Safer Streets: Governor Hochul Announces $20 Million for Community-Based Organizations Providing Youth Services and Support in 10 Communities Statewide

State Investment Through Project RISE Supports 136 Programs and Services That Strengthen Youth Development, Increase Economic and Educational Opportunities, and Address Underlying Causes of Violence To Improve Community Response

Each Community Will Receive $2 Million, With Local Stakeholders Deciding How Funding is Distributed; See List of Grant Recipients

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $20 million in state funding for community-based organizations that provide services and support to young people in 10 municipalities across the state: Albany, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, and Yonkers. The investment through Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) supports a total of 136 programs and services that strengthen youth development and mental health, increase economic and educational opportunities for young people, and address the underlying causes of violence and improve the community’s response. Each community receives $2 million, which supports established organizations and smaller, grassroots programs that traditionally have not received state funding for their impactful work.

“Every young person deserves to grow up with people who believe in them, places where they feel safe and real opportunities to build a successful future,” Governor Hochul said. “Project RISE puts resources directly into communities, supporting trusted local organizations that know their young people and understand what it takes to help them thrive. By expanding opportunity and reaching young New Yorkers before they encounter the justice system, we are changing lives and building safer communities for generations to come.”

Administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the initiative supports a wide range of programs, including mentoring, mental health services, restorative practices, the arts, athletics, financial literacy, job training, and educational support that breaks down barriers to higher education and careers, among others. Project RISE also supports organizations that help youth and families build resilience and address grief and trauma resulting from long-term exposure to violence.

 Project RISE-funded organizations offered nearly 1,600 programs and events, serving slightly more than 113,000 participants, during the July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, funding cycle. This marks the fourth round of RISE funding for seven communities (Albany, Buffalo, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers) and second round for Hempstead, Troy, and Utica.

The initiative is part of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive approach to improving public safety by investing in prevention, intervention, and enforcement. Since taking office, the Governor has invested nearly $4 billion, providing record-level support for law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations on the front lines of reducing crime and gun violence.

DCJS used a data-driven approach to identify the initial locations and expand the initiative, analyzing demographics and poverty data for each city as outlined in the American Community Survey; and violent crime and shooting data reported to the state by each municipality’s police department. In addition to administering funding, DCJS provides training and technical assistance, and evaluates programs to ensure accountability and impact.

The innovative Project RISE funding model drives investments in programs and services that are tailored to meet the unique needs and priorities identified by youth, families, and other stakeholders in the participating communities. Each Project RISE community has a steering committee, which decides where the $2 million investment will pay the greatest dividends for youth and families and strengthen neighborhoods.

Steering committees use a healing and equity lens to foster ongoing collaboration; identify programs and services for funding; build capacity to implement and sustain programming to address the underlying factors contributing to violence; and improve responses to violence through partnerships. Up to four lead organizations in each community receive the funding, retaining a portion for their programs and distributing the balance to support the work of other organizations, many of which hadn’t previously received state funding. This allows RISE funding to build the capacity of successful grassroots programs to expand their reach.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Kamar Samuels Launch Sweeping Overhaul to Fix Child Care Payment Delays

 

Whole-of-government effort underway to expedite payments and ensure providers can open on the first day of school  

  

$43 million investment will transform New York City Public Schools’ Division of Early Childhood Education and prevent future payment delays  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels today announced a comprehensive overhaul of the City’s child care procurement process and New York City Public Schools’ Division of Early Childhood Education to better support child care providers and ensure they can continue serving New York families.   

  

The Mamdani administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensure providers can open their doors on the first day of school by expediting interest-free bridge loans, accelerating contract registration and delivering critical supplies directly to providers. The overhaul also includes a $43 million investment to transform NYCPS’ Division of Early Childhood Education, restoring staffing capacity and implementing reforms designed to prevent future contracting and payment delays.   

 

“Child care changes lives. For parents struggling under the weight of the affordability crisis, it can mean the difference between being able to work and being forced to choose between a paycheck and caring for your child. But we cannot deliver that relief without the child care providers who make it possible every day,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We are bringing every resource to bear to get providers paid, get classrooms open and make sure families have the care they were promised. And we are changing this system so that providers are never again asked to carry the cost of the City’s bureaucracy.”   

  

“As a parent of three, I know firsthand the importance of finding a safe and affordable child care program. Our families and our small business owners cannot wait for contracts to clear — they need access to child care now,” said Chancellor Samuels. “Our families shouldn't have to worry about their child care provider being able to pay the bills, and our providers should be focused on getting their classrooms ready for learning — not wondering when a check will come. Mayor Mamdani and I are absolutely committed to addressing the current issues now, and reforming our processes so this does not happen again.”  

