142 Days and Counting - Vaccinated People Get to go Inside, Unvaccinated Outside.

 

Click on this list to enlarge it.

Here is the list of where Unvaccinated people can't go inside. We wanted to make sure that we made it so hard that people would get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated and live in the city, now if you want to patronize a prostitute you have to do it out doors. You won't even be able to go grocery shopping if it has an indoor eating space, and forget about going into Starbucks or any other place to get some coffee unless you are vaccinated. 

We are now looking at giving a third vaccination to those who have low antibody levels or immune compromised systems. It doesn't matter if you had the virus and are immune to it now as two of my doctors have told the writer of this blog that he is immune to the COVID virus after having it 18 month ago, and continuing to have a high antibody level. We want everyone to get vaccinated so the manufacturers of the vaccine keep getting richer. The stock in these companies has gone up faster than a rocket to outer space. 

Now we all know we are going to die sooner or later, and let's see if the soon to be former governor is tried for allegedly killing all those people in nursing homes who were immune deficient when COVID patients were put in nursing homes. What is Andrew Cuomo going to say, oops. 

Comptroller Stringer and NYCHA Announce Final Phase of NYCHA Checkbook Integration Project

 

Budget and revenue data to become publicly available as part of continued rollout of transparency, accountability and public disclosure in NYCHA

 New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced that NYCHA budget and revenue data will now be publicly available and accessible, making the NYCHA Checkbook integration project complete. NYCHA contracts, spending, and payroll data has been publicly available since March 2020, when the first phase of this project was completed. Through Checkbook NYC — an award-winning, first-of-its-kind online tool that provides near real-time data on the City Mayoral agencies’ budget, revenue, spending, contracts and payroll — New Yorkers will now be able to view how the largest public housing authority in the country generates income and prioritizes and allocates its spending.

“We are proud to announce that NYCHA budget and revenue data will finally be made public, marking the final phase of our Checkbook NYC integration project. This would not have been possible without Chair Russ and NYCHA working closely with our office over the past several months,” said Comptroller Stringer. “Today’s announcement brings us another step closer to achieving an open government that is accountable, approachable and accessible to everyone — but there is more to do. Public disclosure helps build public trust — and NYCHA residents and all New Yorkers deserve nothing less.”

The addition of this information will enable the general public, good government groups and government officials to review the agency’s revenue and how dollars are allocated within NYCHA. The Comptroller’s Office will upload NYCHA budget and revenue data from NYCHA’s ORACLE Financial system on a daily basis. NYCHA is categorized within the Checkbook NYC application as “Other Government Entities” along with the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

“Now NYCHA residents and all New Yorkers can use Checkbook NYC to make sure that funds are being spent wisely,” said NYCHA Chair and CEO Greg Russ. “An open, more transparent NYCHA is one main objectives of our Transformation Plan, and this tool goes a long way towards achieving that goal.  I want to thank Comptroller Stringer and his staff for their partnership and hard work over the past year.”

Since Comptroller Stringer and NYCHA came to an agreement, Checkbook NYC now contains NYCHA financial information on budget and revenue data dating back to January 1, 2018.

In 2010, the New York City Comptroller’s Office launched the beta version of Checkbook NYC, an online transparency tool that for the first time placed the City’s day-to-day spending in the public domain. The updates announced today by Comptroller Stringer and NYCHA are the fourth update to Checkbook NYC since he took office. Previously, the Comptroller’s Office added detailed sub-vendor spending, data from the City’s Economic Development Corporation, and included information about minority- and women-owned businesses.

To see the update or view other contracts, spending, payroll, budget and revenue data, visit Checkbook NYC here. To view NYCHA data in Checkbook NYC, visit www.CheckbookNYC.com and go the drop-down, “Other Government Entities”.

Councilman Gjonaj and DOT Give Out Free Bike and E-Scooter Helmets at Pelham Bay Park

 

Saturday afternoon The Department of Transportation brought close to one thousand helmets to be given out for Councilman Mark Gjonaj's Free Helmet Day at Pelham Bay Park. The helmets once used just for riding bikes are now required for E-Scooter riding also. The weather was over ninety degrees, with a Ozone warning day, and the threat of more thunder showers from the day before. 

As usual almost everyone had a problem for Councilman Gjonaj. He brought two of his top staffers with him, Farah Rubin and Ardmir Malziu, who wrote down each problem to take care of them first thing in the new week. With all the new Bronx City Council members coming into office January 1st either Farah or Ardmir would be a great asset to any of the new Bronx City Council members, since Councilman Gjonaj decided not to run for re-election.

Over two-hundred helmets were given away by the DOT, that came from Queens, along with several other free items such as wristbands, key rings, hand sanitizer, and lots of literature on bike safety. 

