Rendering Revealed for Crotona Residence at 720 East 187th Street in Belmont, The Bronx

 

A rendering has been revealed for Crotona Residence, a six-story residential building at 720 East 187th Street in Belmont, The Bronx. Designed by IMC Architecture, the 34,000-square-foot structure will yield TK affordable housing units with an average scope of TK square feet. The project will also include ground-floor commercial space. The property is located at the intersection of East 187th Street and Crotona Avenue.

The rendering looks southwest at the building, which will feature a straightforward rectangular massing and an orderly grid of punched windows with protruding frames. The entire envelope above the ground floor will be adorned with an eye-catching mural composed of swirling black and white curvilinear patterns. The first story will feature gray brick framing floor-to-ceiling glass for the commercial space.

The property is currently vacant. The site was formerly occupied by a row of one-story storefronts, as seen in the below Google Street View image from before their demolition in 2019.

The nearest subways stops from the ground-up development are the B and D trains at the Fordham Road station to the west and the 2 and 5 trains at the West Farm Square–Tremont Avenue station to the south. Also nearby is the Fordham train station on the Metro-North Railroad.

The project is expected to cost $11 million. A construction timeline has yet to be announced.

DHS Law Enforcement Arrests Criminal Illegal Alien and Latin Kings Gang Member Released by NYC Sanctuary Politicians

 

Bryan David Tasiguano Leon first entered the country illegally in 2022 and was RELEASED by the Biden administration

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of Bryan David Tasiguano Leon, a dangerous criminal illegal alien and Latin Kings gang member, who was released from jail into the community after sanctuary politicians refused to work with ICE and honor a detainer which was lodged for him.

On February 14, 2026, officers with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested Tasiguano Leon, a criminal illegal alien from Ecuador and Latin Kings gang member for assault. Despite an arrest detainer lodged against him, sanctuary politicians RELEASED Tasiguano Leon from jail back into the community.

Bryan David Tasiguano Leon, a criminal illegal alien from Ecuador and Latin Kings gang member

ICE officers arrested Tasiguano Leon on March 4, 2026 after conducting a targeted enforcement operation in New York City. He remains in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S.

Tasiguano Leon first illegally entered the United States on November 11, 2022 through the southern border. Despite entering the country illegally, he was RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration. This gang member was previously arrested for assault and family neglect. Tasiguano Leon was issued a final order of removal by a judge on February 27, 2025.

“New York sanctuary politicians chose to release this Latin Kings gang member from jail back into New York City communities. This gang member was previously arrested for assault and family neglect,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Not only was this illegal alien released by the Biden administration, but he was also released again by New York’s sanctuary politicians. Enough is enough. Sanctuary politicians must stop releasing criminal illegal aliens back into our communities to perpetrate more crimes.”

New York City’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an Executive Order turning New York City into a shield for violent criminal illegal aliens to reoffend and create more innocent victims.

Mamdani’s action came after Governor Kathy Hochul’s legislative proposal to bar local police departments from partnering and cooperating with ICE law enforcement.

There are currently 7,113 aliens in custody across the state of New York with an active detainer. The crimes of these aliens include 148 homicides, 717 assaults, 134 burglaries, 106 robberies, 235 dangerous drugs offenses, 152 weapons offenses, and 260 sexual predatory offenses.

Americans can report tips to our brave law enforcement to help keep their communities safe when sanctuary politicians won’t by contacting our ICE Tip Line: 866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423).

Onetaste Founder Nicole Daedone Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Forced Labor Conspiracy

 

Former Head of Sales Rachel Cherwitz Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison

Nicole Daedone, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of OneTaste, Inc. (OneTaste), a sexual wellness education company founded in San Francisco, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati in federal court in Brooklyn to nine years in prison for her role in a forced labor conspiracy.  Also today, Rachel Cherwitz, OneTaste’s former Head of Sales, was sentenced by Judge Gujarati to 78 months in prison for her role in the scheme. Daedone and Cherwitz were convicted by a federal jury in June 2025 of forced labor conspiracy following a five-week trial.  The Court also imposed a $12 million forfeiture money judgment against Daedone, and awarded $887,877.64 in restitution to seven victims of Daedone and Cherwitz.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentences.

“This case exposed a decade-long scheme in which the defendants used psychological, emotional, and financial coercion to control their victims and extract labor and services for their own benefit,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The jury’s verdict and these sentences demonstrate that coercion can take many forms—and that those who exploit others through such means will face serious consequences.  Coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment is still exploitation and it is a crime that causes harm to vulnerable victims.  The defendants’ combination of forced labor with sexual exploitation caused trauma to the victims in ways that extend beyond lost wages or long hours.”

