Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Announces New Leadership

 

Today, December 8, 2020, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced the CHC’s new leadership for the 117th Congress: 

  • CHC Chair — Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. 
  • First Vice Chair — Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán
  • Second Vice Chair — Rep. Adriano Espaillat 
  • Whip — Rep. Darren Soto 
  • Freshman Representative — Rep.-Elect Teresa Leger Fernandez  

“I’m confident that Chair-Elect Ruiz and the new leadership team will take the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to the next level and make real progress on behalf of our communities, said Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20). It’s been an honor and privilege to serve as chair, and I look forward to continuing to work with my CHC colleagues in the next Congress.” 

 

“I am grateful and honored to have earned the vote and confidence of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus members to lead the Caucus through the 117th Congress. I am grateful to Chairman Castro who has done an incredible job leading us through the last two years, and I want to thank Representative Escobar for her valuable contributions to the Caucus,” said Chair-Elect Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36). “Hispanics make up the largest minority population in the United States. For too long, they have experienced systemic inequalities and disparities in health, health care access, education, economic opportunity, housing, environmental justice, and more. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified those disparities with Hispanics having one of the highest rates of infections and deaths from COVID-19. 

 

“We must come together as a nation to rectify these inequalities; safely, rapidly and equitably end the pandemic; and build back better. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus members are amongst the most talented and respected leaders in Congress, and my goal is to amplify their collective expertise and strengths to expand our influence and ensure the promise of America is accessible to the 60 million Hispanics living in this great nation today. I look forward to the work ahead to advance public policy that creates lasting change for Hispanic Americans across the country,” said Chair-Elect Ruiz. 

 

“It is an honor to be elected First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,” said Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44). “Our community has been hard-hit by this pandemic, and our caucus stands ready to fight to get them the support they deserve. As First Vice-Chair, I remain committed to working on the issues that help better the lives and uplift the experiences of the wider Hispanic community. We must come together to improve access to health care, reform our broken immigration system, and fight for environmental justice.” 

 

“I look forward to continuing my work with my CHC colleagues as Second Vice Chair to help amplify our legislative priorities and accomplishments throughout the Democratic Caucus helping families around the nation,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), the first Dominican-American and Latino of Afro descent to serve in the United States Congress. “Latino communities have been devastated by the ongoing coronavirus and much work lies ahead in our efforts to reverse the failed policies of the Trump administration and to help families most in need. We have each been touched somehow by this deadly virus, and I look forward to working on this and a number of our priorities to ensure Latino communities and our interests are fully integrated into the overall national response to build back better along the road to recovery.” 

 

“I am humbled that my colleagues have entrusted me with the position of CHC Whip, a post previously held by some of my personal heroes,” said Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09). “As we look ahead to the 117th Congress, we must prioritize the pressing issues affecting our Hispanic communities, such as combatting COVID-19, supporting workers and small businesses, environmental justice and immigration reform. We will work to keep our caucus united, coordinate with the incoming Biden Administration and reach across the aisle whenever possible. As CHC Whip, I am prepared to confront the many challenges that may arise with a fresh perspective and willingness to find common ground to deliver solutions for Hispanics across the country.” 

 

"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has championed legislation to address the health, economic and environmental disparities facing our Latino communities and working families. They’ve taken on Trump and his inhumane policies separating children from their families. I’m honored to join the Caucus in their good fight on these issues as the newly elected Freshman Representative,” said Representative-Elect Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-3). “Ahora es cuando! Now is the time to protect our families from the economic devastation the pandemic has disproportionately inflicted on our communities, pass comprehensive immigration reform, and make sure everyone has access to affordable, quality health care." 

 

Background: The CHC leadership election was conducted virtually using Webex Legislate and followed CDC public health guidance. 


The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories. 

 

PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS FOR CLOSURE OF INDOOR DINING, NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AS GOVERNOR DELAYS

 

We received this from the Public Advocates office. In his letter to the governor he is calling for tougher measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, but there is no mention of postponing special election that have been called for December and January as well as those that will be called for March to the June primary, as was done in March of 2020.


Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to implement new restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting vulnerable communities, to avoid the mistakes and the loss of life seen in the spring. The Governor announced on Monday morning a framework for the gradual closure of indoor dining, as well as potential additional businesses, if COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise as trends have indicated. 

In a letter Monday afternoon, the Public Advocate criticized this slow and hesitant approach as reminiscent of the mistakes on a city and state level in March that helped lead to New York City becoming the global epicenter of the pandemic. 

Public Advocate Williams will hold a virtual media availability on Tuesday afternoon with epidemiologists and progressive economic advocates to call on Governor Cuomo to stop delaying the implementation of critical public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to provide economic aid to those affected by the restrictions. 

Dear Governor Cuomo:

Given your announcement today outlining processes for potential closures and restrictions, I write to express my grave concern at both the pace of the actions being taken and the absence of crucial steps which are necessary to save lives. New York City and State continue to experience a dangerous resurgence of COVID-19. There is no longer any doubt that New York City has fallen into a second wave of COVID-19 - what question remains is whether leadership can learn from the errors of the first to prevent even greater loss. What we as New Yorkers need from our leaders is a coordinated and cohesive messaging on what we should be doing. We should be encouraging all New Yorkers to stay home whenever possible.

In a letter to your office on November 13, I recommended taking a number of immediate steps to prevent a significant second wave from occurring. Unfortunately, the window for prevention has been allowed to pass. We must now implement strong and immediate measures to reduce further spread of the virus, and continue those restrictions through to the new year, or until scientific and public health measures indicate sufficient reduction in risk. We cannot afford hesitations and half-measures that needlessly allow lives to be lost and livelihoods to be disrupted.   

When COVID-19 first appeared in New York, many actions did not go far enough or were implemented too late. We have had far too much experience, far too much suffering since then to keep making the same mistakes over and over. The faster and more seriously we respond to this second wave, the more quickly we can control community spread and reopen our businesses. 

In response to this resurgence, my office makes the following urgent recommendations to prevent a larger second wave: 
  1. Close all non-essential businesses, including in-person dining in restaurants, bars, hair and nail salons, gyms, and houses of worship. 
  2. Immediate financial support for local businesses who are shut down.
  3. Coordinate closures with New Jersey and Connecticut to protect New York residents who work in those states, and vice versa. 
  4. Combat "COVID fatigue" by requiring that all residents wear a mask or covering when leaving their homes and/or when in contact with people who do not live in their household. 
In addition, we must be prepared for widespread school closures if COVID-19 continues to spread at these elevated levels - including through investment in full and expanded remote learning and the reopening and expansion of REC Centers for students in greatest need. 

We must also institute more stringent protections for communities we know are most vulnerable including long-term care facilities, nursing homes, psychiatric facilities, and homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each of these measures is an effort to reduce harm through new strategies and systems, learning from past tragedy to prevent it in the future.

As we enter what health experts continue to warn will be a "dark winter", the potential for transmission of the virus will only grow. Time is quickly running out for us to take decisive action. The next step, if these measures don't work, we must be prepared for a full and immediate shutdown of New York City as the best way to save lives and allow a quick economic recovery for New Yorkers and their businesses.

I look forward to receiving your response within one week upon receiving this letter. For further discussion, please contact First Deputy Public Advocate for Policy Nick E. Smith at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov and Deputy Public Advocate for Justice, Health Equity & Safety Rama Issa-Ibrahim at rissa-ibrahim@advocate.nyc.gov

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. 

Sincerely,
 
Jumaane D. Williams
Public Advocate for the City of New York

Monday, December 7, 2020

Bronx Man Charged With Harboring Fugitive And Making False Statements In Connection With Shooting Of Two Deputy United States Marshals

 

 Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ralph Sozio, the United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the filing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging GRANT GRANDISON with making false statements to federal agents and harboring or concealing a person from arrest.  As alleged, GRANDISON allowed Andre K. Sterling, a fugitive wanted for the November 20, 2020, shooting of a state trooper in Massachusetts, to reside in his Bronx apartment.  GRANDISON further allegedly lied to the Marshals who were seeking to arrest Sterling by telling the Marshals that no one was in the apartment, before Sterling fired multiple rounds at the Marshals, striking and injuring two Marshals.  GRANDISON was arrested on December 4, 2020, and was presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “As alleged, Grant Grandison’s conduct led to the horrific shooting of two Deputy United States Marshals who were just doing their jobs in attempting to arrest Andre K. Sterling, a man wanted for a violent felony.  We are lucky that more law enforcement officers were not injured during the shooting, and it appears that both injured Marshals will recover.  Grandison is now charged in federal court for his serious crimes.  Our Office remains committed to defending our brave law enforcement partners, who risk their lives every day to keep New Yorkers safe.”

United States Marshal Ralph Sozio said:  “Unfortunately, and as alleged, the actions of Grandison dictated the events that led to the shooting of two Deputy United States Marshals on that morning in the Bronx.  The heroic actions of the Deputy United States Marshals and Task Force Members that day are a true testament to the dangers of entering an unknown location in search of a violent fugitive.  On behalf of the United States Marshals Service I want to extend my gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department for their tireless investigation and their pursuit of Federal charges.  Our thoughts and prayers are with our Deputies as they recover from their injuries.  The United States Marshals Service and the law enforcement community remain united in our continued pursuit of justice.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “By misleading federal agents, as alleged, the defendant led them into a violent attack.  The ensuing shooting not only injured two Deputy U.S. Marshals but is an assault on society.  I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for answering it with these federal charges.”

As alleged in the Complaint[1] filed in Manhattan federal court:

On or about November 20, 2020, Andre K. Sterling allegedly shot a Massachusetts State Trooper during a traffic stop in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Sterling fled from Massachusetts and was deemed a fugitive.  On or about November 24, 2020, a federal warrant was issued for Sterling’s arrest.

On the morning of December 4, 2020, several Deputy United States Marshals (the “Marshals”), along with officers from the NYPD and state troopers from the Massachusetts State Police, traveled to an apartment in the Bronx (the “Apartment”), where they believed Sterling was located, in order to arrest Sterling.  The Marshals announced themselves as “U.S. Marshals” and encountered GRANDISON at the door.  The Marshals asked GRANDISON, in sum and substance, if anyone else was in the Apartment, and GRANDISON replied, in sum and substance, that no one else was in the Apartment.  At the time of GRANDISON’s statements to the Marshals, he knew that Sterling was a fugitive.  The Marshals proceeded into the Apartment, at which point Sterling began firing at the Marshals, striking and injuring two Marshals.  The Marshals returned fire, and Sterling was killed in the exchange.  Law enforcement agents recovered a firearm from near Sterling.

Law enforcement agents later interviewed GRANDISON, who admitted, in sum and substance and among other things, that he had allowed Sterling to live with him.  GRANDISON further admitted that Sterling had told him, in sum and substance and among other things, that if anyone was looking for him, GRANDISON should tell them Sterling was not there. 

GRANDISON, 35, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of making false statements to a federal agents and one count of harboring or concealing a person from arrest, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

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

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Marshals Service, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, the New York City Police Department’s 47th Precinct Detective Squad, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra N. Rothman is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Attorney General James Helps Secure $86.3 Million in Multistate Agreement with Mortgage Servicer Nationstar

 

More Than 2,300 New Yorkers Will Receive More Than $4.5 Million in Restitution

 New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined 50 other attorneys general and other federal and state agencies to deliver an $86.3 million agreement — including $79.2 million in restitution for homeowners — with Nationstar Mortgage LLC for its multiple servicing errors since 2011. These errors have caused financial harm to tens of thousands of Americans and resulted in some being locked out of their homes, robbing them of their dignity. Nationstar — which does business as “Mr. Cooper” — is the country’s fourth-largest mortgage servicer. This agreement, inclusive of the new servicing standards Nationstar must follow, will protect hundreds of thousands of homeowners across the United States. 

The agreement provides $79.2 million in restitution to 55,814 borrowers for a variety of harms that were identified in the attorneys general’s six-year investigation. In particular, thousands of borrowers had problems when their loans were transferred to Nationstar, leading to foreclosure in some circumstances. In New York, 2,363 borrowers will receive more than $4.5 million, either as a credit to their account if Nationstar is still their servicer, or as a check. 

