Coast Guard Offloads Enough Cocaine to Kill More Than 1.4 Million Americans

 

$28.7 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Eastern Pacific Ocean

On Thursday at Base Miami Beach, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa’s crew offloaded approximately 3,825 pounds of cocaine worth more than $28.7 million and enough to kill more than 1.4 million Americans

The seized contraband was the result of two interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean through Operation Pacific Viper.

“This crew's performance over the last 74 days has been nothing short of phenomenal,” said Cmdr. Joshua DiPietro, commanding officer of Tampa. “From qualifying several pilots, tie downs, Landing Safety Officers, and Helicopter Control Officers for aviation operations at the start of the patrol to seizing nearly $45 million in illicit narcotics, their teamwork during complex operations was truly impressive. They met every challenge head-on, working seamlessly with our partner agencies and international allies to disrupt transnational criminal organizations.”

The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:

• USCGC Tampa (WMEC 902)
• Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
• Joint Interagency Task Force South
• Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders
• Coast Guard Southwest District watchstanders

Since its inception under President Donald J. Trump, Operation Pacific Viper has accelerated counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific, a primary corridor for narcotics smuggling from Central and South America. The Coast Guard has surged cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams to interdict, seize, and disrupt the flow of cocaine and other illicit drugs.

These efforts are a critical component of the broader U.S. strategy to combat narco-terrorism and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. Under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin the men and women of the Coast Guard will continue deploying overwhelming force against the cartels, cutting off the flow of drugs into the United States, and putting an end to the cartel’s reign of terror.

Recent operations have highlighted the effectiveness of this approach, including record-setting interdictions. In February, the Coast Guard marked a significant achievement by seizing 200,000 pounds of cocaine, underscoring the sustained effectiveness of Operation Pacific Viper. Since launching this operation in early August, the Coast Guard has seized over 215,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended 160 suspected narco-traffickers. The Coast Guard’s persistent operations and rapid response have denied criminal organizations billions in illicit revenue and prevented the flow of dangerous drugs into American communities.

80% of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea. This underscores the importance of maritime interdiction in combatting the flow of illegal narcotics and protecting American communities from this deadly threat. U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.

Coast Guard Cutter Tampa is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.

VCJC News & Notes 4/17/2026

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

1. Shabbos schedule
   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 4/17/26 @ 7:19 pm
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 4/18/26 @ 8:23 pm

   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.

   
   

   Come join us for services and stay to enjoy the kiddush and the company.

   
   

2. About our new kiddushim
   Reminder that kiddush now takes place in the ballroom. There is a greater variety of food, which can be enjoyed while seated at covered tables. Our aim is to offer a more enjoyable and meaningful experience, and to encourage conversation and interaction among attendees. This is an evolving effort. It has received very positive reviews so far; we’d love to have your opinion as well. Please join us for services and kiddush, and let us know what you think!

   
   

3. Yom HaZikaron 4/21/26
   Morning services at 8:40 AM
   
   

4. Yom HaAtzma’ut 4/22/26
   
   

5. What works for you?
   Please Help Us Plan for Events
   We have created a survey, Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Community Event Planning Survey, to help us set the direction for our activities.  We’d really appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill it in. Here’s the link: SURVEY
   
   

6. The VCJC Chavurah
   The VCJC Chavurah will be meeting every Tuesday Night at 7:30PM.  All are welcome to join us as we continue to learn Tractate Berachot together.

   No cost to attend and no prior experience is needed.

   If you are interested in learning torah with a group of fellow members of your community, but want more details, contact the VCJC office at 718-884-6105 or info@vcjewishcenter.org, or speak to Stuart Harris or Matthew Hartstein after davening on Shabbat morning.
   
   

7. Shabbos parsha

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Parashat Tazria-Metzora 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת תַזְרִיעַ־מְצֹרָע

   18 April 2026 / 1 Iyyar 5786

   Parashat Tazria-Metzora is the 27th and 28th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

   Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1-15:33; Numbers 28:9-15

   Tazria (“She Bears Seed”) opens by describing the purification process for a woman after childbirth. It then describes different forms of tzaraat, a discoloration condition on skin or clothing, and the requirement of an infected person to dwell alone outside the camp and be inspected by a priest. Metzora opens by describing the purification process and accompanying sacrifices for one infected with tzaraat, a discoloration condition on the skin. It then describes the process of treating a house infected with tzaraat and the ritual impurity generated by certain bodily discharges. [1]

   
   

8. You can do it! Give VCJC a boost!  Leave a (positive) review for us on Google
   -->You can do this!  We know you can! YES, YOU!

   The VCJC is working to build and grow for its next century in Van Cortlandt Village.  If you have had a good experience with us or recognize our value to the community, please consider telling the world about it.  Go to our Google Business Profile and leave a review.  Thanks!  