“For decades, Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz preyed on vulnerable women, coercing them into a calculated forced labor conspiracy. These defendants subjected their victims to repeated psychological manipulation and sexual abuse to obtain unpaid or underpaid labor and services for their personal and financial benefit. The FBI is committed to holding accountable those who traffic in human labor and exploit others for profit. We thank the victims for their courage in coming forward,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

OneTaste was a privately held company co-founded by Daedone in 2004.  Its principal place of business was San Francisco, California, and it operated at various locations within New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, and London.  OneTaste promoted itself as a sexually focused wellness education company that offered hands-on classes on “orgasmic mediation” (OM), which involved stroking a woman’s genitals for 15 minutes.  OneTaste generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and less-publicized courses in other sexual practices in exchange for a fee. 

From approximately 2006 through May 2018, Daedone and Cherwitz orchestrated a scheme to obtain the labor and services of multiple young women who had turned to OneTaste seeking healing and spiritual growth by coercing them to perform labor, including sexual labor, for the defendants’ benefit.  OneTaste advertised that its courses and teachings could heal past sexual trauma and dysfunction.  In reality, Daedone and Cherwitz used abusive and manipulative tactics designed to control OneTaste members by making them emotionally and psychologically dependent on OneTaste, including encouraging them to incur debt by opening lines of credit to finance the expensive courses, subjecting them to constant surveillance in communal homes, collecting sensitive information about their prior trauma and sexual histories, depriving them of sleep, and subjecting them to sexual abuse.

Once they had secured the loyalty and indebtedness of certain OneTaste members, Daedone and Cherwitz engaged in exploitative labor practices.  They directed OneTaste members to work long hours—often seven days per week—with little or no compensation.  This work included manual labor and the provision of sexual services.  For example, Daedone and Cherwitz coerced their victims to engage in sexual acts with OneTaste’s then-current and prospective investors, clients, and employees for the company’s financial benefit.  Three witnesses testified at trial about how they were coerced into becoming “handlers” for OneTaste’s initial investor, who was also Daedone’s boyfriend, which required them to live with him, perform sex acts at his direction, and provide domestic labor for him.  Multiple other witnesses testified that they were coerced under threat of termination, demotion, ostracism, and financial and spiritual ruin by Daedone and Cherwitz into performing various sex acts with OneTaste’s potential clients and investors.

In 2017, Daedone sold OneTaste—a company built on the backs of coerced and unpaid or substantially underpaid labor—for $12 million.

Justice Department Sues Minnesota to Protect Girls’ Sports and Intimate Spaces

 

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division filed suit to enforce the protections of Title IX and ensure fairness and safety for female student athletes in Minnesota.

According to the complaint, Defendants Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) have engaged in sex-based discrimination by requiring girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions that are designated exclusively for girls and allowing boys to invade intimate spaces designated exclusively for girls, such as multi-person locker rooms and bathrooms. These unfair, intentionally discriminatory practices violate the very core of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity that receives federal funding. In open defiance of Title IX’s anti-discrimination protections, Minnesota’s policies and practices create unfair competition, deny girls equal athletic opportunities, and expose girls to a hostile educational environment with heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm. The lawsuit thus seeks declaratory, injunctive, and damages relief for violations of Title IX.

“The Trump Administration does not tolerate flawed state policies that ignore biological reality and unfairly undermine girls on the playing field,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is proud to partner with HHS and the Department of Education to protect our girls in Minnesota and across the country.”

“The Justice Department cannot ignore a state’s brazen defiance of federal antidiscrimination law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “In service of radical gender ideology, Minnesota’s actions violate Title IX and deny female athletes their hard-earned trophies, records, dignity, and safety.”

“We will not allow girls to be denied equal opportunity and basic privacy,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Title IX is clear: schools that accept federal funding must protect the rights, safety, and dignity of female students.”

“The Trump Administration will always fight for the safety and civil rights of women and girls,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Minnesota’s policies allow men to dominate women’s sports, denying female athletes fair competition and eroding their right to equal access in educational programs and activities. Thank you to Attorney General Bondi for bringing this fight to the courts to hold Minnesota accountable.”

MDE receives more than $3 billion in federal funding from the United States Department of Education and the United States Department of Health and Human Services. As a condition to receiving this federal funding, MDE agreed to comply and ensure its funding subrecipients, including local schools, comply with Title IX. Minnesota law and local schools have ceded responsibility for scholastic sports to MSHSL. MDE has authority over MSHSL and local schools’ athletic policies, including nondiscrimination rules. MSHSL currently has more than 500 member schools. The complaint is available here.

Celebrating New York State’s Outstanding Teachers: Governor Hochul Announces Applications Are Open for Master Teacher Program

New Application Round for K-12 STEM Teachers and K-12 Counselors Now Open

Governor Kathy Hochul announced applications are open for the Master Teacher Program and Master Counselors, which recognizes more than 1,600 outstanding public school teachers and counselors throughout the state. Those selected for the program serve as mentors for students and early-career teachers and counselors. New York State’s teachers may apply at suny.edu/masterteacher and the deadline to apply is May 21, 2026.

