Issuu

Read us online: issuu.com/cctimes • FollowTuesday, us on socialNovember media: IG/X/Threads @coopcitytimes • @coopcitytimes.bsky.social 11th, 2025 Vol. 60 No. 49

December 20, 2025

Bally’s Casino Wins Downstate Casino License By DANIELLE CRUZ After a lengthy approval process and numerous public meetings, reviews, and negotiations between

applicants, state ofﬁcials, and local advisory committees, the New York State Gaming Commission announced on Tuesday, December 15, that they were awarding Bally’s one of the three coveted downstate casino licenses. This means that Bally’s can now ofﬁcially move forward with their plans to turn 16 acres of land at Ferry Point Park, adjacent to the company’s existing golf course into a casino, a 500-room hotel, a spa, a 2,000seat entertainment venue, multiple restaurants, retail spaces, and parking garages. According to Bally’s, con-

Rendering of Bally’s Bronx Casino. (Courtesy of Bally’s Bronx)

(Continued on page 13)

$1.25

Management Report Organization Restructure – Community Location Model Management Report

Marvin L. Walton

Executive General Manager The purpose of this special edition of the Management Report is to provide our shareholders with a detailed strategy of how Management plans to improve service delivery to shareholders. This will be done by implementing a Community Location Model [See pages 5 and 9 for seven (7) Community Location Chart]. The core initiative of this model is to restructure property management operations by scaling down Co-op City to smaller property management portfolios. This would enable

Management to increase attention and supervision of the buildings and townhouses, and provide better accountability. Each location will be divided into 2,100 – 2,300 apartments. Through the Community Location Model, Management aims to address various operational challenges that arise because of the large scale of the entire Co-op City community versus Riverbay Corporation, which manages 15,372 apartments in 35 buildings and seven townhouse clusters

By DANIELLE CRUZ On Friday, December 12, Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a senate bill that would have excluded Co-op City from the MTA’s Automated Camera Enforcement Program (ACE). Though Governor Hochul vetoed the bill, she agreed to pause the program until a study is conducted by the New York City Transit Authority to determine how the program can be adjusted to address concerns raised by shareholders.

“Currently, some motorists engage in double parking in through lanes and in bus stops, which not only impede transit bus and paratransit operations but also create unsafe situations for children being dropped off at schools and for elderly residents going to medical appointments,” said Governor Hochul. “NYCT has agreed to temporarily pause automated camera enforcement of both bus lane and bus stop no-standing violations pending a review (Continued on page 4)

Senator Bailey Announces $1M for ARGUS Cameras for 45th Precinct MTA Camera Enforcement Program Council; and Cary Smith, III, RivNew York State Senator Jamaal erbay Assistant Executive General Temporarily Paused in Co-op City T. Bailey announced $1M in state Manager, among others. (Continued on page 2)

By ROZAAN BOONE

funding for ARGUS cameras for ARGUS cameras are Autonomous, the NYPD’s 45th Precinct at a press conference held in the Bartow Center on Wednesday, December 17. An additional $250,000 in city funding for cameras specifically in Co-op City has also been secured by City Council Member Kevin Riley to address public safe- Co-op City’s elected representatives, law enforcety concerns raised ment officials, Riverbay Board & Management perby shareholders with sonnel, and shareholders display a check for $1M elected and law en- in state funding for ARGUS cameras in the 45th Pct. forcement officials. coverage area. Photo by Brandi Simpson Present at the press conference in addition to Senator Bailey and Coun- Real-time, Ground, Ubiquitous, cil Member Riley were State Assem- Surveillance cameras that provide blyman Michael Benedetto; Bronx 360-degree surveillance capability, Borough President Vanessa L. Gib- real-time monitoring and response, son; Chief Benjamin Gurley, NYPD recording functionality for investigaPatrol Borough Bronx; Captain An- tive purposes and act as “silent witderson Ortiz, 45th Pct. Commanding nesses” for crime prevention and inOfficer; NYPD Community Affairs vestigation. Bureau Commissioner Alden Fos“I was having a conversation with ter; Chief Andre Waring, Co-op City Mr. Public Safety himself, Junius WilPublic Safety Department; Bob Bie(Continued on page 6) der, president, 45th Pct. Community

Co-op City Times Holiday Deadline Notice

Riverbay ofﬁces will be closed on Thursday, December 25, in celebration of the Christmas holiday. Due to the up-

coming holiday-shortened work week, articles, letters and Directors’ viewpoints submitted for publication on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025 must be received by 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 22. Material received after this time will not be included in the Dec. 27th issue of the newspaper.

For emergency services, please call: Maintenance: 718-320-3300, PRESS OPTION 2 Public Safety: 718-671-3050

We wish our readers Happy Holidays! Be safe in your celebrations.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Management Report––––– (Continued from page 1) across 320 acres of the community. Early in 2024, Management partnered with Board directors and the leadership of the Building and Townhouse Associations to identify “pain points,” i.e., specific, recurring problems, frustrations, or unmet needs that shareholders experience with service delivery or process causing inconvenience, lost time, or extra cost to the corporation. Management listened, took copious notes, and came away with a plethora of issues, concerns, and recommendations. With regards to the existing apartment repair process, the following “pain points” were constantly raised throughout the discussions: • Long wait times for work order appointments. • Delays in completing multi-trade repairs due to widely spaced appointments. • Extended wait-times to reach a Call Center representative. • Insufficient supervision of staff preforming apartment repairs. • Poor interdepartmental communication impacting the completion of work orders. • Lack of notification to shareholder when appointments are rescheduled or if technicians will be arriving late. Management evaluated the information gathered from the meetings and identified gaps in services within the current structure of property management operations. Internally, Management further deliberated on all the “pain points” and developed a path forward for how best to improve service delivery to residents of Co-op City. Proposed Restructure • Restructure the current five (5) Sections to establish 7 Community Locations. • Collapse the following internal departments: * Cooperator Services Office (CSO) * Building Janitorial (Proposed for Peartree operations to remain intact) * Building Maintenance (Proposed components to remain intact) * Restorations (Proposed for components to remain intact) • Decentralize the Call Center staffing and reallocate staffing equally across the 7-Community Locations. * Establish Shareholder Contact Centers (SCC) to serve as property management offices for the 7 Community Locations (Replacing the CSO). * Each Community Location will have a unique phone number to reach

the Shareholder Contact Center to request apartment repairs (work orders) or report conditions in common areas. * Enable Utility Workers to complete work orders on hand-held devices. * Enable shareholders to submit work orders via “MY Co-op City APP.” • The following areas from the Maintenance and Restoration departments will remain intact: * Emergency Services * * Preventive Maintenance Shop (Carpentry/Convectors) * Lock Shop * Electrical Shop (Electricians & Intercoms) * Plumbing Shop (Plumbers) * Turnkey/Inspection Shop * Flooring Shop * Ceramic Tiling Shop Proposed Staffing For Each Community Location • Senior Property Manger • Junior Property Manager • Building Supervisor • Assistant Building Supervisor • Utility Person (Ratio: 1 to 100-200 Apartments) • Building Porters (Ratio based on 3-building types) • Painters (Equally distributed throughout the 7-Community Locations) • Grounds & Extermination Departments Remain Centralized. Expected Outcomes • The Community Location Model aims to improve oversight and provide increased attention to buildings and townhouses by creating smaller property management portfolios. • Restructuring the scale of Co-op City down to smaller locations enables Management to increase oversight and supervision which will improve service delivery and provide better accountability. • Assigning senior property managers and building supervisors to respective locations to service a smaller portfolio of buildings and townhouses will give staff the opportunity to learn the unique needs of the buildings and townhouses as well as spend more time in these locations, yielding enhanced accountability and provide consistent “eyes on the buildings, townhouses, and (Continued on page 5)

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Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Co-op City Times COMBING

Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...

REMINDER

CCPD Toy Drive Ends TODAY

CCPD’s Annual Toy Drive is ongoing and shareholders can help spread joy by donating a new, unwrapped toy to help bring a smile to a child’s face this Holiday Season. CCPD is accepting toys and board games, dolls and action figures, building blocks, art supplies and sports equipment. Donations should be brought to CCPD headquarters, 2049 Bartow Avenue in the Riverbay Administration Building.

Apartment Alterations

Shareholders must receive prior approval from Riverbay before making renovations or alterations to their residential unit. Please contact your respective CSO for information and the required forms.

Avoiding Scams If it sounds too good to be true, if you are being pressured to make an immediate decision, or if you were contacted unexpectedly, STOP – hang up the phone or walk away. Immediately speak to someone you trust or CCPD, (718) 671-3050 or send an email to info@ccpd.us.

Wishing everyone a Happy and safe Holiday Season 2025. Remember to be kind and respectful to each other.

Let us know… If you have news you’d like to share with your neighbors, please give us a call at (718) 320-3300, Ext. 3375/6; or email: cctimes@ riverbaycorp.com.

Front nd Page MTA Chair and CEO Sheds Light on Future Plans

By BRANDON ORTIZ MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber discussed future plans for the agency during an interview on December 8 with Marcia Kramer. Starting with the potential for a free bus system, Mr. Lieber talked about the feasibility of implementing such a significant change. “I am thrilled that joining super pro-transit governor, Governor Hochul in Albany, will be a very pro-transit mayor who grew up riding the system and has talked about making transit better. That’s where I start the discussion with the new mayor and his team…my own view is something of that scale probably needs to be studied a lot. We studied congestion pricing for five years. We ought to study this,” Mr. Lieber said. He then highlighted how both Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani and the MTA are “committed to affordability.” In a similar vein of affordability, Lieber went on to discuss possibly expanding the eligibility of the Fair Fares program to include more people who would otherwise not qualify based on income. “The City runs that Fair Fares program. They have kept the eligibility so low that a person who is working 40 hours a week on minimum wage doesn’t qualify, their income is too high. It’s time to make sure that people who are what we call the working poor, who are really working their tails off to make ends meet, playing by the rules and all that, that they get this benefit. So, raising the income threshold for eligibility on Fair Fares, that’s exactly something that we think we ought to do,” Mr. Lieber said. Logistically, Lieber floated the idea of moving the Fair Fares eligibility limit from 150% of the federal poverty line up to 200%. Lieber also introduced a potential solution to the fare evasion problem that the Citizens Budget Commission estimated costs the MTA roughly $1 billion yearly in lost revenue. To address this issue, particularly on local buses, the MTA is considering adopting a model similar to one used in Europe where citizens hold each other accountable to pay their fare. “The European system of fare enforcement is that civilians, not cops, who have technology that allows them to validate that you pay, you show them your OMNY card or your credit card or your phone, however you

paid, and if you don’t, they give you a ticket on the spot, it’s that simple…We’re going to make it so that people have, you know, have that expectation when they get on a bus if they don’t pay, somebody might come up to them and say, show me your phone, show me how you paid. And if not, give them a ticket right there. That is the way to go,” Mr. Lieber explained. For repeat fare evasion offenders, Mr. Lieber expressed his desire for the city’s criminal justice system to take those repeat offenders more seriously. “What we want to do is to make sure that the criminal justice system starts to treat people who are what we call recidivists, they do it all the time, as a serious infraction. We give people a ticket for the first or second or whatever, but if you do it 10 times, let alone if you’re holding the gate open and collecting money like some of these scam artists do, or you’re breaking the machines and then forcing people to pay you to get in the system, that’s what I want the criminal justice system to enforce on,” Lieber detailed. Bus lane implementation has not reached the MTA’s expectation as Mr. Lieber later touched on how far behind the agency is with implementing more bus lanes across the city. Specifically, Lieber highlighted how the MTA was supposed to implement “20 plus new bus lanes” this year, but that never materialized due to a lack of support and collaboration with the city. In a related note, riders who use a MetroCard should be aware that the MTA will officially stop selling MetroCards in less than two weeks on December 31. After this time, existing MetroCards will still be accepted until 2026 but will no longer be refillable. The MTA recommends using the remaining funds on MetroCards before the card expires, while also pointing out that “remaining balances will be eligible for transfer or reimbursement for two years after the expiration date on the MetroCard.” Instead of MetroCards, the MTA is switching entirely to the OMNY tap-and-go payment system where riders use either a physical OMNY card, debit card or credit card to pay their fare. For those who would prefer a physical OMNY card, they are available for purchase at an OMNY vending machine, which are in all subway stations, as well as in select stores and pharmacies.

NYC Kindergarten Application Closes January 23 By BRANDON ORTIZ Parents have until January 23, 2026 to submit their child’s New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) kindergarten application. In New York City, all children are guaranteed a kindergarten seat in a city public school the same calendar year they turn ﬁve years old. To apply, parents can go online to MySchools.nyc, call 718-935-2009 or visit a Family Welcome Center. Family Welcome Centers are important resources that help families with the admissions and enrollment process. For Co-op City shareholders and parents, the Family Welcome Center in the Bronx that deals with Co-op City’s school district, District 11, is located at 1230 Zerega Avenue, Room 24, Bronx, NY 10462. The Family Welcome Center serving District 11 can also be reached via email at: ZeregaFWC@schools.nyc.gov. Parents are free to list as many programs as they desire on the application, including Gifted and Talented programs, but should be aware that the order they rank programs is important and could determine which spot their child ultimately ends up getting. The New York City Department of Education expects to release offers on March 31, 2026. Each individual kindergarten program has a speciﬁc amount of seats available. Kindergarten applicants are assigned a random number used to decide the order they will receive an offer when there are more students ap-

plying for particular program seats than there are ones available. Programs will reach out to families directly with an offer should program waitlist spots open. Admission priorities are given to certain applicant groups before others. Here are some examples of admission priority given to an applicant applying to a certain school: ● An applicant currently lives in the same school district as the school. ● An applicant has one or more siblings who is already a student at the school. ● An applicant currently attends a pre-K program at the school. Parents can check their child’s admissions priorities by using their MySchools.nyc account. MySchools.nyc also allows parents to see the admissions priorities of each school and the kind of applicants accepted to the same program during the previous year. This tool helps parents narrow down where they should apply by showing them which schools their child has the best chance of getting into. Once a child is accepted into a kindergarten program, parents should keep in mind that their child then has the option to remain at that same public school until that respective school’s ﬁnal elementary grade. Additional information on the kindergarten application process can be found online at schools.nyc.gov/enrollment.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

MTA –––––– (Continued from page 1) of the traffic lanes and patterns in high-volume areas in Co-op City to better understand the specific needs of the community.” The bill was introduced by Senator Jamaal T. Bailey and Assemblymember Michael Benedetto in May of 2025 after Co-op City shareholders expressed their concerns about the fines being handed out to drivers, particularly parents and guardians dropping off or picking up children from school, as well as drivers waiting in front of buildings to pick up elderly shareholders or shareholders with disabilities. This bill would have ensured that drivers parked within Co-op City would not get fined. “Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed the bill in the current form, as there was a concern about there being one particular area exempted from the program and the effect it would have on bus service,” said Senator Bailey. “However, after many discussions with the Governor and her team about how unique a place Co-op City is, we came to an agreement on a couple of matters.” During the pause, Senator Bailey said that he will continue to work with the state and the Transit Authority as they conduct the study and see how to best address the concerns raised by shareholders. “During this period of suspension, there will be a study commenced to determine whether this program is efficient in Co-op City, including a review of the lane structure, traffic lanes and patterns,” said Senator Bailey. “As we all know, there are significant concerns with drop-off and pickup of children on Baychester, as well as issues with paratransit riders, and residents being ticketed as they wait for loved ones to come downstairs. We will work with the executive to ensure this study includes the voices of all of you in this community to speak about the nature of why this community is unique, and how the current iteration of the cameras is problematic.” Once the study is concluded, the city and state will then discuss what potential adjustments can be made. “If such a review finds that adjustments are warranted, including but not limited to school loading zones, I will direct State agencies to work with the City of New York to deliver those adjustments,” said Governor Hochul. The ACE program uses cameras mounted onto MTA buses to capture the license plate numbers of cars that are obstructing or double-parked in bus routes and bus stops. Drivers who are caught on camera will receive a $50 fine for their first offense, with fines increasing to $250 for repeat violators. The program, which officially began in July of 2024, is now enforced along 54 bus routes throughout the five boroughs and more than 1,400 buses are

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equipped with cameras. In Co-op City, four bus routes are part of the ACE program and equipped with cameras: • Bx28 • Bx38 • Bx5 • Bx12-SBS According to MTA ofﬁcials, the enforcement cameras have helped to increase bus lane speeds across the city by 5% and reduced collisions by 20%. Additionally, only 10% of drivers have committed another bus lane violation after being ﬁned. ACE also builds on the Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) camera system that was designed to catch drivers who are violating the busway and bus lane rules. While ABLE cameras focused on bus lane violations, ACE cameras expanded that enforcement to include bus stop violations. During the pause, all existing laws that prohibit cars from stopping in moving lanes and bus stops remain fully in effect.