One of the Bike/E-Scooter helmets that were available for free from Councilman Mark Gjonaj and the DOT. Boxes of many more helmets are just behind. 

The helmet pick up area was gated off so no cars parked right in front of it, and people could have a waiting area to stand.

Councilman Gjonaj's table was well stocked with water for people on one of the hottest days of the year, and face masks and hand sanitizer.   

Member of Brooklyn-Based “KavKaz Nation” Crime Syndicate Indicted for Extortion and Other Charges

 

 A five-count indictment was filed Friday in federal court in Brooklyn charging Roman Nikoghosyan, a member of a violent, Brooklyn-based Eurasian organized crime syndicate that operated primarily in the Manhattan Beach and Brighton Beach neighborhoods, with two counts of Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy, one count of Hobbs Act extortion, interstate transportation of stolen property and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  Nikoghosyan was arrested in Los Angeles, California on July 20, 2021 and ordered detained pending trial.  He will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jacqueline Maguire, Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the indictment.

“As alleged, the defendant is an extortionist who uses threats of violence and intimidation to coerce his victims into making extortionate payments to him for refusing to participate in his life of crime, which also includes illegally possessing a Hi-point 995 rifle despite his having a prior felony conviction,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis.  “Together with our law enforcement partners, this Office is working tirelessly to dismantle violent criminal organizations like KavKaz that threaten the safety of communities in the Eastern District.”  Ms. Kasulis thanked the FBI and NYPD for their contributions to date in the investigation. 

“Crime syndicates thrive on creating a deep fear in the communities where they operate, and members of these syndicates instill this fear through a range of criminal tactics to include violence, extortion, and narcotics trafficking,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Maguire.  “Forcing someone against their will to transport drugs through threats of violence, as alleged done by the defendant, is criminal behavior.  Our FBI Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, together with our NYPD partners, have made great strides in ridding local neighborhoods of these violent offenders, and we won’t stop our pursuit of them until they are stopped.”

“The NYPD remains vigilant in its work to prevent the violence so often associated with gangs and crews that tear at the fabric of life in New York.  I commend our NYPD investigators, federal partners and prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York for their relentless work in this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.

As set forth in court filings, KavKaz is a criminal enterprise that operates in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, with Brooklyn as its largest base of operation.  Members of KavKaz refer to their membership as the “KWAY” or “K WAY,” and often wear jewelry or articles of clothing emblazoned with the word “KavKaz.”  Brooklyn-based members of KavKaz draw on ties to the Caucus region of Eurasia, namely Armenia, Uzbekistan, parts of Southern Russia and Azerbaijan, in furtherance of accomplishing their criminal goals, including extortion and narcotics trafficking.  

In early 2021, Nikoghosyan was operating a narcotics distribution scheme in which he employed the victim of one of his extortionate schemes to transport packages containing marijuana.  When the victim discovered the illicit content of the packages and refused to continue distributing the narcotics, Nikoghosyan, with the assistance of coconspirators, demanded $10,000 in extortionate payments from the victim, threatening to stab him or break his legs if he did not comply.

In addition, Nikoghosyan and co-conspirators plotted to transport luxury vehicles acquired by fraud from California to New York.  Finally, Nikoghosyan, having been previously convicted of a felony, was charged with possessing a firearm, a Hi-point 995 rifle found during the execution of a search warrant on July 20, 2021 at a stash house in Brooklyn that was allegedly used by Nikoghosyan.  During that search, law enforcement also recovered ammunition and a quantity of marijuana.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Statement from The Bronx Democratic Party Chair Jamaal T. Bailey on Assembly member Victor M. Pichardo’s Decision to Leave Assembly

 

“Over the years, Assembly member Victor M. Pichardo has been a tremendous voice for his community and the entire Bronx. This is a great loss for the Bronx delegation and the New York State Assembly. Throughout his distinguished career, Assembly member Pichardo has been a tireless champion for economic opportunity and investment in our neighborhoods — advocating for affordable housing, tenant protections, creating opportunities for our young people to thrive, advancing criminal justice reforms, and helping lead the Bronx through the darkest days of the pandemic. He has served the people of the West Bronx with integrity and unwavering commitment. The impact of his service has been felt by Bronxites everywhere. We are grateful for his leadership and advocacy for the people of the Bronx and New York State and wish him and his family the very best as they embark on a new journey forward.”

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - AUGUST 15, 2021

 

41,823 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

18 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19.

"COVID-19 continues to pose a threat to New Yorkers across the state, and getting shots in arms is the only way to defeat this pandemic for good and move into the future," Governor Cuomo said. "Millions of New Yorkers who've taken the vaccine are a testament to its safety and efficacy, and if you haven't received your shot yet, I urge you to do so right away. Convenient sites are open across the state for walk-ins or appointments and vaccines are available to all eligible New Yorkers."

