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CONSUMER ALERT: Dept of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Warns Against Package Theft During the Holiday Season

AJ Woodson
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CONSUMER ALERT: Dept of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Warns Against Package Theft During the Holiday Season

Online Purchases and Package Deliveries Increase During the Holiday Season, Leaving More Consumers Vulnerable to Package Theft 

Secretary Mosley: “While you’re preparing to spread holiday cheer with those gifts, thieves may be trying to steal both from you.” 

The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning consumers about package thefts this holiday season and sharing tips on how they can protect themselves from thieves trying to steal packages from their homes. The National Retail Federation recently reported that during the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, online shopping increased nine percent (9%) compared to last year. This increase in online shopping means more convenience for consumers, but also brings more risks. According to the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s 2025 Package Theft in the U.S. Report, at least 58 million packages were stolen nationwide in 2024, leading to approximately $16 billion in financial loss.  

“Many consumers have already started or even finished their online holiday shopping for the season and are now waiting for their purchases to be delivered to their doorsteps,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “While you’re getting ready to spread holiday cheer, thieves may be trying to take advantage. If you’re expecting deliveries this holiday season, make sure you’re taking added precautions and keeping track of your packages to prevent them from being stolen.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Online shopping has become a standard practice, and during the holiday season, package theft is even more prevalent for consumers. Stealing a package takes only seconds and can leave the victim with frustration and unexpected financial difficulty. By using package, order, or logistics “tracking” of packages and using alternative delivery methods (Hub locker, BOPIS), you can better protect your purchases and further ensure that you actually take possession of your delivered items.”

As you check things off your shopping list, be sure to follow these tips to prevent package theft and identity theft:

  • Keep track of your packages: Package theft peaks during the holiday season, so keeping track of your deliveries is critical to prevent theft.Delivery companies offer real-time tracking and the option to receive customized alerts so you can stay on top of your holiday shipments once they arrive and retrieve your packages as soon as they’re delivered.
  • Schedule deliveries when someone is home: Many online retailers and delivery companies allow consumers to schedule specific delivery timeframes. Choose a timeframe when someone will be home to avoid potential theft. When you are home, closely monitor delivery progress via tracking links and bring the package inside as soon as possible to limit the window of vulnerability.
  • Enlist your neighbor’s help: If you’re not going to be home, enlist the help of a trusted neighbor. When possible, have your packages delivered to a location where they can be received in person.
  • Monitor your front door with a security or doorbell camera: While a camera may not deter thieves, the presence of a camera can help you keep track of when packages are delivered so you can retrieve them quickly. If a package is stolen, the video recording of the theft can also be shared with the police.
  • Take advantage of the “Ship to Store” option: Many retailers offer a “ship to store” option. This means that you can order items online and have them sent to a local brick-and-mortar store. You can then pick up your purchase at a time convenient for you.
  • Consider alternative delivery options: Most delivery companies have alternative pickup and delivery options available. Some include redirecting packages to a local merchant partner or holding packages at their location. Do some research by visiting their websites to explore your options and update your delivery preferences. If you know you’re going to be on vacation, request a vacation hold on all shipments.
  • Opt for other services: If you’re doing most of your shopping online, consider alternative delivery options like a package locker, lockbox, or smart locker. Major retailers and delivery companies are increasing these services in multiple areas throughout New York State. In New York City, the LockerNYC program offers New York City residents access to free delivery lockers.
  • Require delivery confirmation signature: Consider requesting a signature for packages, especially for high-ticket items. This will ensure your items are not left unattended when delivered. This may require choosing a pricier shipping option.
  • Find out how a delivery company will communicate with you: Depending on how you signed up for notifications, messages from a delivery company are usually posted within a secure online portal. Delivery companies will never contact you with unsolicited calls or texts. If you receive an unexpected call, hang up and call the company using the official customer service number to verify its legitimacy.
  • Beware of phishing attempts: Another common scam this time of year is scammers using phishing emails and text messages to impersonate delivery companies (e.g., UPS, USPS, FedEx), banking and credit card companies and other large retailers (e.g., Netflix, PayPal, eBay, Amazon), which often include links to sites attempting to steal your information.  Common phishing techniques include:
    • Suspicious links: These messages often look legitimate, but if you click the link, your usernames and passwords for your online banking, email or social media accounts could be compromised according to the Federal Trade Commission. Always open a browser and type the company’s website address yourself instead of clicking on a link in an email or text message.
    • Request for personal information: You receive an unexpected text from a delivery driver or a post office asking you to verify your address. If you call a number from an unsolicited message, you will then be asked to confirm your personal information and may be asked to provide your credit card information to pay a delivery fee. If you did not recently order a product, the caller may try to convince you the package is a gift from a friend or family member. In either scenario, the package does not exist. Providing your personal information to a scammer puts you at risk of falling victim to identity theft.
  • Report stolen packages immediately: Retailers may offer a partial or full refund if your package was stolen, but you must follow up with the retailer as quickly as possible to initiate this process. 