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Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Management Report ––––– (Continued from page 2)

the apartments.” • The Community Location Model increases accountability as there will be more staff throughout all levels of the property portfolios, and senior property managers will be held accountable and be responsible for the assigned portfolios and staffing. Proposed Timeline • Develop Job Descriptions and Identify Supervisory Staffing for Pilot Program – November 1, 2025 – December 30, 2025. • Pilot Program – April 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026. • Identify Supervisory Staffing for 6 Locations – June 15, 2026 – July 31, 2026. • Full Rollout Other 6 Locations – October 1, 2026 – December 2026. In conclusion, it is important to note that Management is not proposing any increases in the current operating budget. Existing staff will be restructured to accommodate the proposed changes. If it is discovered later that additional funding is necessary, Management will notify the Board of Directors immediately. There are no anticipated reductions or increases to the workforce. The Pilot

Program will be closely monitored to determine if any modifications are necessary to meet the expected outcomes of the Community Location Model. Management is developing a performance matrix that will assist in determining the success of the pilot and the information will be communicated timely to Board directors. Shareholders will also be kept abreast of the progress of the Pilot Program via the monthly Management Report. Management selected Community Location 1 for the Pilot Program. Community Location 1 includes Buildings #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, and Defoe Place Townhouses. There will be upcoming meetings with residents of this location to further explain the expectations during the Pilot Program which kicks off on April 1, 2026. Management appreciates the opportunity to partner with our shareholders, Board directors, and the association leaders to implement this important restructuring of property management operations. The community spoke, Management heard, and now we are moving forward with implementing the changes needed to improve the quality of life for shareholders and families who consider Co-op City home.

(Continued on page 9)

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Board of Directors’ Meeting - Dec. 10, 2025 Insurance Resolution: #25-59 SUBMITTED BY:Monique Coleman SECONDED BY: Lynette Wright BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING, Dec. 10th, 2025 WHEREAS, Riverbay’s Workers’ Compensation Policy is presently with the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) at an expiring annual premium of $2,372,960.00, plus a service fee of $95,000.00, for a total cost of $2,467,960.00 for the policy period 1/1/25 to 1/1/26; and WHEREAS, the Director of Riverbay’s Risk Management, after instructing The Durnan Group, Riverbay’s Workers’ Compensation broker, to conduct a marketing program, now recommends renewing the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy with the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) for an annual renewal premium of $2,162,349.00, plus a service fee of $95,000.00,

Cameras ––––– (Continued from page 6) liams, about making this community safe, and he said, ‘safer.’ We want to make it the safest because Co-op City is incredibly safe,” said Senator Bailey. “Residents have been talking to myself, the borough president, the assembly member, the council member and saying, we want to be safer… You’re going to be hearing from the folks who are going to continue to do the great work of implementing these cameras and figuring out where exactly they’re going to be and how they will continue to be effective.” CCPD Chief Waring expressed appreciation for the cohesive teamwork and relationship with the community’s local elected and law enforcement officials, especially the officers at the 45th Precinct, which covers Co-op City. “We have their support and a postive working relationship… These cameras are going to help our job and make it easier for us to make Co-op City a safe place, and we appreciate the cooperation that we get from everyone,” said Chief Waring. “This is a unified front that we engage in every day…and so we appreciate the support that we get, and this will help a lot.” In introducing Chief Gurley, Senator Bailey noted that the Chief is from Co-op City and knows the terrain, the sections, loops and everything there is to know about the community and its security needs. Chief Gurley said: “We’ve done $1 million on the other side of the Bronx [47th Pct.], and now we’re doing the 4-5. The culmination of these conversations behind the scenes, and what you’re seeing today, is a constant conversation that happens with the community, taking the information that we get from you, and the complaints that we get from you that you believe are unheard, and we go back, and we do the work to put these cameras in place, as the senator stated, to make it a safer place. How does that work? … ARGUS, for us, is additional eyes. It’s just like having a police officer who can swivel their net 360 and can record what they see. We can respond in real time. We can respond and make apprehensions at places where we have problems, where we don’t have enough police officers to police that particular area. So the importance of this is going to be, for the police department, to make our job a bit easier, and to make sure that this community is safer.” Chief Gurley shared that in response to a recent uptick in violence around Co-op City, additional resources were allocated to the community.

for a total cost of $2,257,349.00 which is an 8.53% decrease representing an annual savings for Riverbay of $210,611.00 for the policy period 1/1/26 to 1/1/27. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board approves placing the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy with the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) for a total cost of $2,257,349.00 which is an 8.53% decrease representing an annual savings for Riverbay of $210,611.00 for the policy period 1/1/26 to 1/1/27. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall take effect immediately. YES: Coleman, Cylich, Lambright, Leslie, Marbury, Pearson, Peterson, Richardson, Rosario, Smith, White, Wright NO: Johnson ABSENT: Graham, Saunders PASSED

Co-op City’s ofﬁcial newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. (718) 320-3300, ext. 3375 cctimes@riverbaycorp.com Rozaan Boone Editor-in-Chief

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“We’re not going to replace those resources; it’s in addition,” Chief Gurley assured shareholders. “So, we’re going to push it down to zero, if we can. We understand the challenges. We hear the complaints…This public safety team back here has come up with better ideas like this to increase the cameras in Co-op City. Talking to Chief Waring when he first took over and sitting down and understanding the technology needs, we all agree that this is the need for this community so I thank you for that senator, I thank you for that to all the politicians and community, and please keep the complaints coming. I know that sometimes it seems like we’re not listening but we’re going to make sure we address things.” Senator Bailey said that in one of his first conversations with the then-new commanding officer of the 45th Pct., Captain Ortiz, they spoke about the uniqueness of the geographical layout of the precinct which includes not only Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park, Throgs Neck, Pelham Bay and “the city of Co-op.” “You couldn’t think of two different areas that are split by water and other bodies, so it’s a tough terrain for police to be able to do but they do an incredibly excellent job,” he said. Senator Bailey added: “Captain Ortiz said, ‘Look, we need a way to be able to make people safer. We’ve got the precision. We know how to do the job. We just need your help in getting it done.’ And I’m happy to be able to do that, because it’s somebody who also has Bronx roots, who is firmly entrenched in knowing what the people of this precinct need. And I’m really glad he’s our commanding officer of the 4-5.” Captain Ortiz said that this was a good day for the NYPD and CCPD. He later said: “Investments like this represent the strength of true partnership and the shared commitment we have to keeping our community safe. These resources directly enhance our ability to protect the residents of Co-op City and the greater 45th Precinct— particularly in the public spaces where families, children, and seniors gather every day. This is more than an investment in equipment or technology; it is an investment in trust, quality of life, and the long-term well-being of our community. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration that allow us to work together toward a safer, stronger, and more connected neighborhood.” (Continued on page 11)

Important Notice to Shareholders of Building 7

Article SIXTH of your Occupancy Agreement provides, in part, that your lease automatically renews for an additional three (3) year period. You need to do nothing if you want your lease to extend for another three (3) year period. If you will be moving out at the end of your lease, notify Riverbay, in writing, Attention: Sales Support Ofﬁce, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, ninety (90) days prior to lease expiration.

Building 7 120 DeKruif Place

Co-op City Times

Current Lease Expiration Date: March 31, 2026

New 3-Year Expiration Date: March 31, 2029

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Brandon Ortiz Media Assistant

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writer and include their address and phone number, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the author. Writers will be limited to one letter per topic. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be submitted to the Co-op City Times by 3 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Email cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or mail to 2049 Bartow Ave., Room 21, Bronx, NY 10475. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp. Advertisements and classified advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reflect an endorsement from Riverbay Corp. of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available. The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor. All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times. Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, NY 10475.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

BBB Scam Alert: ‘Tis The Season to Donate, And Scammers Are Taking Advantage With so many purchases during the holiday season, it can be easy to miss a fraudulent credit card charge or two – especially if it appears to be from a charity. Keep a close eye on your credit card statement this time of year. What You’ll Learn • How scammers use small charity charges to test stolen credit card numbers during the busy holiday shopping season. • What red ﬂags to watch for on your statements so unauthorized donations don’t slip by unnoticed. • The quick steps to take to protect your account and limit losses if you spot fraudulent charges. How The Scam Works In one version of the scam, you review your credit card statement and notice charitable donations that you don’t remember making. No, it’s not a memory lapse; you were a victim of credit card fraud. These unauthorized charity charges may be part of a bigger con, which started when scammers got your credit card information. Your card details may have been shared in a scam or as part of a data breach. After getting your credit card details, scammers now need to check whether they are still valid. To do this, scammers often use charity websites to test the stolen numbers. Scammers do this because they can test with very small donations that are less likely to be disputed. When the charges go through, the scammer knows that your card details are still valid. Then, they will use your card for bigger purchases or cash advances. In one recent example, one person reported to BBB Scam Tracker that they were approached by two men claiming to raise funds for a child needing medical services. The person was told they would only be charged $20, but was

Public Safety Blotter

December 8, 2025–December 12, 2025 December 08, 2025 120 Aldrich Street – CCPD responded to several calls regarding a parked vehicle with a shattered rear passenger side window. Upon arrival and investigation, the vehicle was reported stolen and recovered. CCPD secured the vehicle and notified NYPD in regards. 755 Co-op City Boulevard – CCPD assisted NYPD with shots fired involving three teenagers. One teenager was apprehended and placed under arrest by NYPD and a firearm was recovered. A canvas of the area for the other two teenagers yielded negative results. 99 Bellamy Loop – A cooperator reported returning to their vehicle on the blacktop of Garage 6 and observed that an unknown suspect removed their vehicle from the area without authorization. 600 Baychester Avenue – A cooperator reported returning to their parked vehicle and observed that an unknown suspect shattered the rear passenger window and removed items from the vehicle. The cooperator was advised to notify NYPD for report purposes. 100 DeKruif Place – CCPD responded to a call for a dispute. Upon arrival, CCPD observed a male who was aggressive in behavior, non-compliant and refused to cease his behavior. The male was placed under arrest and issued a Criminal Court Summons for Disorderly Conduct. December 11, 2025 120 DeKruif Place – CCPD responded to a call of a person hanging out on the 4th floor stairwell. Upon arrival, CCPD observed

the male who then fled to the first floor where he was stopped and questioned. The male was visiting a shareholder in the building two hours prior. The shareholder was issued a Community Complaint for the male loitering on the stairwell. 100 DeKruif Place – CCPD responded to a call for a dispute. Upon arrival, CCPD observed a male who was aggressive in behavior, non-compliant and refused to cease his behavior. The male was placed under arrest and issued a Criminal Court Summons for Disorderly Conduct. 140 Benchley Place – CCPD and FDNY responded to a smoke condition within the building. Upon arrival, FDNY observed a fire in the basement Compactor Room which was quickly extinguished and a flood condition created. The elevator service was shut off from going to the basement until the flood condition was corrected. December 12, 2025 99 Carver Loop – A cooperator reported returning to their parked vehicle in Garage 3 and observed the rear passenger light was damaged by an unknown individual. 140 Debs Place – While conducting a building inspection, a CCPD Officer observed a male smoking a cigarette in the stairwell and refused to extinguish it when told to do so. The male became combative with the CCPD Officer and, after a brief struggle, he was placed under arrest. The shareholder of record was issued a Community Complaint for the male cooperator loitering and smoking in the building.

actually charged $2400. One person reported to BBB Scam Tracker that after making a purchase from a questionable discount website, their debit card “was pinged for fraudulent charges ranging from $2 to $29 then ﬁnally $67 for a charity. I’ve had to cancel my debit card, order a new one and block my account.” If you notice unexpected donation charges, be sure to report them immediately. With about 30% of charitable giving happening in December, this con is particularly easy to miss during the holiday season. In a different version of the scam, one person reported to BBB Scam Tracker, “This complaint is about the Republican website, Winred.com. After a small donation using a debit card, I found this site was bilking ever increasing amounts of money from my checking account. I’ve lost at least $580.00. This was unauthorized, and my bank, Northwest Savings bank, had denied any reimbursement even though the increasing amounts clearly showed a path of deceptive fraud. I’m a senior citizen on a limited budget. I cannot afford this. The website is fraught with deceptive practice, but the fraud continues. I didn’t catch it soon enough, as I’m caring for my elderly mother…. Can anyone help??” How To Avoid Unauthorized Credit Card Scams Report any questionable charges immediately. Don’t wait until a scammer charges hundreds of dollars to your card. Contact the Fraud Department for your card issuer; you’ll be issued a new card, and your old card number will be unusable for scammers to exploit. Be sure to select a new PIN number as well. Keep a close eye on charges made to your account. Regularly review your credit card statements and do not discard them. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you spot any charges that you do not recognize. Protect sensitive personal information. Don’t make purchases from suspicious online businesses, and stay alert to phishing scams that claim to need your credit or debit card information. Be sure to maintain (Continued on page 8)

ATTENTION Bike racks are for temporary use ONLY. They are not for permanent storage. Bikes secured to these racks will be removed within the next 24 hours. —AUTHORITY OF CCPD

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbaycorp.com; and Anatoliy Budnitskiy at abudnitskiy@riverbaycorp.com. Please note: emails should be sent to both parties. Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see below for speciﬁc directions.

