quantifiable energy, environmental, and economic benefits to New York State such as emissions reductions, job creation, product manufacturing and sales, energy efficiency, or reduced electric costs for proposed site locations.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “NYSERDA is pleased to offer this new grid modernization program with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to municipal electric systems and rural cooperatives interested in advancing projects that strengthen and enhance grid resiliency. We look forward to working with future partners to deliver projects that help provide clean energy to New Yorkers and support the State’s transition to a modern, zero-emission electric grid.”

Eligible project types will advance modern, resilient grid technologies that can withstand extreme weather events and include:

• Adaptive protection, advanced modeling, and monitoring control technologies.
• Installing advanced conductors, including low sag advanced conductors, or replacing old overhead conductors and underground cables.
• Using or constructing distributed energy resources (DER) to enhance adaptive capacity during a disruptive event.
• Weatherization technologies and equipment.

Proposers must select one project type per application. Proposals will be accepted through 3 p.m. on February 12, 2025. More information about this solicitation is available on NYSERDA’s website.

NYSERDA also offers $3.5 million in technical assistance to support the development of grid modernization proposals for this solicitation. The technical assistance is available on a first come, first served basis for a one-time maximum award of up to $200,000 per applicant. It can be used to support the technical analyses needed to evaluate potential projects, grant writing assistance for implementation funding, and development of a metrics reporting system to evaluate project success.

Building on the funding awarded last year, New York was recently awarded an additional $11.5 million in grant funding that is expected to become available to municipal electric systems and rural cooperatives in the summer of 2025. New York is one of nine states and five tribal nations that were awarded a combined total of $125 million as the seventh cohort of Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants and will provide 15 percent matching funds through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as part of DOE's grant requirements. To learn more, visit NYSERDA’s website and DOE’s Grid Deployment Office’s website.

Statement on the Nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services By State Senator Gustavo Rivera

 

"As Chair of the Senate Health Committee, I stand in firm opposition against the dangerous and careless nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. has long espoused discredited, anti-science views that have undermined public trust in life-saving vaccines, and other essential public health measures.

"At a time when we must rebuild confidence in our healthcare system and safeguard the health and safety of all Americans, elevating someone with such a harmful track record is both reckless and irresponsible.

"Public health should prioritize science, facts, and the well-being of our children, families, and communities, especially the most marginalized. Instead, the incoming Trump administration is granting more influence to those who recklessly spread misinformation jeopardizing the lives of too many among us.

"I urge all Senators who will vote on this nomination to carefully weigh the serious consequences his appointment could have on the health of millions of Americans. In New York, we will remain vigilant and consider all actions our state can take to protect our health system from being undermined and disparaged by Trump and his associates."