“Far too often, corporate greed has been a barrier to millions of families trying to attain the American Dream of homeownership,” said Attorney General James. “Our work on this case will directly help thousands of New York homeowners and hold Nationstar mortgages servicer accountable for putting profits over people.” 

The agreement also requires Nationstar to follow a detailed set of rules, or “servicing standards,” in how it handles certain mortgage loans. These servicing standards are more comprehensive than existing federal law and will be in place for three years starting on January 1, 2021. In particular, the agreement affords greater protection to borrowers with limited English proficiency, including using state and federal government Spanish language mortgage-related forms, capturing and tracking borrowers’ language preferences, and communicating with borrowers who are engaged in loss mitigation in the language of their loss mitigation application.  

In 2012, Nationstar began purchasing mortgage servicing portfolios from competitors and grew quickly into the nation’s largest non-bank servicer. As loan data was transferred to Nationstar, borrowers who had sought assistance with payments and loan modifications sometimes fell through the cracks, the lawsuit alleged. Borrowers in this category will receive a guaranteed minimum payment of $840 as part of the agreement.

The lawsuit alleged that other borrowers suffered damages when Nationstar failed to oversee third-party vendors hired to inspect and maintain properties owned by delinquent borrowers and improperly changed locks on their homes. These borrowers will receive a guaranteed minimum payment of $250.

A settlement administrator will send a claim form to eligible borrowers in 2021. Nationstar has already provided some of the relief outlined in the agreement.

The agreement also requires Nationstar to conduct audits and provide audit results to a committee of states to ensure compliance with the settlement.

 The lawsuit alleged other unlawful acts and practices by Nationstar, including: 

  • Failing to properly oversee and implement the transfer of mortgage loans;
  • Failing to appropriately identify loans with pending loan modification applications when a loan was being transferred to Nationstar for servicing;
  • Failing to timely and accurately apply payments made by certain borrowers;
  • Threatening foreclosure and conveying conflicting messages to certain borrowers engaged in loss mitigation;
  • Failing to properly process borrowers’ applications for loan modifications;
  • Failing to properly review and respond to borrower complaints;
  • Failing to make timely escrow disbursements, including the failure to timely remit property tax payments;
  • Failing to timely terminate borrowers’ private mortgage insurance; and
  • Collecting monthly modified payment amounts on certain loans where the amounts charged for principal and interest exceed the principal and interest amount contained in the trial plan agreement.

The settlement was signed by attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and covers conduct by Nationstar occurring from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2017. The state attorneys general negotiated the settlement with the state mortgage regulators and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which filed separate settlement documents. 

The coalition also collaborated with the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), a component within the U.S. Department of Justice that seeks to promote the efficiency and protect the integrity of the bankruptcy system. The USTP is finalizing a separate agreement with Nationstar to address historical servicing issues impacting borrowers in bankruptcy.

Governor Cuomo Directs State Department of Health to Begin Implementing 'Surge & Flex' Hospital Protocol

 

Hospitals Mandated to Expand Capacity by 25% 

Regions to Be Designated as Red Zones if Hospital Capacity Is Projected to Become Critical 

NY Asking Retired Doctors and Nurses to Return to Service; Registration to be Automatically Renewed, Fees Waived 

Indoor Dining to be Closed in NYC & Reduced to 25% in Rest of State if a Region's Hospitalizations Do Not Stabilize in Next 5 Days 

4,602 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide 

872 Patients in the ICU; 477 Intubated 

Statewide Positivity Rate is 4.79% 

80 COVID-19 Deaths in NY State Yesterday 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed the New York State Department of Health to begin implementing the state's "surge and flex" protocol and mandate all hospitals begin expanding their bed capacity by 25 percent to further prepare hospitals for a future COVID-19 surge. Hospitals had previously been preparing plans for this action as part of New York's Winter COVID Plan. Additionally, the Governor issued a call to all retired doctors and nurses urging them to return to service if they are able to do so. A registration will be renewed at no cost for an individual who completes the questionnaire through the volunteer portal, set up by the state Department of Health.