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. The Division can also be reached via X at @NYSConsumer or Facebook.

Why Westchester Won’t Follow Albany Off the Cliff

DAMON K JONES
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Why Westchester Won’t Follow Albany Off the Cliff

The recent Westchester County budget tells a story far more honest than the slogans that dominate New York politics. While some lawmakers in Albany—most notably Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani—continue to push a Democratic-Socialist agenda built on ever-expanding government, Westchester has been forced into a different conversation: reality.

Under this year’s $2.5 billion budget, nearly every county department absorbed an eight-percent cut. Roughly 180 positions were eliminated through attrition, and a hard hiring freeze was imposed. Even with these reductions, the County Executive still had to raise the property-tax levy by 3.7 percent—down from an originally proposed 5.27 percent. These are not the actions of a government pursuing ideological expansion. They are the actions of a government trying to keep the books balanced while the economy tightens and federal support shrinks.

Thomas Sowell famously reminded us that “there are no solutions—only trade-offs.” Westchester’s budget reflects that truth. County officials did not stand at a podium calling for “free everything” or promising the illusion of unlimited public services without consequence. Instead, they confronted what every household and every business already understands: when revenues fall, and costs rise, you must adjust your spending. You cut where you can. You preserve what is essential. And you resist the temptation to pretend fiscal gravity doesn’t apply to you.

Ken Jenkins’ victory speech made one thing unmistakably clear: leadership is not performance — it is stewardship. When he reminded Westchester that “competent, stable leadership beats chaos and drama every time,” he wasn’t offering a slogan; he was acknowledging the reality of the budget he must now execute. An eight-percent reduction across departments, 180 positions eliminated through attrition, a hiring freeze, and a disciplined 3.7 percent tax levy increase are not the talking points of a politician seeking applause — they are the trade-offs of a leader who understands that governing means making decisions grounded in arithmetic, not ideology. His speech echoed the very structure of the budget: sober, steady, responsible. Where others promise transformation through sweeping rhetoric or redistribution, Jenkins laid out a path rooted in fiscal discipline and institutional stability. His words matched his work. At a time when New York is filled with movement candidates who speak in poetry and govern in slogans, Jenkins is signaling that Westchester will be governed by the math — not the microphone.

Read: Two Historic Victories: What Ken Jenkins and Zohran Mamdani Reveal About the Future of New York Politics

Albany offers the clearest example of what happens when political fantasy outruns fiscal restraint. While Westchester is tightening its belt, Albany continues to expand spending even as revenues weaken, businesses close, and residents flee the state. The Legislature has adopted policies that drive up labor costs, restrict police authority, inflate entitlement spending, and treat the taxpayer as an endlessly refillable well. The result is a multibillion-dollar structural deficit, rising debt service, and an economic climate so unstable that even long-standing New York companies are relocating. Albany’s approach mirrors the ideological playbook of its Democratic-Socialist wing: promise more, produce less, and blame external forces when the math no longer works. Westchester, by contrast, is behaving like a county that understands something Albany refuses to confront — arithmetic is not partisan, and outcomes do not bend to political slogans.

Contrast that with the Democratic-Socialist worldview, where the answer to every problem is more government staff, more government programs, and more government spending—funded by higher taxes on the same shrinking tax base. Mamdani and his allies offer sweeping visions of expanded social services, regardless of cost. But visions do not pay bills. Growth in government payrolls does not drive economic growth. And raising taxes in a region already experiencing out-migration does not increase the number of people available to pay them.

