Council Member Marjorie Velázquez - End of August

 

Dear Neighbor, 

Earlier this week, I shared our Back to School newsletter, highlighting the upcoming backpack giveaways to support our students. As a community leader, I am committed to helping our families and students have access to resources which is why we have partnered with many local organizations for the giveaways. 

Our community depends on support from City agencies for critical resources. Since July, I have worked diligently to ensure our agency partners provide emergency support to those impacted by the sinkhole in Morris Park. Below, you will find an update on the sinkhole after our recent walk-through with key partners, including New York City Council Majority Whip and Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Selvena Brooks-Powers, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rit Aggarwala and the Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, among others. It’s important to me that YOU have the tools necessary to rebuild your homes and seek the proper assistance from your City representatives. I am here for you, and you can always reach out to me. 

We are also going through a few changes as a City regarding transportation. To best support our community, I have composed a survey that will allow me to advocate on your behalf regarding the anticipated Congestion Pricing. Please click here to complete the survey. If you have questions regarding this initiative, you can reach out to my office Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM at (718) 931-1721 or via email at District13@council.nyc.gov. 

In the meantime, I look forward to this weekend’s event and hope to see you all there! 

Sincerely, 

Council member Marjorie Velazquez.

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Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - AUGUST 25, 2022

 

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

15 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

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

"With school coming back into session and the summer season coming to a close, I encourage all New Yorkers to keep using the tools we know that work to protect against COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "Remember to get vaccinated or boosted when you're eligible if you haven't already. Test if you have symptoms, and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment. By remaining vigilant and responsible, New Yorkers will beat this virus."  

Earlier this week, Governor Hochul announced updated COVID-19 guidance and frequently asked questions for schools and childcare facilities that aligns with the new CDC recommendations. Among other things, this guidance specifies that asymptomatic children exposed to COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine and that isolation is now only advised for individuals that have tested positive for the virus. Read the updated guidance and frequently asked questions here. 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k - 26.90
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 22.68
• Test Results Reported - 71,310
• Total Positive - 5,257
• Percent Positive - 7.01%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.29%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,394 (-26)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 426
• Patients in ICU - 252 (-3)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 102 (+3)
• Total Discharges - 335,085 (408)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 15
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 57,546

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 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 (HHS) 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 - 73,541     

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.      

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

Borough	Monday, Aug. 22, 2022	Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022	Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022
Bronx	7.31%	7.29%	7.23%
Kings	3.66%	3.58%	3.52%
New York	5.59%	5.58%	5.35%
Queens	7.79%	7.78%	7.48%
Richmond	7.01%	6.74%	6.48%

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL SHOOTING IN FORDHAM HEIGHTS

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for a fatal shooting that occurred at a basketball court in Fordham Heights.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant shot and killed the victim after a dispute. The defendant will now spend more than two decades in prison for this senseless shooting.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Marquis Tanner, 30, last of 365 East 184th Street, was sentenced today to 22 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Lester Adler. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter on March 23, 2022.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on December 26, 2020 at a basketball court at 365 East 183rd Street, the defendant argued with Alexandria Winchester, 24, and shot the victim once in the neck. Winchester was pronounced dead at the scene and the defendant fled. The shooting was captured on surveillance video. The defendant was arrested on December 29, 2020 and identified himself on the surveillance video. He also confessed to the killing, saying he shot Winchester over a scam.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Indiana McGowan-Anderson of the 46th Precinct Squad and NYPD Detective Patrick Sullivan of the Bronx Homicide Squad for their work in the investigation.