Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - JULY 6, 2022 "It Keeps Going Up" See Table at the End By Borough.

 

50 Statewide Deaths Reported from July 2 to July 5  

 NOTE: Beginning June 24, 2022, the Vaccine data will be updated weekly on Fridays to align with CDC's updated data refresh schedule. For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccination Data provided by CDC, see https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total.         

NOTE: Updates to the CDC's cumulative death data files have been paused as the CDC upgrades its system. As of July 5, 2022, CDC reporting has not yet resumed. Any questions about this should be directed to the CDC. During this time, total deaths and new daily deaths reported through HERDS will continue as normal.  

Important Note: HERDS data collection from health care facilities was paused due to the weekend and holiday on 7/2/2022 and resumed on 7/5/2022. Data from those days were submitted in Tuesday's report. Where noted, totals include four days of cumulative data from 7/2/2022-7/5/2022. As a result, some data may appear higher than recent trends. Data affected is marked with an asterisk.    

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

"New Yorkers have worked hard to get us where we are in our fight against COVID-19, but we should continue to utilize the tools at hand to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe," Governor Hochul said. "If you have yet to, get your vaccination or your booster dose. If you're a parent or guardian, talk to your pediatrician about getting your children vaccinated. Stay home if you feel sick and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about the best treatment options for you." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:       

• Cases Per 100k - 20.45   
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 27.72   
• Test Results Reported - 39,471   
• Total Positive - 3,996    
• Percent Positive - 9.24%**    
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 8.78%**    
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,206 (+224)    
• Patients Newly Admitted - 1,151*  
• Patients in ICU - 201 (+5)*   
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 74 (+8)*  
• Total Discharges - 317,316 (+840)*  
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 50*  
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,636*  

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

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

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

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 72,206       

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, July 3, 2022	Monday, July 4, 2022	Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Bronx	8.63%	8.83%	9.27%
Kings	7.78%	8.40%	8.31%
New York	8.32%	8.59%	8.61%
Queens	9.85%	10.01%	10.44%
Richmond	9.23%	9.29%	9.42%

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The COVID-19 rate has jumped in the last couple of months, and has almost doubled in the last two weeks. 

What are Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams waiting for?

Colombian Woman Sentenced to 10 Years and $5 Million Forfeiture for Narcotrafficking

 

Defendant Brokered Multi-Hundred-Kilogram Shipments of Cocaine

 Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Hilda Maria Gonzalez Lopez, also known as “La Boyaca” and “Daniela,” who aligned herself with powerful members of Los Rastrojos, a breakoff group of the violent arm of the Norte Valle Cartel, was sentenced by United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $5 million in forfeiture following her guilty plea for participating in a conspiracy to internationally distribute cocaine. In her October 2021 plea agreement, Gonzalez Lopez stipulated that she was responsible for distributing more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and agreed to forfeit $5,000,000. 

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the sentence.

“For years, the defendant profited from trafficking cocaine and operating a ‘collection office,’ which relied on hitmen to collect drug debts, and she did so without regard for the harm she inflicted on communities stretching from Colombia to the United States,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace.  “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the results of the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to working with our international partners to dismantle destructive transcontinental drug trafficking organizations.” 

Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), New York State Police (NYSP), Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Colombian law enforcement authorities, and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia who assisted in the apprehension and extradition of the defendant.

“Gonzalez Lopez was at the helm of a narcotrafficking operation who arranged cocaine shipments, negotiated ‘taxes’ with other narcotraffickers, and employed hitmen to collect debts.  Today’s sentencing helps to ensure this lucrative and violent organization saw their final delivery – justice,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Patel.  “HSI and our partners will continue to leverage our international reach to aggressively pursue drug traffickers wherever they operate.”

“Using intimidation and fear, Hilda Maria Gonzalez Lopez made millions of dollars exporting loads of cocaine from Colombia to the United States,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Tarentino.  “The DEA leaves no stone unturned, and this arrest signifies our resolve to bring those responsible for flooding our streets with poison to justice.  I commend the diligent work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York and our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners.” 