What we see in Westchester is not conservatism in a partisan sense—this is economic realism. The county’s approach recognizes that incentives matter, taxpayers respond to burdens, and businesses relocate when operating costs rise beyond reason. Those aren’t ideologies; they are patterns of behavior so consistent that they border on economic law.

The county’s 3.7 percent property-tax increase is already a meaningful adjustment for residents across Westchester, but its effect becomes far more severe in Mount Vernon. Unlike wealthier municipalities with stronger commercial tax bases, Mount Vernon depends heavily on homeowners to fund essential services. When the county raises taxes at the same time the city prepares a 5 percent increase of its own, residents are hit twice in the same fiscal year. Their incomes don’t rise, their services don’t dramatically expand — but their cost of staying in their homes grows significantly. What appears to be a manageable county levy adjustment becomes a compounded burden for families already navigating some of the highest effective tax rates in the region.

But it’s also important to be clear: this is not the county’s fault. Fiscal stress in Mount Vernon is the product of choices made at City Hall, not at the county level. Westchester County has bailed the city out numerous times — most notably with the $10 million allocated for Memorial Field, a project that administration after administration in Mount Vernon failed to complete. The county was eventually forced to take over the entire redevelopment and invest an additional $10 million of county taxpayers’ money just to deliver what the city had promised for more than a decade. So while the combined tax increases hit Mount Vernon residents hardest, the structural problem lies in chronic local mismanagement. The county can absorb eight-percent departmental cuts; many Mount Vernon residents cannot absorb near-double property-tax pressures — especially when past city leadership has repeatedly wasted opportunities for fiscal stability and responsible growth.

Policymakers who ignore these patterns—no matter how noble their intentions—produce predictable outcomes: declining tax bases, rising deficits, and shrinking opportunity. You can see versions of this in parts of New York City that embraced the very policies Mamdani champions. The results have been budget gaps, weakened public safety, deteriorating services, and a political culture more comfortable blaming external villains than correcting internal failures.

Westchester’s budget is a quiet rejection of that mindset. It says, “We cannot spend our way into prosperity.” We cannot tax our way into affordability. And we cannot build a stronger country by refusing to confront fiscal limits.

This is not a radical insight. It is simply an acknowledgment of what Westchester reader must understand: outcomes matter more than intentions. Budgets are moral documents not because they signal virtue, but because they reveal discipline—or lack of it.

This time, like it or not, Westchester chose discipline. Albany still chooses illusion. And the difference between the two will show up not in soundbites, but in the lived reality of the people who call this state home.

BOL Honors Two Outgoing Legislators With Distinguished Service Award

AJ Woodson
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BOL Honors Two Outgoing Legislators With Distinguished Service Award

BOARD HONORS LEGISLATORS BOYKIN AND PARKER WITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD AT FINAL 2025 MEETING

Both Complete Service on County Board After Six Terms

On Monday, the Board of Legislators honored two outgoing legislators with the Westchester County Distinguished Service Award, the highest level of recognition the Board can bestow. The medals are awarded to individuals who have significantly benefited the general welfare and common good of the County through dedicated public service.

The honorees were Legislator Ben Boykin, District 5 (representing most of White Plains, all of Scarsdale, and West Harrison), and Legislator Catherine F. Parker, District 7 (representing Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, and part of Harrison), both of whom will leave office at the end of the month, having reached term limits. 

“I would like to extend my most heartfelt congratulations to my friends, Former Chair and Legislator Ben Boykin and Legislator Catherine Parker, on their well-deserved retirement from the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Their years of dedicated service, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to the people of Westchester have left a profound impact on our communities,” County Executive Ken Jenkins shared with Black Westchester.

Board Chairman Vedat Gashi (D–New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown) said, “Transitions on the Board are always bittersweet, but the departure of these two outstanding legislators seems especially poignant.

Ben’s long service to the public is extraordinary. Serving as NYSAC’s 80th president and completing two terms as Chair of the Board during a period of tremendous change are accomplishments unlikely to be matched. He guided the legislature through the pandemic, ushering in technological advances that kept the Board’s work moving forward. He also led the first Board with majorities of women and people of color, and offered me, personally, invaluable mentorship.