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES There are no contract opportunities to list this week. Please check back.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

For employment opportunities, please visit these following sites: www.Indeed.com www.Glassdoor.com www.ZipRecruiter.com https://indeedhi.re/ 3SgTKEr

https://bit.ly/3SgI9Go

https://bit.ly/3Se8bdw

Candidates may review full position descriptions and apply at any site. Current Riverbay employees should submit a transfer request and resumé directly to the HR department. Thank you for your interest in working for Riverbay Corporation.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025 Director’s Viewpoint

Mary Pearson, Assistant Secretary

On the Eleventh Day of… Do you happen to have your copy of last week’s Co-op City Times handy? The edition dated 12/13/25? There are a few items I’d like to point out in that issue on our way to getting to pages eight and nine. (??) Let’s start with the “2nd Front Page” on the top of page 3 of the December 13 issue where we find pictures and a description of the delightful Section 5 “Lite It Up” “WinterartS Celebration” and Room 45’s transformation: “It was now ‘the night before Christmas’ and everything was ‘lit up’ with festive decorations and lights from top to bottom. The room was also filled with Christmas trees, gifts and toys…” It was beautiful and the event was grand. You can see it better and in color if you turn to last week’s page 14. But I have an even better snapshot. Mine captures a featured display: three Christmas trees, two wreaths, one paper chimney constructed for Santa’s convenience – and all in their flammable glory. Who would allow such a thing! After all, all common space decorations are banned in Co-op City! Good thing our elected officials or our executive general manager didn’t catch wind of it or they would have shut that whole thing down! Or at least that’s what I would say if BP Gibson, CM Riley, and EGM Walton weren’t beaming at us from last week’s page 14. Before we turn back to pages eight and nine: Let’s glance at page 15’s “High-Rise Apartment & Condominium Safety” insert. Just glance at it, don’t read it. But if you do happen to read it, do not decide to blindly follow its directive in case of any future fire emergency. Instead, for safety’s sake, take a look at the back of your own door to learn the actual FDNY rules for a high-rise building such as our Non-Combustible (Fireproof) Building(s). Some of the suggestions in that sloppy bit of generic info on page 15 do not apply to us here in Co-op City. AND it shows no official attribution, not to FDNY, not to HCR, not to Management. Speaking of HCR and fire safety. They don’t. They do not speak of it. They defer to the FDNY.

In one search, I was directed to HCR’s Chapter 11 of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Turns out, its only a fire safety concern during building construction. And, ironically under the heading, “Rule Making,” we see “TBA.” By word-searching “fire,” you’re led to “Raised areas” fire safety rules dealing with prison towers and lifeguard stands. Clearly not applicable. When the rules for R-2 buildings (such as our high-rises) are mentioned, anything cited deals with ADA (American Disability Act) building code compliance. HCR does not set Fire Codes, but they do offer fire safety tips. In my 12/6/25 viewpoint, I wrote of HCR Fire Prevention tips from 2022 describing the danger of Portable Heaters and Ovens/Burners and the need for Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Self-closing Doors, but no mention of decorations. Today, I found another HCR Fire Prevention/Safety memorandum signed once again by Cathy Sparks on May 19, 2023, reminding property managers: “… that all emergency/fire doors must be checked by building staff for their proper self-closing mechanism regularly, and smoke/carbon monoxide detectors are checked for proper operation. Portable fire extinguishers, fire alarms, … must also be inspected…” Again, not a mention of decorations. And now, pages eight and nine of this 12/20 issue. How convenient! My viewpoint is on page 8 just to the left of page 9’s TABLED Emergency Resolution #25-61. But how on earth did we get here? Here’s a reminder and update. Our HCR guy intentionally or accidentally forgot to put the word flammable in his warning against overdoing decorations on the doors, halls, and lobbies. Our guy unilaterally put the make-believe Fire Codes into effect without consulting the Board which should have been the entity charged with making such a sweeping change. And there’s a third guy. That’s a longer story.

Building 29 Association On Wednesday, December 10, at 6:30 p.m., the Building 29 Association held its last meeting of the year. Here is what we discussed: 1) Michael Adolphus talked to Councilmember Kevin Riley about having a speed bump put in at Hutchinson River Parkway East and Einstein Loop North (near garage 7). Apparently, this is a very dangerous area as people are speeding here and can cause collisions with cooperators leaving and entering the garage. 2) Movie night is slated for February. Suggestions are welcome! 3) Bingo (afternoon at 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.) will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17. Come have fun and support your association. 4) A New Year’s party will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31. It will be potluck (sign up to bring a dish), and our fabulous DJ Frank will be spinning tunes for all! 5) Super Bowl party still up in the air. Waiting to hear if there is interest. 6) There was concern and a discussion about the proposed closing of Exit 9 on the I 95. Michael is going to try to ﬁnd out more, but it couldn’t hurt to talk to your Assemblyman (Benedetto) and also Councilmember Kevin Riley. 7) To raise more money for the Association, we are thinking of having a Bake Sale in February or March. 8) Cynthia Dixon’s dance classes for kids resume on Jan. 17. 9) Reminder not to forget to tip our hard-working porters! 10) Felix Omuzusi came to talk to us. We thank him. Finally, to all, happy, happy holidays and a healthy, fulﬁlling new year. God bless. —Katharine Wood

Throwing garbage/objects from apartment windows is UNLAWFUL, DANGEROUS and could cause you to receive a community complaint and ﬁne.

HCR’s Intergovernmental Relations lawyer, when asked, put this fact into an email – that the ban was not an HCR mandate. And the big reveal? Our guy knew it nearly a month before we knew he knew it. Then, when I asked the HCR lawyer to put all that into a letter signed by a higher-up, preferably Kathy Hochul, HCR guy said no. And why? After consulting with HCR’s Asset Management Unit, he said, they decided it was best, “that consistent messaging relating to this matter and most others be related to the cooperators by the managing agent.” My response: Just one thing, our managing agent’s employee, our EGM, is following your representative’s misdirection. Consistent messaging is long gone. Redundantly Yours… Redundant indeed. This is my 11th fight to make this tyrannical edict go away. In my 10th attempt, in that circular who-defers-to-who list of FDNY > Management > Board, the Board was fear-mongered and bullied into dropping the ball to – if not defer to the cooperators – at least confer with them, listen to their wishes, and stick to the actual rules. Making good choices: It’s up to you to decide whether or not to follow the make-believe decoration rules. But please, Please, PLEASE follow the official ones. Those real rules say to put nothing on the floors and have nothing hanging from the ceilings. But enjoying non-egress-blocking, flame-resistant or flame-retardant treated, firmly affixed decorations on the hallway or lobby walls or on our doors? No problem! Those rules are what the guys who actually know the fire codes and fight the fires want us to strictly adhere to for their sakes and ours… until New Year’s Eve 2025. New Year’s Eve 2025?: On 12/31/25, FDNY Fire Codes will change. Untreated live trees or wreaths will no longer be allowed in common areas. Heads-up! Wrap-up Kwanzaa early! Have a safe /happy/merry one! MPearson@RiverbayBoard.com/718-219-2211.

Scam Alert –––––– (Continued from page 7)

updated anti-malware software and a firewall on your computer. Only use secure browsers and shop from secure, trusted sites – while not a guarantee, check for the lock symbol in the corner and the “s” after “http” before sharing your information. Never enter payment information into a website until you are sure you’re dealing with a trustworthy business. Check for the site’s privacy and security policies; how are they protecting your information (e.g., encryption) and with whom are they sharing it? Use your credit card when making online purchases. Credit cards generally offer more protection against fraud; you have the right to challenge any unauthorized charges on your account and the card issuer has an obligation to credit such unauthorized charges back to your account upon timely notice and confirmation. Any demands for payment through wire transfer or gift cards are huge red flags – just walk away.

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Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Revised Structure ––––– (Continued from page 5)

Hyundai and Kia to Pay $9M for Failing to Protect Cars from Theft New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 35 other attorneys general have secured up to $9M and critical reforms from car manufacturers Hyundai and Kai for failing to install proper anti-theft technology in their vehicles. Without this technology, Hyundai and Kia vehicles were vulnerable to thieves, leading to a spike in vehicle thefts across the country that destroyed cars and public property, threatened public safety, and resulted in injuries and deaths. Under the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will pay up to $4.5M to consumers whose cars were recently stolen or damaged, pay an additional $4.5M in penalties to the states, and take a range of measures to protect customers’ vehicles from theft. “Hyundai and Kia’s reckless decision to forgo anti-theft measures led to a wave of car thefts that had deadly consequences,” said Attorney General James. “No one should have to fear for their lives on the road, and car companies have a responsibility to protect their customers from basic safety flaws. This settlement ensures Hyundai and Kia owners will be able to protect their cars at no cost, and I encourage all New Yorkers whose cars may be vulnerable to take these important anti-theft measures.” Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 were vulnerable to theft because their ignition switches could be easily bypassed and they lacked engine immobilizers, an industry standard anti-theft technology. These vulnerabilities allowed thieves to easily hotwire the vehicles within minutes. Videos detailing how to easily steal Hyundai and Kia cars went viral online, with thieves using common tools like screwdrivers and USB cables to turn on and steal the cars. As a result of Hyundai and Kia failing to install proper anti-theft technology, car thefts surged in communities throughout New York. The number of Hyundai and Kia thefts in New York City doubled from 2021 to 2022. In the first four months of 2023, the city saw 977 car thefts, up from 148 in the same period the year prior. In the first half of 2023, Monroe County saw more than 1,400 stolen Kias and Hyundais. In Syracuse, more than half of the cars stolen in the first seven months of 2023 were Kias or Hyundais. Stolen Kias and Hyundais were linked to deadly car crashes and other

crimes across New York and the nation. In July 2023, a 16-year-old driving a stolen Hyundai collided with a Jeep in Washington Heights, killing a 15-yearold and a 17-year-old in the Hyundai. In Syracuse, a stolen Kia and a stolen Hyundai were linked to the fatal shooting of two teenagers in September 2023. Hyundai and Kia were slow to respond to the crisis, waiting until 2023 to launch a service campaign to update the software on many affected vehicles. Hyundai and Kia also offered to install zinc sleeves that can be fitted over the ignition cylinder of vulnerable cars to protect them from theft, but only for the roughly 20% of their vehicles that were ineligible for the software update. While the companies claimed that the software update blocked the viral theft method, Attorney General James and the coalition allege that the software update could be, and was, easily bypassed by thieves. The settlement secured by Attorney General James and the coalition requires Hyundai and Kia to equip all future vehicles with engine immobilizers to prevent theft. The car companies must also provide zinc ignition cylinder sleeves at no cost to consumers through their local dealerships and continue to publicize the availability of all anti-theft measures for consumers for the next five years. Hyundai and Kia will also pay $4.5M in penalties to the coalition of states. New York is expected to receive over $220,000 from the settlement. In addition, consumers who previously installed the software update on their vehicles, or were scheduled to do so, but experienced a theft or attempted theft of their vehicle after April 29, 2025, are eligible to file a claim for restitution. Consumers can visit the settlement website at https://www.hkmultistateimmobilizersettlement.com for more information about the claims process. The claim deadline is March 31, 2027, however, because funds are limited, consumers who qualify to file a claim are advised to file as soon as possible. Joining Attorney General James in securing this settlement are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025 Director’s Viewpoint

Daryl Johnson

Board Meeting Review, 12/10/2025 We had a board meeting on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in Bartow. So, let’s review some of the resolutions that were discussed during this meeting. Workers’ Compensation Resolution Here are my personal concerns why I did not vote for this resolution. Last week, you may have read the Co-op City Times and saw that I was the only director that voted no for the majority of the board resolutions. Big question: Why? Well, I want to review some of those resolutions so that you can see exactly why I voted no. Then, you can make your decision about my vote. The first resolution was about the renewal of a workers’ compensation policy with the NYS Insurance Fund. If you go online, NYSIF states: “NYSIF’s mission is to guarantee the availability of workers’ compensation, disability insurance and paid family leave at the lowest possible cost to New York employers while maintaining a solvent fund.” Do you see the words guarantee and lowest possible cost to NY employers? So, based on this guarantee, do you think that another insurance company can beat their rates? In this case, I don’t believe so. Now, before we go further, I need for you to understand that our management can easily purchase insurance on a rate-to-rate basis. But, guess what? Our Risk Management department made a choice to hire a broker to purchase a policy for $2,162,349 from the NYSIF. A broker? Yes! Then, this broker went ahead and tried to get quotes from other insurance companies. Why? Again, do you think that these other companies could beat the rates from the NYSIF on the same rate-to-rate basis? No! But, everyone should have known the answer to this simple question. So, why do you think that this broker even tried to get quotes from the other insurance companies? Why do you think that these quotes were even presented to our Risk Management department? In my opinion, it makes better sense for management to have been forthcoming

and just said we hired a broker to provide additional services for us. Look, I need for everyone to understand that this broker was paid $95,000 last year. Then, this broker was paid $95,000 for this year. And, during our meeting, this $95,000 payment was characterized as a “service fee.” Well, a huge argument then broke out because I questioned this service fee. And, the response was that this broker was going to provide additional services for us. Then, it was revealed that Riverbay had four employees and 44 cases last year. Bottom line: This resolution was approved by a majority vote during this board meeting. So, this broker will receive his service fee of $95,000. Fire Door Resolution Board directors will be confronted with problematic resolutions. For instance, let’s say that a company received $239,900 to provide a specific amount of metal doors and frames. Several months later, a Change Order is presented to this board to provide an additional $75,000 to this same company for more metal doors and frames. Why? As a board director, do you think that you have an obligation to ask about the overall nature of this resolution? Do you think that you have an obligation to ask why these additional metal doors and frames were not cited in the original request for everyone to see? Bottom line: My belief is that these additional metal doors and frames should have gone through the bidding process so vendors would be able to bid on these items. Do you see why I voted no for this so-called Change Order? Don’t Drink and Drive A lot of people will be celebrating and partying during this holiday season. So, I want to encourage everyone to please do not drink and drive. However, please make arrangements beforehand so that you will not have to drive a vehicle. This way, you won’t have to worry about getting pulled over or causing an accident. Can you imagine being asked to take a field

