Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 14, 2022

 

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

32 Statewide Deaths Reported December 13

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

"As we continue the spread of respiratory illnesses, the flu, and COVID-19 throughout our state, 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 Hochul said. "Stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel this holiday season. 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 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. Last week, the Governor updated New Yorkers on the state's winter health preparedness efforts.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC also cleared the way for children six months of age and older to receive the bivalent booster shot to increase protection against COVID-19. Previously, these shots were only available to children ages 5 and older.

The New York State Department of Health issued a report last week showing a 64 percent week-over-week jump in lab-confirmed flu cases across New York and week-over-week hospitalizations up 58 percent. Cases of influenza have now been detected in all 62 counties across the state, highlighting the need for New Yorkers to take steps and precautions that will reduce the risk of severe illness for children and adults.

Governor Hochul previously launched a public awareness campaign featuring New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett speaking directly to New Yorkers about the three viruses 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.

The Governor also asked 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 - 30.31
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 27.66
• Test Results Reported - 83,017
• Total Positive - 5,924
• Percent Positive - 6.34%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.61%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,571 (+15)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 635
• Patients in ICU - 342 (+11)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 143 (+5)
• Total Discharges - 373,583 (+571)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 32
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 59,867

** 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 - 76,249

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,   Dec.  11, 2022	Monday,   Dec.  12, 2022	Tuesday,   Dec.  13, 2022
Bronx	7.84%	7.90%	8.00%
Kings	4.56%	5.14%	4.68%
New York	6.86%	6.93%	6.87%
Queens	9.10%	9.09%	8.94%
Richmond	6.42%	6.46%	6.37%

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Young People in NYC Still Face Double-Digit Unemployment

 

Report Finds Young Men Have Greatest Challenge in Finding Work, With 24% Unemployed More than two years after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, young people in New York City continue to face double-digit unemployment, with young men experiencing the greatest challenges in finding work, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Unemployment among 16- to 24-year-olds stands at nearly 18% in the city, as compared to about 9% in the rest of New York state and 8% nationally. In comparison, overall unemployment is currently 5.6% in New York City, and 3.4% in the nation. “The city must take steps to strengthen career opportunities for young job seekers or the city’s economic recovery will be stifled even further,” DiNapoli said. “The recovery is much slower for young workers in New York City when compared to the rest of the state and the country and has had a particularly profound impact on young people of color and young men.” DiNapoli’s report found unemployment rates among young people in the city are recovering at a much slower pace due to the city being the initial epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment in 2020 for 16- to 24-year-olds in the city reached 22%, while in the rest of New York state it was 16.5%, and 15.9% across the United States. The pandemic not only caused staggering job losses in 2020, but devastated industries that employ more young people like restaurants, retail, and recreation, causing more young people to leave the workforce. There also exist greater disparities among young people of color in the city and across the nation. Currently, the unemployment rates for young Black (18.5%), Hispanic (23.3%) and Asian (23.3%) workers in the city are higher than their white (16.2%) counterparts. However, across the United States, youth unemployment rates have nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, including across most racial and ethnic groups. DiNapoli’s report further found that nearly 24% of young men in the city remain unemployed. This is significantly higher than across other groups, the rest of the state and the country. Young men in the city remain the only age and gender group to continue experiencing a high unemployment rate, even two years since the height of the pandemic. The report suggested that the unemployment rate among young men is higher in the city than in the nation because a greater share worked in the leisure and hospitality sector, which is one of the city’s hardest hit industries. It has yet to fully recover 15% of its pre-pandemic job losses, and there may not be enough openings in the sector to meet current demands. To help bolster job opportunities for all young people in New York, DiNapoli’s report recommends the city: Continue to prioritize youth employment programs that pair active job seekers with local employers, such as the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative; Identify and report on its efforts to provide at-risk youth or youth from low-income households with stable jobs and career paths; With the Future of Workers Task Force, offer recommendations next year that support full-time, good-paying jobs. Report New York City’s Uneven Recovery: Youth Labor Force Struggling Related Report Restaurant Sector Dashboard Retail Sector Dashboard Tourism Sector Dashboard Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Dashboard

MAYOR ADAMS UNVEILS PRELIMINARY DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR RE-ENVISIONED BQE CENTRAL, TAKES MAJOR STEP FORWARD ON EQUITABLE CORRIDOR-WIDE PLANNING PROCESS

 

BQE Central Preliminary Design Concepts Would Improve Safety and Public Space, Repair and Redesign Area From Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street

 

BQE Community Partners Will Lead Corridor-Wide Community Engagement and Resident Empowerment Planning Effort

 

Adams Administration Accelerating Long-Term Fix to BQE Central, Undertaking Equitable Planning Effort to Reconnect Communities Along Entire Corridor

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today marked a new phase in his effort to accelerate a long-term fix and redesign for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), unveiling preliminary design concepts for a re-envisioned BQE Central, the city-owned section of the BQE from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street. The concepts offer a modernized, resilient structure with significant public space upgrades for community members and visitors as well as safety upgrades for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. The design concepts and an abbreviated version of the presentation given at tonight’s public meeting are available online.