Catherine has dedicated 18 years to public service—six years on Rye City Council, followed by six terms steadfastly representing District 7 on the Board. Her legislative leadership on environmental issues set a high standard for the future, improving quality of life for the Sound Shore towns she represents and all of Westchester—from advancing flood-control measures, to creating a County Office of Sustainability, to stewarding the management of Rye Playland, a cherished County gem.”

“I am humbled and honored to receive this prestigious award from the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the highest honor the Board bestows. My twelve-year tenure here has been historic and transformative in many respects as I led this Board as Chairman for four years from 2018–2021. I have enjoyed working with my colleagues and our outstanding staff to move our County forward. My service has been a labor of love, and I thank my constituents and all the residents of Westchester for allowing me to help make our County a better place to live, work, and enjoy,” Legislator Benjamin Boykin II said.


“It has been the honor and privilege of my life to have served as the County Legislator for the 7th District these last 12 years. So many individuals and local organizations have shown me over my tenure that we can achieve so much when we come together to tackle problems like climate change, affordability, and flooding. I leave office knowing government can be a force for good, and feeling that the legacy I leave shows the next generation that we were thinking of them as we made our policy decisions,” Legislator Catherine F. Parker said.

The legislators’ colleagues included enthusiastic statements of gratitude for the leadership, friendship, and institutional knowledge both legislators freely gave throughout the years, noting in particular their steadfast leadership in County government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediately following the celebration, the Board of Legislators convened a special meeting to vote on the 2026 Budget.

Watch the full Regular Meeting below.

“During his tenure, both as legislator and Chair of the Board, Legislator Boykin guided his colleagues through complex budget cycles, COVID, and advanced policies that strengthened County Services. Legislator Parker’s deep commitment to the sound shore communities and strong advocacy on quality-of-life issues made a meaningful difference to the residents she served. As they begin this next chapter, I offer my sincere gratitude for their partnership and tireless effort on behalf of the people of Westchester. We wish them continued success and fulfillment in all that they do,” CE Jenkins shared in closing.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators is the policy-making branch of county government, serving one million residents. The 17-member Board allocates funds, approves the budget, and manages taxes, in addition to passing local laws, acts, and resolutions. It is the longest-running elected body in New York, with a history of over 300 years. Learn more by visiting www.westchesterlegislators.com.

When Partisanship Outweighs Race in the Courts: Why 90% of Black Voters in One Party Made This Supreme Court Ruling Inevitable

DAMON K JONES
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When Partisanship Outweighs Race in the Courts: Why 90% of Black Voters in One Party Made This Supreme Court Ruling Inevitable

The outrage over the Supreme Court’s latest redistricting ruling misses the most essential truth in the conversation: the Court did not create the political vulnerability Black America is now experiencing. If anything, the verdict exposes a flaw in our own political strategy — one that has gone unchallenged for decades.

The Court’s decision to allow Texas to use a disputed congressional map is being described as an attack on minority voting rights. Critics argue it weakens Black and Latino political power and ignores racial discrimination. But that framing avoids the ruling’s fundamental logic. The Court did not bless race-based gerrymandering. It reaffirmed what it has already said for years: partisan gerrymandering is legal, and federal courts will not referee it.

That single distinction changes the entire analysis. Racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. But partisan gerrymandering — drawing lines to benefit a political party — is not. So when states claim their maps are designed for partisan advantage, not racial targeting, the Court accepts that explanation unless racial intent can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Here is where the problem becomes ours.

When over 90 percent of Black voters choose to align with one political party, the political effect becomes indistinguishable from race. Diluting Democratic votes inevitably dilutes Black votes because the two have become nearly identical in practice. The Supreme Court did not engineer that political uniformity. It merely responded to the reality we created.

This is the uncomfortable truth we avoid: predictability is political weakness. A group that consistently gives one party near-automatic support surrenders its bargaining power with both parties. One side assumes your loyalty. The other assumes your hostility. In that environment, gerrymandering becomes mathematically simple. You don’t need to target Black voters by race — targeting them by party accomplishes the same outcome with constitutional cover.

And we reinforce this vulnerability every election cycle.