“I am grateful to our state’s exceptional teachers and counselors who dedicate their careers to inspiring and educating the next generation of New Yorkers,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “By promoting these outstanding individuals through the Master Teachers and Master Counselors Program, I hope more New Yorkers will celebrate the teachers from every corner of our state who have stepped up and excelled in their roles as educators and mentors.”

The Master Teacher Program is hosted at nine State University of New York (SUNY) campuses to leverage the expertise of SUNY faculty and existing educator preparation programs. Additionally, SUNY faculty and staff regularly collaborate with local STEM career and industry experts.

Master Teachers support students from kindergarten through high school (K-12) in the areas of science, technology, computer science, robotics, coding, engineering, math, integrated STEM and agricultural education. Many new Master Teacher and Master Counselor members have been recognized by their local school districts and community organizations for their work with students.

Master Counselors are active members of their professional associations, serving in leadership roles and regularly engaging with local industries to help students chart a path to success. The counselors serve in various district-level and state-level roles, joining the program as experienced leaders dedicated to developing and sharing best practices. More than 50 percent of the Master Counselors hold additional certificates or NYS trainings, including Disability Services and National Board. In addition, New York State counselors are instrumental in helping high school seniors complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To date, 55.4% of the estimated class of 2026 in New York has completed a FAFSA.

Throughout their four-year participation in the program, Master Teachers and Master Counselors will receive a $15,000 stipend annually; engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the academic year; work closely with pre-service and early career teachers and counselors to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of STEM teachers and counselors; and attend required regional meetings to participate in and lead professional development sessions each year.

The program is part of Governor Hochul’s broad agenda to support New York State’s Teaching Workforce. In addition to this longstanding recognition, in January, Governor Hochul announced that SUNY is updating expectations for all educator preparation programs to align with the “Science of Reading,” which is a set of evidence-based principles for providing literacy instruction. SUNY’s effort to support “Science of Reading” implementation includes a free microcredential certification program for current teachers through the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz. Furthermore, last fall Governor Hochul allocated $14.4 million in Workforce Development Awards to the Upskilling Paraprofessionals Program and the Alternative Teacher Certification Program, which supports New Yorkers interested in becoming educators in critical areas.

MAYOR MAMDANI ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF “NEXT MILE NYC” TO RIKERS ISLAND, CONNECTING INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS TO HIGH-PAYING JOBS

 

Program Expands Job Training, Reduces Recidivism & Invests in Opportunities Over Costly Incarceration 

 

Participants Will Begin Commercial Driver’s License Training While in Custody and Complete Certification After Release

 

$2.9 Million Investment Will Serve Nearly 300 Additional New Yorkers, With Salaries Up to $124,800  

New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Director Deanna Logan and Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Stanley Richards announced the expansion of the City’s successful “Next Mile NYC” Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program to people in custody on Rikers Island.

Through a partnership with Emerge Career, eligible participants will begin a 40-hour online training while in custody and complete hands-on instruction and testing after release, creating a direct pathway from incarceration to stable employment. Three participants who began training while in custody have already received conditional job offers.

“Expanding Next Mile NYC to Rikers Island will create real pathways from incarceration to stable, well-paying jobs," said Mayor Mamdani. "This effort reflects our administration’s belief that public safety comes from opportunity and investment in people — not just incarceration —while restoring dignity through meaningful work and building a safer, more just city.”

“Stable employment is one of the strongest predictors of success upon returning to community,” said MOCJ Director Deanna Logan. “We already see positive impact from Next Mile NYC. By equipping participants with in-demand skills and connecting them directly to employers, individuals are exiting cycles of incarceration and returning to neighborhoods with a stronger workforce foundation that results in safer communities across New York City.”

“Our goal is to invest in the people who come to us so they return to their communities with the support and opportunities they need to succeed,” said New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards. “Returning home after time away can be challenging, but when individuals have a plan, a clear pathway, and — most importantly — hope for a better future, they are empowered not just to move forward, but to truly flourish.”

“We are thrilled to partner with NYC DOC and MOCJ to bring real, tangible second chances — rooted in careers, not just credentials — to incarcerated individuals at Rikers Island,” said Zo Orchingwa, co-founder and co-CEO of Emerge Career. “Our vision is to harness technology to open pathways to skilled trades careers that begin before release, not just after. This isn't a checkbox initiative or training that leads nowhere. Next Mile NYC is a real jobs and reentry program, built to change lives and change outcomes.”

The expansion includes a $2.9 million investment in Fiscal Year 2026 and will serve up to 290 additional participants, building on a 2025 pilot that served 20 people.