 

Continuing to advance the BQE North and South planning effort, the administration also named a diverse group of 17 organizations to serve as BQE Corridor Vision Community Partners. Representing communities all along the BQE corridor from Bay Ridge to Red Hook to Greenpoint, with a focus on underrepresented communities and multilingual capabilities, these community-based organizations will help DOT advance a transparent and inclusive community organizing process to explore short- and long-term improvements to equitably connect BQE North and South communities that were divided by the highway. In a first for DOT, the agency will invest roughly $500,000 to work with these organizations doing grassroots-level community engagement.

 

“Now is the time to think big. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a BQE for the 21^st century and transform an environmental and aesthetic nightmare into a dream come true for our city,” said Mayor Adams. “This is just step one. But these concepts push the boundaries and fully explore what is possible for BQE Central, and we are excited to hear from New Yorkers as we determine which one will become a reality.”

“Today, we reach the first of many milestones in the most complex and necessary infrastructure projects in New York City — and likely in the nation,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “We didn’t get here alone. Hundreds of people who live near, travel through, and rely on the BQE daily provided their thoughts, which our design and engineering experts relied on, to prepare several possibilities to reimagine the triple cantilever. And thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding opportunities are on the horizon to deliver a reconstructed triple cantilever and a reimagined corridor.”

“We are urgently pursuing a long-term fix for the city-owned portion of the BQE in Brooklyn, while taking a bold, corridor-wide approach to address the entire structure and reconnect communities throughout Brooklyn divided by this highway,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “These concepts represent ambitious ideas for how the city can reimagine BQE Central to improve neighborhood public space and quality of life. I welcome all organizations selected to be community partners, which will help DOT meaningfully connect with underserved communities across Brooklyn and advance equitable, multilingual, inclusive planning.”

 

 

Preliminary design concepts for BQE Central. Concepts presented are for illustrative purposes only. Credit: New York City Department of Transportation

 

 

Map of BQE Central and BQE North and South. Credit: New York City Department of Transportation

 

BQE Central Design Concepts

 

In response to community feedback, the administration worked with the Triple Cantilever Developers Joint Venture team — consisting of Bjarke Ingels Group, Parsons Corporation, SCAPE Landscape Architecture, and WXY — to develop a variety of feasible, resilient, and community-responsive concepts that improve public spaces across Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, and Columbia Heights, while better connecting the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Covering the area from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street, including the triple cantilever, the concepts also include potential pedestrian and bicycle safety upgrades in the neighborhood, including better cycling infrastructure and more welcoming pedestrian connections.

 

These broad concepts will be further refined and updated to share with the community at a third series of public workshops in February 2023 would position the administration to begin the federal environmental review process in Spring 2023. The environmental impact review process — likely to require the preparation of an environmental impact statement — will offer additional opportunities for substantive community feedback over approximately two years.

 

BQE Community Partners

 

DOT has identified 17 community organizations to serve as BQE community partners and advise on, and improve transparency around, the public engagement process. The community partners include groups that serve a range of underrepresented communities and specialize in multilingual engagement to ensure that communities historically left out of conversations about the future of the BQE could participate in this effort. Community partners include:

• Arab American Association of New York
• Brooklyn Chinese-American Association
• Bay Ridge Community Development Center
• Chinese-American Planning Council
• Evergreen: Your North Brooklyn Business Exchange
• El Puente
• Fifth Avenue Committee
• Mixteca
• North Brooklyn Parks Alliance
• Red Hook Initiative
• Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation
• Nicks Alliance
• Transportation Alternatives
• United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn
• UPROSE
• Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC
• Yemeni American Merchants Association

 

DEC Announces Conservation of 1,300 Acres in Taconic Mountains

 

New Acquisition Helps Protect Region’s Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat, Provides Opportunities for Recreation and Sustainable Timber Production

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the protection of 1,300 acres of forest and grasslands in the Taconic Mountains in the town of Berlin. The recent acquisition will connect the Taconic Ridge and Berlin State Forests, preserve critical open space, and expand recreational opportunities to support the local economy.