  

PREPARING FOR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:   

  

The Mamdani Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensure approved providers have the resources and support they need to open on the first day of school. These efforts include:   

  

•    FAST-TRACKING CONTRACT REGISTRATION: Deploying additional staff from across City government, including every available contracting staffer at New York City Public Schools, to finalize outstanding contracts and quickly deliver them to the City Comptroller for registration and payment. These efforts have effectively tripled the number of staff working on early childhood contracts and increased the pace of contract review by several weeks.  

•    EXPEDITING INTEREST-FREE LOANS: Accelerating the processing and disbursement of interest-free bridge loans, which will be processed within five business days of submission, provided all required materials from vendors are complete. Once received, bridge loans are ultimately reconciled through the provider’s NYCPS budget. Providers will not be required to take additional action or directly repay the bridge loan after receiving it.  

•    DELIVERING CRITICAL SUPPLIES: Delivering schools supplies and other essential resources, including toys, diapers, educational materials and more, directly to any provider who needs it, ensuring they have the tools necessary to welcome children on the first day of school at no cost.  

•    DIRECT PROVIDER OUTREACH: Calling and emailing every affected child care provider directly to ensure they have the support they need to open on the first day of school and to walk providers through the interest-free bridge loan application process.  

•    ENHANCING COMMUNICATIONS: Increasing the staff assigned to monitoring incoming communications so child care providers receive timely, accurate and informed responses to their questions.  

  

TRANSFORMING DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION:   

  

The Mamdani Administration is investing $43 million to transform the NYCPS Division of Early Childhood Education. The investment will support the initial reforms outlined below, and the incoming Deputy Chancellor for Early Childhood Education will be charged with building on this work to create a system that prevents future contracting and payment delays.  

   

•    RESTORING HEADCOUNT: Rebuilding the division’s staffing after its capacity was reduced during the prior administration, starting with the initial hiring of more than 200 employees dedicated to this work. The investment will expand contracting and enrollment outreach capacity and rebuild provider support ratios that have been severely diminished.  

•    PROCUREMENT REFORM: Implementing procurement and contracting reforms that establish clear timelines for every stage of the contracting process and centralize key functions to eliminate the administrative bottlenecks that have left providers waiting for the resources they are owed.  

•    COMMUNICATIONS OVERHAUL: Launching a top-to-bottom overhaul of how NYCPS communicates with child care providers and bringing these small businesses into the center of the system’s work. This will include a new commitment to transparency, clear communication and stronger service for families and providers.  

•    ENHANCING FEEDBACK CHANNELS: Creating structured opportunities for child care providers and families to share feedback directly with the City and participate in policymaking discussions in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education as the administration works toward models of true co-governance.  

Permits Filed for 1884 University Avenue in Morris Heights, Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a 12-story residential building at 1884 University Avenue in Morris Heights, Bronx. Located between West Burnside Avenue and Morton Place, the lot is near the Burnside Avenue subway station, served by the 4 train. Yidel Wienberger is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 115-foot-tall development will yield 29,204 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 53 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 551 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a 20-foot-long rear yard.

Leandro Nils Dickson Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Illegal Aliens Face Federal Drug Trafficking Charges After Union City Meth Lab Bust

David Miranda Gomez and Robert Gomez Garcia, both illegal aliens from Mexico, face federal drug distribution charges after a search of their Union City home resulted in the discovery of a methamphetamine laboratory and seizure of over 240 pounds of solid and liquid methamphetamine.

“This case demonstrates the lengths drug traffickers will go to conceal their criminal activity and evade law enforcement,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The defendants used a different method of concealment in an effort to thwart detection, but our investigators remained persistent and uncovered the operation. We will continue to pursue those who manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and hold them accountable.”                                                                                                                

“These illegal aliens were allegedly concocting massive amounts of methamphetamine in the cul-de-sac of a neighborhood and intended to distribute their deadly drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the unwavering work of our law enforcement partner, Gomez and Garcia are in custody, their meth lab has been shut down, and the public is safer.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 25, 2026, after previously observing Garcia allegedly sell nearly four and a half pounds of methamphetamine in the parking lot of a shopping plaza, DEA agents executed a search warrant at a Union City, Georgia residence occupied by Gomez and Garcia. Upon entry, agents discovered that multiple rooms of the home had been equipped with propane burners, large pots, electric fans, plastic sheeting, resealable bags, and other items used to convert and manufacture methamphetamine. Agents found large amounts of liquid and crystal methamphetamine on both floors and various painted trinkets, which allegedly contained liquid methamphetamine. In total, agents seized approximately 240 pounds of crystal and liquid methamphetamine, thousands of dollars of cash, and an AR-style pistol.

