Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Diya Vij as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs

 

As Commissioner, Vij will extend Mayor Mamdani’s affordability agenda to the arts, ensuring NYC remains the cultural capital of the world

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Diya Vij as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the nation’s largest municipal funder of culture.

As Commissioner, Vij will deepen the City’s commitment to supporting art and culture and ensure New York City is not only a place where artists can afford to live, but where art is celebrated and sustained.

Vij returns to the DCLA, where she previously worked on special projects under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. During her earlier tenure, she launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program, which embeds artists within City agencies and integrates art into civic life. Artists including Tania Bruguera, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Onyedika Chuke and Ebony Noelle Golden participated in the program. 

More recently, Vij served as a curator at Creative Time, where she curated large-scale public art projects in partnership with State and City agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Parks Department and the Department of Transportation. Her most recent curation, Chloë Bass’s “If you hear something, free something,” was created in partnership with the MTA and broadcast artwork over the subway public address system, transforming daily commutes into shared cultural experiences.

Vij also held leadership roles across New York’s arts institutions, including as Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts, and in roles at the Queens Museum and the High Line. Across private nonprofits and city government, she has organized dozens of performances and public programs and developed a deep understanding of the city’s cultural ecosystem.

“I am proud to welcome Diya Vij as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Diya is a visionary and deeply thoughtful leader who understands that art is not ornamental to this city — it is essential,” said Mayor Mamdani. “She has worked to weave culture into the fabric of public life. This administration believes art is a public good, not a luxury reserved for the few. Under her leadership, we will fight to keep New York a city where artists can afford to live and create — and where every New Yorker, in every borough, can experience the energy and inspiration that art makes possible.”

“This administration has renewed my belief that city government can be a site of real change — and that art and culture are essential to that project,” said Commissioner Vij. “Too many artists have been forced out of the city they love — crushed by the cost-of-living crisis. As Commissioner, I will extend the Mayor’s affordability agenda to arts and culture. It is an honor to help build a city where artists, cultural workers, and New Yorkers across all five boroughs can do more than get by — they can live full, vibrant and curious lives.”

New York City’s public funding infrastructure has helped establish and sustain its position as a global cultural capital. As Commissioner, Vij will advance Mayor Mamdani’s affordability agenda within the arts sector by addressing historic funding inequities, improving agency efficiency, coordinating across city government to expand affordability tools for artists and cultural organizations and deepening support for working artists.   

Commissioner Vij will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

About Diya Vij:

Vij is the Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn. In that role,  she expanded access to affordable art-making facilities, strengthened educational initiatives and launched a contemporary arts program centered on artistic process and cultural labor.

Over the past decade, she has held programming, curatorial and communications roles  at major New York City Institutions. As Curator at Creative Time,  she commissioned large-scale public artworks, launched the public programming space CTHQ, relaunched the Creative Time Summit and initiated the R&D Fellowship for socially engaged artists. As Associate Curator of Public Programs at the High Line, she organized dozens of live events and performances.

At the Department of Cultural Affairs, Vij launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program, helped lead the agency’s citywide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative, and contributed to CreateNYC, the city’s first long-term strategic cultural plan. She previously served as a curatorial fellow and communications manager at the Queens Museum during its major capital renovation.

Until her appointment, Vij served on the boards of the Laundromat Project, The Poetry Project and A Blade of Grass, and was co-curator of the Counterpublic Triennial 2023 in St. Louis.  

Illegal Alien with More Than 30 Prior Arrests Fatally Stabs Woman at Virginia Bus Stop, ICE Requests Virginia Authorities Not Release This Public Safety Threat

 

Another violent criminal illegal alien, another preventable murder of an American citizen

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that on February 25, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer requesting Virginia not release a career criminal illegal alien with more than 30 arrests after the Fairfax County Police Department charged him for allegedly fatally stabbing a woman in the neck on Monday.

According to local reports, on Monday, February 23, Stephanie Minter, 41, of Fredericksburg was found dead at a local bus stop with multiple stab wounds to the upper body. Police later published a photo of Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, 32, taken from a surveillance camera alerting the public that he should be considered “dangerous” and to call police if they see him. On Tuesday, February 24, a local business owner saw him and called police.

Police then arrested and charged Jalloh with murder. Jalloh was also charged with petit larceny for an additional crime that occurred earlier in the day.

Abdul Jalloh 

Jalloh is an illegal alien from Sierra Leone who entered the U.S. illegally in 2012.

His criminal history includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pick pocketing.

ICE previously lodged a detainer against Jalloh in 2020, and he was granted a final order of removal by a judge who found he could be removed to any country other than Sierra Leone. This case illustrated the importance of third country removals to get criminal illegal aliens out of the U.S.