“DEC and our partners are continuing to collaborate with stakeholders to permanently protect the Taconic Ridge and the valuable ecological and recreational opportunities it provides,” Commissioner Seggos said. “This newest 1,300 acres will help connect and enhance DEC’s existing state forest network and builds upon our ongoing progress in conserving this Capital Region natural treasure.”

The acquisition will be added to the Taconic Ridge State Forest and provides a critical connection between the Taconic Ridge and Berlin state forests, linking together more than 12,000 acres of state forests. New York State purchased the parcel for $890,000 through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The purchase protects forested steep slopes leading to the top of the Taconic Ridge. It includes a tributary of the Little Hoosic River, one of New York State’s wild trout streams, and 80 acres of critical grassland habitat. As part of DEC’s state forests, this parcel will be managed for multiple uses, including sustainable timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and recreation. 

Located in Rensselaer County along the Massachusetts and Vermont border, the Taconic Ridge and Berlin state forests are primary gateways in the Taconic Mountains that conserve important natural resources and provide diverse outdoor recreational opportunities. Their rolling hills, forests, scenic vistas and over 34 miles of trails, including the Taconic Crest Trail, are ideal for hiking. The purchase today builds on other recent acquisitions including more than 5,700 acres announced in 2020 in partnership with The Conservation Fund. For more information about the Taconic Ridge State Forest, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/72874.html.

The EPF is a critical resource for environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, water quality improvement, and environmental justice projects. Among the many environmental victories in the 2022-23 State Budget, Governor Hochul succeeded in increasing the EPF from $300 to $400 million, the highest-ever level of funding in the program's history. This year, the EPF has $17 million dedicated to invasives species management in New York State.

Note: A map of the acquisition is attached. Drone footage of the parcel can be viewed at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/fs/programs/press/R4/TaconicRidgeStateForest1080p.mp4

AOC takes on SBF

 

Sam Bankman-Fried was trying to avoid accountability for fraud.

But today in the House Financial Services Committee hearing — in her typical style — Alexandria laid out the facts.

To catch you up: Samuel Bankman-Fried is the founder and former CEO of FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange that filed for bankruptcy last month. Bankman-Fried faces eight criminal charges, including wire fraud, lying to investors, and conspiring to defraud the U.S. by violating campaign finance laws. He was scheduled to stand before Congress today for questioning about the multi-billion dollar collapse of FTX, but was arrested in the Bahamas last night.

The House Financial Services Committee held the hearing today without him. Alexandria asked acting FTX CEO John J. Ray III about the timeline of events — including the timing of Bankman-Fried’s arrest just before congressional questioning, and a curious 25.5 hour period when Bahamian FTX customers were able to withdraw their money from the sinking business. Over the course of four hours, Ray described the downfall of FTX as a case of “old-fashioned embezzlement.”

Federal prosecutors also said in a newly filed letter to the judge that Bankman-Fried defrauded FTX customers “by misappropriating funds for his personal use…including to make tens of millions of dollars of political contributions,” and violated campaign finance laws, “by causing political contributions to candidates and committees associated with both major political parties to be made in the names of co-conspirators, when in fact those contributions were funded by Alameda Research with misappropriated customer funds.”¹

Let’s be clear: Bankman-Fried made fraudulent contributions to both major political parties, he was coming for our entire system. He said himself in recent interviews that he was a major Republican funder, and that he relied on dark money methods for his GOP funding because he didn’t want the media finding out. In fact, Bankman-Fried said he was secretly “the third-biggest Republican donor” if you count dark money.²

This is just the latest example of why our campaign finance laws are broken and why Alexandria has routinely called on the Democratic party to shift toward everyday, small-dollar, diverse sources of funding.³

Unlike most politicians, Alexandria rejects all corporate money and relies entirely on grassroots support, the vast majority being small-dollar donations that average between $16-19. As she has said, “the influence [dark money] has is absolutely atrocious.”

Alexandria also refuses to take meetings with lobbyists or curry favor with billionaires. This is so she can legislate and operate independently from our corrupting system of campaign finance and revolving-door politics. Moments like today demonstrate why that’s so important.

Our movement must continue to shine a light on dark money to get corporate, corrupt interests out of politics once and for all.