The Governor also announced that regions that reach critical hospital capacity will be designated as a Red Zone under New York's micro-cluster strategy. Specifically, following the implementation of the state's "surge and flex" program, if a region's 7-day average hospitalization growth rate shows that the region will reach 90 percent within the next three weeks, the region will become a Red Zone.

Finally, following updated guidance from the CDC, the Governor announced that if a region's hospitalization rate does not stabilize in the next five days, additional restrictions will be applied to indoor dining. If the hospitalization rate does not stabilize in New York City in the next five days, indoor dining will be suspended; if the rate does not stabilize in regions outside New York City, capacity restrictions will be reduced to 25 percent.

"Here in New York, we have followed the data and the science. We do more testing than any state in the United States by far, have more data points by far, and we rely on the data. It's not anecdotal, it's not political, it's not an opinion. Right now, the data is showing us that the highest percent of hospitalization is actually upstate - Finger Lakes, that's Monroe, Rochester area. Buffalo, Western New York, Central New York. You come down to New York City, Long Island, we actually have a lower rate hospitalized than upstate, which is an exact flip of where we were in the spring. In the spring, we had a largely downstate situation and upstate the situation was much better," Governor Cuomo said. "We've done a couple of things that are different than other states. In New York, the state sets all the policies and keeps numbers that are determinative of the policies. Now, we close down if you hit critical hospital capacity. We're implementing the surge and flex. We're going to add 25 percent additional hospital beds. We'll renew the registration for nurses and doctors to get us a backup staff pool, continue to caution on the small spread and at the same time, we are gearing up to have the most efficient, most effective, most fair vaccination program in the country, reaching out to the black community, Latinos, undocumented, to make sure that it's fair. The good news is New York still has one of the lowest positivity rates in the nation. Only Maine, Vermont, Hawaii are lower than we are and Maine, Vermont, Hawaii — beautiful states — but different than New York. They don't have the cities, they don't have the density, so, for us to be down that low, is really good news."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Patient Hospitalization - 4,602 (+160)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 530
  • Hospital Counties - 55
  • Number ICU - 872 (+22)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 477 (+13)
  • Total Discharges - 88,263 (+314)
  • Deaths - 80
  • Total Deaths - 27,232

Attorney General James Secures $4.7 Million After Supermarket Chain Engaged in Three Schemes to Evade Taxes

 

NYC Supermarket Chain and Owner Evaded Employee
Withholding Tax, Income Tax, and Sales Tax

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office has secured $4.7 million from a chain of supermarkets operating throughout New York City after they were caught committing three schemes to evade paying taxes. Today's agreement resolves claims that the chain — Food World — and its owner — Hi Jong “Howard” Lee — engaged in a series of fraudulent tax avoidance schemes by underreporting cash sales and paying workers off the books.

“My office has no tolerance for tax cheats who evade paying their fair share and leave others to foot the bill,” said Attorney General James. “Food World and its owner engaged in flagrant, multimillion-dollar schemes to defraud taxpayers and the state. This case should serve as a clear warning to all tax fraudsters that their attempts to cheat fellow citizens will be brought to light and will not go unpunished.”

The investigation commenced when a whistleblower filed a lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the New York False Claims Act, which allows individuals to file civil actions on behalf of the government and receive a percentage of any recovery.

The investigation found that, from 2012 until 2018, Food World entities — including Pine Tree Meat & Produce Inc., Food Jungle, Inc., Sonamoo, Inc., and CNI Meat & Produce, Inc. — engaged in three separate schemes to underreport sales and income taxes and evade employee withholding tax obligations — all at the direction of Food World’s owner.

The first scheme involved the use of standalone cash registers attached to New York state lottery machines to record cash sales of non-lottery supermarket items. These lottery cash registers were used to conduct cash sales of groceries and other taxable goods without being recorded in the stores’ online sales system, and without being declared for income tax or sales tax purposes.

The second scheme involved underreporting sales by issuing fake merchandise returns. The owner, Lee, forced store managers at two Food World locations to generate fake return receipts, purportedly documenting the return of multiple items that were never actually returned. Food World employees then provided the withdrawn cash for the allegedly returned items to Lee, along with the fake return receipts.