Please help with information about buildings

As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue.  If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them.  This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.

Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - REIMAGINING: Panel Discussion on 4/21

 

RSVP 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 - Free Homeowner Counseling

 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: State Tax Collections Exceeded Estimates for SFY 2025-26

 

Tax collections for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025-26 totaled $127.5 billion, $2.3 billion higher than estimates made by the Division of the Budget (DOB) in the 30-day amendments to the SFY 2026-27 Executive Budget financial plan, according to the March State Cash Report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Tax collections for SFY 2025-26 were nearly $10 billion higher than the previous year due, in part, to increased Personal Income Tax (PIT) receipts largely reflecting financial market growth in 2025.    

“The state’s tax collections exhibited strong growth in the last fiscal year but economic growth, particularly employment, is projected to slow,” DiNapoli said. “Federal actions and geopolitical conflicts are injecting volatility into the economy that may affect future tax collections. State policymakers should utilize caution and ensure that the enacted budget for this fiscal year accounts for these risks.”

PIT collections totaled $67.4 billion, $6.2 billion (10.1%) higher than prior year collections. The increase was primarily attributable to stronger withholding and quarterly estimated tax payments related to the 2025 tax year partially offset by refunds associated with the inflation refund credits. However, PIT collections were $489.1 million lower than Executive Budget Financial Plan projections.

Consumption and use taxes, which include sales tax, totaled $23.6 billion, exceeding the prior year by $1.2 billion, or 5.5%. Collections were $23.2 million higher than DOB’s latest projections. 

Business tax collections totaled over $33.2 billion which was $1.9 billion higher than the previous year, reflecting a $2.3 billion increase in Pass Through Entity Tax receipts, partially offset by a $462.4 million decrease in receipts from all other business taxes. Total business tax collections exceeded DOB’s latest projections by $2.5 billion. 

All Funds spending totaled close to $259 billion, which was $17.5 billion, or 7.2%, higher than last year. The General Fund ended the fiscal year with a balance of $56.2 billion, a decrease of $738.2 million (1.3%) from the opening balance.

Major actions taken by DOB at the end of the fiscal year include:

• Transferring a little over $1 billion into the Rainy Day Reserve Fund, which brings the fund to $8.1 billion;
• Making $4.5 billion in debt pre-payments for the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and Empire State Development Corporation bonds;
• Deferring $1.3 billion in state-share Medicaid payments due to be paid in March 2026 to April 2026;
• Transferring $250 million into the Health Care Transformation Fund in SFY 2025-26; and,
• Transferring $250 million into the Retiree Health Benefit Trust for a total of $2.2 billion.

March Cash Report

NEW YORK STATE ANNOUNCES NEW SUPPORTIVE CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER IN UTICA

 

Upstate Caring Partners’ 24/7 Facility Offers Services for New Yorkers Experiencing a Behavioral Health Crisis   

State-Supported Center Provides Alternative to Unnecessary Emergency Room Visits in the Oneida County Area 

The New York State Office of Mental Health announced the opening of a new facility in Utica to provide urgent treatment to New Yorkers experiencing a behavioral health crisis, helping them to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. Licensed in partnership with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Upstate Caring Partners Supportive Crisis Stabilization Center of the Mohawk Valley provides behavioral health care services to help stabilize individuals and connect them to other community-based supports in the Oneida County area.     

“New Yorkers experiencing a behavioral health crisis can utilize Supportive Crisis Stabilization Centers for caring support for up to 24 hours, avoiding trips to often busy hospital emergency rooms,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “The Upstate Caring Partners Supportive Crisis Stabilization Center of the Mohawk Valley will enable individuals and families to access high-quality treatment in a welcoming environment and connect with needed services. With the opening of this latest Crisis Stabilization Center, we continue to implement Governor Hochul’s vision for expanding access to mental health care around the state.”      

Upstate Caring Partners was awarded $3.8 million over five years to operate the facility, which provides immediate stabilization services and therapeutic support to individuals experiencing emotional distress, mental health symptoms, substance use challenges, or other acute issues. Located at 1002 Oswego Street and originally opened this winter, the facility became the fifth state-funded Crisis Stabilization Center to become operational.  

Supportive Crisis Stabilization Centers offer voluntary, short-term support for up to 24 hours, where patients receive immediate care from mental health professionals, nurses, and peer specialists. These centers are jointly licensed by OMH and OASAS to provide an expertly staffed, effective, and cost-efficient alternative to often-stressful hospital emergency departments.  

OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Supportive Crisis Stabilization Centers allow individuals experiencing a substance use or mental health crisis immediate access to help around the clock. Seeking such support is often the first step in recovery. These local centers are already proving to be successful, and we are excited about the positive impacts this facility will have in the Utica area.” 

