Assemblymember John Zaccaro - 2026 Summer Kickoff Family Fun Day is Almost Here

 

Friends, 

Our 4th Annual Summer Kickoff Family Fun Day is just around the corner! 

 

The past 3 years we have seen thousands of people join us on a beautiful Saturday in June to enjoy music, games, food, bouncy houses, face painters and more. The best part?  It was all provided FREE of cost. 

 

This year, we are going BIGGER. More bouncy houses, games, food, and fun for the whole family!

 

Bring your friends and family and get ready to enjoy one of the best days in the boogie down Bronx. 

 

When: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Where: Williamsbridge Rd (between Lydig and Neill Ave)

Time: 12pm - 4pm

 

On behalf of my office and family, we can’t wait to spend an afternoon with all of you. 

 

With Gratitude,

 

John Zaccaro, Jr. 

New York State Assembly

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Give back to your favorite park

 

Wetland Wednesdays
Wednesdays, June 3, 17, 24 - Meet at 9am

It’s time to tackle the water chestnut that takes over Hester & Piero’s Mill Pond every summer. We’ll provide waders, gloves, and all the tools you’ll need to hop in the water with us and help remove this pesky plant.
RSVP Now
Meet at Van Cortlandt Golf House

Trail Work Thursdays

Thursdays, June 4, 11, 18, 25 - Meet at 9am
Blaze trails with us! Whether you’re an experienced trailblazer or new to trail maintenance, your help will make a significant impact to ensure trail safety for runners and hikers.
RSVP Now
Meet at VCPA Learning Gardening

Forest Fridays

Fridays, June 5, 12, 26 - Meet at 9am
Join us for invasive species removal at the peak of the growing season. June is when invasives are easiest to spot and most vulnerable to removal — your work opens the forest floor for native wildflowers, oak seedlings, and the spring-loaded understory waiting underneath.
RSVP Now
Meet at Van Cortlandt Golf House (New Location for June!)

Cross Country Course Volunteer Day

Saturday, June 6 - meet at 10am
Get a different kind of workout! Bend, stretch, and lift when you fill holes, rake gravel, and move wheelbarrows to keep our beloved cross country course in running shape.
RSVP Now
VCPA Learning Garden

Tune Up Tuesday

Tuesday, June 9 + 23 - 10am to 1pm

Turnip to volunteer! Volunteers will help care for our garden, maintain compost bins, weed, water, and harvest produce. No gardening experience needed – just show up in clothing that can get dirty!
RSVP Now

VCPA Learning Garden

After Father’s Day Weekend Clean Up

Monday, June 22 - meet at 9am

Beautiful holiday weekends bring lots of visitors to the park. Lots of visitors make a mess! Volunteers are needed to help keep the park tidy. Join the Van Cortlandt Park staff in cleaning up the Park after holiday weekends.
RSVP Now
Van Cortlandt Golf House

Support Our Work in Van Cortlandt Park

 

26.2 in 26

Join the Challenge — hike, run, stroll, or skip your way to 26.2 miles in Van Cortlandt Park anytime in 2026.

You choose the trails. You choose the pace. You choose the timeline.

Register Now  

Make a Donation

The park is really big. Our staff is really small. Only with your help can we grow our capacity, hire more staff, and take on projects to improve Van Cortlandt Park… for YOU!  Please consider a gift to Van Cortlandt Park Alliance today.

Donate!

VCPA Merch Shop!

Show your love for Van Cortlandt Park while supporting the Alliance!

Shop Now!

Become a Member

Members get VCPA merch and invitations to member only hikes while supporting their favorite park!

Join Now!

Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park South, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org

State Senator Julia Salazar - Next Week: Free Tenant Support

 

2026 VAN NEST NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE (VNNA)–WEDNESDAY JUNE 3–MONTHLY MEETING—7PM

 

MEET THE CANDIDATES

VAN NEST NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE (VNNA)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2026

7:00 PM

MONSIGNOR FIORENTINO SENIOR APTS.

1830 AMETHYST STREET

Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance

www.facebook.com/VanNestNeighborhoodAlliance

Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Influence Major International Sports Competition by Doping

 

Paul Alexander Askew (46, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to influence major international sports competitions by doping. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, beginning on or about July 10, 2023, and continuing through to on or about January 31, 2024, Askew conspired with a professional track and field athlete and at least one other person to provide the athlete with testosterone, a banned substance, to improve the athlete’s performances at major international track and field competitions. The doping was ongoing during the athlete’s competitions in the 2023 Ed Murphey Classic, in Memphis, Tennessee; the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League, in China; and the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, in Eugene, Oregon. Although the doping conspiracy was revealed before the athlete could compete in other competitions, Askew and the athlete also intended to use illegal testosterone injections to improve the athlete’s performance at the 2024 American Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2024 United States Olympics Trials, and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

This case was investigated by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Fraudster Who Sold Personal Information of Over 7 Million Elderly Americans to Jamaican Scammers Sentenced to Prison

 

A North Carolina man was sentenced to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release for running a seven-year scheme where he victimized millions of elderly Americans by selling their personal information to Jamaican lottery fraud scammers. He was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $5,214,688.48.

According to court documents, Troy Murray, 57, of Hickory, North Carolina, devised a scheme where he organized, maintained, and sold lists containing the names, phone numbers, physical addresses, and, in some cases, ages and email addresses, of elderly Americans to individuals in Jamaica involved in lottery fraud schemes. From 2016 to 2023, Murray sold these lists to Jamaican scammers, who perpetrated lottery fraud on elderly American consumers, earning Murray hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Murray was a prolific and well-known lead list broker for Jamaican scammers. To complete the transactions, scammers would typically call email, or text Murray for a list of names. Murray then provided a price per list, typically $500, for 100 to 300 names. Initially, Murray instructed scammers to provide payment via wire transfer; however, after multiple monetary wire transmission services blocked him from using their services, he instructed scammers to send him pre-paid gift cards to pay for the lists instead. Murray’s list broker service was so well known in Jamaica that that his pseudonym, “Steve Dixon,” was referenced by a Jamaican musical artist in a 2022 song lyric.  