In solidarity,

Team AOC  

Fentanyl Traffickers Sentenced To Almost 22 Years And Almost 17 Years In Prison

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROBERT SHANNON, a/k/a “Tank,” was sentenced to 260 months in prison today for his participation in a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation that sold kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and for possessing firearms to protect the drug operation.  SHANNON was convicted following a week-long jury trial in August 2022 before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan, who imposed today’s sentence.  On November 9, 2022, Judge Cronan sentenced co-defendant KAREEM RODERIQUE, a/k/a “Ernest Tucker,” to 200 months in prison.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The sentence reaffirms our judicial system’s unflinching commitment to hold narcotics traffickers accountable.  Fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine promote violence, ruin lives, and destroy communities.  These defendants sought to profit from trafficking significant quantities of these horrific drugs, using firearms to protect their operation, and were justly punished for their crimes.”

According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of SHANNON:

SHANNON, RODERIQUE, co-defendant NIKIA KING, and others ran a large-scale narcotics operation out of a narcotics mill and stash house in East Orange, New Jersey, while obtaining drug supplies and conducting a narcotics deal in the Southern District of New York.  The defendants obtained large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and utilized their stash house to mix, bag up, and prepare the drugs to sell to other drug dealers, who sold the drugs in the community.  The defendants also obtained and kept two loaded firearms in the stash house to protect their drugs and supplies. 

On October 27, 2020, law enforcement agents arrested RODERIQUE in the Bronx as he was attempting to purchase five kilograms of cocaine for the drug trafficking operation.  Later that night, law enforcement agents arrived at the East Orange stash house as SHANNON and KING were exiting the residence.  Shannon was carrying a weighted black bag from the residence to his car, where he was arrested.  Inside of the vehicle, law enforcement agents recovered the weighted bag, which Shannon had attempted to hide behind the car’s dashboard.  The black bag contained over 1,000 individual glassines envelopes of fentanyl and an additional bag contained over 1,000 doses of powdered fentanyl.  Law enforcement agents searched the East Orange stash house — which was protected by security cameras and a reinforced door.  Inside the stash house, law enforcement agents found approximately three kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, black tar heroin, narcotics cutting agent, cash, and two loaded firearms.  Agents also discovered narcotics trafficking supplies and equipment used to weigh, package, and sell fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine on the street, such as a large freestanding kilogram press, numerous grinders and blenders, and worktables. 

SHANNON was convicted after trial of narcotics conspiracy and using and carrying firearms during and in relation to, or possessing firearms in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy.  As part of the same case, RODERIQUE previously pled guilty in March 2022 before Judge Cronan to narcotics conspiracy, and co-defendant KING previously pled guilty in May 2022 before Judge Cronan to narcotics conspiracy.  KING was sentenced by Judge Cronan to 60 months in prison in October 2022. 

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Cronan sentenced SHANNON, 46, of Jersey City, New Jersey, to five years of supervised release; RODERIQUE, 39, of Raleigh, North Carolina, to five years of supervised release; and KING, 44, of Newark, New Jersey, to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Local Sales Tax Collections Grow by Nearly 9% in November

 

Local sales tax collections in New York state increased by 8.8% in November compared to the same month in 2021, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.72 billion, up $139 million compared to the same time last year.

“November marked another solid month for sales tax collections for local governments,” DiNapoli said. “Although many forecasters are predicting that national retail sales will be strong this holiday season, local officials should continue to monitor the economic factors impacting sales tax when estimating their own revenue projections for the remainder of the year.”

New York City’s collections totaled $770 million, an increase of 10.7%, or $74 million, over November of 2021. All but a handful of counties experienced some year-over-year growth in November collections, with Wyoming County seeing the largest increase at 17.5%, followed by Lewis and Delaware counties at 14.9% and 14.7%, respectively. Rockland County had the steepest decline (-11.3%).

Monthly sales tax distributions made to counties and tax-imposing cities are based on estimates by the state Department of Taxation and Finance. In the third month of each calendar year quarter, these distributions are adjusted upward or downward, so that the quarter as a whole reflects reported sales by vendors. The next quarterly numbers (for October-December) will be available in January.  

MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON SIGNING OF RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after President Joseph Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act:

“Love will always win. The Respect for Marriage Act is a critical federal protection for love and marriage equality at a critically-needed moment for our LGBTQ+ community. One of my proudest moments as a legislator was voting in favor of marriage equality in New York State, and this law takes an important step to mandate recognition of same-sex marriages in all 50 states. As LGBTQ+ freedoms are under systemic attack across our society, sparking a rise in hate and violence, we can now celebrate a bipartisan achievement that protects the rights of LGBTQ+ and interracial couples. I thank President Biden and our congressional leaders, as well as every advocate and ally who has and continues to fight for our LGBTQ+ neighbors in New York City and across America. Love is love, and no government should stand in its way.”