sobriety test or a Breathalyzer test? Thereafter, what about possibly getting arrested and having your vehicle towed? Can you imagine being brought to a police station, in handcuffs? Next, you have to get a lawyer and go to court. And, that’s when a judge can render some penalties for these types of offenses. Thereafter, a criminal record can affect several areas of your life. So, please do not drink and drive. Bottom line: Let’s look at some police data to see what happened throughout NYS during this recent Thanksgiving holiday. There were 1,277 crashes throughout NYS. Within that number, two of those crashes were fatal. The police arrested 247 people for DWI. Also, they issued 13,036 traffic tickets. Look, we have to care about each other. So, please, let’s make some good decisions about driving in a proper manner at all times. Thank you. Close I hope that everyone will have a joyous and a safe holiday season. Thank you. Contact Information Please send a letter to: Board Director Daryl Johnson, Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. Currently, here is my email address: djohnson@riverbayboard. com I will never ask for or accept money from anyone. Therefore, please do not respond to any message with my name on it that requests money, money transfers, gift cards, personal information, or anything from you. And, please do not ever send money or anything to anyone because you saw my name on any type of message. Also, please call me ONLY at 718-671-4544 if you would like to have a brief discussion with me. And, please hang up your phone immediately if someone calls you and says that they’re Daryl Johnson or is associated with me and asks you for money or anything else. Please stay strong and do not fall for any type of scam. Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Cameras –––––– (Continued from page 6) Turning attention to his colleagues in government, Senator Bailey said that their work is a collaborative, team effort. “I guess you can say the captain of our team is our borough president,” Senator Bailey said. “She comes in and she has a lot of real estate to deal with… but she’s never forgotten the 4-5, or Co-op and her commitment to public safety has been significant …,” Senator Bailey said, before turning the podium over to Bronx Borough President Gibson. “Thanks to the leadership of Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, we have this one million dollar capital commitment for the NYPD for the 45th Precinct,” said Borough President Gibson. “I am so grateful because it just adds more resources to what we are doing as your Bronx borough president; to what Assemblyman Michael Benedetto is doing as our assembly member, as well as Council Member Kevin C. Riley and the work that he’s doing in the New York City Council. We are all one. I want to recognize our partner in Congress, Congressman George Latimer, for the great work that he is doing on behalf of the people of Co-op City. “We love Co-op City, and this is a great place to live and work and raise our families, and we’re so proud of the work that we’ve done collaboratively with Co-op City Police Department, with Chief Waring and his team, as well as Riverbay Corporation and the Board of Directors. We speak all the time about what more we can do as elected officials to ensure that all residents, shareholders, older adults, our veterans, and everyone feels protected and safe here in Co-op City.” Borough President Gibson added that the ARGUS cameras are silent witnesses, especially in situations where victims of crimes may not want to come forward, and therefore an effective tool in crime prevention and investigative work to keep communities safe. She also recognized the work of the 45th Precinct Community Council and chair Bob Bieder who holds monthly meetings in all 12 precincts in the Bronx, some in Co-op City, so residents can hear about the work of the NYPD and engage with the Community Council and officers to help make their neighborhoods safer. “So no matter what river, what highway may divide us or lines, we are together no matter what. And so this commitment to the people of Co-op City is going to keep our children and families safe. It is going to remind them that no matter what, we are here and additionally with money that we have secured in the FY26 budget, Chief Ben Gurley and his team at Patrol Borough Bronx knows how much I love to support all 12 precincts, certainly right here in the four-five,” stated Borough President Gibson. “So a million dollars is great, but we have to do more and we will. We’ve already received a list of priority areas from Captain Ortiz at the four-five, so we have a lot of places that we want to capture, including Co-op City. So I’m really grateful and I want to thank Community Affairs and Commissioner Alden Foster, really everyone. This is a collaboration, … This is what community looks like. This is what leadership looks like. And this is what partnership looks like.” Continuing to the next speaker, Senator Bailey said that there is no better state partner he could have than Assemblyman Benedetto who is always ready to join in initiatives to deliver for constituents. “…We have a great team here between Borough President Gibson and Senator Bailey, Councilman Riley, and the leaders of Co-op City Police department and NYPD in the 45th,” Assemblyman Benedetto said. “Everybody talk, everybody work together. It’s a great thing. We started this effort years ago, the Senator and myself, when we got some ARGUS cameras at the other end of Co-op City, about five or six of them, if I remember correctly. Junius Williams is the one who suggested that to me and the senator and I got it done. Now we’re expanding on that. I’ve got them up in Throgs Neck, and we’ve got them along the subway line number six from Westchester Square out and we’re trying to get a few more at Pelham Bay Station. Why? Because we know it works and what also works is good teamwork. We’ve got good teamwork here.” Council Member Riley said: “I have to tip my hat to the men and women of the NYPD, Chief Gurley, Captain Ortiz, Chief Waring here at CCPD, and all the men and women here, Detective Reyes, Detective Rivera, thank you so much,” said Council Member Riley. “We truly appreciate the collaborative work. Since being in office since 2021, there has been an uptick in crime here in Co-op City. Different things have been transpiring, but what hasn’t been happening, or what the community doesn’t see, is the conversations that are happening in the background. We’re having countless conversations to come up with preventative measures….” He pointed out that through the participatory budget process, residents were asked how they would like to spend $1M of City Council money to upgrade or improve their community and through that process, $250,000 will be added to the state’s $1M for the 45th Pct., to add four more cameras to those to be installed in Co-op City. “So this district in Co-op City is going to have a lot of cameras. So if you’re looking, please understand that you will be under surveillance and not in a negative way. We don’t want to make people feel like we’re just surveilling you. We want to make sure that you feel safe, safer, the safest place possible,” said Council Member Riley. “This is a retirement community. This is a city within a city. We want to make sure that everyone who walks within these … miles in Co-op City feel absolutely safe.” Speaking about his close connection to Co-op City, Senator Bailey described Riverbay Corporation as the engine that provides for 50,000 residents in this most unique development in the world. Riverbay Assistant General Manager Cary Smith III said: “This is an awesome moment here, we established a partnership, so on behalf of Douglas Elliman Property Management and Riverbay Corporation, we thank Senator Bailey for all that he has provided, …but what you see here today is the fruits and the actual action that took place from all those conversations [we’ve been having]. It’s not just talk, it’s not just rhetoric. You have a team up here that has put their heads together and said, how do we give back? We want to hear the concerns from the

community and also be able to provide. …So this check shows that … they are listening, they’re reaching out and they’re answering with responses to the community. So this is a huge opportunity to collaborate again with our Senator and his team, with Chief Waring and Captain Torres to take CCPD to another level in terms of what we always said, to be the safest community for our seniors and our youth, our families. So, on behalf of Riverbay Corporation and Douglas Elliman, we thank you so much for this partnership and all that you’ve done.” Senator Bailey then read a statement from Riverbay Board President Rod Saunders, chair of the Board’s Legislative Committee, who thanked Senator Bailey for being “a part of the greatest elected representative team” that Co-op City has ever had. Board President Saunders wrote: “Co-op City is one of the safest in communities in not only the Bronx, but the entire city of New York. Thanks to Senator Bailey and this wonderful gift, we will be even safer. This is what many people have advocated for the last couple of years. I’m so glad that he’s looking out for his Co-op City constituency. Having cameras strategically placed around our community is what many cooperators have asked for. On behalf of Riverbay Board of Directors and the shareholders of Co-op City, I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his advocacy for our safety and for securing the sizeable grant for the equipment for the 45th Precinct.” Next, Senator Bailey recognized Riverbay First Vice President Bishop Angelo Rosario. “It’s amazing to be able to see our leaders doing God’s work for the people. I found one of the greatest cameras that I’m going to recommend for each and every one of us. It sees every place in the world – the eye of God,” said Bishop Rosario. “It is a camera that God has put together to keep us safe but beyond that camera that he looks out of is 26 verses in the Scriptures, in every Scripture, from the Quran to the Bible, that speaks about safety of the family. Not safety of one race but safety of the human race and I’m proud to see my political leader and my county leader working for the whole Bronx and the city,” said Bishop Rosario. “… I’ve been working in the Bronx for 62 years and Co-op City is a blessing to everyone. But people that God has chosen to lead us and how they have come together as one body, that’s what makes a difference. When that happens, our community stays safe. And I believe very strongly that the dollars are good, but our eyes are also good. When you see something, say something.” First Vice President Bishop Rosario thanked the elected officials and law enforcement for their efforts to keep their service communities safe as well as Mr. Williams for his advocacy for additional cameras around Co-op City. Senator Bailey noted that elected officials get to do their work because of people like Mr. Williams who see something and approach elected officials with their observations. “So it’s important for you to get your flowers, Julius, because not just because it’s your birthday, but because we call you Mr. Public Safety because you’re not just worried about you. You’re worried about this community so I want to make sure I especially put a finger on that and thank you for the hard work that you’ve done in this community,” said Senator Bailey. The final speaker, Mr. Bieder, underscored the importance of “community” in police-community relations. “I just want to say the Precinct Community Council, and I stress the word ‘community,’ we’re really there to improve relations between the community and the police but community first,” said Mr. Bieder. “All too often people feel lost, they come to a Community Council meeting and they get results. Captain Anderson Ortiz is always at the meetings. and he hears people. We have elected officials who hear people. I always say all politics is local, and I’m grateful for the local politicians we have because they do listen.” Mr. Bieder said that geographically, the 45th is the largest precinct, and that the community itself is what residents should be proud of. “Because people come out, people like Junius, who has joined the precinct council this year, I’m so proud to have him as one of the members on the board for us, but we have people in the community who come out and make a voice,” said Mr. Bieder. “Here in Co-op City, you have so many different organizations. It’s pretty incredible to see how many people get involved. Every building has their own association. You have so many different organizations and you have the Beacon School over at Truman High School. There’re just so many great things here in Co-op City. These cameras will help make the job easier for both CCPD, which again, you’re really blessed to have, as well as NYPD. These ARGUS cameras are eyes in the sky and they do an incredible job all over the city. We have a lot of them in this precinct, thanks to the Assemblyman, the Senator, the Councilman, the Borough President. As I said, we are truly blessed with our local officials and our local officers.” Speaking to the Co-op City Times after the press conference, Mr. Williams said that since he moved to Co-op City in 2010, he has been concerned about the safety of the community. In 2015, he asked Assemblyman Benedetto to provide the community with NYPD cameras and, in 2019, Co-op City received about 5-6 cameras that were installed around the development. “This is a culmination of my dream,” said Mr. Williams, adding that the ARGUS cameras will also be dedicated to egress and ingress because “when we think about within Co-op City, we have plenty of cameras but we need to have eyes on people coming and going so hopefully this will be like the Ring of Steel in London where they have cameras where you can’t come in, you can’t come out and not be seen, so in my opinion, this will plug the holes in our current system.” Mr. Williams reported that while the $1M in state funding will be dedicated to Co-op City and City Island, the city’s $250,000 will be for ARGUS cameras in Co-op City only. “I want to thank Senator Bailey and the politicians, especially Mr. Benedetto, because he had faith in my dream and now it has come true,” he said.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Building 7 Association Building 7 Association’s holiday event was held on December 9 bringing all neighbors some holiday cheer! The Building 7 Association hosted a holiday event honoring the true spirit of the holidays and goodwill to all. From Santa to cupcake, from hot coco to cookies, all residents enjoyed music and camaraderie. Santa was a big hit, greeting all children, young and old, as they entered the building lobby. He put a smile on everyone’s face, bringing in the holiday season with hope and happiness for the new year! —Bernard Cylich

Photos by Monique Harris

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Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Casino ––––– (Continued from page 1)

struction of the complex is expected to be completed by mid-2030. As part of their proposal, Bally’s also presented a community benefits package that includes commitments to workforce development, public programming, and reinvestment initiatives. These commitments are part of the broader requirements that all applicants must meet under state rules, which mandate plans for local hiring, community engagement, and long-term economic contributions. The company has stated that revenue from the casino would support the community benefits program and other local initiatives outlined in its proposal. Bally’s will also pay a $500 million license fee that will go towards the MTA. State projections estimate that Bally’s, along with the two other casinos that were awarded licenses, could produce several billion dollars in gaming tax revenue over the next decade. Those projections account for state and local tax streams associated with gaming operations, hospitality activity, and related economic development. This approval by the Gaming Commission comes after months of political clashes over the casino project. In June, the New York City Council voted 29-9 against a rezoning amendment that would have privatized the 16 acres of public parkland required for the project. The decision was led by Council Member Kristy Marmorato, who represents District 13 and has been an outspoken critic of the plan, citing concerns about traffic congestion, crime, and the loss of open space. Following the City Council’s vote, Mayor Eric Adams then vetoed the Council’s decision in late July, marking the first time he has used his veto power on a land use issue since taking office. Adams argued that rejecting the Bronx bid while allowing other proposals across the city to move for-

Registering for an Online Carrying Charge Account (Step-by-Step Guide)

Co-op City shareholders can pay their monthly carrying charge invoices online through the Zego. com (formerly PayLease) website and app. Visit the Zego website at www.gozego.com or the official Riverbay website, www.coopcity.com, then scroll to the bottom left of the Home page and click on the “GoZego” link. Once on the Zego website: 1. Click on “Resident/Homeowner Login” at the top right of the Home page. 2. Select “Don’t have an account? Create one now.” 3. Select “Renter.” 4. On the Renter’s page, DO NOT sign up for a bill from your management company. Instead, “Search for Your Property.” Enter your property address, for example, 140 Asch Loop. Hit “Search.” 5. Click on the link titled, “This is my Property,” highlighted in green. 6. You should now be in the “Choose an option below to Pay Now” page. Scroll to the second box, “Create your Account,” and hit “Get Started.” 7. Input your account number from your carrying charge statement and click on “Proceed with Registration.” 8. Select your name from the drop-down list, add your email address and choose a strong password to protect your account. In the box below, titled “Please Select Referrer,” select “Talked to Property Manager” or “Other.” Next, check box to confirm name of the accountholder is accurate and agree to the terms of use. Hit “Create Account” to proceed to the next page. 9. Your account balance will show up along with options to pay. You may select one of two available options: a) One-time payment – You must log in to pay your carrying charge invoice monthly b) Autopay – Your payment will be deducted monthly from a checking or savings account. There is no fee associated with this option. Please note: If “Autopay” is selected, choose “Variable,” not “Fixed.” • Payment can also be made with a credit card – fee contingent on the amount being paid, OR • By debit card – There is a $7.69 fee associated with this option. For customer support, you may contact Zego’s Call Center at (866)729-5327 (Select Option #1). This service is available around-the-clock, seven days a week.

ward created an uneven playing field. The mayor’s veto drew criticism from Council Member Marmorato, who described the move as “an insult to the residents of District 13” and a dismissal of community concerns. Supporters of the casino, which included Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, countered that the casino would bring jobs, investment, and resources to a borough that has long been underfunded. “From the beginning, I have been clear: the Bronx deserves a fair shot at a gaming license. Today’s vote by the New York State Gaming Commission moves this project forward and brings the Bronx one step closer to long-overdue investments in our communities,” said Borough President Gibson. “This project means thousands of good-paying union jobs, a strong commitment to local hiring, and real pathways to the middle class for Bronx residents. It includes major investments in parks, green space, transportation, and infrastructure, along with a historic $625 million Community Benefits Agreement to ensure our neighborhoods directly benefit from this project’s success… As this process continues, we will keep working alongside Bally’s, community leaders, and residents to make sure local voices stay front and center and that this project delivers real, lasting benefits for The Bronx.”