These centers provide voluntary services with an emphasis on peer support that focuses on resilience and recovery. Likewise, the centers help to maintain collaborative relationships within the state’s system of care to ensure individuals can find and access follow-up services.       

New York State now funds four intensive centers in Syracuse, Plattsburgh, Hicksville, and Buffalo, in addition to supportive centers in Utica and Brooklyn. Additionally, the state jointly licensed intensive centers in Hauppauge and Kingston, along with a supportive center in Poughkeepsie. 

Supportive centers differ from intensive centers by providing help and support to individuals experiencing symptoms of behavioral health crisis or challenges in daily life but not at-risk of serious harm. Intensive centers offer urgent treatment to individuals experiencing an acute behavioral health crisis, providing rapid access to necessary services. 

In addition to utilizing these centers, New Yorkers experiencing or who know someone experiencing a behavioral health issue may also contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This service connects them to trained crisis counselors 24/7, who can help anyone thinking about suicide, struggling with substance use, a mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.     

Likewise, New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Find available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care on the OASAS website.   

Mayor Mamdani Announces New Mayor’s Fund Board, Including Bronx Public School Teacher and Former Longshoreman

 

The Mayor’s Fund will be chaired by Chief of Staff Elle Bisgaard-Church, who will steer its efforts to further the administration’s affordability agenda   

  

The administration will also launch a Child Care Action Fund, with a goal of raising $20 million by the end of the year  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a new Board of Directors for the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with 50 City agencies and offices, philanthropic organizations and community leaders to invest in the most urgent challenges facing New Yorkers. The fund will play a key role in advancing the Mayor’s signature affordability agenda.   

  

Elle Bisgaard-Church will chair the board, joined by six additional members. Kate Smith will continue to serve as Executive Director.   

  

Under Mamdani, the Mayor’s Fund will look different from past administrations — centered not on corporate leadership, but on working New Yorkers and advocates who organized and fought for bold and progressive action on picket lines, protests and public forums in their communities. From Christina Cover, a Bronx public school teacher to Tony Perlstein, a UAW union organizer who built a career as a longshoreman, the board reflects the working people at the heart of this city — and the center of this administration’s mission.

 

The administration views the Mayor’s Fund as a complement to, not a substitute for, public investment. While advancing major government-led efforts to lower costs – including the first municipal grocery stores and a historic expansion of free child care – the Mayor’s Fund will help accelerate progress on core commitments to the movement that brought them to City Hall.  

  

“I am honored to appoint my Chief of Staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, to lead the Mayor’s Fund into a new era, one where philanthropy is not about who has money, but about whether that money delivers for working people,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We have assembled a team of principled, focused leaders who will build on the work this administration is doing to lower costs, keep New Yorkers safe and make our city’s public infrastructure the envy of the world.” 

  

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Mayor Mamdani for the opportunity to embark on this new era for the Mayor’s Fund,” said Chief of Staff Elle Bisgaard-Church. “The Mamdani administration has received a mandate to change the relationship between New Yorkers and their government, and build an affordable city where everyone’s needs are met. We are excited to partner with the philanthropic community to deliver an optimistic and bold vision for our city to deliver on this mandate.”

  

“On behalf of the entire team at the Mayor's Fund, we welcome our new Board of Directors, chaired by Chief of Staff Elle Bisgaard-Church,” said Kate R. Smith, Executive Director of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. “We're thrilled to have a Board of Directors representative of the wide range of our city's perspectives. The Board is responsible for taking all necessary steps to carry out the purpose of the Mayor's Fund, and ensures the Fund's work remains aligned with the Mayor's policy goals and major initiatives. We're excited to collaborate on advancing our mission in serving all New Yorkers across the City.” 

  

Below are the members of the Mayor’s Fund Board of Directors:   

  

Elle Bisgaard-Church serves as Chief of Staff to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and managed his successful mayoral primary campaign. She previously served as his Chief of Staff and Legislative Director in the State Assembly, where she helped lead winning campaigns to deliver debt relief for taxi drivers, secure historic investments in the MTA through #FixtheMTA and defeat a proposed fracked gas plant. She holds a master’s degree in social policy from the London School of Economics and Columbia SIPA, and has worked on issues including incarceration, homelessness and adult literacy.  

  

Julie Chen is the Institutional Giving Manager at CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, where she supports efforts to build Asian immigrant and tenant power in New York City communities. Her previous work includes fundraising for an immigration bond fund, researching labor conditions for Chinese fast fashion workers in Italy and advocating for parents in the family policing system. She also serves in leadership roles with the Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG)'s Democratizing Development Program and the Resource Development Committee for Right to the City (RTTC). 