David Miranda Gomez, 34, and Robert Gomez Garcia, 33, both of Mexico, appeared in federal court yesterday on a criminal complaint charging them with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both men were ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint contains only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

United States Extradites to Chile One of Its Most Wanted Fugitives – An Alleged Tren de Aragua Leader Charged in Chile with Criminal Association, Extortion, and Kidnapping Resulting in Homicide

Venezuelan national and illegal alien Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, 40, has been extradited from the United States to Chile, at the request of the Government of Chile, so that he may be prosecuted on seven charges stemming from his alleged role as a leader of “Los Piratas,” the primary Chilean cell of the Venezuelan transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).

Chile accuses Gamez Salas, who was surrendered to Chilean authorities, of directing multiple extortions and kidnappings on behalf of TdA, one of which resulted in the highly publicized murder of a former Venezuelan military officer. This extradition brings Gamez Salas, who also has criminal convictions in the United States for human smuggling and illegal reentry after deportation, one step closer to facing justice in Chile after illegally attempting to seek refuge in the United States.

“The United States is not a safe haven for dangerous criminal aliens,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas should never have been in our country in the first place, but under the Biden administration, open-border policies left the doors wide open, and hundreds of suspected and convicted Tren de Aragua terrorists poured into this country. Gamez Salas’s extradition is evidence of the strong cooperation with our Chilean partners to combat transnational crime, dismantle foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua, and hold members accountable for their heinous criminal acts.” 

“At the time of TdA leader Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas’s arrest on the Chilean extradition charges, he was finishing a sentence here for illegal re-entry into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead of deporting him to Venezuela, which does not extradite its own nationals, he now will be sent to Chile to face charges there that include murder, kidnapping, and extortion. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs worked extensively with Chilean authorities to extradite this defendant and ensure that another violent, illegal alien who came here unlawfully will be punished for breaking our laws and then go to Chile to face the charges levied there. When governments work cross borders together, all communities benefit and become more safe.” 

“Thanks to the previous administration’s open borders, a murderous terrorist was allowed to enter our country,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “I commend our law enforcement partners in the United States and Chile for removing this criminal, who will hopefully never see the outside of a prison again.”

Gamez Salas, also known as “Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol” and “Turko,” is accused of overseeing the criminal activities of Los Piratas in Chile. According to Chilean authorities, he planned and coordinated kidnappings, homicides, extortions and other offenses on behalf of the TdA affiliate, which included instructing subordinates to obtain necessary resources to execute the offenses and ensuring that financial resources generated for Los Piratas were transferred abroad. Chile sought Gamez Salas’s extradition so that he may stand trial for one count of criminal association, two counts of extortion, two counts of unjustified firearm discharge, one count of kidnapping resulting in homicide and one count of kidnapping for extortion, arising from separate crimes against multiple victims.

Chile alleges, among other things, that Gamez Salas, acting under the supervision of senior TdA leadership, directed and planned the February 2024 kidnapping and murder in Santiago, Chile, of a former Lieutenant in the Venezuelan military.

According to Chile, members of Los Piratas arrived at the victim’s apartment building in the middle of the night armed with firearms and in a car equipped with a blue light in an apparent attempt to impersonate officers of the Chilean Investigative Police. After using a battering ram to force entry into the victim’s apartment, the perpetrators handcuffed the victim and forcibly removed him from the building and into a car.

Around one week later, in response to a tip from a witness, authorities discovered the victim’s body by drilling into the concrete floor of a makeshift dwelling in a housing development elsewhere in Santiago, Chile. The victim’s body was found covered in lime, concealed inside a suitcase, buried in concrete more than three feet deep and sealed beneath a concrete slab.

An autopsy determined that the victim’s cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging, and the victim’s body showed signs of suspension by the upper extremities, lesions consistent with torture and partial postmortem dismemberment. Testimony obtained in the Chilean investigation revealed that the victim’s kidnapping and murder was allegedly ordered by leaders of TdA and directed to be paid for from outside of Chile.

Additionally, in an intercepted conversation, Gamez Salas allegedly told other Los Piratas members that he had been assigned “from above” the task of coordinating and executing the crime.

In support of its other charges against Gamez Salas, Chile also alleges that he played a leading role in an April 2024 deadly armed confrontation that killed a Chilean police officer; February and June 2024 kidnappings for extortion; and a March 2024 attempted kidnapping, among other offenses.