“We are calling on Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and Virginia's sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This illegal alien’s murder of an innocent, beautiful American woman came less than 24 hours before Governor Spanberger’s demonization of ICE law enforcement. This heinous criminal is a perfect example of why we need cooperation from sanctuary jurisdictions and the importance of third country removals for the safety of the American people.”

Governor Spanberger has signed an executive order that local and state law enforcement are no longer required to cooperate with ICE, repealing an order from her Republican predecessor, Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Fairfax County has a history of refusing to honor immigration detainers. In late 2025, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador killed a man just a day after a Fairfax County jail failed to honor an immigration detainer ICE had placed on him.

Statement from Mayor Mamdani on Military Strikes on Iran

 

“Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war.  Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.  

  

“I am focused on making sure that every New Yorker is safe. I have been in contact with our Police Commissioner and emergency management officials. We are taking proactive steps, including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution.  

  

“Additionally, I want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers: you are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here.” 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Americans want peace and respect for those who keep the peace like the NYPD, not lawless pelting of the NYPD by repeat criminals. 

You can always step down as mayor if you do not agree. Make a stronger country, do not try to bring it down Mayor Mamdani!

 

United States and Israe l Attack Iran as Predicted on Talking Politics

 

We told you first, yesterday, that the United States and Israel would strike Iran to end the nuclear threat in the Middle East and topple the Iranian regime, on Talking Politics.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdukw3WinVE]

Talking Politics

Parrot TV

Talking Politics with Co-Hosts Anthony Rivieccio and Robert Press

State of the union recap, Snowball fight, New State Pot Head, Iran the 51st State, and lots more. Live Friday at 12 pm or anytime at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdukw3WinVE

Talking Politics

Parrot TV

DEC Announces 2026 I BIRD NY Challenge

 

Program Encourages New Yorkers to Experience the Joy of Birding Across the State

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced that the 2026 I BIRD NY Challenge for birders of all ages and abilities will start on March 1. The challenge encourages New Yorkers and visitors to identify birds and learn about birdlife, and finishers are awarded a commemorative I BIRD NY Challenge patch and certificate—plus the opportunity to win birding-related prizes. 

“New York State’s globally significant habitat supports a wide range of bird species,” Commissioner Lefton said. “Whether you are an expert birder or birding for the first time, the I BIRD NY program offers opportunities to experience birds and the diverse habitats they call home.” 

New York State offers exceptional opportunities to experience the joy of birds across wide-ranging habitats. From the Atlantic Ocean’s sandy beaches to the Great Lakes coastlines, Adirondack and Catskill peaks, and everywhere in between, the state supports more than 450 different bird species throughout the year. The I BIRD NY Challenge incentivizes observing birds in neighborhoods, local parks, or DEC and partner lands throughout the state. 

New and experienced birders can discover the thrill of birding by taking the I BIRD NY Challenge, visiting a site along the New York State Birding Trail, and viewing additional birding resources on DEC’s website. 

The I BIRD NY program was launched in 2017 to build on the State’s efforts to increase access to New York’s vast natural resources and promote no- and low-cost opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors and connect with nature. Because people can observe birds wherever they live, work, or recreate, birding is an accessible activity that does not require transportation or the purchase of specialized equipment. Bird watching can be enjoyed by people from all economic backgrounds and education levels. While binoculars can help, many birds can be identified without them. 

The 2026 I BIRD NY Challenge is open to all ages and runs from March 1 to November 1. To complete the challenge, participants must identify any 10 wild bird species and submit a challenge sheet to DEC. Over 1,600 birders completed this fun challenge in 2025. 

Challenge sheets can be submitted online via Survey Monkey or sent via email or mail. Entries must be received by November 18, 2026. Entry forms will be available in Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, and Urdu. All participants will be awarded a commemorative patch, given a completion certificate, and entered into a drawing for great birding prizes. Two youth and two adult winners will be chosen. Participants will also receive an extra prize entry for providing a photo documenting their challenge experience. 

Those interested in taking the challenge can visit the “I BIRD NY” webpage to access this year’s challenge sheet and find information on where and how to watch birds, upcoming birding events, a downloadable Beginner’s Guide to Birding (PDF) (also available in Spanish), and additional resources. Those interested may also opt to sign up for DEC’s monthly birding newsletter, Words of a Feather, for birding tips and tricks, New York State Birding Trail site recommendations, events, and more delivered right to one’s inbox. 

DEC also reminds the public that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is currently widespread in wild birds and mammals. The public can help minimize risk and the spread of disease by preventing contact between domestic animals and wild birds. The public is encouraged to report sick or deceased wildlife to DEC. In cases where field staff may be unavailable to collect samples or carcasses from the landscape and removal is necessary, use proper personal protective equipment, including disposable gloves, a mask, and eye protection. Avoid direct contact with the carcass or fluids by using a shovel to transfer it to a tripled garbage or contractor bag, which should be placed in an outdoor trash receptacle. More information about HPAI, including how it is spread and which animals can be infected, is available on DEC’s “Animal Diseases” webpage. 