The third scheme involved paying the majority of Food World employees in cash and off the books, in an effort to avoid thousands of dollars in withholding tax deductions every week. Food World and Lee paid less than half of their employees by payroll check — which would have included appropriate withholdings. Instead, Food World and Lee paid the majority of their employees in cash and off the books — allowing Food World to underreport thousands of dollars in wages each pay period and evade employer withholding taxes.

The New Way to Fundraise - Join Me, and When You Click on the Link You Must Donate to My Campaign to Join Me

 

We received this from the Scott Stringer campaign, and when we clicked on the RSVP it led us to a donation portal if we wanted to join him to give him some free publicity. Well Scott we would have to give each and everyone of your opponents the same donation, which we are not, so there will be no free publicity for you or any other candidate who tries this trick. 

Be careful of invites to be with a candidate virtually, because it will lead you to a donation portal if you want to join said candidate. 


Tonight, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies will have a virtual conversation in support of Scott’s campaign for mayor -- and you're invited!

Make a contribution to Stringer for Mayor today to reserve your spot:

LGBTQ+ And Allies for Scott Stringer
Monday, December 7th
7:30 PM
Zoom info provided upon RSVP

RSVP

We'll be joined by City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and over a dozen special guests for a conversation about what Scott will do to uplift LGBTQ+ New Yorkers as mayor -- so you won't want to miss it.

If you're in, make a contribution right now to RSVP.

See you tonight,

Team Stringer for Mayor

RSVP

Over Three Weeks Now and Mayor de Blasio Won't Take a Question From This Reporter

 

EDITOR"S NOTE:

This is the daily press conference by the mayor where the host chooses which eight reporters will ask the mayor not one, but two questions. In the past three weeks I have been trying to ask the mayor, since COVID-19 indicators have risen two weeks after election day where people were on long lines outside and inside poll sites, where I observed over forty people in different poll sites not socially distanced if he will advocate to postpone the special elections he has called, and the special elections he will be calling when City Council members Ritchie Torres and Andrew Cohen resign from the City Council in January to the June Primary as was done in March 2020 by the governor. Today the mayor was at PS/MS 5 in the Bronx, and I also wanted to ask why Bronx public schools continue to lag far behind public schools in the four other boroughs, as I questioned Chancellor Carranza last year when he visited the Bronx Charter School for Excellence in Parkchester, where the chancellor said the mayor and I know that Bronx public schools are not performing to where they should be. 

Why does the moderator call on the same reporters and not give others like myself a chance to ask a question of the mayor like I did when mayoral press conferences were live in person, where the mayor fielded all questions? What is Mayor de Blasio afraid of getting a question that he can not answer from me like when the Press conferences were live in person?

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everybody. Well, I'll tell you something – I had a great start to my week and my Monday morning out at P.S./M.S. 5 in Port Morris in the Bronx. What a beautiful scene this morning of kids coming back to school filled with energy, filled with hope, ready to learn again. I’ve got to say to everyone at P.S./M.S. 5, great, great energy in that school. The school community was so welcoming to the kids. The parents were so happy and so relieved to have their kids going back to school. And Chancellor Carranza and I took time to speak with a lot of the kids and the parents and we just heard such simple, powerful messages about why kids want to be back in schools, why parents wanted them back in school, how important it was to all of them that this day had come. And a young second grader named Ethan, I asked him how he felt, and he said the simplest idea – he said, I like school. And I talked to a fourth grader named Martha, and I said, are you happy back in school? And she said, yeah. I said, why? And she said, I learn more. I learn more when I'm back in school. And this is why it's so important, our kids need to be back in the classroom. And I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard over these last weeks to get our kids back, to make sure that gold standard of health and safety we have is even stronger with the weekly testing. I want to thank all the parents who got their consent forms in, everyone – and at P.S./M.S. 5, the principal, Danielle Keane, the District Superintendent, Rafael Alvarez, who were with us today, thank you to both of you and your teams for the great work you did bringing back this great school. And it's just one example of what's happening all over the city today – 850 school buildings reopening today in New York City – 850 places where there's joy and there's hope again because kids are back in school.  
 