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

JASA Co-op City OAC and NORC Program Holiday Luncheon

Snow Days in Co-op City

Photos by Steve Paintner

Photo by William Baxter

First Snowfall of the Season... The first real snowfall of the season as seen from Building 16 facing I-95 on Sunday, December 14. The snow on the trees makes them look like clouds on the ground. There was also enough snow on the ground to create this snowman, as seen on the park bench behind Building 15. In all, the Bronx saw about 3.2 inches of snow. —Richard Marcano Photos by Richard Marcano

JASA OAC and NORC program held their holiday luncheon on Wednesday, December 10, in the Dreiser Auditorium. Attendees enjoyed an afternoon of laughter, food and entertainment. Guest attendees included Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Councilman Kevin C. Riley, Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Riverbay Executive General Manager, Marvin L. Walton, Assistant Executive General Manager Cary Smith III, and Deputy GM, Property Operations, Dwayne Scott. Photos by Lovely Grant

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Building 6 Association Happy Saturday, neighbors. I hope when you read this it finds you in good standing. Happy Hanukkah to all of the neighbors of the Judaism religion. May the spirit of Hanukkah always shine your light. Congratulations are in order to Mrs. Gracie Dickerson. She was nominated by President Lassiter and voted in by the association’s body into the seat of assistant treasurer. She is an asset to the Building 6 Association and has been volunteering for decades. This past Sunday, Dec. 14, a time was had by all at the third annual Holiday Mixer in the association room. Due to inclement weather conditions, we postponed the Holiday Lights till midweek when the grounds were completely clear. A huge thank you to the Riverbay Grounds and Janitorial departments for their outstanding service. On Monday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. in the front lobby, we will be having the Building 6 Personnel Holiday Bonuses Presentation. If any neighbor wants to partake in the presentation and take a group photo, please come down. There will be no meetings in January, so stay tuned to the association bulletin board for information and events. We strongly suggest all neighbors fill out the phone tree emergency forms that are at the CSO office located in the bottom patio in Dreiser Mall. All holiday gift bulk garbage must be taken down to the basement’s Ash Cart room. Compactor Room Etiquette – Never place raw garbage down the chute. All recyclables must be rinsed and placed into the clear bag. All food containers must be placed into a clear bag and sealed. Bulk boxes and household items

must be taken down to the basement’s Ash Cart room. Never place garbage on the floor, providing an invitation to roaches and vermin. Don’t be a litterbug. Laundry Room Etiquette – Please remove your washer/dryer load from the machine within 15 minutes of completion. Never spray aerosol disinfectants into the machine; it could ignite a fire. All used dryer sheets and empty detergent bottles must be placed into their proper receptacle. Parents, please mind your children; the laundry room isn’t a playground. As the saying goes, if you see something, say something. Call CCPD at 718671-3050 or dial 911. In the winter months, the homeless will seek shelter, so call the authorities so they can assist them. If anyone in your home is having a mental health crisis, please dial 988; the hotline is open 24/7. The Mental Health Coping with Depression Workshop will resume in 2026. Neighbors, if you have nothing nice to say, please say nothing at all. You never know what a person is experiencing. Mental health isn’t a visible disability. So, insert Kindness, just because we all want to be treated with dignity and respect. As always, we pray for safety over all. God speed. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King Jr. “It is better to light a candle than curse.” —Lauren K. Lassiter

Building 27 Association We wish our neighbors well. We pray that all of our children will learn in a peaceful environment and they will have a prosperous school year. Well, did we all enjoy the beauty of the snow? Building 27 Association Meeting – Many came out and enjoyed themselves. President Aaron welcomes all. Nominations of officers for the next period are as follows: President: Aaron Carnegie, Vice President: Nelson Sweeting, Secretary: Evelyn Brown, Vice Secretary: Dawn Carter, Treasurer: Thalia Roach, Vice Treasurer: Lena Lara, Corresponding Secretary: Hattie Overman, and Sergeant-at-Arms: Wanda Dobson. Happy Birthday – Mr. George Brown (in photo) celebrated his 90th birthday on December 12. Cooperators from each building, A, B and C, joined in to wish him a blessed and happy birthday with a birthday cake. Wishing Mr. Brown a year ahead full of cherished memories, good health, and the love of family and those who surround him. The Building 27 Association meeting with Verizon reps. will be on December 17 at the Einstein Center, Rm. 45.

Management has implemented policy and shareholders will no longer be allowed to have decorations in public places in our buildings due to a risk of fire hazards. If not sure, call or visit the CSO office in the Einstein Community Center. Parking and Bike Enforcements – Cooperators, advise your delivery person to utilize the bike racks installed at the front of residential buildings and the community centers. Otherwise, the bicycles and motorbikes can be removed if chained to light poles and fences around the community. Cars parked without proper placards will be ticketed. Happy birthday to all celebrating this month. To those in bereavement, you have our sincere sympathy. We wish all the best of health and safety. You may contact Lydia Rondon at 718-583-3040 if a neighbor has passed away, is sick, or transferred to a nursing home. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” ––James Baldwin ––H. Overman

Building 10 Association Greetings, fellow cooperators. New Cooperators – Welcome, all new cooperators. We look forward to seeing you at the next general membership meeting. Holiday Gift Collection for Building 10 Staff – If you missed the collection for the Building 10 staff, you can give your donation to any executive board member. The last day to give a donation will be Sunday, December 21. For more information, contact Jewel at 917-488-5237 or Lisa at 646-220-0802. Tip of the Week: Neighbors – Check on your neighbors. The holidays can be a difficult time for some people. A simple smile and/or a “hello” can brighten someone’s day. If You See Something, Say Something – For emergencies, call Co-op City Public Safety at 718-671-3050 and NYPD at 911. For non-emergencies, call 311. You can also contact CCPD at their anonymous tips hotline: 718-8796311. Suicide Prevention – If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or in emotional distress, the number to call for help is 988; you can call or text. Someone is available 24 hours a day. Questions, Comments and Suggestions – You can contact the Building 10 Association via email at Building10Assoc@gmail.com or drop a note in the suggestion box in the laundry. We are also on Facebook, “Building 10 ‘ABC’ Association.” Like our page and get notified of all the happenings in and around Building 10. Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Vernon Mitchell (Building 10C) who passed away on December 5. Mr. Mitchell always greeted me with a smile and an interesting trivia question. I never knew the correct answer, but Mr. Mitchell did, even at 102 years old. Mr. Mitchell will be missed. Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Mitchell in your thoughts and prayers

during this very difficult time. We would like to wish all who are born this month an incredibly happy birthday. Celebrating an anniversary this month? Happy Anniversary! To the homebound and sick, we wish you a speedy recovery. To all who have lost a loved one recently, we offer our deepest condolences. “Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” —Maya Angelou Have a great week. —Jewel Crawford-Duncan

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Building 28 Association

National Council of Negro Women

Dearest shareholders, Our December 10 meeting had a wonderful turnout, and it was truly heartwarming to see so many neighbors come together. We were pleased to welcome Verizon representatives who hosted an open Q&A. Please mark your calendars for our Mingle Jingle Holiday Party on January 3 from 5-9 p.m. in the Association Room, located in the rear of the building at 120 Einstein Loop. This event is open to all shareholders of Building 28 A, B, and C. There will be music, food, games and plenty of opportunities to spend time together as a community. If you would like to participate or have ideas, please email us at Building28association@gmail.com, and we will be happy to reach out to you. Please be sure to check your building bulletin boards regularly for updates and information on upcoming events throughout Co-op City. Staying informed is very important so we can continue working together as a strong and connected community. We look forward to seeing you and continuing to build our community together. Remember, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” —Idalia Reyes

Decked in Disguise: A Holiday Masquerade – Our Christmas party was a huge success! The room had such beautiful decorations! The music and dancing were so lively! Small Black businesses were available for last minute unique Christmas gifts! Even the food was tastier! We were especially pleased that eight of our youth group, by raising money selling popcorn, were able to attend and enjoy our party also! Our HospiNCNW 2025 Christmas Party tality Committee, led by Candacie Daniels, did a superb job! NCNW Co-op City Section – Our last membership meeting of 2025 took place entirely on Zoom (because of the first snow of the season) last Sunday, December 14. We were happy to welcome a new member, Amy Williams-Larkin, who had been a vendor at our holiday party. Toys that were collected at our Christmas party will be donated to “displaced youth” at P.S. 41 in Co-op City. A family from our neighborhood has been chosen as our “adopted” Christmas family. We will donate to this family a turkey and a $300 gift check. On Wednesday, December 17, we joined another community organization in sending holiday cards to our neighbors in nearby rehabilitation centers. Our first activity for 2026 will be a webinar presented by our Information Technology Committee. On Wednesday, January 28, this committee will answer the pleas of our “non-tech savvy” members to help improve our computer and cellphone skills. Stay tuned for more details! Our Joyce Howard, Nikita Singletary, first program for 2026 will be our 25th Aletha Robinson 2025 Annual Black History Celebration on Saturday, February 28. This is always an exciting program during which the youngsters of our North East Bronx community have the opportunity to display their performing talents. Good Health WINs (NCNW) – This program called Good Health WINs (Women’s Immunization Networks) pairs NCNW’s unparalleled network of 2 million American women and men of African descent NCNW Youth at Holiday Party with deep knowledge of vaccines and immunization policy. This program is not just about community education and access, but also about bridging the gap between underserved communities and vaccine leaders and policy makers. We will use our own seats at the table and understanding of the vaccine policy space to ensure systemic change to eliminate vaccine disparities. This need became obvious during the COVID plague when only 4 in 10 African Americans expressed a willingness to be vaccinated. One of our “NCNW Priorities” is to educate women about health and promote healthcare access. One thing that remains steadfast is that women continue to be the stewards of good health for their families. Can we imagine a health system in which protection is available only to those with the means to pay hundreds of dollars for a vaccination? Pediatricians and parents will need to keep pushing back against misinformation and against the anxieties that are being deliberately and needlessly fomented. That the health care structure that keeps children safe may be under threat. Social Media – Remember you can find us on our website: www.ncnwcoopcitysection.com; on Instagram: NCNW Co-op City and email: ncnwco. opcity@gmail.com. ––Joyce Howard

Building 25 Association Greetings, and happy holidays to everyone. We wish you constant happiness, good health, and prosperity. We welcome families who moved into Building 25 recently and we invite you to attend our building association meetings. Holiday Gift Collection: There is still time to contribute to our annual collection for the staff of our building. Board members of Building 25 Association will be in the lobby on Saturday, December 20, from 3-6 p.m., and on Sunday, December 21, from 3-5 p.m. We thank those who have already contributed. Save the Date: Our holiday social event is scheduled for Saturday, January 3, 2026. We will provide more details shortly. Sick and Shut-ins: We send you best wishes for hope, comfort, and renewed strength. Condolences: We offer our deepest sympathy to our neighbors and friends who recently lost a loved one. May you ﬁnd comfort in loving memories of your loved one. Building Association Meeting: Our next building association meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room under the portico. In the event you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Building 25 Cooperators’ Association via email at: building25association@gmail.com to share your ideas and concerns. Your building association strives to advocate on your behalf for problem resolution. We welcome your input and support. Please join your building association. The annual dues are $5 per family. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Light refreshments will be available. Have a safe week and remember to lift someone’s spirit with a hello or a smile. —Evelyn Herbert

Section 5 Association A Section 5 Association meeting was held on November 20. Carol, the president of SFA, mentioned the updated bylaws of SFA should be ready by the next meeting of SFA. Carol mentioned that Bldg. 22 is sponsoring a trip to Vermont on Jan 15, 2026. Holiday Decorations – Please be mindful of the ban on decorations in public places on the premises of Co-op City, due to possible fire hazards. If you are not sure, please visit the CSO Office in the Einstein Center. Verizon representatives were guest speakers a month ago in our meeting and we were informed fiber is being installed in the community. Closing of Exit 9 – This is the exit ramp on the southbound side of I-95 that connects to the Hutchinson Pkwy and also provides access to Section 5. Community Board 10 will schedule a public meeting with Co-op City on the closure of Exit 9 early next year. When the date is set, we ask that each building association post fliers to make sure their building shareholders will be notified. Fliers posted, for those who do not read the Co-op City Times. Happy birthday to those celebrating this month. If a neighbor is sick, in the hospital or a nursing home, please contact Section5association10@ gmail.com. To those in bereavement, you have our deepest sympathy. Never give up. “Keep your thoughts and your mind always on the goal.” ––Tom Bradley ––H. Overman

Be sure to subscribe to the ofﬁcial Co-op City YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/3h6CrF7. Stay informed!

WHISTLEBLOWER ANONYMOUS HOTLINE

If you have knowledge or a concern of possible violations of law, accounting irregularities, or other suspected wrongdoing affecting Riverbay, you are encouraged to report it to law enforcement, or you may report it through an anonymous hotline by the following methods: Go to an independent website, www.lighthouse-services. com/riverbaycorp to complete an online disclosure form; Call the following independent third party whistleblower hotline at 1-833-290-0009 (English); or 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish); Email: reports@lighthouse-services.com; or Send a fax to (215) 689-3885 (the email or fax must include “Riverbay” in the subject of the report).

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025 17

Broun Place Townhouse Association

Hi, neighbors. Due to my illness, I am unable to collect a holiday gift. Please give to our groundskeeper. Here comes the jolly holiday Santa. Are you ready? The photos reflect wonderful events that have gone on here between associations and organizations and shared with lots of neighbors and family. We wish you all the best holiday possible and that all your recipes were a success. You are welcome to share a recipe with our community. Great holiday photos of one of our families were shared on Facebook. If that family has the photos, please forward them to me for publication with our press release. Richard Fedderman, dedicated former aide to Congressman Eliot Engel, has passed on. He was dedicated to working for the congressman, and we would often see Mr. Fedderman representing him at events. A memorial was held on December 14 at the Riverdale Y. May he rest in heavenly peace. There was a “Go Fund Me” online, which helped defray the funeral costs. People generously donated, we are happy to report. There is so much going on here in Co-op City. First, we urge you to read the Co-op City Times. Join a club and read the newspaper. You are part of this community. Our Mitchell-Lama housing philosophy aligns with community involvement, following, and especially, understanding our origin. Important contact information to have for our Section 4 CSO department:

send an email to mvega@riverbaycorp.com, or call 718-320-3300, ext. 3306. Also, please report to CCPD, 718-671-3050, or the 45th Precinct, if you see a car without a disability placard parked illegally in the Broun Place cul-de-sac. Tickets will be issued to those without placards. Also please, when you park, take up just one space. Broun Place Townhouse Association accepts new members any time. The membership fees are $12 a year. Dues pay for supplies and support emergency efforts in the Broun Place Townhouse cluster. We encourage your participation in community events and make constructive suggestions to your Board. We will be donating to the annual Toy Drive. To report on the non-delivery of the Co-op City Times, call 1-407-666-8317 on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. We urge you to read your Co-op City Times. We extend “Get Well Wishes” to all suffering from illness, and citizens, get your vaccines. We applaud our public schools. We love that we have a music program and chorus here. Neighbors, let’s be safe during inclement weather. Winterize your accessories left outside. Have a Merry Xmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and joyous Chanukah 2025. —Eva Kindaichi Lazaar

Building 13 Association Happy holiday season full of joy, laughter, good health, and much prosperity. Whatever spirit moves you, be safe and blessed and loved. Be kind and considerate to one and all. Happy New Year—2026! With that being said, our annual After and Before Holiday party is scheduled for Sunday, December 28, with details to follow. Save The Date We have been asked to begin our event with a “Parranda,” and in the words of Bad Bunny, you have eight days to find out what it means. From the Parranda event, we will move to our Association room to continue our party with resident DJ Valerie Gunn. Let’s continue to learn about each other. If you are interested in assisting, contact Elena at 917-374-9886. Times and details will be posted in the lobby bulletin board. We thank Building 13 Vice President Wendell Mattison and all the volunteers for collecting donations for the building staff. Most importantly, you, Building 13 fellow residents, you are to be thanked for recognizing the excellent job our building workers strive to accomplish for all of us. We must do our part to be equally as diligent and concerned about our building, follow rules, pick up when we drop something and take care of the property. Our youth learn by example, let’s teach them well.

