DEC Seeks Inspiring Images of Trees For Annual Poster Contest

 

Original Artwork and Photography Submissions Themed “Trees for the Future” Accepted until Nov. 30

Winner to be Featured on 2026 State Arbor Day Poster

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the launch of the annual Arbor Day Poster contest, encouraging photographers and artists of all ages to submit images that capture the power and beauty of trees. The poster is released annually by DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry Program to celebrate and recognize the benefits of trees to people, nature, and the environment.  
 
“Trees are powerful allies in building resilient communities, ecosystems, and a healthier future,” said Commissioner Lefton. “As we work together towards our goal of planting 25 million trees by 2033, this poster competition is a chance for New Yorkers to share their vision of the beauty and benefits of trees and to inspire others to celebrate, plant, and protect them.” 
 
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Trees contribute to the beautiful scenery that makes up New York’s landscapes and to our agricultural story by providing us with the first crop of the season of sweet maple syrup.  They also power our wood products industry, clean our air, and improve water quality. The annual Arbor Day Poster Contest is a wonderful celebration of New York's trees and their importance to the daily lives of New Yorkers and visitors alike. I encourage everyone to take part in the Arbor Day Poster Contest and help us showcase their significance.” 
 
Submissions should reflect this year’s theme, “Trees for the Future,” expressing through original photos or artwork the connections between people and trees, the importance of planting trees for future generations, and the role of trees in providing resilience in a changing climate. DEC will accept submissions on behalf of the New York State Arbor Day Committee through Nov. 30, 2025. 
 
The winning image will be featured on the 2026 Arbor Day poster. The poster is distributed across the state for Arbor Day celebrations, the New York State Fair, schools, libraries, local conservation councils, and other events. 
 
The annual Arbor Day Poster contest is sponsored by the New York State Arbor Day Committee, which includes DEC, the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Empire State Forestry Foundation, the New York State Arborists Association, and Sylvamo North America. Entries must feature trees growing within New York State, be of acceptable image resolution, and are limited to one per person. To enter, read the complete contest rules and submit entries using the online submission form. 
 
For more information about the contest, visit DEC's website or email arborday@dec.ny.gov. 
 
Contact a local DEC forestry office or call 518-402-9428 to obtain the previous year’s Arbor Day poster, while supplies last. 

Speaker Adrienne Adams, Elected Officials, King of Kings Foundation, and Community Leaders Unveil “Alyce L. Feurtado Way” Honoring Longtime Southeast Queens Educator

 

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams joined the King of Kings Foundation, local elected officials, and community leaders to unveil “Alyce L. Feurtado Way” at the intersection of 142nd Street and 106th Avenue. Feurtado was a longtime teacher at Concerned Parents of Jamaica Early Learning Center, where she worked for more than 20 years. She taught thousands of students and started an after-school program to provide a safe learning environment for local children. Her three sons, Tony, Lance, and Todd Feurtado, eventually founded the King of Kings Foundation, a local nonprofit organization founded in 2005 that empowers at-risk children, youth, and young adults by addressing their long-term challenges through comprehensive programs that focus on physical, economic, cultural, and spiritual development.

Photos of the street co-naming ceremony are available here.

“Alyce L. Feurtado touched countless lives as an educator, mentor, and community leader in Southeast Queens,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Her contributions as a caretaker of the neighborhood and its youth will be remembered forever. Her sons, Tony, Lance, and Todd Feurtado, have built on their mother’s work through the King of Kings Foundation, which continues to change lives through holistic youth development programs. I’m proud to celebrate the life and legacy of Alyce L. Feurtado by co-naming 142nd Street and 106th Avenue in her honor.”

“My brothers Tony, Todd, and myself are humbled and honored to know that our mom’s name and legacy as an educator in Southeast Queens will live on by the co-renaming of this street where our family has resided since 1965,” said Lance Feurtado, Executive Director of the King of Kings Foundation. “Thank you, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.”

Born to Charles and Velma McCarroll in November 1940, Alyce L. Feurtado was raised in Anderson, Alabama, but later moved to Harlem in 1945. After graduating from high school, she married Owen Feurtado, a New York City police officer, and gave birth to three boys. In 1968, Feurtado moved her family to Jamaica, where she began her professional career as an educator. She was among the first teachers to work at Concerned Parents of Jamaica Early Learning Center.

At the center, Feurtado started an after-school program, providing snacks for young children who often waited long hours before their parents got off work to pick them up. She was known for mentoring young girls, hosting community toy drives, and taking neighborhood children and her students to pumpkin patches as a way for them to visit areas outside of New York City.

Feurtado lived in New York City until she passed away on July 6, 2006.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News - Comptroller Joins Assemblyman Wright in Harlem

 

Comptroller Joins Assemblyman Wright in Harlem

Comptroller DiNapoli joined Assemblyman Jordan Wright in his Harlem district this week. They visited cultural landmarks and small businesses, connecting with Harlem residents about what matters most to them. Comptroller DiNapoli was also happy to return $16,000 in unclaimed funds to community groups and business owners—money that can support their efforts in Harlem.