Now, I want to say – parents, we need you. We need your help continuing to fill out those consent forms at P.S./M.S. 5 today, vast, vast majority of parents that filled out consent forms. Any parent who hasn't had the opportunity to do it – right there as they arrive and they were doing it, they were ready to see their kids get tested. They wanted to keep everyone safe. And at this school, they will be transitioning next week to five-day a week learning. And that's what's happening at schools all over the city in the coming weeks as more and more of them will be able to reach five days a week, some for every child, some for most kids. We're going to keep pushing to get that to be the maximum number of kids possible, getting that five-day a week learning.  
 
So, this was the opportunity today to follow through on the commitment that we made when school began and the commitment we made when we had the temporarily closed school, that we would keep everyone safe. And, in fact, we would add even more health and safety measures to keep the school community safe. I have absolute confidence that our school communities are doing an amazing job, really looking out for each other. And with the face coverings, the ventilation, the social distancing, everything coming together to keep people safe, it's remarkable. The Chancellor and I went and visited a 3-K classroom, we visited a kindergarten classroom. The kids – it's so amazing, they immediately got back into the rhythm of being in school. They are adaptable. They are resilient. They love being in school. And everyone in the school community is keeping them safe and each other safe. So, this is a very good day for New York City. Now, again, 850 school buildings reopening this week. You've got a 3-K, pre-K, and K-to-five grades opening today. You've got District 75 special education programs, opening Thursday. Another announcement today, in Staten Island, the area of Staten Island with the orange zone, those schools will be reopening based on the new State guidance. Those schools will be reopening for, again, the levels we've talked about so far – 3-K, pre-K, K-to-five will be reopening Wednesday – this Wednesday, December 9th, in the orange zone. And then, District 75 programs right after on Thursday in that area. So, we're going to keep moving forward. We’re to keep everyone safe, that's the key. But, to everyone in the school community, you've done an amazing job. And the schools of this city are among the safest places to be. So, with the additional testing weekly, again, parents get that consent form in. Go to mystudent.nyc, get your consent form in. Every single student either needs a testing consent form in or needs a proper medical exemption. This is what's going to keep us off safe.  

And speaking of keeping us all safe, let's talk about our indicators. I said a few days back that we are in a new reality here. First of all, the good news, we're in a new reality because the vaccine will be arriving in New York City in a matter of days and every week we're going to get more and more, and that's going to be making more and more impact. But we also have real challenges over these next few months with the colder weather, with the challenges we've seen with the numbers going up with the coronavirus. So, our indicators needed to be retooled to reflect what we're seeing now and to make sure we're giving people the fullest picture of what we're facing and clarity about where we need to be, going forward. So, we're going to go over these indicators. I'll go over them first and then I'll turn to Dr. Chokshi, who will go into a little more detail.  
 
So, first of all, as we've done in the past, the first is current hospital admissions. And what we're doing now is flipping the equation a little. Today's report is 144 patients that are going into the hospital. Where we need to be is under 200. We still are. Now, this number has obviously been going up in recent days. We need to keep emphasizing 200 is what we want to stay below. But a new indicator we're adding is the hospitalization rate per 100,000 citizens – per 100,000 residents, I should say, of New York City. New York State uses this approach as well, so we want to track with it. Today's number is 2.28 per 100,000. We want to get that under two per 100,000, going forward. Okay. Now, on current new cases, we're now going to be including probable cases, and this is important to give the fullest picture. So, we, in terms of the seven-day average of daily new cases, that number is 2,180 confirmed cases. And we want, of course – we're well past the number we want to be at, which is 550, but the new indicator is the probable cases. And that number today is 616 additional probable cases. Again, Dr. Chokshi will give you more of an insight into why we think it's important to note those probable cases as well. Number three, the positivity levels in the city – we're eliminating the single-day positivity number, because it's become less and less pertinent with the amount of testing we're doing now and the lag time of getting all the results. The much more appropriate number, the one we're getting the most information from is the seven-day rolling average. So, today's report on the seven-day rolling average is 4.98 percent. Obviously, where we want to be is under five percent. So, the idea is to constantly update these indicators so they can help you understand what's going on and what you need to do and how you can be part of fighting back this second wave. And here to explain why we're using this new approach, some of those been leading the way in the fight against the coronavirus, our Health Commissioner, Dr. Dave Chokshi. 
 
Commissioner Dave Chokshi, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You've heard me say before that data is the lifeblood of our COVID response, but data is also at the center of New Yorkers response. In order to act on that data, people must know the data for months. We've presented indicators that alert New Yorkers to COVID-19 trends, and shared more data on our public website than just about any other jurisdiction. And those numbers have driven necessary changes to our lives, both individually and collectively. We will continue to present daily indicators, but, as the Mayor said, we are going to make a few updates so that what we present every day is, number one, comprehensive; number two, stable; and number three, consistent. Today, we reported cases that were based on molecular, or PCR tests, which are the most dependable for a diagnosis of COVID-19. However, antigen tests, which check for a virus protein and can often return a result quickly are growingly used as a screening test for COVID-19.  
 
I have to point out that there are some limitations to antigen tests compared to molecular tests. And if you have any questions about which one is right for you, please speak with your doctor about it. But because antigen tests have become more common and have improved over the last few weeks and months, we are adding antigen test results to our Health Department website. Positive antigen test results will be reported as probable cases, according to scientific standards, while PCR positives will continue to be reported as confirmed cases. The daily indicator will combine both of these – both confirmed and probable cases in a seven-day rolling average. These counts will ensure that we're keeping up with the science and making our data more complete. The second change, as the Mayor said, is the elimination of single-day percent positivity. We've all seen how weekends, weather, or holidays can alter testing patterns, which can result in fluctuations in daily percent positivity. So, moving forward, we'll focus on the seven-day average indicator, ensuring we get more stability. Our third change is to add per capita hospitalization rates to our current daily admissions indicator. New York State has a system for tracking total hospitalizations and we share the goal of returning hospitalization rates to below two per 100,000 residents on a seven-day average. And so, we're aligning those figures to ensure consistency.  
 
Now, independent of the details of the methods, I want to make sure we don't miss the forest for the trees. The trends we are seeing across all indicators are worrisome. Our shared goal is to get back below the thresholds that we have set. And the actions we take are will get us closer. And last week, the CDC released a summary of 10 effective public health strategies for COVID-19 resurgence. These are steps that communities should focus on to address high levels of COVID-19 spread. These include universal use of masks, both indoors and outdoors, physical distancing and limiting contact, avoiding nonessential indoor spaces and crowded outdoor settings, increased testing diagnosis and isolation, prompt case investigation and contact tracing, safeguarding persons most at risk for severe illness or death, protecting essential workers, postponing travel, hand hygiene, increased ventilation, and cleaning and disinfection. And, finally, safe and effective vaccines. These are very consistent with the City's guidance over the last weeks and months, but now is the time to redouble our efforts and to turn science into the actions that we know can save lives. Thank you. 
 
Mayor: Thank you so much, Dr. Choksi. And look, I want to bring these pieces together really simply. This morning, I watched kids – little kids with a mask on, getting hand sanitizer for their hands, knowing that they had to follow rules, getting a temperature check. Look, if our children can do all these things, we all can do it right too. So, it's so important to listen to what Dr. Chokshi is saying, what the CDC is saying. For example, we all, again, love to see our families, our loved ones, our friends at the holidays, but this is not a time to travel. So, I'm going to keep saying it throughout the remainder of the holiday season, please do not make plans to travel. If you have plans, canceled them – stay local, stay in very small, careful, safe gatherings. Also, for anyone over 65, anyone with those preexisting health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions, or someone who has both change your ways and your habits – stay in, stay in a safe situation, only go out for the most essential needs. We've got to all take this really helpful guidance and live it for a few months as we fight back this second wave once and for all, and as the vaccine comes into the city more and more. So, this is our last big push we can get through soon to the point where more and more New Yorkers will be vaccinated and we turn the corner.