Black Forum Emergency Food Pantry – 920 Baychester Ave., Bldg. 1A (opposite basketball court). The pantry is open on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m. for grocery distribution. Guests are eligible to pick up food once a month. All guests must present a pantry card, at least 4-6 clean shopping bags with handles and a shopping cart to receive food. We will not place food in black bags because they pose a safety hazard. Section 5 guests should visit the Co-op City United Methodist Church at 2350 Palmer Avenue to pick up groceries. This distribution site is open Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The groceries are supplied by and distributed by Black Forum. Religious affiliation is not required. For the safety of our staff and other guests, mask-wearing is required when picking up food. Our priority is to provide a safe and respectful environment for everyone accessing our services. To ensure the well-being of our staff, volunteers, and all guests, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who engages in disruptive or aggressive behavior. We will also cease service if an individual poses a risk to the safety of our staff or other guests. New Client Registration & Re-Certification For Returners – New client registration and returning client re-certification will reopen in January 2026. Check back here for the latest information on registration and recertification dates. Thank you for your patience during the process this year. Produce Distribution – Black Forum (920 Baychester) is distributing to registered pantry guests fresh produce on Tuesday, December 23, from 11 a.m. until items run out (which can happen at any time). No monthly pickups on that day–no exceptions. Please bring 5-6 clean/sturdy bags, your 2025 pantry card, and a sizable shopping cart. Fundraisers & Fun! Support our community with a fun day out! Your participation in our events helps cover the rent, insurance, and supplies needed to keep our Emergency Food Pantry running strong. Help us ensure local families have access to nutritious food and household supplies. Trips include transportation and dining: Atlantic City Tropicana Casino – Saturday, June 27, 2026. Total: $70. Casino Rebate: $20. We’re accepting payments now through April 30. No refunds. For trip interest only, please call 917-209-5334 or 929-464-5520. Sight & Sound’s Joshua & Shady Maple Smorgasbord – Friday, August 21, 2026. Total: $225. We’re accepting three payments of $75 each & are collecting deposits now. First payment to hold your seat was due 10/24/2025, second payment is due 02/14/2026, and third payment is due 04/18/26. Please be prompt with payments. No refunds. For trip interest only, please call 917209-5334 or 929-464-5520. Look out for more information about Ace In the Hole which will include a luncheon and show, and Windows On The Lake with Jake’s 58 casino in Ronkonkoma, LI. Contact Us: coopcityblackforum@gmail.com —D. Illis

Our member, LaShawn Dixon, will be assisting in giving us an updated look to our website. We hope to be able to communicate more and collect our memberships via our website going forward. But there is initial work to be done. We thank her for the offer and welcome the assistance. Please Note: Members and non-members of the association are always welcome to attend our meeting however we encourage you to become a member to get updates and emails from the Association enabling you to stay in the know of what’s happening in your community. The success of our Association depends on active participation from residents. Stay informed and voice your concerns. Share your ideas and help shape the future of our community. “Some people think they are in community, but they are only in proximity. True community requires commitment and openness. It is a willingness to extend yourself to encounter and know the other.” —David Spangler Visit our Facebook Page at: Building 13 Association Inc.–Co-op City or e-mail us at building13assoc@yahoo.com. Contacts: Leslie Peterson, president, at 718-320-1370, or Wendell Mattison, V.P., at 917-330-1380. Thank you for supporting our team. —Leslie Peterson

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Retirees of Dreiser Loop

Coalition to Save Affordable Housing

Season’s Greetings to all, Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa. Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday season that is bright, festive, and full of sparkles. Hunterdon Hills Playhouse – Seats are still available. Friday, February 6, 2026, lunch and play, “Dr. K’s Motown Revue.” Price: $160. Deposit of $50 due as soon as possible to hold a seat. Final payment is due January 7, 2026. The bus will pick up in front of H&R Block at 8:30 a.m. and will leave promptly at 9 a.m. Serita will be available in Rm. 19 on Thursday, December 18, and Tuesday, December 23, to accept payments. Sight and Sound “Joshua” – Seats are still available. Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Show at 11 a.m. and lunch to follow at 2:30 p.m. at Miller’s Smorgasbord. Ticket price is $225. The bus will pick up at 6:30 a.m. in front of H&R Block and will depart promptly at 7 a.m. A deposit of $50 is due now to reserve a seat. Contact Serita at 347-564-5722 with any questions. Happy Birthday – Cheers to all our December birthday celebrants on adding another candle to your birthday cake. We wish you all a happy birthday and peace, love and happiness throughout the year. Condolences – We extend our heartfelt condolences to Virginia Stewart and her family on the recent death of her grandson. Please keep Virginia and her family in your thoughts and prayers. We continue to pray for all our bereaved members and their families. Good and Welfare – We continue to remember and pray for our members who are sick or shut-in. Please notify Lorraine Parker at 718-671-6403 of any member illnesses or deaths. Membership Committee – Annual membership dues are $25. Personal checks payable to the “Retirees of Dreiser Loop” can be mailed to: Retirees of Dreiser Loop, 177 Dreiser Loop, Room 19, Bronx, NY 10475. Questions may be addressed to Mary at (718) 655-9170. General Meeting – Our next general membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Dreiser Center Auditorium C. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. ––Georgianna Rodriguez

The Coalition to Save Affordable Housing will be holding an end-of-theyear Pot-Luck dinner on Monday, December 19, in Rm. 13 in the Dreiser Community Center at 7 p.m. We invite all our members and friends to bring their favorite dishes, good appetite, and dancing shoes to join us enjoying good cooking, music, and good company. We will be celebrating two recent victories: One, after a marathon Board of Directors election period––close to ten weeks before a quorum was reached–– cooperators re-elected our incumbent candidate, Kevin Lambright, and also elected a former Board member, our candidate, Bishop Angelo Rosario. And second, following the seating of the winning candidates, the Board members elected Bishop Angelo Rosario for the position of second vice president, elected Bernard Cylich for secretary, and Mary Pearson for assistant secretary. We extend our kudos to our other three candidates, Keith Logan, Grace Solomon and Darnell Lopez, who, while failing to win, nevertheless accepted and met the challenge to campaign for the Riverbay Board of Directors. At our November meeting, members elected and re-elected the following officers for 2025-2026: Keith Logan, chairperson; Bernard Cylich, co-chairperson; Monique Coleman, treasurer; Nelson Sweeting, assistant treasurer; Aisha Hernandez, secretary; Grace Solomon, assistant secretary, and Asia Grey, membership director. Members-at-large elected: Stuart Edwards, John Gale, Kevin Lambright, Andrea Leslie, Bruce Silberman and Ezekiel Springer Jr. As noted in a previous article, we, cooperators, have to be vigilant and keep run-away ICE agents from accosting innocent, law abiding cooperators in our community. A Reminder: Annual dues are $20 for individuals and $30 for families. Look forward to seeing all at our celebration on Monday, December 29, in our room at 7 p.m. Wishing all a happy, healthy, and peaceful Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanza. —Bernard Cylich

Goose Island Seniors

The NAACP marches to defend democracy and combat racism and discrimination in communities across the country. Located in the Einstein Community Center, Rm. 36, we meet on the fourth Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. The NAACP Co-op City Branch Office hours are: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Mondays & Wednesdays. The NAACP condemns the Trump Administration’s decision to strip Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Service’s annual free-entry days, replacing them with Flag Day, which also, coincides with President Trump’s birthday. Washington—Chyna Fields. To read NAACP CEO & President Derrick Johnson’s response, go to naacp.org. NAACP calls the recent deal to reopen the government, “A Deal That Betrays the American people.” “This deal betrays the American people who will lose their healthcare coverage as a result of weak and ineffective lawmakers,” said Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP. “It is a stark reminder that empty gestures cannot revive the dignity stripped from hardworking Americans who were reduced to a lesser state by political theater. The American people made their thoughts clear in Tuesday’s elections, and every lawmaker backing this deal should consider themselves on notice.” Scholarship Opportunities: Each year, the NAACP offer need-based and merit scholarships to outstanding and qualified students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees as part of our Inspire Initiatives program. Through the generosity of our donors, we advance efforts to ensure equity in educational opportunities that prepare students for success in school, work, and life. Our scholarships range in award amount, academic interests, and age. Whether you are a graduating high school senior or early in your professional career, we are pleased to provide financial opportunities and recognition to assist with collegiate and post-educational endeavors. Please be sure to review individual scholarship eligibility requirements and deadlines. Note: You must “Be a member of the NAACP.” If you are not a member of the NAACP, join today. NAACP Statement: We will not let fear and division drive us further apart. We cannot succumb to apathy. We must come together to defend our friends, families, and neighbors. We never have and never will cower in the face of racism. The NAACP is leading the counter-offensive to vigorously defend our lives, our freedom, our history, and American democracy on every front. Watch & Listen: Our Culture, Our Stories on the NAACP+ YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook: Co-op City NAACP. Looking to make an even greater impact? Become a champion for change and join us to keep advancing. Annual membership: Adult: $30; Youth: $10; Silver Life: $750. Make ck/mo. payable to: NAACP Co-op City. Mailing address: NAACP Co-op City, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 36, Bronx, NY 10475. To become a member online, go to: www.naacp.org membership. Select Co-op City (2210) and join. To leave a message, call the office phone at: 718-3203210 or email: naacpccity2210@gmail.com. —Brenda Brown

The Senior Social Club of Goose Island will be closed on Dec. 24, 25 and 26. We are also closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. We are collecting membership dues for 2026. The price is $30. Dues must be paid by Jan. 1. Toy & Coat Drive – We accept donations of coats and toys. Call: 646-5791701. Goose Island Holiday Party – Fri., Dec. 19, at 1 p.m. in our club, Rm. 39. Covered dish. Bring something or a $20 donation. Members with birthdays in Dec. enter free. Disney Cruise (Dream Ship) – Dec. 22-26. Prices start at $2000 per person. Call: 646-579-1701. 2026 Wind Creek Casino – Sat., Jan. 10, in Bethlehem, PA. Price: $70; bonus $25 slot play. Call: 646-579-1701. 2026 Mohegan Sun Casino – Thurs., Jan. 22, in Uncasville, CT. Price: $70; no bonus, no food vouchers. Bus arriving Einstein Loop, 8:15 a.m. and Dreiser Loop, 8:45 a.m. Payment due Jan. 7, 2026., 2026 Wind Creek Casino – Thurs., Feb. 19, in Bethlehem, PA. Price: $70; bonus and $25 for play. Bus arriving Einstein Loop, 7:45 a.m., and Dreiser Loop, 8:15 a.m. Payment due Jan. 28, 2026. Foxwoods Casino and Tanger Outlet – Tues., March 10, in Mashantucket, CT. No bonus, no meal voucher. Price: $70. 2026 Sight and Sound “Joshua” – Thurs., March 26, in Lancaster, PA. Lunch at Golden Corral, then 3 p.m. show. Price: $215; $50 deposit to hold seat. Balance due March 4, 2026. Bus arrivals: Einstein Loop at 8:45 a.m. and Dreiser Loop at 9:15 a.m. Payment due Feb. 19, 2026. 2026 Resort World Casino, Monticello, NY – Tues., April 14. Price: $70; bonus $25 slot play, and $15 food voucher. 2026 Resorts AC – Thurs., May 14, in Atlantic City, NJ. Price: $70. Adults only. Enjoy the casino, boardwalk and shopping. 2026 Norwegian Greek Isle Cruise – May 18-27, 2026. Price: $3293-3945. Call: 646-579-1701 Notary With Yvonne Menefee – 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bingo – Mon., Wed., and Fri., 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Members only. Admission: $5 for three cards; $0.25 each additional card; 12 games and jackpot. Refreshments. Game day – Tues. and Thurs. between 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Dominoes, movies, socializing and more. Members only. Refreshments served. To All Members: Happy birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of December: Paquita Myke, Janie Williams, Jose Lopez, Brenda Brown, Wilfredo Lopez, Janet Coles, Louise (Cookie) Hernandez, Theodore Byrd, Jackie Washington, Clara Howell, Mary Pat Randolph, Barbara Owens, Michael Olivas, Barbara Wattley, Gladys Baez, Elaine D. Whitty and Mamie Wright. Sick and Shut-in – Mary Pilla, our former president, sends her love to everyone. Call her at 718-753-1816. Our club is at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 39, Bronx NY 10475, the Section 5 Community Center. Phone: 718-379-9613. Stephen cell: 347-847-1941 (Zelle available). Our email address is goose.island@optonline.net. Cash App: $StephenCarlSr. Membership dues $30 annually. Good health to all. ––Stephen Roberts, Sr.

NAACP

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Drammeh Center

The Church of St. Thomas The Apostle

Lunch & Learn Candle Making Workshop Series Due to popular demand, we’re adding two new sessions to our Lunch & Learn Candle‑Making Workshops which have been a hit! Join us for one of our newly added dates: Saturday, January 10, 12 p.m.; Saturday, January 17, 12 p.m. Location: Drammeh Center, Bldg. 6, ground floor. In this hands‑on candle‑making experience, you’ll learn, create, and discover how to market your own candle creations. This workshop is designed for com‑ plete beginners and candle‑making novices—no prior experience needed. What’s Included: All candle‑making materials and supplies A selection of curated seasonal/holiday scents Step‑by‑step creative guidance Marketing and branding insights for selling or gifting your candles Your handcrafted candle(s) to take home This experience is perfect if you’re curious about candle making, looking to create unique gifts for loved ones, interested in learning the basics of branding and marketing handmade products. Ticket Price: $56 per session. Seating is limited. For inquiries and regis‑ tration, please contact us to reserve your spot at DrammehCenter@gmail.com. —Elise Ewards

177 Dreiser Loop, second floor, Rm. 2. Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The clergy and members of St. Thomas invite you to worship with us. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20) This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Advent, the last Sunday before Christ‑ mas day. Let us prepare ourselves to stand before our Lord united in love for Him and one another as the scripture readings for today instruct us to do. The Fourth Sunday in Advent: Sunday December 21 2025: ● 11 a.m. Communion service ● Fellowship with light refreshments following the service Bible Lessons: ● 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ● John 13:3-34 Prayer: Almighty, everliving God, we pray Thee to inspire continually Thy universal Church with the Spirit of truth, unity, and concord, that all they who do confess Thy Holy Name may agree in the truth of Thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love; through Christ our Lord. Amen —Rev. Dorian Miceli

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Church of the New Vision and Pastors Kenneth and Deborah Hodge welcome you to worship with us at 115 Einstein Loop North, Bronx, New York 10475. Church phone 718-671-8746 and Pastor’s phone 914-522-5039. Our scripture verse for 2025 is: 2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and maketh mani‑ fest the savior of his knowledge by us in every place.” Come Fellowship with us: Sunday School for adults and youths begin at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning worship service is at 11a.m. All are welcome. Fasting, prayer and meditation is the last Wednesday of each month. Daily Noon Day Prayer Line: 12-12:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Join us for Wednesday Night Bible Study and Prayer. The conference line number is 646-769-9900; Access Code: 3099088#. Please mute your phone. Worship Message: “The Unspeakable Gift of God.” Scripture Lesson: 2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV: “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 6:23; John 3:15-17) Save the Dates Saturday, December 20 – Church Christmas Party from 12-4 p.m.