After receiving payment from the Jamaican scammers, Murray used the funds to purchase farm equipment, vehicles, and collectibles like bars and coins made of precious metals. Murray also sent money he made from the scheme to one of his sons to purchase personal property and pay for his business and living expenses.

During the scheme, Murray sent at least 22,000 lead lists to scammers. These lists contained the names and personal information of over seven million elderly Americans and garnered Murray over $5.2 million. Victim losses exceeded $9.5 million.

In January 2026, Murray pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

This Week: Comptroller DiNapoli Issues Statement on Passage of Final State Budget

 

Comptroller DiNapoli Issues Statement on Passage of Final State Budget

Comptroller DiNapoli released the following statement on the passage of the final state budget:

 

"Families across New York are struggling to keep up with everyday costs. This budget helps ease some of that burden. It also makes important investments in healthcare, housing and education, and gives critical aid to New York City and upstate communities. The budget takes action to alleviate utility cost burdens and takes steps to reform the rate-setting process to elevate consumer affordability concerns. I was pleased to see new protections for our immigrants that will help inoculate our communities from some of the hurtful policies that continue to come from the Trump administration.

 

"We're evaluating the procurement changes that increased the thresholds for when contracts must come to us for review and when a contract must be competitively bid. Our office rigorously scrutinizes state procurements and agency spending to protect the taxpayers from waste, fraud and abuse. Limiting these abilities can hurt taxpayers.

 

"This budget process went far past the April 1 deadline, and I’m concerned this is becoming the new norm. As spending increases, out-year budget gaps could put future priorities at risk.

 

My office will review the final enacted budget and release an analysis in the coming weeks."

Over $40,000 in Unclaimed Funds Returned to Central NY Housing Non-Profit

 

Comptroller DiNapoli recently returned over $40,000 in unclaimed funds to Home HeadQuarters, a Central New York non-profit dedicated to creating affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. This recovery serves as a great reminder to all New York non-profits, businesses, and residents: the Comptroller’s Office returns an average of $2 million in unclaimed funds every day.

Check for Unclaimed Funds

Comptroller DiNapoli's Annual Report on MTA Debt Highlights Progress on Capital Programs

A new report released by Comptroller DiNapoli shows the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has made progress on its capital programs. As of April 2026, the MTA has committed more than $38 billion of its $55.4 billion 2020-2024 capital program, reflecting more financing certainty and accelerated project activity.

While the outlook for capital funding and debt levels has improved this year, Comptroller DiNapoli cautioned that federal uncertainties remain. The MTA is counting on $14 billion in federal funds for its current capital program. If these funds become entangled in federal politics or delayed, it could force the MTA into making hard choices between increasing its debt load or deferring critical improvements needed to keep the system safe and functional.

Learn More

Comptroller DiNapoli Opposed Con Ed’s Executive Pay Plan

Con Ed asked its shareholders to rubber-stamp a poorly designed & bloated executive pay plan. With New Yorkers facing an affordability crisis driven in part by rising energy costs, the case for tighter executive pay practices at regulated utilities is clear. Comptroller DiNapoli opposed Con Ed’s executive pay plan for a second year in a row.

Learn More

Staten Island Woman Pays Full Restitution after Cheating Brother-in-Law Out of Sister's NYS Pension Death Benefits

Comptroller DiNapoli and Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon announced the arrest and sentencing of a Staten Island woman for the theft of her sister’s state pension death benefit. The woman fraudulently designated herself as her sister’s sole beneficiary while her sister was on her deathbed. When her sister died, she received over $400,000 from the pension fund, which her sister had wished to be split between her husband and the defendant.

Learn More

This Week in Pictures

M U N I C I P A L   A U D I T S

• City of Buffalo – Budget Review
  
  
• Kerhonkson Fire District – Board Oversight
  
  
• Midway Fire Department – Disbursements
  
  
• North Brookfield Fire District – Board Oversight
  
  
• Schodack Landing Fire District No. 1 – Claims Auditing
  
  
• Taberg Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. – Financial Activities
  
  
• Town of Catharine – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
  
  
• Town of Fremont – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
  
  
• Town of Greenville – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
  
  
• Town of New Hudson – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
  
  
• Town of Pamelia – Transparency of Fiscal Activities
  
  
• Town of Spencer – Procurement
  
  
• Village of Churchville – Electric Utility Services Billing and Collections
  
  
• Village of Fredonia – Financial Condition
  
  
• Village of Rhinebeck – Claims Auditing

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• Income for many in NY not keeping pace with inflation
• Businesses in City Council District 43 will receive checks as part of Unclaimed Funds outreach
• Comptroller: State Pension Fund Closes at Record High

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

Permits Filed for 2958 White Plains Road in Allerton, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a four-story mixed-use building at 2958 White Plains Road in Allerton, The Bronx. Located at the intersection of Adee Avenue and White Plains Road, the corner lot is near the Burke Avenue subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Abdu Salman is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 50-foot-tall development will yield 18,579 square feet, with 14,959 square feet designated for residential space and 3,619 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 21 residences, most likely condos based on the average unit scope of 1,004 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a penthouse, cellar, and two enclosed parking spaces.

Darlyn Alvarez of Rojas Engineering, PLLC is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.