We treat political loyalty as culture. We mistake party identity for community identity. To change this, Black leaders should promote policies that prioritize community interests over party loyalty, encouraging voters to evaluate candidates based on impact rather than allegiance, thereby increasing leverage.

And as long as we remain politically monolithic, partisan redistricting will continue to undermine our representation while remaining perfectly constitutional. To counter this, Black voters and leaders must prioritize coalition-building, voter education, and advocacy for competitive districts to break the cycle of political uniformity.

The Court’s ruling was not a betrayal. It was a mirror.

The Court’s ruling was not a betrayal. It was a mirror. It shows that political power is not secured through loyalty — it is secured through independence, unpredictability, and a willingness to withhold support until demands are met. Other voter blocs understand this. They negotiate. They extract concessions. They shift when necessary. That is why they are courted instead of taken for granted.

If Black America wants equal political influence, we cannot continue playing a game where everybody else negotiates for power while we negotiate for symbolism. We must reassess our strategy to build real leverage and influence.

The Supreme Court is not our problem.

Our one-sided strategy is.

And until we confront that truth, rulings like this will not be the exception — they will be the new normal.

The Dangerous Politics of Deflection: Why Black Leaders Attack Questions Instead of Fixing Crime

DAMON K JONES
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The Dangerous Politics of Deflection: Why Black Leaders Attack Questions Instead of Fixing Crime

The crisis in Chicago this past week revealed a deeper failure in leadership—when Mayor Brandon Johnson responded with indignation instead of clarity, it exposed a broader problem in political accountability.

The reporter raised a straightforward, factual concern: Why was a Christmas market being treated as a greater public-safety threat than teenagers running through downtown, shooting at people—violence that had just taken a child’s life and injured eight others? Instead of acknowledging the gravity of the moment, the mayor lashed out. He called the question “disgusting and racist,” told Chicagoans to “avoid” the reporter, and then launched into a self-promotional speech about how many employees he hires and how he runs “the biggest corporation in Chicago.” A child was dead. Families were traumatized. And the city’s chief executive chose ego over accountability.

This isn’t just about Chicago; it reflects a national crisis where questioning power is seen as betrayal, and accountability is replaced with defensiveness across Black-led cities.

Crime rates in Chicago remain high compared to most majority-Black cities, with over 1,500 aggravated assaults in a month, yet many Black politicians avoid addressing these facts directly.

And this is where the political dishonesty becomes impossible to ignore. The data is not ambiguous. Some analyses place the share of Black-on-Black homicides between 80 and 90 percent of Black victims being killed by other Black people. Historically, when race is known, around 91 percent of Black homicide victims in single-victim, single-offender cases were killed by Black offenders. These statistics have persisted for decades. Yet when you ask many Black politicians about violence in their own cities, they don’t talk about failed policy decisions, decades of mismanagement, or the leadership vacuum they helped create. They don’t address the conditions they were elected to fix. Instead, they blame racism. They blame Trump. They blame “the white man.” They blame anyone except themselves and the policies in their cities that have failed to keep their own people safe.

This is where the hypocrisy of Black politics becomes undeniable. When violence comes from within our own communities, leaders attack the messenger instead of the problem. They dismiss questions as racist, or if it’s a Black female elected, she will say it’s sexist even when those questions come from Black residents and Black journalists. I have lived this personally. I’ve been told that by raising concerns about political corruption or the high levels of crime and violence in a Black city, “I’m making the city look bad.” Accountability is treated as betrayal. Criticism is treated as an assault on identity. It is easier for them to moralize than to manage, easier to posture than to perform, easier to register indignation than to deliver results.

Mount Vernon, New York, offers one of the clearest examples of how this political culture corrodes Black cities over time. The town has been trapped in a cycle of financial mismanagement, missing funds, broken audits, neglected infrastructure, understaffed police, and persistent violence. Residents see the decline daily. Yet when anyone raises these issues—journalists, activists, taxpayers—the leadership responds with the same defensiveness Chicago saw: blame the critic, deny the problem, and protect the political brand at all costs.

