Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers On State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - FEBRUARY 15, 2023

 

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

19 Statewide Deaths Reported on February 14

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19 and outlined basic steps they can take to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections that become more common in the winter season.

"I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochu lsaid. "Be sure to 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 urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures — like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene — to protect from the flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. The Governor reiterated these basic steps when she updated New Yorkers on the state's winter health preparedness efforts last month.

The New York State Department of Health's weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending February 4, shows influenza remaining widespread throughout the state for an eighteenth consecutive week, with a total of 310,653 positive cases across 57 counties reported to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide dropped 19 percent to 2,374 for the week, while overall hospitalizations were down 48 percent from the previous week, at 196 hospitalizations across the state.

Additionally, there were 6 outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were no one influenza-associated pediatric death reported for the week, the total remaining at nine statewide.

With flu season continuing, Governor Hochul reminds all New Yorkers that it's not too late to get their annual flu vaccine. 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 Health Department 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. For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Governor Hochul also continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. In December, the New York State Department of Health announced new guidance for bivalent COVID-19 booster doses, which are now available for eligible children down to 6 months of age.

The updated boosters are the first to be targeted to the original virus strain and recently circulating variants and are recommended for young New Yorkers and all those eligible. 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.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Cases Per 100k - 13.44
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 11.43
• Test Results Reported - 62,335
• Total Positive - 2,626
• Percent Positive - 3.88%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.45%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,198 (+23)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 388
• Patients in ICU - 236 (+23)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 92 (+7)
• Total Discharges - 400,315 (+325)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 19
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 61,641

** 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 - 79,171

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	Sunday,   February   12, 2023	Monday,   February   13, 2023	Tuesday,   February   14, 2023
Bronx	3.80%	3.71%	3.60%
Kings	3.14%	3.56%	3.21%
New York	3.74%	3.72%	3.80%
Queens	3.94%	3.86%	3.78%
Richmond	4.17%	4.16%	3.96%

Congressman Ritchie Torres Attends PPNA February Meeting

 

The February Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association meeting was all about Congressman Ritchie Torres who is new to the Pelham Parkway area, and his district stretches from Riverdale to across the street from Jacobi Hospital after redistricting at the beginning of 2023. Congressman Torres was eager to hear from his new constituents, but opened attacking Republicans in congress who he said are trying to cut programs such as Medicare and Social Security. That was met later by some of the Republicans in the audience who said some of the Democratic waste needs to be cut. 

Congressman Torres also spoke of a bill he introduced calling for honesty by candidates when running for office specifically mentioning current Congressman George Santos while discussing this item. He added that he is against the current forms of congestion pricing that would put more cars and diesel fueled trucks on to the Cross Bronx Expressway rather than going into Manhattan, and as to the problem with the mail in the Bronx he would try to arrange a meeting with the Bronx Postmaster to see what the problem is.

Upon taking questions Congressman Torres was questioned by more than one person on the U.S. support of the Ukraine. He answered that Russia attacked a sovereign nation, and it was the duty of the United States to give aid to the country being attacked. He agreed that the federal government should do more for New York City about the current immigration issue saying that most of the aid that cities are getting for that will go to New York City. 

Congressman Torres was asked why he caved on a bill when he was in the city council about the NYPD. His answer was that there are four levels of interrogation by the police, 1- Question, 2 - Aggressive Questioning, 3 - Stop and Frisk, and 4 - Search and Power to Arrest. He continued that there was push back from the mayor, NYPD, and other legislators so he took part of the solution rather than getting nothing. 

Also in attendance was Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez who did not say anything, because Congressman Torres spoke the entire evening with the except for the few words of introduction by PPNA President Steve Gloser who added that the next meeting of the PPNA will be on Tuesday March 14th where an agent from the FBI will be the guest.

The PPNA Executive Board with Congressman Ritchie Torres and Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez.

Congressman Torres listening to a question on affordable housing. 

A woman in the audience reads from a paper as she condemns the congressman for supporting a war in the Ukraine which she and two others who spoke said will lead to nuclear war. 

Defendant Convicted In Scheme To Steal Nearly $1 Million From Tech Company

 

Defendant Conspired with His Brother, the Former CEO of the Tech Company, to Defraud the Company and to Launder the Criminal Proceeds

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict today against SURESH MUNSHANI on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  MUNSHANI is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who presided over the one-week trial. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Suresh Munshani and his brother thought they could get away with stealing nearly $1 million from his brother’s employer and laundering that money through a Canadian bank account, but today’s jury verdict shows that this Office will continue to follow the dirty money to bring those responsible for financial crimes to justice.”

According to the Superseding Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:

Between 2011 and 2018, SURESH MUNSHANI conspired with his brother, Suni Munshani, to steal from the victim company (the “Company”) and to launder the stolen funds back to his brother.  During the relevant period, Suni Munshani was the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company, which provided data security services to its clients.  In furtherance of the scheme, SURESH MUNSHANI, among other things, formed a fake company, added the name of that fake company to a bank account he controlled in Canada, lied to his bank about how he was using his account, and worked with his brother to deposit into that account approximately $860,000 stolen from the Victim Company.  SURESH MUNSHANI thereafter laundered the majority of the stolen money back to a bank account controlled by Suni Munshani and kept approximately $150,000 of the stolen funds for himself.            

Suni Munshani previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with his involvement in the scheme. 

SURESH MUNSHANI, 58, of New York, New York, was convicted of one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of money laundering conspiracy.  Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Office for their assistance.

Governor Hochul Announces 2023 Free Freshwater Fishing Days in New York

 

Anglers have Opportunity to Freshwater Fish Without a License from February 18 to 19

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the 2023 dates for Free Freshwater Fishing Days in New York. The requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during the following six days this year: February 18 to 19; June 24 to 25; National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 23; and November 11.

"Free fishing days offer established anglers an opportunity to share their passion for fishing with those who may be newer to the sport," Governor Hochul said. "Spreading these days throughout the year gives anglers of all ages, abilities, and experience levels a chance to fish across the seasons and discover the abundant fishing opportunities in New York -- benefiting our local economies in the process."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Over the years, DEC has received feedback from people who permanently picked up the sport after attending one of New York's free freshwater fishing days, and that's something we love to hear. Fishing New York's world-class waters is more than just an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors all year long, it's a perfect chance to spend time and connect with family and friends."

DEC offers several resources for those interested in learning how to fish including the I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing, which provides information on everything from rigging up a fishing rod, to identifying a catch to understanding fishing regulations and helpful tips for those interested in ice fishing. There's also a video series that complements the Beginners Guide that can be found on DEC's YouTube channel. DEC's Places to Fish websites are a reliable source of information when planning a fishing trip. DEC recently released a new feature within DEC's official app, HuntFishNY, called 'The Tackle Box.' Now, fishing regulations, boating access and stocking information are all available within a map-based interface from the convenience of a smartphone.

Colder weather is creating great ice fishing opportunities, with popular species to target through the ice in New York including yellow perch; northern pike; walleye; lake trout; brown trout; Atlantic salmon; and black crappie. Those interested in ice fishing should check the thickness of ice before leaving the shore. Four inches of solid clear ice is usually safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. However, ice thickness can vary between waterbodies and even within the same waterbody, increasing the need to ensure thickness. Anglers should be particularly cautious of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice from forming. Checking the ice can easily be done with an auger or spud bar at various spots. In addition, fishing with a family member or friend is also encouraged for safety. Local bait and tackle shops are a great source for finding out where there is safe ice and what anglers are catching. For more information on ice fishing, including prominent fish species plentiful during the winter months and tips on ice safety, visit DEC's ice fishing website.

In addition to Free Fishing Days, there are "learn to fish" opportunities available through DEC-approved free fishing clinics. For a list of what's currently scheduled, visit the DEC website. The site will be updated as new events are added throughout the year.

The Free Fishing Days program began in 1991 to give people who might not fish a chance to try the rewarding sport at no cost, to introduce people to a new hobby, and to encourage people to support the sport by purchasing a New York State freshwater fishing license.

Free fishing day participants are reminded that although the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. With the exception of free fishing days, anglers who are 16 years of age or older must have a valid fishing license. For more information on purchasing a license, visit theDEC website.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Community Resources & Updates

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review.

Happy Valentine's Day! We hope that all of you had a healthy dose of love, friendship and companionship on this wonderful day.

The application for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is finally open! SYEP provides youth between ages 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer. Through this program, participants can explore different interests and career pathways, develop productive workplace habits, and engage in learning experiences that strengthen their social, civic, and leadership skills. To apply, click here.

Tax Season is upon us. Single-filing New Yorkers who earned $56,000 or less in 2022, or families who earned $80,000 or less, are encouraged to file their taxes for free using NYC Free Tax Prep. NYC Free Tax Prep provides free, professional tax preparation that can help New Yorkers keep their full refund, including valuable tax credits, like the newly enhanced New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (NYC EITC). The new NYC Free Tax Prep for self-employed New Yorkers will also provide income tax services to freelance workers and small businesses.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

In honor of Valentine's Day, I visited my seniors in centers all around the Borough. It is not a secret: I love my seniors. They are so full of life and wisdom.

Every day they remind me of my purpose. They remind me that I am my grandparents wildest dreams come true.

Thank you for all you have given us. I hope today - and every day - you feel loved and appreciated.

Earlier today, we sent a letter to Chancellor Banks and the DOE to support our Early Childhood Providers in their fight for timely compensation, reimbursement and more.

Our early childcare providers provide an essential service to our city, and we are asking the administration to join us in reciprocating the same love our providers show our children and their families each day.

To read the full letter, click here.

MAYOR ADAMS DELIVERS TESTIMONY TO NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today provided testimony to the New York State Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committees, focusing on critical investments in jobs, safety, housing, and care as well as fiscal challenges facing the city.

 

Below are Mayor Adams’ remarks as prepared for delivery:

 

Good morning, and thank you Chairs Krueger and Weinstein; Local Government Chairs Martinez and Thiele; Cities Chairs Sepulveda, May, and Braunstein; and members of the Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees.

 

I am Eric Adams, and I am honored to appear before you today as the 110^th mayor of the great city of New York. I am joined by Jacques Jiha, director of our Office of Management and Budget; Sheena Wright, first deputy mayor; Tiffany Raspberry, director of intergovernmental and external affairs; Diane Savino, senior advisor to the chief advisor; and Chief Counsel Brendan McGuire.

 

Before discussing the governor’s executive budget and my vision for the city of New York, I want to thank you for partnering with me last year to deliver results for the people of New York. Thanks to your leadership, we established the NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] Trust, extended our speed camera program, doubled the M/WBE [minority- and women-owned business enterprise] spending threshold for New York City, and provided real relief to New Yorkers through the Earned Income Tax Credit and significant child care investments.

 

I also want to thank the governor for including many of our essential priorities in this budget, including key components of our shared “New” New York plan. We are extremely pleased with the governor’s commitment to funding a new generation of affordable housing. And we know her proposed public safety changes will make New York safer. We also appreciate the support this budget has provided to help us address New York’s mental health crisis.

 

But while the executive budget contains many shared priorities, the cuts and cost shifts significantly outweigh the assistance the state is providing to address the asylum seeker crisis. The impacts of these cuts and cost shifts are most pronounced in three areas: Our schools, public transit, and Medicaid. If unaddressed, these cuts will force us to make difficult choices in regard to the city budget and the services that we provide.

 

Governor Hochul and leaders in the Senate and Assembly have been excellent partners to the city and our administration. My hope, and my belief, is that we’ll be able to sort out our differences and work together to build a budget that works for all New Yorkers.

 

In my State of the City address, I laid out my vision for the city, based around four pillars of supportive government: Jobs, safety, housing, and care.

 

By including community hiring and increasing the M/WBE small purchase threshold in her budget, the governor is giving us the tools we need to dismantle inequality while also investing in jobs of the future.

 

But we know that all good jobs are built on a common foundation: A solid education. On that note, I would like to thank the governor for continuing the phase-in of Foundation Aid in her executive budget proposal.

 

But, if the state raises the charter cap as proposed, we will need more resources. We believe it will cost us over $1 billion dollars to site these schools and cover the required per-student tuition — money we do not have.

 

Last year, the state passed legislation requiring New York City to reduce class sizes, without providing additional funding to build schools and hire teachers. The requirements of this new law will cost the city $1.3 billion by year five. We need the state to provide funding to ensure that our children get the education they deserve.

 

My second pillar is public safety.

 

The governor’s budget rightfully proposes to keep us safer by giving us additional tools to address our recidivist crises. Changes to the least restrictive standard, as the governor has proposed, will go a long way towards solving our recidivist problem. This is critical because a disproportionate share of the serious crime in New York City is being driven by a limited number of extreme recidivists — approximately 2,000 people — who commit crime after crime while out on the street on bail.

 

We must also recognize that our city’s district attorneys and public defenders are overwhelmed and need our help immediately. The state must make a major investment in them now or risk depriving defendants of their constitutional right to a speedy trial — delaying justice for victims and continuing the unprecedented level of attrition within each of these offices.

 

My third pillar is housing.

 

Whether you were born here or came here seeking opportunity, we need you, and you need affordable housing.

 

Importantly, the governor has included provisions that would facilitate the conversion of office space into housing, eliminate the floor-area ratio cap to allow more housing, implement the J-51 tax incentive to preserve our housing stock, and tax incentive programs that drive the construction of new affordable units.

 

My final pillar is care.

 

National and global trends often converge to create urgent and unforeseen needs in our city, such as the ongoing asylum seeker crisis. We are at the breaking point.

 

Governor Hochul has recognized the magnitude of this crisis and has offered state support for our growing costs. But with the city expected to spend over $4 billion on this crisis by the middle of next year, we’ll need more than the approximately $1.2 billion in state and federal funds we believe will come our way.

 

I would like to mention a few other important items that the Governor included in her budget.

 

We appreciate the authorization of additional tools that will allow us to build large projects faster and smarter, while increasing opportunities for M/WBEs on city construction projects.

 

In addition, we are pleased with the inclusion of New York City Parking Reform, which will allow us to keep our streets clear of industrial vehicles to the benefit of our families.

 

We also appreciate the inclusion of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, which will hold manufacturers and big businesses accountable for the waste they produce while doing business.

 

While the governor’s budget includes many welcome investments in our city, there are notable cuts and cost shifts that will leave the city with no choice but to take very serious measures in our upcoming city budget.

 

The first of these has to do with the city’s MTA [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] contributions. At the outset, we need to highlight what the city government already contributes on an annual basis — $2.4 billion in direct and in-kind contributions, and that’s in addition to the majority of the state’s tax revenue that New York City residents, workers, and businesses send to Albany every year.

 

This executive budget proposes new contributions from New York City that would cost $526 million in the next fiscal year and more than $540 million every year beyond that. Aside from the increased Payroll Mobility Tax contribution that all localities in the MTA service area must pay, New York City is the only locality that has been asked to increase its contribution — and by hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

 

We all want what’s best for riders, but we need a fairer and more sustainable proposal. This current proposal hits New Yorkers twice — once through the higher fares that riders will still face and once through diminished service delivery by their local government, which will have at least half a billion dollars each year going to subsidize a state-run authority.

 

Additionally, the governor’s financial plan proposes cuts to Medicaid support by keeping 100 percent of enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (or “eFMAP”) funding to localities. That will be $343 million taken out of our budget beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, which would end a longstanding cost sharing arrangement since 2015. This would effectively transfer costs from the state to localities — undoing one of the more important Medicaid reforms in recent history.

 

Another cost the city is being asked to fund is the court-mandated wage increases for 18-B attorneys, which increased from $75 to $158 per hour. Currently, we split this cost approximately evenly with the state, but, without state action, the city will be forced to cover the full cost of this increase. This will cost us $84 million annually, beginning in Fiscal Year 2023.

 

Finally, a recurring cut enacted a few years ago continues to strain the city’s budget. We ask that the state discontinue the sales tax intercept for the distressed hospitals fund. One hundred and fifty million dollars of the city’s tax revenues are intercepted yearly for this fund, and New York City is the only locality paying. Despite this, not a single H+H [NYC Health + Hospitals] hospital has received a dollar of support.

 

In conclusion, the governor’s budget and financial plan imposes new requirements on the city that we cannot support.

 

The governor’s budget contains over $1 billion in new cuts and cost shifts to the city starting in Fiscal Year 2024. The new MTA requirements and Medicaid cuts alone are massive and more than cancel out all the proposals in this budget that benefit the city, especially since those new costs would be permanent and annual.

 

The city cannot possibly carry the weight of such big commitments without cutting essential programs that support New Yorkers.

 

This is not a threat. This is math.

 

And as I have been saying from the beginning, the future of New York City and New York state are connected. If cuts from the state negatively impact our budget, the effects will be felt at the state level as well. 

 

Again, let me say that Governor Hochul has been a great partner to us. I believe we can bridge our differences here and, together with you and your colleagues, do what is right for the state. 

 

Thank you again for inviting us today and for taking the time to discuss my plans for the city. We look forward to working together closely to build a budget that uplifts and benefits all New Yorkers.