Since launching in 2025, the program has delivered strong early outcomes: 266 participants earned Commercial Learner’s Permits and 99 obtained CDLs. 

• 93 participants received job offers and 64 secured full-time employment, with an average salary of $90,200. 
• No participants have reported being rearrested. All participants who completed driving training obtained a CDL and received a job offer within six months. 

The expansion launched in February 2026 at the Rose M. Singer Center Enhanced Supervised Housing (RESH) Annex, with additional sites planned at the Eric M. Taylor Center and the Rose M. Singer Center.

Next Mile NYC addresses two critical challenges: expanding access to economic opportunity for justice-involved New Yorkers and meeting workforce demand. By connecting New Yorkers to stable, high-paying careers before they leave custody, the program reduces recidivism and strengthens public safety.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, formerly incarcerated people face persistently high unemployment — more than 13 times the national unemployment rate — while industries like trucking face major worker shortages.

MOCJ — through its Community Innovations team — uses data to guide its programming and outreach. Research shows that limited access to employment and vocational training are major drivers of incarceration and recidivism. Programs like Next Mile NYC are designed to break that cycle by connecting participants to careers that provide immediate, family-sustaining wages.

Next Mile NYC builds on a broader set of education and workforce programs on Rikers Island, including high school equivalency and college-level courses, horticulture, barbering, barista, cosmetology, culinary arts, food handling, and OSHA training. 

ICE Agents Under Attack While Attempting to Arrest Criminal Illegal Alien in Sacramento, California

 

Our brave ICE law enforcement is facing a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a criminal illegal alien from Laos with previous convictions for vehicle theft, stolen property, conspiracy, petty theft, two DUIs, resisting an officer, battery, and felony possession of a firearm weaponized his vehicle in an attack on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) law enforcement officers and remains at-large.

“On March 25, 2026, ICE conducted a targeted vehicle stop to arrest Xa Lee, a fugitive and criminal illegal alien from Laos. He was previously convicted of vehicle theft, stolen property, conspiracy, petty theft, two DUIs, resisting an officer, battery, and felony possession of a firearm. During the vehicle stop, Lee attempted to flee and hit an ICE officer with his vehicle. The officer, thankfully, did not sustain injuries. During the incident, ICE officers pulled out their tasers. He fled the scene and remains at large,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This is just the latest in a disturbing trend of vehicle attacks. We are calling on the public to report any sightings of this criminal illegal alien to ICE at (866) 347-2423.”

Lee was issued a final order of removal by an Immigration Judge in 2010 and was placed on the Alternative to Detention Program.

This dangerous criminal illegal alien is still at-large. DHS requests that if the public has any information of his whereabouts, please contact the ICE Tip Line at (866) 347-2423 or fill out the ICE Tip Form online.

This dangerous attempt to evade arrest comes after sanctuary politicians held webinars and provided resources and tips for how to openly defy ICE:

• Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a webinar providing tips for illegal aliens to evade arrests at homes, workplaces, or in public.
• Representative Dan Goldman posted a video online calling on illegal aliens to make a plan for ICE encounters.
• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued multilingual flyers and online resources advising illegal aliens on how to evade arrest.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom released guides and sanctuary laws advising illegal aliens how to recognize ICE, block entry, and defy arrest. 

DHS is once again calling on sanctuary politicians, agitators, and the media to turn the temperature down and stop calling for violence and resistance against ICE law enforcement.

Statement from a New York City Council Spokesperson on Law Department Filing Motion to Quash Council Member Vickie Paladino’s Subpoenas

 

On Monday, the New York City Law Department filed a motion to quash Council Member Vickie Paladino’s 14 subpoenas served to Council Members, including Speaker Julie Menin. In response to the legal filing, a spokesperson for the New York City Council issued the following statement.

“Today’s filing by the Law Department reinforces that Council Member Paladino’s lawsuit and subpoenas have no merit. The Council is committed to upholding clear standards of workplace conduct, including anti-harassment and discrimination policies. The Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards, and Ethics will continue to review this matter to determine whether discipline is appropriate.”

Background:

The Law Department’s legal filing, which can be read here, states in part:

“It is also quite plain from the nature and number of subpoenas that Petitioner hopes to turn proceedings before this Court into her own public sideshow. Ahead of the prescribed process given to her—the right to respond to the notice of charges, appropriate discovery within the confidential administrative process, a disciplinary hearing, and then the possibility that the Committee recommends discipline to the full Council—Petitioner seeks a public forum to interrogate council members about politically sensitive legislative matters and attack the legitimacy of the charges brought against her before they have been adjudicated in the appropriate forum. Given this, and, as discussed herein, no legitimate foundation supports the Subpoenas, and they should be quashed.”