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Syracuse Man Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $22,000 in Pension Checks

A Syracuse man who stole nearly $22,000 in pension payments sent to his deceased mother was sentenced today to serve five years’ probation and ordered to pay full restitution, Comptroller DiNapoli, Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced. The defendant was arrested in January 2025 following an investigation by Comptroller DiNapoli’s office.

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Former Marbletown Fire Chief Sentenced for $101K Theft from the Department

Comptroller DiNapoli, Wayne County District Attorney Christine Callanan and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced that the former chief and treasurer of the Marbletown Volunteer Fire Department was sentenced to four months of weekends in the Wayne County Jail and five years of probation for stealing more than $101,000 from the department. He was also ordered to pay a total of $101,394.50 in restitution.

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NYSLRS Announces Employer Contribution Rates for SFY 2026-27

Comptroller DiNapoli announced employer contribution rates for the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-27. Employers’ average contribution rates will increase from 16.5% to 17.6% of payroll for the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) and from 33.7% to 36.5% of payroll for the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS).

NYSLRS is made up of these two systems, which pay service and disability retirement benefits to state and local public employees and death benefits to their survivors. There are nearly 3,000 participating employers in ERS and PFRS, and more than 300 different retirement plan combinations. In the SFY that ended March 31, 2025, NYSLRS paid out nearly $16.8 billion in benefits.

“Turbulence in the financial markets along with benefit and salary changes will impact rates for SFY 2026-27,” DiNapoli said. “Our prudent management and long-term investment strategy coupled with these rates will help ensure public employees and their families receive the retirement benefits promised to them. New York State’s pension fund continues to be one of the strongest and best funded in the nation.”

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A U D I T S

• Metropolitan Transportation Authority: Long Island Rail Road – Non-Revenue Service Vehicles and On-Rail Equipment (Follow-Up)
  
  
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority – Transformation of the MTA
  
  
• Department of Corrections and Community Supervision – Controls Over Tablet and Kiosk Usage by Incarcerated Individuals (Follow-Up)
  
  
• CVS Health – Accuracy of Empire Plan Medicare Rx Drug Rebate Revenue Remitted to the Department of Civil Service (Follow-Up)
  
  
• Department of Health – Reducing Medicaid Costs for Recipients Who Are Eligible for Medicare (Follow-Up)
  
  
• State Education Department (Preschool Special Education Audit Initiative): UCPA of Cayuga County d.b.a. E. John Gavras Center – Compliance With the Reimbursable Cost Manual
  
  
• State Education Department (Preschool Special Education Audit Initiative): The Arc Franklin-Hamilton d.b.a The Adirondack Arc – Compliance With the Reimbursable Cost Manual
  
  
• Erie County Medical Center Corporation – Security Over Critical Systems

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• NYS Comptroller DiNapoli discusses budget projections, federal funding, Mamdani policies
• Comptroller audit challenges oversight on tablets in prison
• State audits reveal deficiencies in school drinking water tests for lead
• Former Marbletown fire chief sentenced for $101K theft from department
• Syracuse man gets probation for stealing nearly $22K from deceased mother's pension

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Sep 11 – Sep 18) | Spread Your Wings at Wave Hill!

 

A soft yellow and tinges of orange are soon to blend into the green leaves of Wave Hill trees with the new season. Critters big and small prepare for fall in their own ways, burrowing food, fluttering their wings down south, and changing colors to match the shifting landscape. Let nature’s transformations inspire your own. Discover your true colors at Wave Hill’s Paint and Fly with Monarch Butterflies and flutter your own wings around the garden with the family!   

  

Wellness: 

 

Yoga in the Garden 

Sun, Sep 14, 10:15AM – 11:15AM 

Registration required.   

Root your feet in the grass and look out upon the vistas as you enjoy a gentle yoga class. All levels welcome. 

 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, Sep 14, 1:00PM – 1:30PM 

Free with admission to the grounds   

Registration not required.   

Take a leisurely guided walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide to observe seasonal garden highlights! Each walk varies by the guide leading it.   

 

Art: 

 

Public Gallery Tour 

Thur, Sep 11 , 2:00PM – 3:00PM 

Sat, Sep 13, 2:00PM – 3:00PM 

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden between nature, culture and site.   

 

Family: 

 

Family Art Project: Paint and Fly with Monarch Butterflies 

Sat, Sep 13, 10:00AM – 1:00PM 

Sun, Sep 14, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Did you know that in the fall, monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles south for the winter? Paint and wear your own big, bold butterfly wings! At 11:30am families can enjoy a storytime program in the Gund Theater, all ages welcome. 

   

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service Free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

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