Thursday, December 25 – Christmas Day Wednesday, December 31 – Watchnight service begins at 10:30 p.m. inhouse. Women’s Fellowship-Women’s Retreat Thursday, September 24–Sat‑ urday, September 26, 2026, two nights/three-day standard accommodations (double occupancy), five meals, motor-coach transportation at the beautiful Spruce Lake Retreat & Conference Center, Canadensis, PA. Secure your res‑ ervation with a deposit of $50 ASAP, no later than January 19, 2026. A guest count is needed at Spruce Lake by December 22, 2025. For further informa‑ tion, contact: Sis. L. Scott at 718-671-2623, Sis. S. James at 917-667-4229, or Sis. H. Smith at 718-708-5035. Season’s Greetings, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. May you be blessed with good health, love, peace, joy, goodwill, and gratitude throughout the coming year. We continue to pray for speedy recovery for the sick and shut-in; grace, mercy, strength, comfort, healing, and condolences to families who lost loved ones and good health and wellness for all. Please mail contributions, tithes, and offerings to: Church of the New vi‑ sion, P.O. Box 75-3037, Einstein Station, Bronx, New York 10475. Thank you. ––Brenda Brown

Co-op City Baptist Church

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church

Church of the New Vision

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us for Worship Service tomorrow at 8 a.m., in-person only, and at 11 a.m., in-person and on Zoom or YouTube. Sunday School classes for all ages will be held at 9:30 a.m. We are located at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 50 (lower level), Bronx, NY 10475. Telephone: 718-320-3774. Email: ccbc135@optimum.net or coopcitybc@gmail.com. Website: www.coopcity‑ baptistchurch.org. Masks are optional. Zoom information: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9623430102 or Zoom Tele‑ phone Conference Line 646-568-7788; Meeting ID: 962 343 0102#; Pass‑ word: 788175#. Or go to YouTube, search for “Co-op City Baptist Church” and watch us there. The church’s free conference call line dial-in number is 857-357-0254, Ac‑ cess Code is 660065#. There will be no Sunday School classes on Sunday, December 28, and Sunday, January 4. Sunday School classes will resume on Sunday, January 11, at 9:30 a.m. Our Watch Night service will be held on Wednesday night, December 31, at 10:30 p.m. on Zoom. Everyone is invited. Due to the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays, there will be no Bible Study classes, prayer services and other activities for the next two weeks. The Wednesday Bible Study classes will resume on Wednesday, Jan‑ uary 7. The Thursday Sunday School Staff Bible Study, Prayer Warriors and Circle of Grace Knit & Crochet Ministry will resume on Thursday, January 8. The Friday mid-morning prayer and evening prayer service will resume on Friday, January 9. Our next Food Giveaway will be distributed on Friday, January 9, from 2-5 p.m., at 135 Einstein Loop. Remember to bring a bag. Everyone is welcome. We would like to wish everyone a Merry and Blessed Christmas! “GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a liv‑ ing community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, Bible Study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the Church through ministry. —Marilyn C. Williams

St. Joseph’s is located at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level, Co-op City, Bronx NY 10475. Email: stjosephsepc@aol.com. Church phone number: 718-320-0844. Priest-in-charge: Fr. Simeon Johnson; cell phone: 917-227-4303. In-person worship service for the Fourth Sunday in Advent will be conduct‑ ed at the church on Sunday, December 21, at 9 a.m. as well as via teleconfer‑ ence. Please remember to tune in for the noonday prayer service each week, Mon‑ day through Friday. To participate by teleconference, dial 1-425-436-6344, Access Code: 509-898, followed by the # sign. Pledge Cards for 2026 are now available. Please collect, complete and re‑ turn yours to the church as soon as possible. We know that you want to help your church, so it is on these cards that you tell us about your areas of interest and expertise. Events and Fundraising Activities December 24: Christmas Eve Service will be held at 6 p.m. January 25: Annual Church Meeting to be held following service. January 2026: Safe Church in-person training. Date, time, and place to be announced. Condolences: Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our bereaved mem‑ bers, families and friends who have recently lost loved ones. Please remember to keep them in your prayers. Sick and Shut-in: We extend our well wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery. If possible, please visit them, call them on the phone or send them a card. Birthday Greetings: Best wishes and blessing to everyone celebrating a birthday this month. We continue to collect only food (cans and dry goods) for the pantry at Grace Episcopal Church, West Farms. If you can, please contribute to those in need. “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6 Grace and Peace! —Tanya Blanchette

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Pentecostal Tabernacle Pentecostal Tabernacle is located at 100 Co-op City Blvd., Building 22A, Bronx, NY 10475. Telephone: 718-324-0334, 646-806-9449, 718-320-4218 Worship service will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sunday morning. Fasting service will be held every Wednesday morning from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bible Study and prayer service will also be held every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Worship service every Friday night starting at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. All night services will be held online; call 727-731-4156 Focus: The Ministry of Teaching Romans 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering, or he that teaches, on teaching.” God gave the church the responsibility to disciple all nations through the ministry of teaching. Acts 8: 26 And the Angel of the Lord Spake unto Philip, saying arise, and go towards the south, unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of the treasure, and come to Jerusalem for to worship. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaiah the prophet. Then the spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard

him read the prophet Esaiah, and spoke: understands thou what thou deadest? And he spoke: How can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip to come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgement was taken away and who should declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, ‘I prayed thee, of whom speaketh, this? Of himself or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized.’” There is a great need for teachers in the church today. God’s command to the church that we make disciples is often called the great commission. And to fulfill the mission God calls individuals to the spiritual’s leadership role of teacher. Others he endows with the spiritual gift of teaching. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, and thirdly teachers. To fulfill this general calling requires spiritual maturity, specialized skills, and a good grasp of the word. The teacher does not impart information but stands as the conduit for God’s own character being poured into the disciples. Teachers are heroes and they can change the world. —Rev. R. Sibblies

Newsong Church

Iglesia Cristiana Marcos 16:15

Zechariah’s Song: From Doubt to Declaration “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them’.” Luke 1:67-68 Luke 1:67-69 captures Zechariah’s prophetic declaration after a long season marked by doubt and silence. Earlier, Zechariah questioned God’s promise and lost his ability to speak. But when God fulfilled His word, his voice was restored, and his first words were praise. This teaches us the importance of checking our doubt. When God speaks, doubt can quiet our faith if left unexamined. Zechariah didn’t remain in unbelief; he allowed God to correct his doubt through obedience and humility. As his faith aligned with God’s promise, his mouth was opened again. From that place, he made a bold declaration of God’s faithfulness, proclaiming salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the coming Light who would lead us out of darkness and into peace. Luke 1 reminds us that doubt doesn’t have to be our ending. When we check it, correct it, and realign our hearts with God’s truth, our praise is restored. Our declarations then shift from questions to confidence, announcing what God has done and what He is faithful to complete. About Us: Newsong Church is a life-giving church right here in Co-op City! We believe that every person can know God, find freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference in this world! No matter what you’ve been through or where you come from, you are welcome here. Join us for Sunday worship and see why God’s family is no ordinary family. Check us out; we’re located at 135 Einstein Loop! Sunday Worship Experience – Every Sunday at 11 a.m. Our Sunday worship experience starts with celebration. We make music to please God and to build others up. Colossians 3:16 says, “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” We sing to bring glory and honor to God and celebrate who He is and what He’s doing in our church! Newsong Deaf Church, Rm. 35 – Our deaf worship experience is in ASL so that our deaf and hearing impaired can worship and fellowship in their own language! Kidsong, Rm. 49 – We’ve created a place where children can have fun and learn about Jesus on their own level! Against The Flow – Every Friday at 6:30 p.m., Rm. 42. ATF is Newsong’s student ministry. Today’s middle and high school students will lead the next generation of the church and change the world. At ATF, our goal is to graduate students into a lifetime of following Jesus. So, what are you waiting for? There’s a God in heaven who loves you and has a purpose and plan for your life! Do you live outside of Section 5? Remember, a church alive is worth the drive! Come and find hope. Come and find healing. Come and find freedom. Contact Us Mailing Address: 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 42 Phone: 917-342-2559 Email: CentralTeam@newsongchurchnyc.org Prayer Request Line: Text “Prayer” to 877-899-7323 Website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org Social Media: Facebook/IG/X: @newsongchurchbx; YouTube: Newsong Church NYC —Pastor Mike Tolone

We hear about the End Times repeatedly to the point where people ignore the warnings. But if you open your eyes and really look at what is happening in the world and even in your own surroundings, you have to realize that that time is closer than you think. Some people ask, “Do I need Jesus in my life?” Absolutely! God’s gift of salvation is freely given to whomever calls upon Jesus showing sincere regret for wrongs done and to make a firm decision to change one’s ways. It’s a spiritual “U-turn” from going in the wrong direction to going towards God, and accepting Him as Lord and Savior which leads to forgiveness, mercy, and spiritual renewal. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Come join us. We are a small congregation, but our hospitality and love surpass our size. Our doors are open Sundays to receive those who are looking for a bible-based church. We are located at 135 Einstein Loop, second floor, Rm. 33. We also transmit Sunday service via our Facebook page. Services Offered Monday: Spanish Bible Studies/phone, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248) Tuesday/Friday: Zoom Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Code: 3jEJ2W) Thursday: English Telephone Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248) Sunday Worship Service: 11:30 a.m. Holy Communion: First Sunday of the month. God bless you and remember, Jesus loves you. Escuchamos hablar del Fin de los Tiempos repetidamente, hasta el punto de que la gente ignora las advertencias. Pero si abres los ojos y observas atentamente lo que sucede en el mundo e incluso en tu propio entorno, te darás cuenta de que ese momento está más cerca de lo que crees. Algunos se preguntan: “¿Necesito a Jesús en mi vida?” ¡Por supuesto! El don de la salvación de Dios se concede gratuitamente a quien invoca a Jesús, mostrando sincero arrepentimiento por las ofensas cometidas y tomando la firme decisión de cambiar su camino. Es un cambio de rumbo espiritual: de ir por el camino equivocado a acercarnos a Dios y aceptarlo como Señor y Salvador, lo que conduce al perdón, la misericordia y la renovación espiritual. 2 Corintios 5:17 “Por lo tanto, si alguno está en Cristo, es una nueva creación: lo viejo pasó; he aquí lo nuevo”. Únase a nosotros. Somos una congregación pequeña, pero nuestra hospitalidad y amor superan nuestro tamaño. Nuestras puertas están abiertas los Domingos para recibir a quienes buscan una iglesia bíblica. Estamos ubicados en 135 Einstein Loop, segundo piso, salón 33. También transmitimos el servicio dominical los Domingos a través de nuestra página de Facebook. Servicios Ofrecidos Lunes: Estudios Bíblicos Español/telefónico, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Código: 696248) Martes/Viernes: Estudios Bíblicos Zoom, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Código: 3jEJ2W) Jueves: Estudios Bíblicos telefónico Ingles, 8 p.m. (564-888-5521; Código: 696248) Domingos: Culto de Adoración, 11:30 a.m. La Santa Cena: 1er Domingo del mes. Que Dios le bendiga y recuerda que Cristo te ama. —Blanca Santana

The Co-op City Times is YOUR community newspaper! So, if you have news you’d like to share with your neighbors, LET US KNOW! Please give us a call at (718) 320-3300, Ext. 3375/6; email: cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or fax (718) 320-2595.

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

JASA Co-op City NORC Program Invites You for These In-Person & Virtual Activities Bartow OAC Trip to Sight & Sound to see “Joshua” on Thursday, 3/19/2026. Lunch at the Amish all-you-caneat Shady Maple. Cost: $230 and $50 deposit is required to sign up. Payments accepted at the Bartow OAC only. Walk Group at NORC office on every Tues. at 10 a.m. In-Person Computer Class – Wed. from 4-5 p.m. at the Bartow NORC office.

Spanish Classes – Thurs., 2-3 p.m. at the NORC office. Caringkind: The Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving Rep. will be in the Bartow main office every third Mon. of the month, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for Alzheimer & Dementia Consultation/Health Care Proxy & Power of Attorney Consultation & other services. Please call 646-744-2921 for an appt. Technology Class – Thurs., 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dial in

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066

(Schedule subject to change without notice) Payments for trips at the Bartow office can be made Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., & 2 p.m.-4 p.m. only Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, The NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation.

Bartow

Einstein

Trip: Oculus WTC Mindful Mornings Tai-Chi, 9-10 a.m. Line Dance, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Movies w/Dennis: “Black Nativity,”1-3 p.m.

Dreiser

LUNCH & DINNER MENUS

Alternate Kosher Meals are available LUNCH: KOSHER: (Plant Based) Comforting Weekend Recap Discussion, 9-10 a.m. Red Lentil Bolognese, Pearled Barley, Spiced Mix Vegetables; NON-KOSHER: Pork Roast Stay Well Exercise w/Denise, 10-11 w/Mango Chutney, Brown Rice, Cooked a.m., Aud. A Cabbage w/Shredded Carrots Piano Sing Along Class, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 2 (twice a month) DINNER: BARTOW ONLY Leisure TV, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. KOSHER: No Dinner Served Yoga Class w/Adira, 1:15-2:15 p.m., NON-KOSHER: No Dinner Served Rm. 2 Room 7 unless otherwise noted

Mon., Dec. 22

Room 49 unless otherwise noted

Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk Menu subject to change without notice. Bartow Center (929) 399-1394 Dreiser Center (718) 320-1345 Einstein Center (718) 671-5161

BARTOW CENTER CLOSED

Tues., Dec. 23

Room 31 unless otherwise noted

number: 929-205-6099; Meeting ID: 862 5043 9695; Passcode: 896989. Line Dance with Bartow Swingers – Wed. & Fri., 12-1 p.m., 177 Dreiser Loop, Aud. A. Notary, JASA NORC Office – Weds. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 718-320-2066 for an appt. Notary, Dreiser OAC – Weds., 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Rm. 7. Call 718-320-1345 for an appt.

Walk w/Odessa, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Blood Pressure W/Gertie & Phyllis, 12-1 p.m. (1st & 3rd Tues.) Health & Wellness w/Ann, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Smart/phone & Tablet Class w/Julesa, 1:45-2:45 p.m.

Never Too Old to Learn Spanish, Central Station 10-11 a.m. Current Events, 10-11 a.m. Art w/ Gerry, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 2 “Pooled Income Trusts and Crafts w/ Roselen, 1-2 p.m. What to Know” Speacial PreLeisure Games w/ Clara, 1-3:30 sentation, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. p.m., Rm. 2 Bridge to Care Arthritis Exercise Zumba w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., Aud. A w/ Damien, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Tai Chi w/Jimmy, 2-3 p.m., Aud. A Computer & Tablet class w/Ralph, Bingo, 1-2 p.m.

Trip: Exotic Frgrances Arthritis Exercise w/ Damion, 11 Fish, Mexican Confetti Rice, Steamed Yellow Squash; NON-KOSHER: BlackStretch/Tone w/Ola, 10-11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A eyed Pea Curry w/Potatoes & Tomatoes a.m. Bead & Jewelry w/Brenda, 11 a.m. DINNER: BARTOW ONLY -12 p.m., Rm. 4 Bodies in Motion w/Ola, KOSHER: Breaded Vegetable Cutlet, Garlic/ Technology Class w/Steve, 1:15- Rosemary Roasted Potato, Cole Slaw, Canned 11 a.m.-12 p.m. 2:15 p.m. Pineapple; NON-KOSHER: Chick Pea Board Games, 1-2 p.m.