When you compare major Black cities like Memphis, St. Louis, Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit, and Mount Vernon, one truth becomes unavoidable: crime is not just a cultural issue — it is the direct outcome of policy failure. These cities share the same patterns of high violence, collapsing infrastructure, weak economic development in Black neighborhoods, failing schools, and broken workforce pipelines. Add to that the chronic budget downfalls placed squarely on the backs of Black taxpayers, who pay more and receive less. If the policies were working, the outcomes would reflect it. Instead, the same political class that has governed these cities for decades responds to every concern with the same script: blame racism, blame Republicans, blame anything except their own leadership — even though in many of these cities there are barely any Republicans in elected office at all. It is not a coincidence. It is a pattern and practice of the usual Black politics of deflection, in which accountability is avoided and failure is recycled year after year. Mount Vernon stands as a perfect example: years of mismanagement, broken audits, and neighborhood neglect have produced predictable results that no amount of political spin can hide.

Black communities don’t need more speeches, cultural posturing, or emotional deflection — they need outcome-based governance. That means policies that actually create skilled workers, attract investment into Black neighborhoods, restore vocational and trade programs, rebuild competent city agencies, and produce measurable improvements in safety, education, and opportunity. Cities with strong schools, functioning institutions, and economic mobility have lower crime regardless of race; cities with failing schools, mismanaged budgets, and no path to opportunity have high crime regardless of race. The outcomes don’t lie. Until Black political leadership — from Chicago to Mount Vernon — abandons the politics of blame and embraces policies that deliver real results, Black taxpayers will continue carrying the cost of decisions that have failed them for decades.

This is not a Chicago problem. It is a national problem. From Chicago to Mount Vernon, from Baltimore to St. Louis, too many Black-led cities are governed by leaders who cannot separate public duty from personal pride. Emotion becomes a shield. Accountability becomes the enemy. And the communities that need honest leadership the most are left with excuses, deflection, and decline.

Mayor Johnson didn’t just dodge a tricky question. He exposed the operating system of a political culture that has failed Black America for decades. In this culture, leadership is measured by rhetoric rather than results, transparency is treated as a threat, and protecting the office becomes more important than protecting the people.

But the truth is unavoidable: when leaders defend themselves instead of protecting the public, the people lose every time.

If Black communities are serious about safety and progress, we must demand leaders who face questions honestly and prioritize our well-being over image.

Instead, we got political theatrics.

And until that changes—not just in Chicago but across the nation—our communities will continue to pay the price for leaders who refuse to face the truth.

Yonkers Leader Jonathan Alvarez Selected for National W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellowship

AJ Woodson
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Yonkers Leader Jonathan Alvarez Selected for National W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellowship

“I earned great wins this year, but this one hits different. -
For my community, for my city — this is MAJOR. – Being selected as a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellow is one for the books. -
And I’m proud to say it loud: I’m putting Yonkers on the map.” – Jonathan Alvarez

Jonathan Alvarez, Founder & CEO of 914United, was recently selected as one of only 80 fellows nationwide for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network with the Center for Creative Leadership—a prestigious 18-month national fellowship that invests in community-rooted leaders working to create conditions where children and families can thrive.

For those who know his story, you know this: Nothing given. Everything earned.

“From prison to purpose.
From the block to boardrooms.
From cell to CEO. -
And now — to a national stage where our voice, our struggle, and our impact will be read far and wide,” Alvarez shared with Black Westchester. “As someone who grew up in this region, spent nearly 15 years incarcerated beginning at age 17, and returned home to build 914United as a movement for second chances and community healing, this opportunity is both deeply personal and a major milestone for our city and county. This opportunity is life-changing — for me, for 914United, and for the young people and families we serve every day.”

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network with the Center for Creative Leadership is an innovative fellowship for leaders in local communities and the national child- and family-serving ecosystem to connect, grow, and lead collaborative, transformational change on behalf of children, families, and communities.

The 18-month fellowship prepares leaders to meet the challenges of our time, emphasizing collective leadership as a driver of systems change. Through immersive learning, national collaboration, and advanced leadership development, fellows deepen their understanding of systems transformation and strengthen their ability to navigate differences, build coalitions, and inspire community-based solutions.

Alvarez’s leadership is deeply rooted in lived experience. After serving nearly 15 years of incarceration beginning at age 17, he returned home determined to break cycles of harm and create pathways of opportunity for youth most impacted by the criminal legal and family regulation systems. In 2020, he founded 914United, a Westchester-based nonprofit focused on credible messenger mentorship, violence prevention, civic advocacy, and youth leadership development. His work has led to county- and statewide recognition, including an appointment to the New York State Commission on Prison Education.

“This fellowship is an honor — not just for me, but for my community,” said Alvarez. “My journey shows that it’s not about how you start, but how you finish. The WKKF fellowship will allow me to grow as a leader, expand our impact at 914United, and bring national awareness to the transformative work happening right here in Yonkers. Nothing was given. Everything was earned — and I’m committed to paying that forward for the next generation.”

Class Four of the WKKF Community Leadership Network fellowship will begin in January 2026 and continue for 18 months. Through six in-person and three virtual gatherings, fellows will build relationships, sharpen their leadership practice, and embark on a journey of personal and collective transformation.

Black Westchester celebrates 914United Founder & CEO Jonathan Alvarez, and looks forward as he writes the new chapter in his life. He continues to be a living story of resilience and redemption. He is an example to the next generation that your worst mistake does not have to be the end of your story.

In May 2020, as part of Lorraine Lopez’s series #YonkersStrong and our Modern Day Heroes Mondays, Black Westchester hosted a special edition of the Black Westchester Power Hour in conjunction with Latino Empowerment, we celebrated four individuals from Yonkers, like Alvarez, who are doing great work in the city of Yonkers and the surrounding areas to serve the community during the difficult pandemic we are facing.

914United is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to breaking cycles of justice involvement for at-risk youth and adults in the Lower Hudson Valley. We blend professional case management with authentic mentorship grounded in lived experience to provide resources, safe spaces, and pathways to economic opportunity and leadership.

Homicide In Soundview Section Of The Bronx

AJ Woodson
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Homicide In Soundview Section Of The Bronx

Gregory Stewart, 38, was shot and killed in a stairway of Sotomayor Houses in the Soundview section of the Bronx on December 8th. On Sunday night, Stewart was found shot in the head at 1744 Watson Ave and was taken by EMS to NYC Health+Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police taped off the scene and took Sean Grant, 28, a person of interest, into custody as part of the ongoing investigation. Grant was later charged with murder.

New York City experienced the fewest shooting incidents and fatalities in its history throughout the first 11 months of this year. With 16 murders, November’s murder rate was likewise at its lowest point in recorded history, matching the previous record established in 2018.

“Right strategy. Great execution. That’s how you set record after record,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. “Thank you to the members of the NYPD who have sacrificed so much this year to drive down violent crime to record lows.”

According to the NYPD, this is the longest period of time in recorded history without a homicide was set in 2015, and the NYPD is looking into the city’s first apparent killing in 12 calendar days.

Police say Grant is a resident of the Sotomayor Houses. Stewart didn’t live there. It is unknown what led Stewart to the housing complex. Grant faces murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon charges.

MVPD & ATF Arrest Holy Cow Robbers

AJ Woodson
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MVPD & ATF Arrest Holy Cow Robbers

The Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) announced on Monday that its Detective Division, working in close collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), has successfully closed an active armed robbery pattern investigation with the arrest of two suspects.

“As alleged, over the course of three weeks in November, Jyereonne Ransom and Kenneth Crute carried out a series of gunpoint robberies,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton. “When offenders choose gun violence in New York, we will work to get them off the street using our robust federal investigative tools and partnerships, and they will be charged with serious federal crimes, often carrying mandatory minimums and consecutive sentences, so that they remain off the street.”

As alleged in the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court (see below):

Ransom and Crute, both from Manhattan, NY, were arrested on Saturday, December 6, 2025, and presented on Monday in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy, who ordered them detained for a string of robberies between November 10, 2025, and November 29, 2025, targeting local businesses in Mount Vernon and upper Manhattan. The investigation has linked both individuals to the armed robberies of Holy Cow Restaurant, located at 520 Gramatan Avenue, which occurred on November 12th and November 29, 2025.

In addition to these incidents, one of the suspects will also be charged with:

  • A carjacking on November 4th on Linden Avenue
  • The armed robbery of the Shell Gas Station, located at 422 Gramatan Avenue, on November 19th.
  • The November 10, 2025, gunpoint robbery of a restaurant in upper Manhattan

Due to the seriousness of these offenses, both individuals will be prosecuted federally.

“On behalf of the Detective Division, I want to thank the residents of Mount Vernon for their continued support, cooperation, and trust,” said MVPD Lieutenant Janie McKennie, Commanding Officer of the Detective Division. “We remain committed every single day to seeking justice for victims and building a safer future for this community. This is a true example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies work together and when a community stands united with its police department.”

Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard praised the work of the department and partners involved in the case.

“Our community refuses to be intimidated by violence,” said Mayor Patterson-Howard. “These arrests show what happens when our residents, our detectives, and our federal and regional partners work together with urgency and purpose. Mount Vernon is safer today because of their dedication, and we will continue to pursue anyone who threatens the safety, dignity, or stability of our city—relentlessly and without hesitation.”

“These arrests stem directly from the strong collaboration between ATF NY’s Hudson Valley Field Office and the Mount Vernon Police Department,” said Resident Agent in Charge of the Hudson Valley Field Office of the Bureau of ATF.  “By combining our expertise and resources, we were able to swiftly stop a pattern of armed robberies that threatened innocent lives. Our agencies remain firmly committed to safeguarding our communities, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York will now take the case forward. This type of violence creates fear within the community, and we refuse to tolerate it.  We will persist in doing everything we can to reduce violent gun crime in our streets.”

Ransom, 19, of New York, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carries an additional mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and must be served consecutively to any other prison terms imposed.     

Crute, 18, of New York, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carries an additional mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and must be served consecutively to any other prison terms imposed.     

The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

u.s. v. Ransom Crute Complaint by BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE

In a statement sent to Black Westchester, the Mount Vernon Police Department stated they “remain committed to protecting residents and working alongside regional, state, and federal partners to ensure that violent crime is addressed swiftly and effectively.”

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF Hudson Valley Field Office, the City of Mount Vernon Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety.

The Office’s White Plains Division is handling the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Sidransky is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PBP Radio Dec 7, 2025 – Diddy Doc Fallout, Trump Kids Accounts & The Death of the Dept. of Education

AJ Woodson
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PBP Radio Dec 7, 2025 – Diddy Doc Fallout, Trump Kids Accounts & The Death of the Dept. of Education

Black Westchester presents the People Before Politics Radio Show with Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson & Larnez Kinsey. Tonight, we’re bringing you a powerful and necessary conversation with two important voices shaping our community’s present and future.

Tonight on a brand-new episode of the People Before Politics Show — Sunday Rundown, powered by Black Westchester Magazine, we’re diving into the stories everybody’s talking about — and the stories they don’t want us talking about. First up, we break down the new Diddy documentary on Netflix — the controversy, the cultural fallout, and what it reveals about power, protection, and accountability in Black entertainment. Then we take a hard look at the new Trump Childhood Investment Accounts. Will they work for Black America? Are they a real path to ownership and economic uplift — or another political illusion? We focus on the facts, not the emotions. Next, we examine the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. What does this mean for Black students, Black parents, and public education as a whole? Is this chaos — or an overdue reset? And finally, we provide an update on the Murray child harassment case — where things stand, what has been uncovered, and what the community deserves to know.

This conversation is about justice, reform, healing, and truth — and the work that still remains.
Join Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson, and Larnez Kinsey tonight as we bring you not just news, but context, accountability, and community-centered analysis you can’t get anywhere else.

LIVE from 6 PM to 8 PM on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X powered by Black Westchester Magazine.

As always, you can follow Black Westchester on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn 

Follow People Before Politics Radio on Instagram and Twitter

If you want to support Black Westchester Magazine and People Before Politics Radio you can always donate https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=9DT5P8R82NAHW

Sean Combs: The Reckoning – BW Review

AJ Woodson
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Sean Combs: The Reckoning – BW Review

On the Sunday, December 7, 2025, episode of Black Westchester presents The People Before Politics Radio Show, Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson & Larnez Kinsey discuss the new Diddy Documentary, “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” by executive producer, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson on Netflix

As always, you can follow Black Westchester on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn 

Follow People Before Politics Radio on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

If you want to support Black Westchester Magazine and People Before Politics Radio, you can always donate https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=9DT5P8R82NAHW

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