In 2023, Gamez Salas was removed from the United States to Venezuela for having entered the United States illegally. He subsequently illegally reentered the United States and was prosecuted for human smuggling by the Val Verde County District Attorney’s Office in Texas. He was convicted in February 2025, after which he was indicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States. He pled guilty to the illegal reentry charge in April 2025 and was serving his prison sentence in the Central District of California when he was arrested on Chile’s provisional arrest request in this matter. Gamez Salas was also subject to an order of removal to Venezuela, which does not extradite its own nationals.

On June 30, following Chile’s submission of a formal extradition request, Gamez Salas consented to extradition, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick for the Central District of California certified his extradition to the Secretary of State. The U.S. Department of State subsequently issued a surrender warrant authorizing Gamez Salas’s extradition. The extradition matter for Gamez Salas was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Lulejian for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Reena T. Mittelman and Ruxandra Barbulescu of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in this case and ensured a smooth and safe transfer of custody to Chilean authorities so that Gamez Salas could be transported back to Chile to face trial.

Previously, in September 2025, the United States extradited to Chile another alleged TdA member, Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, who was charged in Chile with multiple offenses arising from this same kidnapping and murder of the former Venezuelan Lieutenant. That extradition matter was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. 

Office of the New York State Comptroller DiNapoli - This Week: Millions in State Tax Checkoff Donations Remain Unused

 

Millions in State Tax Checkoff Donations Remain Unused

State taxpayers supported worthy causes with contributions to the state’s personal income tax checkoff programs, but a significant portion of those contributions remains unspent. A new analysis from Comptroller DiNapoli found that while some of New York’s tax checkoff funds reported increased spending in State Fiscal Year 2026, over half had no spending at all. Comptroller DiNapoli has highlighted this issue for more than a decade and urged the agencies responsible for managing these funds to ensure contributions are put to good use.

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Audit Exposes Gaps in NYC School Suspension Oversight

An audit of New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) oversight of student suspensions found many students receiving multiple disciplinary actions, low attendance at required alternative education sites during suspensions, and a need for NYCPS to improve the administration of student interventions to better support students facing disciplinary actions. Comptroller DiNapoli is urging school officials to act on recommendations to keep these students from falling through the cracks.

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Office of Unclaimed Funds 2025-2026 Annual Report

The Office of Unclaimed Funds returned a record high $651 million during the 2025–2026 fiscal year, according to its latest annual report. Highlighted achievements include an improved claims processing system, expansion of the Expedited Payment Program for accounts up to $5,000, and community outreach events across the state. Comptroller DiNapoli noted that returning lost money to its rightful owners is one of the best parts of the job, and that he is proud of the progress his office made over the past year to expand and expedite those efforts.

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Check for Unclaimed Funds

M U N I C I P A L   &   S C H O O L   A U D I T S

• Brentwood Union Free School District – Building Access
• Broadalbin-Perth Central School District – Building Access
• East Rochester Union Free School District – Building Access
• Fort Johnson Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. – Board Oversight
• Green Island Union Free School District – Building Access
• Hopkinton Fire District – Claims Auditing
• Ischua Fire District – Claims Auditing and Annual Financial Reports
• Moravia Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.– Treasurer
• Niskayuna Central School District – Building Access
• Onondaga Cortland Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services – Building Access
• Union-Endicott Central School District – Building Access
• Town of Wilton – Cybersecurity
• Village of Cassadaga – Cybersecurity
• Village of Lacona – Cybersecurity
• Village of Medina – Water and Sewer Billing and Collections

A L S O  I N  T H E  N E W S

• Donations to New York Charities Through Tax Checkoffs Sit Unused
• NYC's suspension classrooms have a major attendance problem, audit finds
• NYC public schools’ disciplinary actions fail at-risk students
• $33 Million Housing Development Breaks Ground in Utica
• Property Tax Cap Overrides on the Rise Across New York

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

Cox: Tish James Weaponized AG Office, Unfit to Serve

 

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement in response to a report that Attorney General Letitia James directed prosecutors to go after President Trump, and then tried to delete the evidence:

 

“Letitia James weaponized the Attorney General’s office into a political hit squad and then tried to cover up her tracks. She is utterly unfit to serve.

 

"New Yorkers deserve an Attorney General who prosecutes criminals, preserves public records and enforces the law without fear or favor. Saritha Komatireddy will be that Attorney General. She is a tough, experienced prosecutor who will restore integrity, accountability and the rule of law to an office that has lost its way.”