 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 154,566
• Total Positive - 4,479
• Percent Positive - 2.90%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.06%
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,650 (-4)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 273
• Patients in ICU - 355 (+8)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 138 (+6)
• Total Discharges - 189,026 (+278)
• Deaths - 18
• Total Deaths - 43,248
• Total vaccine doses administered - 22,899,977
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 41,823
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 308,511
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 74.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 68.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 77.5%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 69.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 62.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 56.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 65.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 58.3%

Councilman Mark Gjonaj's NYC Moving Forward Week in Review - 8/12/2021

 

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your families are doing well and taking care of yourselves as the summer temperatures are rising and the Delta variant is continuing to spread. Please note that It is imperative that we encourage our family and friends to get vaccinated. Please find a vaccination site near you at https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/locations

Illegal and reckless dirt bike use on our streets and parks continue to present more than just a disruption to quality-of-life; they are a dangerous public safety issue. I am proud to push for legislation to increase maximum fines and revised NYPD enforcement strategies, as we thank the NYPD 49th and 45th in our district for all their efforts continuing to enforce the laws on ATVs and illegal dirt bikes.

As Chair of NYC Small Business Committee, I am proud to have led the way for NYC Council to pass a law banning a system that erroneously charged restaurants for orders that never happened. After the latest Grubhub announcement in doing away with the controversial phone ordering system, we are looking forward to hear on the new system and the impact it will have on local restaurants.

Our Summer Concerts are back and we hope you can join us on Friday, August 13th at 7PM at the Veteran’s Memorial Park with the music of FDR Drive.

We are proud to have kickstarted the District 13 Bookbag Giveaway series in our district office and we are continuing with many more around our neighborhoods. Please follow us on our social media, check the Week in Review or call our office for locations and times.

Team Gjonaj is glad to be able to update and help you in person at our Mobile District Office Hours at the local libraries. This week we were at the Pelham Bay Library and we look forward to visit with constituents at other locations .

We hope you can join us this Saturday, August 14th at Pelham Bay Park from 11am-2:30pm as we bring a Free Fitting and Distribution Helmet event.

Please remember we are here for you, contact my office with issues or concerns at 718-931-1721 or email at MGjonaj@council.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj

District 13, Bronx

Produce Importer Sentenced in Brooklyn Federal Court to 13 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Import Cocaine in a Shipment of Chili Peppers

 

 In federal court in Brooklyn, Humberto Baez, a produce importer based in Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross to 13 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to import and distribute cocaine, and for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.  Baez was convicted by a jury in February 2019 following a two-week trial before the late United States District Judge Jack B. Weinstein.

Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“This sentence demonstrates that this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to stopping the flow of dangerous drugs into this country and to bringing drug traffickers like Baez to justice,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis.  Ms. Kasulis expressed her grateful appreciation to the New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force for their work on the long-term investigation, the DEA’s Santo Domingo Country Office (SDCO) and the Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU) for their assistance.

“Concealing drug shipments with produce is one way drug traffickers try to elude law enforcement.  This cat and mouse game evolves over time resulting in law enforcement recovering drugs in various places; such as inside coconuts, wheelchairs, animals, people, tombstones, etc. just to name a few.   I applaud the members of the New York Strike Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York for their dedicated work throughout this investigation,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan.

“By conspiring to import cocaine hidden in a carton of chili peppers, Humberto Baez was fueling a violent trade that victimizes New Yorkers.  His conviction and sentencing today sends a clear message that the NYPD and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to track these kinds of schemes and protect the public from the impact of illegal narcotics,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.

Between August 2016 and March 2018, Baez conspired with others to import cocaine hidden inside a shipping container into the United States.  Baez had contacted an importing company to use as a front to transport cocaine from Baez’s source of supply in the Dominican Republic.  Baez and his co-conspirators then arranged for two “dry run” shipments containing only produce into the Red Hook Terminal in Brooklyn to establish the appearance of a legitimate business relationship between the exporter and importer, thereby avoiding scrutiny when subsequently shipping cocaine.  In late February 2018, a third shipment arrived in Miami, Florida with approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the flaps of cardboard boxes containing chili peppers.  Baez relayed information that a third shipment contained “ripe tomatoes,” using agreed upon code words for cocaine that would be transported by truck to Baez’s warehouse in Pennsylvania.  On March 1, 2018, members of law enforcement searched the container and seized the hidden cocaine. 

The Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.  It is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the NYPD; the New York State Police; HSI; the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; the Clarkstown Police Department; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.