  

Christina Cover is an English Language Arts teacher and the Literacy Coordinator at a Bronx public high school. She previously worked as a fellow with Seek Common Ground, served as Communications Coordinator for Assembly Member Khaleel M. Anderson and participated in AmeriCorps through City Year. She earned her B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from CUNY Queens College, an M.A. in Intellectual Disabilities/Autism and dual teaching certification in English Language Arts and Special Education (7-12) from Teachers College, Columbia University and an Advanced Certificate in Reading Science and Literacy (All Grades) certificate from CUNY Brooklyn College.   

  

Shawn V. Morehead is a philanthropic leader and legal advocate with over two decades of experience advancing equity in education, civil rights and social justice. She currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer at The New York Community Trust, where she oversees a $60 million annual grant making program supported by more than $1.5 billion in endowed funds. Prior to her current position, Shawn held several roles at The Trust, including Vice President for Grants and Program Director, where she spearheaded transformative programs such as securing $35 million to improve reading instruction in New York City public schools and launching multimillion-dollar initiatives to support immigrant communities. Before entering philanthropy, Shawn built a legal career focused on civil rights and education reform. As Litigation Director at Advocates for Children of New York, she led federal class-action cases to protect the rights of students with disabilities and those facing disciplinary proceedings, negotiating landmark settlements that improved educational services and accountability. A committed community leader, Shawn has served on numerous boards and advisory councils, including EdFunders, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, and the Rivendell School.  

  

Rickke Mananzala (he/him) has spent more than 25 years working alongside grassroots leaders, community organizations and movements advancing racial, economic and gender justice. He currently serves as President of the New York Foundation, which supports community organizing and advocacy to help build a more just and inclusive New York City. Previously, he was Vice President of Programs at Borealis Philanthropy, helping bring funders together to support grassroots leaders and organizations building power for lasting social change in communities across the U.S. Rickke’s work in philanthropy is grounded in his roots as a community organizer. He began as an organizer and later became Executive Director of FIERCE, a New York City organization led by LGBTQ youth of color that organized campaigns to reduce youth criminalization and build leadership and power among young people. He currently serves on the boards of the Public Welfare Foundation and Philanthropy New York. Rickke holds a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, with a focus on urban policy.  

  

Javier H. Valdés is director of the Civic Engagement and Government program. He supports grant making to strengthen representation, participation and leadership in US democracy so that communities can shape their futures, with dignity, inclusion and equitable access to economic resources. Javier joined the foundation in 2021 after previously serving as co-executive director of Make the Road New York (MRNY) and Make the Road Action. He has spent decades advocating for policy reforms, including limiting the local presence of federal immigration enforcement, improving the quality of affordable housing, expanding translation and interpretation services at government offices, and reducing biased policing. Javier has held positions at the New York Immigration Coalition, Synergos Institute and United Nations Capital Development Fund. In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Javier the White House Champions of Change Cesar Chavez Award. Javier has a masters degree in urban planning in community and economic development from the NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a bachelor of arts in international studies and environmental design and architecture from Texas A&M University.  

  

Tony Perlstein brings decades of experience as a union and community organizer and a lifelong commitment to working people, community empowerment and public service. Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, he is a New Yorker with a deep dedication to the communities that shaped him. He currently serves as a director in the organizing department of the United Auto Workers (UAW), having previously been the union’s national co-director of education. As a former longshore worker in the port of New York and New Jersey, he was elected Secretary-Treasurer of his local union and helped lead a successful national effort to raise wages and assure new technology did not hurt workers’ standard of living. Prior to being a longshoreman, he organized New York City restaurant, warehouse, lumberyard and other industrial workers to advocate for improved conditions.  

Federal Judge Revokes Citizenship of Immigration and Identity Fraudster

 

The Department of Justice has secured the denaturalization of Gurdev Singh Sohal, also known as Dev Singh, also known as Boota Singh Sundu, who naturalized in 2005 despite having been ordered deported in 1994.

After receiving a deportation and exclusion order under the name Dev Singh, Sohal failed to leave the country, and, instead, acquired a new identity with a different and fictitious name, date of birth, and date of entry into the United States. Sohal naturalized under the new and assumed identity. Sohal withheld his prior immigration history under the Dev Singh identity in any of his immigration applications or proceedings under the new identity.

“This case shows this Administration’s strength and commitment to ensuring the sanctity of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The cooperation between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security reflects a strong partnership to protect the nation against immigration and identity fraud.”

This case was investigated as part of the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, an ongoing national initiative between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Expert analysis in February 2020 confirmed that the fingerprints submitted under both identities came from the same individual. The analysis was only made possible after DHS digitized the paper fingerprint submission documents from older immigration files.

On April 13, the court found that Sohal illegally procured his U.S. citizenship because the unlawful acts he committed in hiding his prior identity rendered him unable to show that he had the requisite good moral character to naturalize.