As always, participants are encouraged to Love Our New York Lands all year by practicing Leave No Trace^TM principles and by recreating safely and sustainably.

Governor Hochul Appoints New York State's First-Ever Director of Security and Intelligence

Leading International Cybersecurity Expert and Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern Tapped To Lead State’s Unified Security and Intelligence Strategy and Response

New Senior Leadership Position Will Synchronize State’s Defenses and Advance New York’s Growing Defense Industrial Base

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the appointment of Colin Ahern to serve as New York State's first-ever Director of Security and Intelligence (DSI). In this role, Director Ahern, who previously served as New York State's Chief Cyber Officer, will provide strategic direction and further unify the State’s security assets on national security and intelligence matters. The DSI will also coordinate statewide activities to better respond to global risks and seize opportunities for advancing the defense industrial base and technologies crucial to national security.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority, and the threats we face are more complex and interconnected than ever before, which is why we need to be aggressive, innovative and adaptive in the way we combat new threats and adversaries,” Governor Hochul said. “To meet these challenges and seize these opportunities, I am appointing Colin Ahern as the State’s first Director of Security and Intelligence. Colin has served New York State well as our first-ever Chief Cyber Officer combatting cyber threats, and now, he will take his work to a new level collaborating with state, local and federal government partners to ensure we are meeting this moment head on, and keeping our state and community safe from new and emerging threats.”

The Director of Security and Intelligence will report directly to Director of State Operations Jackie Bray, and will coordinate across state agencies, local governments, federal partners and the private sector to ensure a whole-of-state response to foreign malign influence, hybrid warfare and other national security issues. Furthermore, the DSI will champion and advocate for investment in New York’s defense and security industries, facilitating partnerships in key areas including the defense industrial base, drones, quantum, and other technologies crucial to national security.

Director of Security and Intelligence Colin Ahern said, "It’s an honor to be named New York State’s first Director of Security and Intelligence and to continue working to help keep New Yorkers safe. New York continues to meet today’s challenges, stepping up to strengthen our security, defense, and intelligence efforts, and I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued leadership and commitment to making sure New York remains a national leader in security and intelligence."

Director Ahern brings nearly two decades of experience in intelligence and security to this new role. He previously served as the State’s first Chief Cyber Officer. He is a decorated former U.S. Army officer, Bronze Star recipient and veteran of two tours in Afghanistan. Director Ahern has also taught hybrid warfare, intelligence, and cybersecurity at Columbia University and the George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies, is a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations, and holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

Michaela Lee will be the Acting Chief Cyber Officer until a permanent Chief Cyber Officer is named. 

FORMER NYC DOC OFFICER SENTENCED FOR SMUGGLING CONTRABAND WORTH $15,000 INTO RIKERS ISLAND

 

Defendant Illegally Smuggled 200 Cigarettes and Cell Phone

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a former NYC Department of Correction Officer was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution for taking a bribe to smuggle cigarettes and a cell phone into Rikers Island. 

District Attorney Clark said, “Correction Officers protect, serve, and embody public trust. This defendant’s misconduct placed his fellow officers, and the people incarcerated in jeopardy, by smuggling valuable commodities that fuel violence. He tarnished Correction Officers reputation and broke his oath for $3,000. Now, he’s on probation for three years and must pay restitution.”

Acting NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Christopher Ryan said, “This defendant accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in return for smuggling cell phones and cigarettes into the Rikers Island jail facility, compromising the security of the facility and placing his fellow officers and persons in custody at risk. Today’s sentence publicly holds him accountable for his criminal actions and requires he pay the City what he took in bribes. I thank the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its partnership on this investigation and the Department of Correction for its cooperation.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Kendell Felix, 38, was sentenced February 26, 2026, by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Jay Kim to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $3,000 and participate in two years of programming. The prosecution had asked for a sentence of one to three years in state prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to third-degree Bribe Receiving on January 8, 2026. 

According to the investigation, between August 25 to 27, 2024, Felix was working as a Correction Officer assigned to the North Infirmary Command when he smuggled in 200 cigarettes and a cell phone in exchange for $3,000. Cigarettes are sold for $50 to $100 each in Rikers Island jails, and the estimated value of the contraband smuggled in by Felix was worth approximately $15,000.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYC Department of Investigation Correction Officer Investigator Brian Hilario, supervised by Assistant Inspector General Sasha Holguin, Deputy Inspector General Sony Fortune, Inspector General Whitney Ferguson, and Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella for their work on the case.