Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 2, 2022

 Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing and Treatment

26 Statewide Deaths Reported on December 1

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19. 

"With the holiday season upon us, I urge New Yorkers to take advantage of all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul is also urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures - like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene - to protect from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. Influenza is spreading quickly, with the number of laboratory-confirmed cases statewide and hospitalizations having spiked recently.

Governor Hochul previously launched a public awareness campaign featuring New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett speaking directly to New Yorkers about three viruses - RSV, flu and COVID-19 - now circulating in the state with similar symptoms and the potential to cause serious illness. Produced by the New York State Department of Health, the videos include a short clip and a longer version geared toward parents; and a version aimed specifically at health care providers.

Governor Hochul continues to remind New Yorkers that children ages 5 and older may now receive the bivalent booster shots that are recommended to increase protection against COVID-19.

The Governor also urges New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.

In addition, Governor Hochul encourages New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season is widespread across New York State. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.

The State Department of Health is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. Advertisements in both English and Spanish language began running last month.

For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Cases Per 100k - 31.76 
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 24.17
• Test Results Reported - 77,384 
• Total Positive - 6,207 
• Percent Positive - 7.53%**        
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 7.57%**     
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,316 (+5) 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 543  
• Patients in ICU - 288 (-1)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 110 (-5)  
• Total Discharges - 368,236 (+515)  
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 26    
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 59,517    

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.   

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 75,867

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.       

• Total vaccine doses administered - 42,877,649
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 22,963
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 105,263
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 85.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 90.0% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older who are up to date - 12.4%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series - 74.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 75.8%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 who are up to date - 4.3%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 with completed vaccine series - 39.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 40.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 who are up to date - 1.9%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 0-4 with completed vaccine series - 6.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 0-4 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 40.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 0-4 who are up to data - 6.2%

• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 76.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 80.1% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers who are up to date - 10.6% 

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:   

Borough	Tuesday,   Nov.  29, 2022	Wed.,   Nov.  30, 2022	Thursday,   December   1, 2022
Bronx	7.75%	8.12%	8.09%
Kings	7.91%	7.91%	7.90%
New York	7.57%	7.62%	7.52%
Queens	9.05%	9.11%	9.20%
Richmond	7.24%	7.12%	7.03%

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Permits Filed For 3217 Westchester Avenue In Pelham Bay, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a seven-story mixed-use building at 3217 Westchester Avenue in Pelham Bay, The Bronx. Located between Wilkinson Avenue and Continental Avenue, the lot is three blocks from the Pelham Bay Park subway station, serviced by the 6 train. Paul Lumaj of Dedaj Construction Corp. is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 66-foot-tall development will yield 53,391 square feet, with 37,489 square feet designated for residential space, 9,627 square feet for community facility space, and 6,275 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 55 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 681 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a cellar and 16 enclosed parking spaces.

Badaly Architects is listed as the architect of record.

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

Permits Filed For 1465 Bryant Avenue In Crotona Park East, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a nine-story mixed-use building at 1465 Bryant Avenue in Crotona Park East, The Bronx. Located between Jennings Street and East 172nd Street, the lot is within walking distance of the Freeman Street subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Christopher Lacovara of Community Access, Inc. is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 94-foot-tall development will yield 37,607 square feet, with 23,300 square feet designated for community facility space and 14,307 square feet for residential space. The building will have 70 residences for the Affordable Independent Residence for Seniors program. The concrete-based structure will also have a terrace, cellar, and a 31-foot-long rear yard.

ESKW/A is listed as the architect of record.

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

Attorney General James Reaches Multistate Agreement with CarMax to Protect Drivers’ Safety

 

CarMax Failed to Tell Consumers about Safety Recalls on Their Vehicles

New Industry Standard Will Require Used Car Dealers to Inform Drivers of Open Safety Recalls Prior to Selling Used Vehicles

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and a multistate coalition of 35 attorneys general today secured $1 million from CarMax for failing to disclose open safety recalls on their used vehicles to consumers before sales. CarMax did not provide consumers with information about safety recalls on critical vehicle parts, such as brakes and fuel pumps, before selling vehicles. Today’s agreement will set a new industry standard for used car dealers to disclose open safety recalls to customers before they make a purchase. New York will receive an estimated $53,772.49 of the total settlement funds.

“When someone buys a car, they need to know that it will keep them safe,” said Attorney General James. “CarMax put New Yorkers at risk by allowing drivers to get on the road without warning them that their newly purchased vehicles had open safety recalls. This agreement will protect New Yorkers and ensure that consumers are aware of any safety recall before they start driving. As Attorney General, I will continue to ensure that companies that bypass the law are held to account and that New Yorkers are protected.”

A multistate investigation found that CarMax, a nationwide used car dealer, misled consumers by failing to disclose needed repairs on vehicles with open safety recalls. CarMax classified those vehicles as “safe” despite there being open recalls for parts, including airbags and other critical safety features.

Today’s agreement requires CarMax to stop these improper practices and changes overall industry standards in the used car market to protect consumers. Customers of used car dealerships will now be able to access information about any open safety recalls for any vehicles available for purchase. Under the agreement, CarMax is required to provide digital links for vehicles advertised online and QR codes for vehicles available on their lots which will allow consumers to access this information as they shop.

In addition, CarMax will present customers with documentation on any open safety recalls and obtain their signature to confirm proper disclosure before presenting the with any sales paperwork. The company will pay $1 million in penalties, of which an estimated $53,772.49 will go to New York.

CarMax will continue to use the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s vehicle identification number tool to provide important safety information, including open recalls, to consumers. To check for any open recalls on their vehicle, consumers can use this online tool.

Joining Attorney General James in today’s agreement are the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This agreement was led by Deputy Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Rochester Regional Office Benjamin Bruce and Consumer Frauds Bureau Chief Jane Azia. The Rochester Regional Office is a part of the Division of Regional Affairs, which is led by Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber. The Consumer Frauds Bureau is a part of the Division of Economic Justice and is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo. The Division of Regional Affairs and the Division of Economic Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

Florida Man Sentenced To 18 Months For Theft Of Over $20 Million In SIM Swap Scheme

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NICHOLAS TRUGLIA was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his participation in the theft of over $20 million worth of cryptocurrency during a SIM swap attack of a victim (the “Victim”) and was further ordered to pay $20,379,007 in restitution to the Victim within 60 days.  TRUGLIA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Nicholas Truglia and his associates stole a staggering amount of cryptocurrency from the victim through a complex SIM swap scheme.  Nevertheless, today’s sentencing goes to show that no matter how sophisticated the crime is, this Office will continue to successfully prosecute those who choose to defraud others.”

According to Count One of the Indictment, to which TRUGLIA pled guilty, and other statements and submissions made in Court:   

In or around January 2018, TRUGLIA participated in a scheme to conduct a cyber intrusion of online accounts of the Victim in order to steal cryptocurrency.  During the course of the scheme, participants in the scheme (the “Scheme Participants”) gained unauthorized access to online accounts of the Victim through a cyber intrusion technique referred to as “SIM swapping.”  During a SIM swap attack, cyber threat actors gain control of a victim’s mobile phone number by linking that number to a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card controlled by the threat actors, resulting in the victim’s calls and messages being routed to a device controlled by the threat actors.  The threat actors then use control of the victim’s mobile phone number to obtain unauthorized access to accounts held by the victim that are registered to the mobile phone number.

The Scheme Participants successfully gained unauthorized access to online accounts of the Victim via a SIM swap of the Victim’s mobile phone number (the “SIM Swap”).  The Scheme Participants then used those online accounts to gain access to a cryptocurrency wallet of the Victim containing over $20 million worth of the Victim’s cryptocurrency.  One of the Scheme Participants contacted TRUGLIA and added him to an online call with other Scheme Participants, during which TRUGLIA learned of the SIM Swap and agreed to receive cryptocurrency fraudulently diverted from the Victim’s cryptocurrency wallet into an online account held by TRUGLIA (the “Truglia Account”).  Over the next few hours, TRUGLIA made the Truglia Account available to other Scheme Participants to receive the Victim’s stolen cryptocurrency, where it was converted into Bitcoin.  Scheme Participants transferred much of this Bitcoin to other accounts controlled by them and left a portion of the criminal proceeds for TRUGLIA.  In total, during the SIM Swap, Scheme Participants stole over $20 million worth of the Victim’s cryptocurrency, with the defendant keeping at least approximately $673,000 worth of the stolen funds. 

In addition to his prison term, TRUGLIA, 25, of Ocoee, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.  In addition to his restitution obligation of $20,379,007, TRUGLIA was further ordered to forfeit $983,010.72.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Las Vegas Field Office.

NYCHCC - 17th Annual Hispanic Business Award Banquet & Scholarship Ceremony

 

December 07, 2022 Maestro's Caterers 1703 Bronxdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10462-3311 6:00 pm

RSVP Here

The 17th Annual Hispanic Business Award Banquet and Scholarship Ceremony honors successful individuals who have proven their commitment to upholding the integrity of the Hispanic Community. These individuals advocate for economic development, higher education and promote initiatives that continue to empower the Latino community and beyond. Our mission is to represent and advocate for Hispanic Businesses in New York City in a cohesive and collective manner. The pride of our banquet has always been the scholarships awarded to students in need of financial assistance. Over the past 17 years the NYCHCC has awarded more than 180k to students who attend an accredited university in the New York City area. The sponsorship offers opportunities for businesses to align themselves with the only citywide Hispanic Chamber. We offer benefits such as NYCHCC membership, advertisement, and opportunities to give back to the next generation of Hispanic leaders through a scholarship award.Thank you in advance for your partnership and support. All Ads Submission are due no later than October 28th, 2022 and Should be forward to Cindy at missrubi3@aol.com, Cell number: 646-225-0259 or Hilda at HildaH@nychcc.com, Office number: 212-348-2339

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander Issues Annual Report on Capital Debt and Obligations for Fiscal Year 2023

 

Analysis shows the City’s debt burden declined in recent years across multiple indicators.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the Annual Report on Capital Debt and Obligations for fiscal year 2023, which assesses the current state of the City of New York’s debt burden compared to its tax base, the statutory debt limit, and other cities across the nation. The City’s debt finances capital construction and improvements to the infrastructure relied on by millions of residents, tourists, and daily commuters.

“New York City’s infrastructure is the foundation for our shared thriving. City capital projects are the school buildings that educate our kids; the tunnels that bring us clean water; our public parks, libraries, hospitals, affordable housing for families; the space and technology needed for our municipal government and courts; and the roads and bridges that New Yorkers rely on every day. Capital debt financing is how we pay for most of those projects, so it is critical we keep a sharp eye on our capital debt and obligations,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

While federal and state investment, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the New York State Environmental Bond Act, will finance some projects in the years ahead, the City funds the vast majority of its infrastructure projects through debt financing.

The City’s debt, excluding that of the New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority, grew from $39.55 billion in FY 2000 to $95.27 billion in FY 2022, an increase of 141%. Over the same period, New York City personal income grew by 136% and local tax revenues by 205%.

By several measures, the City’s debt burden relative to its tax base has improved over the past two decades. Debt service as a percentage of local tax revenues dropped from 17.2% in FY 2002 to 9.7% in FY 2022. Debt outstanding as a percent of the City’s total personal income has decreased from 15.2% in FY 2002 to 13.2% in FY 2022. Finally, debt outstanding as a percent of taxable assessed property values decreased from 41.7% in FY 2002 to 36.6% in FY 2022. Debt as a percentage of property market values was 3.4% in FY 2021, using a sales-based valuation of real estate.

The City’s outstanding debt remains well under the State constitutional limit. The City’s debt ceiling, which is defined by the State constitution as 10% of the five-year rolling average of the full value of taxable City real property, is currently $127.45 billion. Current outstanding debt, which counts toward that debt-limit totals $85.94 billion as of July 1, 2022, leaving the City with a debt-incurring power of $41.51 billion.

The City’s strong credit rating is another bright sign for the City’s ability to afford its current debt. For FY 2022, Moody’s Investors Service maintained the City’s GO bond rating at Aa2; Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) maintained its rating of the City’s GO bonds at AA; Fitch Ratings (Fitch) maintained its rating of GO bonds at AA- and changed its outlook to positive; and the City’s GO bonds received a rating of AA+ from Kroll Bond Rating Agency.

Together with the Mayor’s Office, the Comptroller has focused over the past year on reforming the City’s processes for capital projects procurement and execution, in order to reduce cost overruns and delays, create good jobs and economic opportunities, and strengthen the City’s capacity to deliver critical projects in the years ahead. The Comptroller has also identified the need to improve infrastructure planning to guide spending and prioritize projects.

“With aging bridges and sewer mains, growing housing and technology needs, and the urgent challenges of the climate crisis, our need for infrastructure improvements will grow in the coming years,” continued Comptroller Lander. “This report shows we have the fiscal capacity for growing capital investments. Now, it’s up to us to make them wisely and effectively.”

View the full Annual Report on Capital Debt and Obligations here.