Thursday, November 2, 2017
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TRANSIT SAFETY ADVOCATES CALL FOR IMMEDIATE INSTALLATION OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BOLLARDS
Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez, Council Members Corey Johnson, Jumaane Williams, Margaret Chin, elected officials, and transportation advocates call on the City of New York to install pedestrian safety bollards along sidewalks in key areas of high pedestrian volume and other pedestrian safety measures to protect New Yorkers.
Elected officials and pedestrian safety advocates discussed various pedestrian safety measures, including Introduction 1658 whose primary sponsor is Chair Rodriguez. The bill would require the installation of bollards in front of schools, plazas and vision zero priority corridors, among other details. The bill was introduced and heard before the Transportation Committee in June and is awaiting a vote by the full Council body; however, the call will be to begin installation now before the legislation goes to a vote.
The heightened urgency of protecting pedestrians comes, in part, as vehicles have increasingly been used as weapons of mass destruction. The recent attack in New York City resulted in eight deaths and eleven injured.
"For the safety of New York City's pedestrians, we need the installation of more bollards in the city's most crowed areas," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Council Committee on Transportation. "New York is one the biggest targets for these types of attacks and we will continue to work together to prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening. I thank the courageous men and women of the NYPD for avoiding a greater loss of life, in particular Officer Ryan Nash, and all law enforcement and investigation agencies working to bring clarity about this act of hate and terror."
Wave Hill Events Nov 17–Nov 24 Harvest Weekend—and Black Friday Meditation!
Harvest Weekend at Wave Hill is such a low-key, hands-on experience. To my mind, it’s just what we need leading up to Thanksgiving Day—and the day after: Black Friday Meditation is truly a reason to give thanks following the feast.
Sat, November 18 Family Art Project: Cornhusk Dolls
Celebrate corn and harvest time! Listen to Native American tales, and hear about the power of a talking stick. Then tie, weave and shape dried husks into a single, cornhusk doll or corny doll family. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Harvest Weekend event.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM
Sat, November 18 In The Shop: Ruby Lu Confections
Stop in The Shop at Wave Hill this weekend to help celebrate the bounty of family and community: Today we welcome Ruby Lu Confections, an Inwood-based enterprise devoted to hand-crafting artisanal caramels made in the classic tradition and updated with modern flavors. Harvest Weekend event.
PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–4PM
Sat, November 18 Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM
Sat, November 18 New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship Info Session
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 12:30PM
Come to an information session to learn more about this one-year fellowship, administered on behalf of the Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust. It will be awarded to two New York City-based artists, who are age 30 or younger (born 1988 or after) and not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program. The fellowship provides emerging artists from historically underrepresented populations with mentorship opportunities, including working with the curatorial staff, artists and arts professionals to prepare and promote their projects and to define career paths. Van Lier Visual Artist Fellows participate in Wave Hill’s Winter Workspace Program and Sunroom Project Space. The deadline for applications is November 27. An artist talk with former Van Lier Visual Artist Fellows Julian Chams and Beatrice Glow follows the info session at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 12:30PM
Sat, November 18 Julian Chams and Beatrice Glow: A Call & Response Artist Talk
Call & Response artists Julian Chams and Beatrice Glow collaborated on a digital collage printed on fabric, reflecting and promoting indigenous cultural values about environmental stewardship. They will speak about their collective and individual processes in creating their piece. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM
Sat, November 18 Perfect Pumpkin Pie Workshop
Do you have pie anxiety? Chef Robert Valencia from Wave Hill exclusive caterer Great Performances alleviates all of your pie-making fears in this hands-on workshop. Mix and roll pastry from scratch and make a delicious pumpkin filling laced with seasonal spices. We’ll bake your pie in our Café kitchen and you’ll take it home the same day. $35/$25 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Harvest Weekend event.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2:30–4:30PM
Sun, November 19 Family Art Project: Cornhusk Dolls
Celebrate corn and harvest time! Listen to Native American tales, and hear about the power of a talking stick. Then tie, weave and shape dried husks into a single, cornhusk doll or corny doll family. Free with admission to the grounds. Harvest Weekend event.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM
Sun, November 19 In The Shop: Josephine’s Feast Preserves
Stop in The Shop at Wave Hill this weekend to help celebrate the bounty of family and community: Today we Josephine’s Feast Preserves, a collection of seasonal, sustainable and artisanally made confiture, crafted using limited quantities of local fruits and traditional, slow-cooking methods. Harvest Weekend event.
PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–4PM
Sun, November 19 Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM
Mon, November 20
Closed to the public.
Tue, November 21 Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM
Tue, November 21 Gallery Tour
Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the current exhibition in Glyndor Gallery. This fall, the entire gallery is given over to new site-responsive projects honoring the tenth anniversary of Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space. Call & Response showcases the work of 50 artists who have exhibited in this unique venue, in projects ranging from art objects created from natural materials gathered onsite, to sound pieces, outdoor installations and performance works. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM
Thu, November 23 Thanksgiving
Wave Hill is closed.
Fri, November 24 Black Friday Meditation
Avoid “Black Friday” busyness! Join us for a community meditation focused on gratitude and clearing your mind of holiday clutter. Get inspired by the outdoors and the peace and tranquility that nature evokes, and learn how to work loving kindness into daily life. Led by Neem Dewji of Yoga for Bliss. Registration not required. Please bring a meditation cushion and be on time; latecomers will not be admitted. Free with admission to the grounds.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 11AM–NOON
A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.
HOURS Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–4:30PM, November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.
ADMISSION $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.
PROGRAM FEES Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.
Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/
DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.
Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.
REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON REPUBLICANS’ TAX BILL
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement in response to the tax bill released by House Republicans earlier today:
“The Ryan/McConnell tax bill revealed by Republicans earlier today is clearly a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans while leaving the middle class and working families behind,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
“In my district, this tax bill will cap the state and local tax (SALT) deduction that many of my constituents rely upon. Capping SALT will have devastating consequences to constituents across all income brackets, and will negatively impact the ability for states and cities to raise critical funding for schools and infrastructure. Additionally, New York middle class families hit hard by significant medical costs will no longer be able to write off these costs under the Republican Plan. Individuals will also lose deductions for personal casualty losses as well as exclusions for dependent care assistance programs, which are both important benefits for working families.
“There are numerous shortcomings to this tax plan, and as written, I will be voting against it as it shortchanges working and middle-class New Yorkers and families across the nation.”
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Leader Of Violent Drug Crew Sentenced To 30 Years For 2016 Murder
Rashod Lewis Murdered a Robbery Victim on Webster Avenue in January 2016
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RASHOD LEWIS was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood to 360 months in prison in connection with his use of a firearm in the murder of Nelson Dubon on January 21, 2016. LEWIS previously pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein to one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of narcotics trafficking. LEWIS murdered Dubon in the course of a robbery on Webster Avenue in the South Bronx, which Lewis and other members of the violent street crew “YNR” committed as part of that crew’s drug business.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Rashod Lewis, a leader of a violent drug trafficking and robbery crew, shot and killed Nelson Dubon after Dubon tried to assist other victims of Lewis’ robbery. Yesterday Lewis received the lengthy prison term his vicious crime deserves.”
According to the charging documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the sentencing proceeding and earlier court appearances:
Since at least 2012, a group of young men and women living in the vicinity of 188th Street and Webster Avenue, and referring to itself as “YNR,” engaged in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. LEWIS was a leader of YNR and personally participated in multiple drug-related armed robberies. Those incidents included an armed robbery of a narcotics dealer and others located inside a billiards club on January 21, 2016, during which Lewis and his codefendant Kenneth Rudge shot and killed Nelson Dubon. On that date, Lewis and four other members of YNR entered an after-hours club located near Park Avenue and 187th Street. There, the crew threatened and assaulted a narcotics dealer before turning on the patrons of the club. Lewis and others brandished handguns, while another YNR member beat patrons with a pool cue. Dubon, who attempted to assist other victims of the robbery, was shot first by Lewis and then by Rudge, and later succumbed to his wounds.
Rudge is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wood on January 25, 2018.
In furtherance of this violent drug crew’s activities, LEWIS stored multiple firearms, including a Mac-11 subcompact machine gun, in an apartment on Webster Avenue. LEWIS also supplied and directed numerous underlings, including minors, in the sale of heroin and crack cocaine on Webster Avenue.
In addition to the prison term, LEWIS, 26, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the NYPD and ATF for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against Mamadou Ndao And Diabel Samb For String Of Gunpoint Robberies Of Cellphone Stores In Westchester County And Orange County, New York
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Anthony A. Scarpino Jr., the Westchester County District Attorney, and Christopher T. McNerney, Chief of the Greenburgh Police Department (“GPD”), announced the arrest of MAMADOU NDAO and DIABEL SAMB on charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and a firearms offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Ndao and Samb endangered the lives of customers and store employees in a series of armed robberies. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the defendants are now in custody and will face justice in federal court.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Hard-working people go to work every day to earn a living, and abide by the laws of our country. The subjects in this case allegedly chose to skip being hard-working and law abiding, and demanded money from stores at gunpoint, putting both customers and employees in harm’s way. The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force pursues criminals each and every day who choose what they may believe is an easier way of life, but now face years in federal prison.”
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. said: “Due to the efforts of our dedicated partners in law enforcement, these perpetrators have been delivered into the Criminal Justice System where they belong. We remain committed to reducing all types of crime, particularly those involving criminals who would resort to terrorizing retail store employees by robbing them at gunpoint. These arrests are a testament to our resolve and continued successful relationship with our partners in law enforcement at all levels.”
Greenburgh Police Chief Christopher T. McNerney said: “This successful investigation is the direct result of an outstanding cooperative effort by all of the agencies involved. The arrests of these violent individuals and pending federal prosecution sends a message to the residents of Westchester and beyond that we are committed to using all resources available to fight crime and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complain charging NDAO and SAMB:
On October 24, 2017, NDAO and SAMB committed a gunpoint robbery of a Verizon store located in Scarsdale, New York. SAMB entered the store carrying a firearm. He displayed the gun to two store employees and directed them to open a safe in the back room of the store. NDAO subsequently entered the store carrying a suitcase, which SAMB and NDAO filled with cellphones and other electronic devices. Following the robbery, SAMB and NDAO fled in a vehicle that had been parked outside the store. Law enforcement intercepted SAMB and NDAO in Mount Vernon, New York, where they were ultimately apprehended by the Greenburgh Police Department. Law enforcement recovered clothing worn by SAMB and NDAO during at least two of these robberies in the vehicle the defendants had used to flee the scene. Numerous stolen cellphones and other electronic devices were recovered from the suitcase NDAO had carried into the Scarsdale Verizon store.
NDAO, 24, of New York, New York, and SAMB, 32, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
NDAO and SAMB were arrested by the GPD on October 24, 2017, and are expected to be presented tomorrow in White Plains federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the Real Time Crime Center, the Mount Pleasant Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, the Tarrytown Police Department, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, the Pelham Police Department, the Greenburgh Police Department, and the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and task force officers from the FBI, the U.S. Probation Office, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Police Department, the City of Yonkers Police Department, the City of Yonkers Police Department, the Peekskill Police Department, and the Mount Vernon Police Department. Mr. Kim thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for its significant contributions to the investigation and for its assistance in the arrest and apprehension of the defendants.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty To Participating In Multimillion-Dollar Securities Fraud Scheme
Joseph Meli Defrauded More than 130 Investors Who Invested More than $95 Million and Diverted Fraudulent Proceeds to His Own Use and to Repay Prior Investors
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH MELI pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to securities fraud. Between 2015 and January 2017, MELI conducted a scheme to defraud more than approximately 130 investors who invested a total of more than approximately $95 million through false representations that MELI would use investor funds to purchase tickets to various live events for resale at a profit on the secondary market. MELI pled guilty earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As he admitted in court today, Joseph Meli created his own theatrical production – a fictitious business that purported to have access to blocks of tickets to Broadway shows and other events. In fact, Meli was deceiving investors into giving him money that he pocketed to fund his own extravagant lifestyle. Now he awaits sentencing for running a Ponzi scheme.”
According to allegations in the superseding Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, previous court filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2015 through in or about January 2017, MELI conducted a scheme to defraud more than approximately 130 investors who invested a total of more than approximately $95 million through false representations that MELI would use investor funds to purchase tickets to various live events for resale at a profit on the secondary market. In fact, MELI utilized a substantial portion of the investor funds he obtained for MELI’s personal expenses – including payments for a $3 million house in East Hampton, New York, a 2017 Porsche convertible, and expensive watches and jewelry – and to make payments, in a Ponzi-like manner, to previous investors in MELI’s ticket fraud scheme and in unrelated hedge fund.
In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, MELI falsely represented to investors that he had entered into written agreements with production companies for popular Broadway shows and with management companies for popular singers and music bands (together, the “Production and Management Companies”) to purchase large blocks of tickets to the shows and performances. In truth and in fact, MELI had not entered into such agreements and did not have any contractual rights to purchase such tickets from the Production and Management Companies.
In furtherance of the scheme, moreover, MELI provided investors with falsified documents purporting to reflect agreements between MELI’s company, Advance Entertainment, LLC (“Advance”), and the Production and Management Companies, in which the Production and Management Companies agreed to sell Advance large blocks of tickets to the shows or performances. In truth and in fact, the Production and Management Companies had not entered into agreements to sell tickets to MELI or Advance. These fake agreements listed, as authorized representatives entering into the agreements on behalf of the Production and Management Companies, the names of individuals within those organizations, and furthermore contained fraudulent signatures of these individuals.
MELI, 43, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. In addition, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Government, MELI agreed to forfeit proceeds of the offense and to pay restitution to the victims of the offense. MELI is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kimba M. Wood on January 31, 2018.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.