Trip: Holiday Train Show at Grand

6:30-7:30 p.m. (virtual)

LUNCH: (Cold) Chicken Salad, Potato Salad, Cabbage & Beet SaladNONKOSHER: Baked Chicken Thighs, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, California Blend Vegetables DINNER: BARTOW ONLY KOSHER: Beef & String Beans, Brown Rice, Mix Vegetable, Orange; NON-KOSHER: Roast Pork in Mango Chutney Sauce, Brown Rice, Cooked Cabbage/Shredded Carrots, Apple

Wed., Dec. 24

Stay Well Exercise w/Odessa, 10-11 a.m. Line Dancing w/Cynthia, Wed. & Fri., 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 25

Arthritis exercise w/Damion, 10-11:15 a.m. Visual Arts w/Laura via Zoom, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Knitting/Crocheting w/Lynne & Betty, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Card Games w/Frankie, 3:304:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 26

(Monroe, NY),9-11 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-12 Coloring for Calmness, 9:30-10:30 Walmart Sewing Class w/Joy, a.m., Rm. 2 LUNCH: KOSHER: BBQ Chicken Leg Coloring for Calmness, 9:30Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-12 Coney Island Beach/Boardwalk, 10 a.m.-3 Quarters, Spinach Noodle Kugel, Capri Blend; p.m. a.m. Alert & Alive w/Cathy & Essie, 10-11 NON-KOSHER: Spanish Chicken w/Potatoes & 10:30 p.m. Casaa.m. Art w/Tijay, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Manicure, 10:30 a.m-12 p.m. Su Sewing Class a.m., Rm. 4 w/Joy, 9-11 a.m., Rm. 2 Garlic, Yellow Rice, Steamed Green Beans Chess Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. p.m. Manicure,10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Knitting /Crocheting w/Loretta Line Dance with Cynthia, Blood Pressure Screening, 10:30 Knitting & Crocheting w/Loretta, 10 Line Dance w/ Cynthia, 12:30- Chess Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 10-12 p.m. 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m. DINNER: BARTOW ONLY a.m.-12 p.m. Screening, Blood Pressure a.m.-12 p.m. w/Cathy & Essie, Alert & Alive 1:45 p.m. KOSHER: BBQ Chicken, Spinach Noodle Healtha.m.-12 & Wellness Drama Club w/Dazee Windley 10:30 p.m. 2.0: Seasonal Line Dance w/Sassy, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 4 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Kugel, Capri Blend Vegetables, Canned Drama Club w/Dazee Windley, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m., in Bartow Health & Wellness 2.0 p.m. – Celebrat- Line Changes, 11 a.m.-12 w/Sassy, Aud.Dance A Pineapple; NON-KOSHER: Baked Ziti 2-4:30Rm. p.m., OAC, 31Bartow OAC, Rm. 31 ing Each 11 a.m.-12 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Let’s GetOther, It on Zumba, 1-2p.m. p.m. Bingo Baby Carrot & Parsley, Banana 1-2:50 1-2:50 p.m. p.m., Rm. 2 Dinner Hour, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Let’s Get It on Zumba, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Bingo, w/Gay,

Sat., Dec. 27

LUNCH: KOSHER: Teriyaki Baked

Intergenerational Arts & Crafts w/Denise, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Salsa with Rasheem,10 a.m.- 11 a.m., Dreiser, 2nd floor Word Games, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Bingo on Saturdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the back of JASA NORC Office

Power Grain, Classic Macaroni Salad, Orange

JASA Closed for Christmas

Computers & Smartphones w/ Pastor Mike, 10-11 a.m. Visual Arts, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Salsa Dancing w/George, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Fit for Life Exercise w/Gail, 1-2 p.m. Crochet & Knitting w/Sarah, 2-4 p.m.

JASA Closed for Christmas

Trip: Macys Herald Square Morning News Discussions, 10-11 a.m. Cardio Exercise w/Gail, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Body in Motion w/Ola, 1-2 p.m., Aud. A Manicure w/Margaret, 1 p.m. Leisure Games w/Clara, 1-3:30 p.m., Rm. 2 Leisure TV, 2-4 p.m.

JASA Closed for Christmas

Menu fee for lunch is $2 & $5 for guest. ALL meals served with margarine and fresh milk. Menu subject to change without notice. For information, please call: (718) 320-2066. Schedule subject to change without notice. Payments for trips can be made where noted, Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. only. Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, the NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation. Must be 60 or older to become a JASA participant.

LUNCH: KOSHER: Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Spaghetti, Capri Blend Vegetables; NONKOSHER: Sweet & Sour Pork w/Pineapple, Baked Red Potato Wedges, Steamed Sliced Carrots

JASA Closed for Christmas

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY KOSHER: Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Spaghetti, Capri Blend, Vegetables, Orange; NON-KOSHER: Jerk Fish, Black Bean & Rice, Steamed Kale, Apple

Saturday: Lunch served at 12:30 p.m. until finished: BARTOW ONLY KOSHER: Vegetarian Three Bean Chili, Corn Bread, Prince Edward Blend Vegetables, Orange; NON-KOSHER: Spanish Chicken with Potato & Garlic, Yellow Rice, Steamed Green Beans, Orange

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

The synagogue would appreciate donations to keep our shul open. If you would like to help, go to www.Gofundme.com/Traditional-Synagogue-of-Co-op-City to donate, or mail to the Traditional Synagogue, located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place, in the rear lobby of 27B. The synagogue has services on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. After service, we serve hot and cold kiddush meals. Entrance to our synagogue for Saturday services is on the side door of Building 27B. General Information: The Traditional Synagogue is located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor of Building 27B and is handicap accessible, so no steps. Our phone number is 718-3796920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Please call the office before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message. The synagogue has a Facebook page: Traditional Synagogue. The synagogue needs donations. Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help. The synagogue also needs men to help make a minyan. There are a lot of Jewish men who live in Co-op City who do not come to services. Please come by 10 a.m., so we can take out the Torah. The Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City. Sabbath ends on Saturday, December 20, at 5:23 p.m. Candle Lighting for Friday, December 26, at 4:15 p.m. Good and Welfare: The congregation welcomes donations in honor or memory of a loved one. Any amount is greatly appreciated. For information about the congregation and its services, please call 646-285-1206. To All Members: Happy birthday to all our members who will be celebrating their birthday in December. Please send me your name and I will add it to the list. Fun and Games: After services and Kiddush, members play games. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated. Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health. ––Bruce Gitelson

Co-op City United Methodist Church IEMU de Co-op City

Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds. Come and Visit Us – We are a multi-ethnic and bilingual, Bible-centered congregation with spirit-filled worship. Services are held in-person at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across from Building 30. Parking is available. You can also participate with us via Zoom (904 4685745) or Facebook Live (UMC Coop City). —Pastor, Rev. Sara Girón- Ortiz. “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 As Advent draws to a close and we step into the joy of Christmas, we are reminded of the eternal truth proclaimed in Scripture: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). And in that gift, we hear again the mystery of the Incarnation: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Christmas is not simply the celebration of a birth long ago—it is the celebration of God’s love breaking into our world, entering our humanity, and shining light into our darkness. Jesus’ birth is the ultimate gift of love, a love that does not remain distant but comes close, choosing to walk with us so that we would never face anything alone. In this season, expectations of joy are high, yet many find themselves carrying burdens, griefs, or disappointments. The good news of Christmas is that God’s love is not reserved for the picture-perfect moments. Christ came for the weary as well as the rejoicing, for the broken as well as the whole. His presence is for all people, in every circumstance, offering hope that endures beyond what we see. The manger points us forward to the cross, and the cross points us to the promise of Christ’s return. We celebrate not only that Jesus came, but that He will come again to make all things new. Until that day, we live in the assurance that His light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. This Christmas, may we rest in the truth that God’s love is with us—here, now, and always. May we carry that light into the world, bearing witness to the hope that Christ brings, and reminding one another that we are never alone. Blessed holiday to our beloved community! Come and Receive a Blessing: All are Welcome! Theme for 2025: “God’s Love in Action with Joy and Thanksgiving” Grief Share, Bible Study, pantry, and Prayer Meeting will resume after the holidays. Upcoming Events – Save The Dates Sunday, December 21: Christmas Celebration – “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Brunch at 10:30 a.m. Christmas Prayer at 11:30 a.m. Bilingual Service and Children’s Play: “The Greatest Birthday” at 11:46 a.m. —Grace Abadia

Happy Holidays Please be safe in your celebrations

Greater Love RefugeMinistries, Inc. “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:10-11) Spiritual Food for Thought: Most believers know this popular passage, but in the face of pain, suffering, and adversity, we can forget the meaning, even at Christmas. Hard situations can easily cause us to lose sight of the fact that we celebrate God sending His Son into the mess of our lives so we can have hope and joy no matter what. This year has certainly not been easy for anyone with all the difﬁcult events happening in our world. Maybe this year has also been hard for you because of personal situations. Whatever the reason, if your Christmas spirit feels crushed, let’s remember that although life continually changes, Jesus and His love for us never do. Refocusing on the hope and joy available to us because of His holy birth can restore the most broken spirit. Pray this prayer: “God, please help me to refocus on You and the fact that you sent your Son to this earth as a baby so I could live with hope despite my circumstances. Refresh my Christmas spirit, and infuse me with the joy I long to have; in Jesus’ Name, Amen.” All are invited to join us for our Christmas worship service tomorrow, Sunday, December 21, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Presiding Elder Carol Landrum will preach the Christmas message. Following service, we will host a joyous holiday luncheon for all of our family, friends and visitors. Our New Year’s Eve Watchnight service will be held on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 10 p.m. Greater Love Refuge Ministries, Inc., is a non-denominational, multi-generational, teaching, preaching, faith & Bible-way church conveniently located at 900 Co-op City Blvd. (Bldg. 2A), on the ground level, Bronx, NY 10475; enter by way of the main entrance or the portico. We would love for you to join us for our morning worship service on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. It’s a special time for us to come together as a community and connect with God. Are you or someone you know in need of prayer? We invite you to join our Prayer Line on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. You are welcome to listen quietly, bring a testimony of praise, a scripture reading, a song or a speciﬁc prayer request. The call-in number is 351-999-3024; no access code required. As a general courtesy, please mute your phone upon entry. Grace, Peace, Merry Christmas, & Happy Holidays. —Presiding Elder Carol Landrum

Community Protestant Church Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens and the Community Protestant Church family welcome you to worship with us. We are located at 2053 Asch Loop, Bronx, NY 10475. You may contact us by phone: 718-862-9172, fax: 718-671-4416 or email: Administration@thecpcchurch.org. Worship Schedule In-person Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.; Sunday School at 9:15 a.m. Every Wednesday – “Hour of Power Noon Day Prayer” at 12 p.m. on the Conference Call Line: 712-432-3900; Access Code: 343284#. Every Wednesday – 7 p.m. Bible Study online via Zoom. Log in on Zoom. com or dial One Tap Mobile: 646-931-3860 or 929-205-6099; Meeting ID: 837 7258 6522 Holiday Services Christmas Eve Service – Wednesday, December 24, 6 p.m. Year’s End Service – Wednesday, December 31, 7 p.m. Upcoming Service Installation of Ofﬁcers – Sunday, January 4, 2026 On the third day of Advent, Deacon in Training Tyron Brown, lit the Candle of Joy. Also known as the Shepherd’s Candle, this candle is pink, the liturgical color symbolizing joy. The Shepherd’s Candle represents the joy felt at the birth of our Lord, as well as the joy we have in anticipation of His return. We wait, we prepare, are thankful, and joyful for the promises of God. Please read Isaiah 35: 1, 2, 10. DIT Brown also prayed and read morning scripture, Isaiah 26:1-10. The Praise Team joyfully sang, “Emmanuel” and “Joy” before Pastor Owens delivered the promise of joy through his sermonette, “Christmas is Coming,” John 1:6-8. He said we must remember the real reason for the season. The joy of Christmas is not about spending money and gift giving. Pastor reminded us that the greatest gift and joy of Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth and His mission to conquer death and redeem humanity. He said we must get ready, live righteously, keep his commandments and serve others with love in preparation for His return. Hallelujah! Thank you for your fellowship. We welcome you to come and hear the good news of Jesus and experience all the new possibilities at Community Protestant, a church of love and understanding. Our Sundays begin with Adult Sunday School promptly at 9:15 a.m. Additionally, on Wednesdays, please link into the “Hour of Power Noon Day Prayer” conference call line and virtual Bible Study at 6:45 p.m. To Deacon Helen Atkins, all sick and homebound members, please know your presence is missed and we are praying for your healing. We also extend our continued heartfelt condolences to all who are in a season of mourning. We send our very best Happy Birthday wishes to everyone celebrating their birthday this month. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 —Lexa M. Mingo

Stay Vigilant Be mindful of your surroundings at all times.

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CLASSIFIEDS Co-op City Times Advertising!

Classiﬁed, Display or TV Commercial!

718-320-3300 x3379 sgreen@riverbaycorp.com

NOTARY

PSB Services

– Drivers License (Renewals also)

– Registration – Plate Returning & Obtaining (etc.)

Notary Call me at: Office: 718-798-4259 Cell: 646-853-4658 Mt. Vernon • New Rochelle 1/10/26 • Bronx (Co-op City)

ENHANCE YOUR AD WITH COLOR FROM $5/WEEK!

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Top Quality Work - Painting, Plastering, Tiles, Walls & Floors, Floor Sanding, Refinishing, Waxing.

Executive Exotic Limo

12/27

Casino Specials Atlantic City, NJ Foxwoods, CT Empire, Yonkers Resorts, Queens

12/27

Advertise In Co-op City! sgreen@riverbaycorp.com 718-320-3300 x3379 Classiﬁed Ads from $11/week! Display Ads from $49.22/week! TV Commercial Options!

1-800-479-2667

COOP SALES  JASON LASH • HANDYMAN SERVICES • RANGE HOODS We BEAT • VERTICAL & MINI BLINDS • LIGHT FIXTURES Any • SINK VANITIES • KITCHEN CABINETS Quote! • SPACE SAVERS • CABINET REFACING • MATCHING HAMPERS • COUNTERTOPS • BATHTUB ENCLOSURES • CUSTOM CLOSET MIRROR DOORS • CLIP-ON MIRROR FRAMES • CUSTOM WALL MIRRORS 3/20/26

Breathe Easy

Grout & Carpet Cleaning Co-op City Resident Specials

Elim in Bugsate

COOP SALES BLINDS! Vertical, Mini, Wood, Pleats

www.co-opsales.info

DON’T PAY MORE AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE! HELP WANTED

Please see page 7 for information on how to apply for employment opportunities within Riverbay Corporation.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Co-op City Department of Public Safety (718) 671-3050 www.ccpd.us

If you SEE something, SAY something! RECORDS WANTED

Old Records Wanted Will Pay Top $$ for JAZZ, JAZZ, JAZZ, Rock & Roll, Soul Music, Latin, 50s, 60s, & 70s. LP, 78 or 45. 12/27

Call Joe 917-952-4408

Co-op City Times / December 20, 2025

CHOOSE YOUR QUALITY 0 % Financing KITCHEN FOR LESS! Available!

From

$5900 ANY Wilsonart Laminate choice (wilsonart.com) Includes Installation

Oak, Maple, White with Countertop DON’T OVERPAY FOR YOUR KITCHEN! PROFESSIONAL DESIGN & INSTALLATION ALWAYS INCLUDED!!

Add on:

1) Quartz countertops with stainless undermount sink/pullout faucet $2000 2) White subway backsplash $500

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION OFFERS! $100 DISCOUNT or FREE Rangehood with Purchase of Any New Kitchen or Closet Door Sets!

Co-op Sales 1-800-479-2667 Limited Time Offer

Full Height Closet Doors and Organizers! 100% Waterproof “Wood Look” Luxury Vinyl Plank ANY ROOM: $1200-$1600

Dura Ceramic Flooring Vinyl for Kitchen $1200

Shower Doors $575 INSTALLED

Vanity 24” any color No Plumbing $475 INSTALLED w/White Marble $650 INSTALLED

1-800-479-2667 co-opsales.com @coop.sales

We Match or Beat all written competitor quotes! JasonLash@Co-opSales.com • Se Habla Español

Licensed & Insured #1188270, NYC Better Business Bureau, NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs