Mayor de Blaio Says not Enough People are Getting Vaccinated, So Shake Shack will Give You Free Fries if you Can Prove it.

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everybody. Well, last night, we saw a situation in Brooklyn that really spoke volumes. I want to say we saw bravery, and courage, and heroism from the NYPD. Last night, members of the NYPD were positioned near a park in Brooklyn, because there had been some previous violence. This is what precision policing is all about, ensuring that officers are where they need to be to stop violence. An assailant nearby committed an act of violence and then literally ran right into the NYPD patrol. And this individual attempted to fire on NYPD officers and, thank God, our officer who was hit by that fire is going to be okay. Officer Brian McGurran, a heroic officer out there protecting us, out there making sure that anyone who aims to do violence against a fellow New Yorker is stopped. And he and his colleagues did stop this individual. This individual is now off the streets, and I expect them to be off the streets for a long, long time. So, this is an example of the dangers our officer's face, but also a profound example of the heroism and the courage they exhibit, how much we depend on them, but also the smart strategies of the NYPD to have officers where they are needed. So, this is a story that ends, thank God, with our officer – although he is wounded and we all hope and pray for a very speedy recovery – our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. He is expected to make a full recovery and that's very good news.   

Also, yesterday, very important – the individual who fired shots in Times Square has also been caught. He tried to run. He went out of state, but the NYPD always is able to find people. And this is something that everybody needs to understand and anyone who means to commit a crime better understand the NYPD, more than any time in its previous history, is doing an outstanding job tracking down anyone who commits an offense against New Yorkers. And the bottom line is if you create violence, if you harm a fellow New Yorker, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, you will suffer the consequences. This is crucial to how we continue our fight against crime and we build a strategy for a safe summer in New York City.  

 

Now, there are so many pieces that go into the recovery we are building every single day in this city. Public safety is crucial. Obviously, the thing we talk about every single day – vaccination. This is the gateway. This is the thing we have to get right so we can keep moving forward. And the good news is, every day, tens of thousands of people coming in to get vaccinated. The latest number, as of today, from the beginning of our vaccination effort, 7,277,505 vaccinations have been given, climbing every day. And now, that number will definitely increase because hundreds of thousands of more New Yorkers are eligible. We've gotten the formal authorization now that all providers who have the Pfizer vaccine can provide it to 12- to 15-year-olds. I think a lot – a lot of families are going to want to take advantage of this opportunity to protect their kids and protect their whole families. So, yesterday, Dr. Chokshi talked about our plan to reach our Zoomers. And I'm going to keep sounding this message to parents – parents, let's get our Zoomers off of Zoom and back to life as normal, and you can help by getting them vaccinated. Sites all over the city – as always, easy, fast, free, safe. And if you want to make an appointment for your 12- to 15-year-old, go to nyc.gov/vaccinefinder, or call 877-VAX-4NYC. 

 

Okay. Now, we need everyone to get vaccinated, so we know we have to make it convenient. We know we have to make it easy. We know we need the opportunities for people to speak to their trusted community voices, doctors, etcetera – we're doing all that. But we also know that incentives help, they really do. And so, we've been announcing free tickets, gift cards, all sorts of incentives to encourage people. A lot of people are ready to get vaccinated, they just haven't gotten around to it. They need a little extra incentive. We're doing that now. And we are going to have a live correspondent this morning talk about this and from a site that means a lot to all of us as New Yorkers, because one thing I think that does unite New Yorkers is a love of Shake Shack. So, live from the original Shake Shack location in Madison Square Park, the CEO of Shake Shack, and he is generously joining into this incentive effort, and I welcome him. My pleasure to introduce CEO Randy Garutti. Welcome, Randy. .

Mayor: Thank you so much, Randy. Thank you to the whole Shake Shack team, this is really going to help us out. And did you say free fries when you get vaccinated?  

 

[Mayor de Blasio eats French fries] 

 

I got vaccinated. You're saying I could get this? These delicious fries? Wait a minute – but there's also a burger element to this? Let me check with Bill Neidhardt, is too early in the day to eat a burger? No? 

 

Bill Neidhardt: You’re good to go. 

 

Mayor: This could be breakfast? Okay. I want you to look at this and think about – again, some people love hamburgers, some don't, really want to respect all ways of life. But if this is appealing to you, just think of this when you think of vaccination. 

 

[Mayor de Blasio eats hamburger] 

 

Mmm, vaccination. I'm getting a very good feeling about vaccination right this moment. Thank you to Randy Garutti and, of course, Danny Meyer, who is doing so much to help us with the recovery and the entire team.  

 

I've got to finish chewing for a moment. I think that would be more dignified, don't you think? Yeah. So, everyone, we're going to keep rolling out incentives. We're going to keep making it easier. We're going to keep making it fun. We really, really need to get everyone vaccinated. So, keep watching, keep joining in. Choose the thing you love, choose the incentive that moves you and come on out and get vaccinated.  

 

Okay. Now, this is pretty good that we will now go even higher up the vaccination scale here. I've said that one of the great reasons to go out and get vaccinated is to bring this city back, full reopening. And let's have something historic and amazing – the Summer of New York City, a summer of joy, a summer of culture, a summer of energy. We can do this. And one of the things you're going to see in New York City this summer is live music everywhere, it's going to be a big part of what gives us energy, what gives us hope. I am very proud to say the two of our biggest music festivals, outdoor festivals are making a major comeback this year in 2021, New York City. Global Citizen Live will be back and the Governors Ball at Citi Field will be back, and that is a very big deal. So, here's the latest incentive deal. If you get vaccinated, you will have an opportunity to win free tickets to these amazing music festivals. These are – literally, people wait all year for the opportunity to enjoy these festivals, and here's your chance. So, get vaccinated, get a ticket, get out there and enjoy something amazing.  

 

Now, to hear about what this means, one of the artists who will be performing at the Governors Ball. I love all musicians, but I particularly love musicians who are true New Yorkers – in this case, a true Brooklynite. And she has done amazing work. I am particularly moved by one of her best-known songs, 1950, which is absolutely just enchanting and mesmerizing. And she is a great songwriter, singer, musician in every way. My great pleasure to introduce King Princess. 

Mayor: Alright, thank you. There is the message, everyone – couldn't be clearer. I want to note that I have been refraining from eating the hamburger further during this press conference, but I will address the situation immediately following the press conference.  

 

Okay. Now, what have we been talking about all week as part of our recovery, as part of opening up New York City, having everyone out, enjoying New York City? It's been Streets Week!!!! all week. Now, I want to note, Streets Week!!!! officially, because it's the fourth day of Streets Week!!!! There should be four exclamation points – that is correct on the screen, excellent work, everyone. Monday, we focused on safety enforcement and Vision Zero. Tuesday, we announced new busways, bike lanes, bike boulevards. Yesterday, we talked about Open Boulevards, amazing stretches, block after block, Open Streets, Open Restaurants, a festival atmosphere. And today –later on today, I will be signing the legislation to make Open Streets permanent. I'll be up in Inwood. It's going to be exciting. This is a historic change to the New York City streetscape, and it will be permanent, and it will make our lives better. So, this is a really good day. And, today, we're talking about how we move things around the city, reduce congestion, make our city more sustainable.  

 

So, one of the things that we're working on that we started talking about last week is our cargo bike pilot. This is a really, really exciting new initiative to use a very different approach to get things around. And it's much, much better for the environment, much better for reducing congestion. Today, we're now talking about how to change our approach to trucks in New York City, how to make truck traffic safer, how to reduce it at the hours when we don't want it, how to make it more sustainable. We're going to take things to work. We're really excited about ways to get alternatives going, like the cargo bikes. We have the NYC Clean Truck program. We want to focus on sustainable approaches, different approaches. One of the things I've long believed we could do more of is encouraging overnight deliveries by trucks, deliveries to stores, off-hour deliveries. So, we're making changes to make that easier, expanding certain loading zones, taking actions to support and provide resources to small businesses so it will be more appealing for them to get those off-hour deliveries. We can get trucks out of the way in the times when most people are out and get those deliveries to be off-hours, that's going to be better for everyone. And every time we reduce traffic, obviously, there's a Vision Zero impact too – safety first. This plan helps us move forward with it. Details – if you want to see the details, go to nyc.gov/smarttruck and get a look at what the future will be as how we create a more sustainable approach to this city. 

 

Now, I said, Vision Zero and I’m keep saying Vision Zero. This is one of the things I'm proudest of. We started it in 2014, there were plenty of naysayers. There were plenty of people who said it wouldn't work. There are plenty of people said New Yorkers wouldn't stand for it. New Yorkers came to believe in Vision Zero. It has worked. We’ve got a lot more to do, but it's the right approach and we're going to keep building on it. And I have announcement today about the place that was synonymous – not just for a year or two years, for decades – Queens Boulevard, tragically, was synonymous with the problem of horrible deaths on the road, pedestrians, motorists, cyclists. Queens Boulevard – I don't have to remind people who've been here a while – it used to be called the Boulevard of Death and people would say it almost without even thinking about it, it had become so common, which is tragic unto itself. When we put Vision Zero into effect, one of the things that I knew we had to do, and it would take time, but we would get it done, is address Queens Boulevard once and for all. And as we've done each stage, it has had a remarkable impact.  

 

The last stage, the fourth stage of the Queens Boulevard redesign was getting ready to go, but then COVID hit. There was an issue with federal approval. We believe now there's a much better environment in Washington and much more support for Vision Zero and bike safety. So much so that Vision Zero's now the template – our New York City Vision Zero has become the national template of the Biden administration for how to create a safer traffic environment for everyone. And, of course, our own former Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg is now the number-two official at the U.S. Department of Transportation. We're very, very proud of her. So, I think we're going to do well. We do need some additional State and federal approval, but I'm very hopeful. And our goal, announcing today, starting construction than the last phase of Queens Boulevard in July with completion in November. We want to get this done. We want to ensure a safe Queens Boulevard throughout. This is crucial to a recovery for all of us, to have safety, to have streets that work and that bring New Yorkers back to all the things we love about this place.  

 

All right, time for our indicators. And, again, we have a good day for indicators. Number one, daily number of people admitted to New York City hospitals for suspected COVID-19 – today's report, 92 patients – 92. Confirmed positivity, 25.53 percent. Hospitalization rate keeps going down, 1.19 per 100,000. So, we're well below threshold. That's great to see. Now, number two, new reported cases on a seven-day average – today's report, 693 cases. This is just absolutely remarkable. Look at that change over these last few weeks. And it is because of vaccinations, period. And number three, percentage of people testing positive citywide for COVID-19 – today's report on a seven-day rolling average, 1.81 percent, continues to go down. Let's keep it going down.  

 

Question: Well, you have us all craving burgers and fries this morning. So – and is that a large soda you have there?  

 

Mayor: Look again, look again, Julia. I want this to be synonymous with vaccination. This is – this I, you know, I want to do full disclosure. This is a Shake Shack cup with water in it. I think soda would have been a little much for me this morning.

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 8 Million People Fully Vaccinated For Covid-19 in New York State

 

More Than 40% of New Yorkers Now Fully Vaccinated

111,885 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours      

Nearly 1 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days     

Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program Here

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than 8 million people have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in New York State. 111,885 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and nearly 1 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.   

"New York State is making steady progress getting shots in arms and bringing our population to higher levels of immunity from COVID-19, but we have more work to do before everyone returns to safety and the new normal," Governor Cuomo said. "Vaccination is a privilege, and we're working day and night to make the vaccine as accessible as possible by opening new pop-up sites and expanding walk-in appointments. Eight million people have been vaccinated - which is a significant milestone - but we need even more New Yorkers to get the vaccine if we want to beat COVID once and for all."

All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first serve basis. The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot. In addition, all vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers. People who would prefer to schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. People may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule appointments where vaccines are available, or visit vaccines.gov to find information on vaccine appointments near them.                            

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 17,166,220

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 111,885

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 931,850

Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 60.9%

Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 50.4%

Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 48.9%

Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 40.4%

 

Governor Cuomo Announces Lowest Single-Day COVID-19 Positivity Rate Since October 10 May 13, 2021

 

Statewide Positivity Rate Drops to 1.08%

Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity Rate Drops to 1.25%—Lowest Since October 22; 38 Straight Days of Decline

Hospitalizations Drop to 1,852—Lowest Since November 14

7-Day Hospitalizations Drop to 2,041—Lowest Since November 18; 42 Straight Days of Decline

ICU Patients Drop to 433—Lowest Since November 17

Intubations Drop to 258—Lowest Since November 22

22 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the statewide COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 1.08 percent yesterday, the lowest since October 10.

"New Yorkers are making tremendous progress in slowing the spread and keeping the numbers down - we have the lowest single-day positivity rate since October 10 and that is purely a function of our resilience and discipline," Governor Cuomo said. "As our numbers continue to decline, we're reopening even more sectors of our economy and reimagining life for a new normal in a post-pandemic world. We are getting on with life, but we haven't fully conquered the COVID beast yet and we have to continue with the practices we know work to stop COVID in its tracks - wearing masks, practicing social distancing and most importantly, getting vaccinated." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 204,531
• Total Positive - 2,216
• Percent Positive - 1.08%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 1.25%
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,852 (-76)
• 7-Day Average Patient Hospitalization - 2,041
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -483
• Patients Newly Admitted - 240
• Number ICU - 433 (-30)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 258 (-12)
• Total Discharges - 179,098 (+241)
• Deaths - 22
• Total Deaths - 42,389

STREETS WEEK!: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEW PLAN TO MANAGE TRUCKS AND FREIGHT

 

As truck deliveries skyrocket from increased online shopping, “Delivering New York” presents plans to tackle traffic safety, congestion, pollution, and damage to aging infrastructure

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman today released Delivering New York: A Smart Truck Management Plan, a new freight management plan to improve New York City’s freight management and truck safety. The announcement continues Streets Week!, a suite of transportation, traffic safety, and open space policy announcements to double down on the transformative Vision Zero initiative.

 

Among major initiatives, new innovative policies will reduce truck congestion; expand curbside space for delivery; encourage the transition to smaller, greener trucks; and improve the safety and efficiency of New York City’s truck routes.

 

“Rebuilding a cleaner, fairer, and greener city means rethinking the way trucks move through our streets. As more goods than ever flow through our city, it’s time for a smart, thoughtful freight management approach that keeps our communities safe and livable,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Delivering New York charts a path toward a future with fewer and smaller trucks, which will ease congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect our infrastructure.”

 

“Safer and more efficient freight management will advance New York City’s climate goals, tackle congestion and noise pollution, and make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “This plan will advance an important conversation for the future of our city – one made even more urgent as deliveries become even more central to our local economy.”

 

“Just as we are reimagining how people move to reduce our dependence on private cars, we must reimagine how goods move to reduce our dependence on large diesel trucks,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “We cannot solve this problem with more big trucks, which endanger our aging infrastructure, pollute our air and contribute to climate change. When they travel on residential streets where they do not legally belong, they present safety dangers and harm our quality of life. In Delivering New York, we show how we can and must expand alternatives to bringing goods to and from our City – from loading zones to dramatically expanded overnight deliveries -- and much more.”

 

“Managing truck congestion and safety on our streets and focusing our efforts on reducing harmful greenhouse emissions is key to this administration’s freight goals, and today’s announcement is a huge complement to our FreightNYC plan at NYCEDC,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Rachel Loeb. “We look forward to implementing these improvements in partnership with DOT and congratulate Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Gutman on this huge step as we work to change the way goods move in and out of our city!”

 

"This plan will fight climate change while making streets safer and the air cleaner for all New Yorkers — especially those in communities historically burdened by truck traffic,” said Ben Furnas, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability. “COVID-19 has accelerated a transformation in the way goods move around our city, and the Department of Transportation is rising to the challenge in making sure this transformation is sustainable, healthy, and fair.”

 

New York City’s freight management challenges have become even greater during the COVID-19 pandemic. As more New Yorkers have worked remotely and shopped online in the last year, residential freight delivery has increased from 40% of all deliveries citywide to 80%. The new plan recognizes these transformative shifts and introduces dozens of new strategies and initiatives to help reduce the dependence on large trucks, especially in making “last-mile” deliveries.

 

Trucks deliver nearly 90% of the city’s goods to businesses and homes throughout the five boroughs. Without City action, freight movement is expected by 2045 to increase by 68%, potentially adding 44,000 to 75,000 more trucks to the network per day.

 

Delivering New York complements NYC EDC’s own long-term multimodal freight vision and builds on the foundation of existing freight initiatives outlined in the de Blasio administration’s OneNYC plan, and DOT’s 2016 Strategic Plan. Major initiatives of the plan target safety, efficiency, sustainability and expanding partnerships/knowledge, and include:

 

SAFETY

 

Target 70 Truck Safety Priority Corridors citywide over the next five years

• Truck-involved traffic collisions disproportionately prove fatal. Starting this year, DOT will implement safety improvements on at least 10 truck priority safety corridors each year, as well as set new design standards to enhance truck safety at intersections where a majority of serious crashes occur.

 

Strengthen Enforcement Efforts: Vision Zero Street Teams Corridor Enforcement and Education Initiatives

• DOT and NYPD will deploy a multi-neighborhood, multi-corridor strategy, targeting one high-crash corridor in all eight NYPD Patrol Boroughs. The 2021 Vision Zero Street Team Corridor program is a joint effort between NYPD and the DOT Safety Education and Outreach and Highway Inspection and Quality Assurance units.
• NYPD will engage in two-week deployments with each Precinct, no fewer than three times per year.
• DOT will safely deploy Vision Zero Street Team outreach effort for one week in every Precinct involved in the program, rotating among Patrol Boroughs. DOT will hand out educational materials to New Yorkers at intersections along the corridors.
• Teams will focus on locations with high incidences of truck-involved crashes. Their work will feature outreach to truck drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists about the obstructed views that are unique to large vehicles when interacting with vulnerable road users.

 

EFFICIENCY

 

Update Citywide Truck Network and DOT’s Truck Route Map

• Recognizing the inefficient and often inequitable patchwork quilt of route restrictions, DOT will issue new rules to identify new truck routes across New York City. New routes will fill gaps, allow better distribution, and reduce “dead-ends” that lead to truck trips onto prohibited residential streets. DOT will update its map this year and add on-street signage that better identifies both new corridors and prohibited ones.

 

Continue and Further Expand Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) program

• The Off-Hour Deliveries program encourages delivery companies to shift their deliveries to off-peak hours. Deliveries made between 7pm and 6am can help to reduce traffic in the most congested areas of the city. In 2019, Mayor de Blasio set a goal to triple the number of Off-Hour Deliveries from 500 to 1500 locations by the end of 2021 – targeting focus areas in Midtown Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
• DOT will work with DCAS and other City agencies to examine ways the City can lead by example through smart application of procurement policies, making its own freight supply chain cleaner, greener, and more efficient.

 

Improving Curb Management

• Expansion of Dedicated Commercial Space in Commercial Areas: The increase in truck deliveries has heightened the need for safe and efficient curb access. DOT will increase the number of commercial loading zones citywide with a focus on high-demand Central Business District and outer borough areas. Increased curb access will reduce conflicts between vulnerable road users and double-parked trucks.
• Expansion of Neighborhood Loading Zone (NLZ) program to residential areas: With a primary focus on narrow streets with bus and bike routes, DOT will double the number of Neighborhood Loading Zones citywide to accommodate the growing market share of e-commerce deliveries in residential areas. To date, 111 zones have been installed in neighborhoods citywide. First introduced in 2019, NLZs discourage double parking by giving delivery and non-commercial vehicles dedicated space at the curb for expeditious loading of goods and passenger pick-up/drop off activity in residential areas.

 

SUSTAINABILITY

 

Creation of a permanent Commercial Cargo Bike Program

• As announced last week, DOT will expand and make permanent its pilot program incentivizing the use of cargo bikes for deliveries in some of the City’s most congested neighborhoods. The program expanded dramatically during the pandemic, growing to over 350 cargo bikes. It will be made permanent by:

• Creating an annual permit for businesses operating five or more cargo bikes for commercial purposes
• Creating an annual permit for businesses operating three or more cargo bikes for commercial purposes
• Pursuing legislative changes to ensure that wider e-cargo bikes are compliant with State law.

 

Designate “Green Loading Zones”

• New zones would be dedicated to particular vehicle types and/or reserved for use by particular companies to incentivize electric vehicles, including “Cargo Bike Loading Only” curb regulations.

.

Continue to expand the NYC Clean Truck Program to industrial business zones citywide

• Begun in 2012, DOT’s Hunts Point Clean Truck program has grown into one of the agency’s great success stories, as companies in the South Bronx replaced over 500 trucks to cleaner and greener vehicles. Under this initiative, DOT will invest $9.8 million in advanced transportation technologies and alternative fuel trucks for other industrial areas, including expanding the use of electric trucks.

 

PARTNERSHIPS AND KNOWLEDGE

 

Develop “Smart Urban Freight Lab”

• DOT will begin a new internal group to study, test and evaluate innovative last-mile freight strategies, including through the collection of continuous freight data.

 

Establish off-street freight distribution and consolidation hubs in partnership with private garage operators

• By removing the ‘last mile’ truck delivery from the logistics chain, off-street consolidation helps to reduce roadway congestion and competition for curb access and deliveries during the most congested times of the day. DOT will also continue to work with private property owners throughout the city to develop off-street delivery hubs.

 

Expand Bridge Strike Reduction Program through signage, pavement markings, & ITS technology

• DOT has worked closely with state partners to reduce bridge strikes, where errant truck drivers can cause millions of dollars of infrastructure damage and traffic congestion when they strike low-clearance overpasses, especially on parkways. DOT will:

• Leverage and strengthen multi-agency coordination with regional enforcement and infrastructure partners (NYPD, MTA, NYSDOT, and PANYNJ)
• Develop digital truck driver resources, targeted radio ad campaigns, and increase awareness through truck associations, rental companies, owner-operators, and conduct outreach to routing and mapping companies.
• Prioritize top 10 frequently hit low bridges citywide, where new signage and pavement markings will be implemented
• Add an over-height detection system along the Belt Parkway, which has some of the most frequently hit low bridges.

 

“COVID has reminded us of the critical role the trucking industry and our drivers play in the daily lives of New Yorkers,” said Kendra Hems, President of the Trucking Association of New York (TANY). “Our members are essential in providing food, fuel, medicine and much more, every day to millions of New Yorkers. The Smart Truck Management Plan strikes a balance in improving the efficiency of freight delivery while preserving the quality of life and safety of New Yorkers. I commend Mayor de Blasio and the leaders at the New York City Department of Transportation for their vision and commitment to safety.”

 

"Transportation is the leading contributor to climate change in the state and as freight deliveries continue to grow, any plan to green the transportation sector must address trucks and cargo,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “The Delivering New York plan will help reduce traffic and increase efficiency while also encouraging a transition to more sustainable transportation technologies. Expanding the use of cargo bikes and investing in electric trucks is a win-win for both pollution and congestion. That's why we included these types of policies in our New York City Policy Agenda. We thank Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Gutman for making our streets clearer and greener. We look forward to working with stakeholders to continue reimagining freight travel in the city." 

 

DOI RELEASES REPORT ON ITS INVESTIGATION OF DEFECTIVE ABSENTEE BALLOT PACKAGES PRODUCED BY PHOENIX GRAPHICS FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION

 

 Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued a report today on DOI’s investigation into defective absentee ballots produced by Rochester, New York-based Phoenix Graphics, Inc., for the 2020 General Election in New York City. In late September 2020, numerous voters in Brooklyn received absentee ballot packages containing “oath envelopes” pre-printed with names and addresses that were not theirs, prompting the City Board of Elections (“BOE”) to announce that approximately 99,000 packages assembled as part of that print run would be re-printed and mailed to voters at Phoenix Graphics’ expense. DOI investigated the circumstances surrounding these faulty absentee ballots as well as whether the BOE properly awarded a contract to Phoenix Graphics. DOI found no evidence that there was intentional interference regarding the defective absentee ballot packages. DOI also determined that while there was no competitive bid process to procure the contract, the award was consistent with emergency procurement authority granted to the BOE. A copy of the full report follows this release and can also be found at the following link: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doi/newsroom/public-reports.page 

 DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said, “DOI found no intent or motivation to intentionally disrupt Phoenix Graphics’ print run of the absentee ballots; nor did DOI find that the BOE improperly awarded a contract to Phoenix Graphics. DOI also found no evidence that a data deletion during a software installation was purposeful. The facts determined during this investigation are consistent with some deficiencies in Phoenix Graphics’ quality controls and a lapse in the company’s operation of a complex printing process. Although we found no wrongdoing, DOI is issuing this public report in the interests of transparency and the importance of the public’s confidence in the City’s voting process and overall election integrity.”

 DOI’s Report found that in April 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.15, which made mail-in absentee voting temporarily available to all New York voters for the June primary. The State legislature subsequently passed legislation that similarly made mail-in absentee voting available to any eligible voter in the November 2020 general election. Because the demand for absentee ballots increased dramatically, the BOE required assistance from outside vendors to print those ballots. The BOE reached out to three printing companies with which it had existing relationships to determine if they could assist in printing these ballots on short notice. Two of the three companies, one of which was Phoenix Graphics, agreed to take on the work. In a May 2020 internal memo, BOE Executive Director Michael Ryan certified that there was insufficient time to conduct a competitive bid process in connection with the printing of absentee ballots for the 2020 elections and directed the BOE’s Agency Chief Contracting Officer “to negotiate with the Board’s current Election Day Ballot printers to provide printing and mailing services.” The BOE’s June 2020 contract with Phoenix Graphics referenced gubernatorial Executive Order 202.26, which allowed county boards of election to procure absentee ballots “without the usual advertising for bids and offers and compliance with existing procurement policies and procedures.” Phoenix Graphics was awarded a contract valued at $4.6 million to print absentee ballots for voters in Brooklyn and Queens.

 DOI interviewed the president of Phoenix Graphics Salvatore DeBiase under oath, who explained in detail the company’s printing and assembly process for absentee ballots, including during the several day timeframe in September 2020 that the mismatched ballots were produced. The Report indicates that DeBiase explained the machine has no mechanical parts that can be controlled remotely and that in September 2020 he was informed by the BOE that hundreds of voters in Brooklyn had complained of receiving oath envelopes with someone else’s name and address printed on them. DeBiase also told DOI that the cause of the faulty ballot packages was not immediately clear; that his staff tried to re-create different scenarios and found two mechanical parts that, if not adjusted properly before the print run, could result in oath envelopes pushed onto an incorrect pile. During the affected print run in September 2020, there was an employee operating the machine who recalled observing one oath envelope fall on top of the wrong pile, but he did not see any more oath envelopes drop into the wrong pile. The employee conducted spot checks throughout the run but did not identify any additional mismatched oath envelopes.

 The printing and insertion machine can usually generate a detailed report about every print job, but DeBiase stated that by the time he learned of the problem and sought to generate such a report, the machine’s history had been deleted as a result of a software installation. DOI’s investigation revealed no evidence that the data deletion, as a result of software installation, was purposeful or done with any knowledge of the ballot printing errors.

 DeBiase and two other Phoenix Graphics employees testified that they had no reason to believe that anyone at Phoenix Graphics had deliberately caused the envelope mismatch. In addition, DeBiase indicated he has implemented new procedures to prevent similar problems from happening in the future, including: having multiple employees check the layout of the machine to ensure it is set up correctly, extracting the data after each print run so it can no longer be accidentally deleted, conducting more spot checks by opening envelopes at random, inspecting diverted packages, and having employees observe the area where the oath envelope lands to ensure they are landing on top of the correct piles.

 Commissioner Garnett thanked the BOE for its cooperation in this investigation.

New York City Council Votes to Restrict Use of Plastic Straws and Reduce School Food Waste

 

With plastic waste wreaking havoc on our planet, the New York City Council is further proving its commitment to reducing plastic waste in our City landfills. Members will vote on a bill to prohibit food service establishments from providing single-use plastic straws, stirrers and splash sticks to customers who don’t ask for them. Plastic straws, which people with disabilities often need, would still be available to those who ask. By making customers pro-actively ask for straws, we will dramatically reduce the amount of single use plastic being used in the largest city in the country. Each year, at least eight million tons of plastic leak into the ocean. If we don’t change our behavior, the World Economic Forum predicts there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.

The Council will also vote on a bill to create food waste prevention programs in our public schools. The bill would require the Chancellor of the Department of Education (DOE) to work with school sustainability coordinators to craft food waste production plans, consistent with a bill the Council recently passed to require that all city agencies with food procurement contracts develop and implement plans to do the same.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Reduces single-use plastic straws, stirrers and splash sticks

Int. No. 936-A, sponsored by Council Member Helen Rosenthal, will reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our city’s landfill. Each year more than 320 million tons of plastic are consumed worldwide. Plastic in landfills can take centuries to break down and finds its way into our oceans each year at an estimated rate of one garbage truck full per minute, endangering fish and aquatic wildlife. This bill would restrict food service establishments in the City from providing plastic straws, stirrers and splash sticks, all of which typically go to landfill and are not effectively recycled.

Providing single-use plastic stirrers and splash sticks of any kind would be prohibited. Providing plastic straws would also be prohibited. However, to balance the environmental benefits of reducing plastic with the needs of people with disabilities who use plastic straws to consume food and beverages, the bill requires that all food service establishments maintain a sufficient stock of plastic straws to provide free of charge, upon request.  To further accommodate those who use plastic straws based on medical need, signs will be posted in self-service stations where customers typically retrieve their own utensils, informing the public that they may request a plastic straw. 

Providing single-use plastics in violation of this bill would result in civil penalties, while refusing to provide a plastic straw upon request could constitute a violation of the City’s Human Rights Law.

The bill would permit distribution of compostable plastic straws for use on-premises, but only if the food service establishment properly separates and disposes of those straws through a commercial composting provider.

“Plastic waste is gravely polluting our oceans and waterways, threatening the health of wildlife and humans alike. This includes millions upon millions of straws, and limiting their use is a simple but very important step. At the same time, it is absolutely fundamental that we protect the civil rights and independence of our disability community. The ability to request a plastic straw is a critical protection for disabled customers who need them to eat and/or drink. Our disability community worked closely with environmentalists, the restaurant industry, and the City Council to ensure that the legislation being voted on today protects the rights of all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

This bill would go into effect on November 1, 2021.

EDUCATION

Requires the Department of Education to develop a plan for reducing food waste

Int 1681-A, sponsored by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer would require the Chancellor of the Department of Education (DOE) to work with school sustainability coordinators to develop a plan for reducing food waste. This plan would be submitted to the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) for recommendations, as well as the Speaker of the Council. The bill would require DOE to submit an annual report with information on DOE’s actions to implement its food waste prevention plan and the Chancellor’s updates to such plan. DSNY shall include the information contained in the report as part of the department’s March 1, 2022 annual recycling report.

“The Department of Education must confront food waste in order to create a more environmentally sustainable City,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. “Food waste prevention plans will help cut the amount of excess food our schools and city sends to land fill, finding ways to instead donate, compost, and reduce surplus. These plans are a step towards more sustainable schools system and a less wasteful New York.”

This bill goes into effect 90 days after it becomes law.

Attorney General James Issues Consumer Alert Against Possible Gasoline Price Gouging

 

Fuel Sellers Are Prohibited from Excessively Increasing Prices to Take Advantage of Fuel Shortages Resulting from the Colonial Pipeline Shutdown

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued an alert to New Yorkers concerning potential gasoline price gouging following the interruption of a major fuel pipeline serving the eastern half of the United States — urging consumers to report dramatic gasoline price increases to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for investigation. The current disruption to the fuel market occurred after computer hackers illegally hacked into the computer system that is used to control the Colonial Pipeline, which transports fuel to numerous locations along the eastern half of the U.S., including the New York City area. The hack caused a temporary shutdown of the pipeline, creating the threat of a fuel shortage that could potentially affect hundreds of millions of Americans. In response, numerous consumers on the East Coast have reportedly engaged in panic-buying of fuel, and some sellers appear to have increased their prices in an attempt to profit from the increased demand. 

“As New Yorkers continue to suffer the economic impact of the COVID-19 public health crisis, the last thing their wallets can afford is the price gouging of fuel from those seeking to unconscionably take advantage of another crisis,” said Attorney General James. “To be clear, the price gouging of fuel in New York state will not be tolerated for a moment. If our office sees profiteers take advantage of consumers by boosting prices to excess levels, we will not hesitate to take legal action. Last year, the state granted our office additional authority to stop those seeking to unlawfully profit off an emergency, so we will use every tool at our disposal to stop illegal actors and secure relief for consumers who have been overcharged for gasoline.” 

New York law prohibits sellers of fuel and other vital and necessary goods from excessively increasing their prices during an abnormal market disruption, including disruptions caused by energy shortages. During such times, sellers may be allowed to increase prices to cover their own cost increases, but it is illegal for them to unconscionably raise prices simply to profit from increased consumer demand. 

Additionally, last year, in response to an influx in price gouging as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health crisis, a law was passed that substantially strengthened Attorney General James’ ability to bring charges against those violating New York state’s price gouging statute, as they sought to excessively increase prices on essential goods and services during pandemics or other emergencies.

When reporting price gouging to the OAG, consumers should report the specific increased prices, the dates and places that they saw the increased prices, and the types of fuel being sold. Consumers should also provide copies of their sales receipts and photos of the advertised prices, if available. Gas stations that appear to have engaged in price gouging must have evidence to justify their price increases.    

The OAG also advises consumers to buy only as much fuel as they need and not to stock up out of fear of a potential future shortage, as such panic buying may reduce the supply of fuel available for other consumers and could encourage sellers to engage in illegal price gouging. The OAG also advises consumers that it is not price-gouging for gas stations to limit the amount of fuel they sell to individual consumers. Reducing the quantities of sales can help avoid a small number of consumers from hoarding fuel and can, instead, ensure that there is still fuel available (even in smaller quantities) for other consumers.   

234 Days and Counting Free Shake Shake Fries if you get shot.

 

We are giving you more and more to get vaccinated, soon we will be giving you the Key to the City, which many are trying to take. Today you get Shake Shack French Fries if you get vaccinated. It is full of bad things for you so if COVID-19 doesn't get you these Shake Shack Burgers and fries will. It tastes delicious, (sound of Mayor de Blasio chocking) Dr. Chokshi where are you?