Los Rastrojos

In approximately the early 1990’s, a group of narcotics traffickers based in the Norte Valle del Cauca region of Colombia, located near Colombia’s west coast, began to dominate the cocaine trade in Colombia, and became known as the “Norte Valle Cartel.”  Between 1990 and 2006, the Norte Valle Cartel was responsible for the exportation to the United States of more than one million kilograms of cocaine with a wholesale value exceeding several billion dollars.

In the early 2000s, high-ranking members of the Norte Valle Cartel’s armed contingent—which was responsible for assassinations, kidnappings, and the collection of drug debts through violence or the threat of violence—broke off to form Los Rastrojos. After 2008, Javier Antonio Calle Serna (Calle Serna) took control of the organization.  Under his leadership, Los Rastrojos acted as a paramilitary group with over 1,500 members and took control of several provinces of Colombia.   In those areas, Los Rastrojos corrupted government officials, sanctioned violence, and “taxed” drug traffickers who operated in the cartel’s territory.  

The Defendant’s Conduct

Between 2005 and 2011, according to court filings, Gonzalez Lopez was directly involved in coordinating the shipment and distribution of cocaine and leveraged her relationship with powerful and violent narcotraffickers, including Calle Serna.  Gonzalez Lopez began brokering her own multi-hundred-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico and Central America for ultimate distribution in the United States.

Gonzalez Lopez coordinated drug transportation routes and paid export “taxes” to the Los Rastrojos.  She also used her relationship with Calle Serna to negotiate lower export taxes and maintain control of a drug debt collection operation in which she employed collectors or hitmen to collect drug debts, for which she received a percentage of the recovered debt as compensation. 

During these six years, Gonzalez Lopez was personally responsible for at least 450 kilograms of cocaine, which yielded her profits of at least $5,000,000. 

On July 12, 2019, the defendant was arrested in Colombia at the request of the United States and was extradited to the United States on March 5, 2021.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF  

Representative Jamaal Bowman - I’m hiring!

 

Dear neighbor, 

My office is currently hiring! If you or someone you may know is interested in working to help serve our communities, please find more info below along with a link to apply. 

We’re looking for a District Scheduling and Operations Coordinator.

DISTRICT SCHEDULING

Responsibilities include handling all of the Congressman's travel arrangements to and from the district as well as his in-district logistics. Will also be responsible for coordinating the Member’s New York schedule by making travel and meeting arrangements while anticipating and responding to his day-to-day developments; coordinating with staff to identify community events in relation to schedule priorities; work with district staff to send representatives to events the Congressman cannot attend; working directly with the District Director, Director of Scheduling and Operations as well as the Chief of Staff on day to day logistics; and support the Director of Scheduling and Operations with any scheduling related needs to ensure all contacts have a response in a timely manner.

OFFICE OPERATIONS AND MEMBER SUPPORT

This person is also responsible for working with the District Director and Staff Assistant on managing the district internship program, financial and expense records, and office management, ensuring supplies are stocked and the district offices are running smoothly. This person will ensure that the Congressman has notes for each district meeting with various administrative duties, and managing special projects including the district internship program. This person will also manage the certificate and proclamations program, the Congressman's district correspondence. As needed, this person will drive the Congressman to and from meetings as well as staff him for events when other staff are unavailable.

A successful candidate will be highly organized, detail oriented, possess strong writing skills, have experience working in a fast-paced office, and the ability to maintain a professional, flexible, and positive demeanor while managing multiple and competing tasks and projects.

The salary for this position is $55,000. Full benefits including a significant number of paid time off, federal student loan repayment and federal benefit applies.

Please apply for this role through this form. Prior experience with a congressional office is not necessary. Familiarity with the Westchester strongly required.

Our office is an equal opportunity employer and women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and members of other traditionally underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply. Underrepresented candidates and those with New York City/ Westchester County ties are encouraged to apply.

***ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL FINAL ROUND***


To apply please click here. 

Peace and love,

Congressman Jamaal Bowman

Washington D.C. Office        Westchester District Office        Bronx District Office      
1605 Longworth HOB           6 Gramatan Ave. Ste. 205        177 Dreiser Loop Rm 3 
Washington, DC 20515         Mt. Vernon, NY 10550              Bronx, NY 10475          
Phone: (202) 225-2464         Phone: (914) 371-9220            Phone: (718) 530-7710