Congressman Adriano Espaillat - Now Accepting Applications to U.S. Military Service Academies

 

Representative Adriano Espaillat announced open applications for incoming district high school seniors to attend the U.S. Service Academies.

“I encourage all eligible high school seniors in my district to submit applications to be considered for placement to attend any of the U.S. Service Academies to have an opportunity to serve our country,” said Rep. Espaillat.

Members of Congress can nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. To request a Military Academy Nomination, please complete the form at https://espaillat.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations for consideration.

The deadline to submit applications is Friday, October 30, 2020.

Gene De Francis Travels the 80th Assembly District Talking to the People of the 80th A.D. in his Quest to Win the Assembly Seat

 

Last week after picking up support from a major West Bronx Democratic Club (The Northwest Bronx Democrats) Gene De Francis has kicked his campaign into high gear criss-crossing the 80th Assembly District, while his opponent concentrates on her campaign for Bronx Borough President next year.

Assembly candidate Gene De Francis is visiting every part of the 80th Assembly District which is split by the Bronx River Parkway. He is visiting schools, housing developments, parks, stores, and almost everywhere a candidate can garner votes from. 

We caught up with assembly candidate Gene De Francis last week at Loreto Park, and Wednesday this week at the Pelham Parkway Houses. Residents were well receptive to candidate Gene De Francis talking about the many problems of the Pelham Parkway housing complex. Be it leaks, cracked floors, no heat in the winter, no hot water, vermin infestations, odors in various parts of buildings or just plain the lack of maintenance. Tenant after tenant had a story to tell candidate Gene De Francis. 

Above - 80th A.D. candidate Gene De Francis talks with a woman who wanted to be known as BX Bklyn girl 102762, about the problems in her building and the complex as a whole.

Below - 80th A.D. candidate Gene De Francis talks to another woman at the Pelham Parkway Houses who did not want to be in the photo.

At Loreto Park 80th A.D. candidate Gene De Francis talks to this woman who is obviously an essential worker. 

RECOVERY AGENDA: NEW YORK CITY RELEASES WINTER OUTDOOR DINING GUIDANCE

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) today to release thorough guidance for city restaurants planning to stay open and serve customers outdoors with heating devices this fall and winter. The announcement furthers New York City’s efforts, laid out in the Mayor’s recovery agenda, to become the world’s capital for healthy outdoor living.

 

In September, Mayor de Blasio announced the City’s popular Open Restaurants program will be extended year-round and made permanent. The program, which has enrolled more than 10,500 establishments since its inception in June, has allowed New Yorkers to enjoy meals in safe, healthy outdoor environments. All restaurants must abide by state restrictions on operating in COVID hotspots. Business owners should consult www.NYC.Gov/CovidZone for more information.

 

“These guidelines are designed to keep diners, employees, and pedestrians safe and healthy – and we look forward to giving New Yorkers more chances than ever to enjoy the outdoors year-round,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Restaurants make New York City the greatest city in the world, and we’re proud to support their continued recovery from this crisis.”

 

Participants in the Open Restaurants program interested in providing comfort heating for their customers in outdoor dining areas have three options:

 

• Electric radiant heaters will be allowed in sidewalk and roadway seating setups. For full guidance from the Department of Buildings, click here.

• Natural gas radiant heaters will be allowed on the sidewalk only. For full guidance from the Department of Buildings, click here. Natural gas radiant heaters must also comply with the Fire Code.
• Portable heaters fueled by propane will be allowed on the sidewalk only. Propane heating will be regulated by the Fire Department, with requirements for safe handling, use and storage. For full guidance from the Fire Department, click here.

 

Food service establishments with private outdoor dining spaces may use heating devices subject to the applicable guidance from FDNY and/or DOB.

 

Each agency has focused on streamlining the permitting processes to make installing these outdoor heating options as easy as possible for businesses, while ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols.

 

“The Department will work closely with our fellow agencies to ensure that outdoor dining can continue to operate safely for business owners, employees, and customers,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro.

 

"New Yorkers are resilient and adaptable, and city government should be as well," said Department of Buildings Commissioner Melanie La Rocca. "Streamlining the outdoor heating requirements will help our friends and neighbors weather this crisis. We are offering clear guidance to restaurant owners so they know what they need to do to safely keep outdoor dining open now that summer has come to a close."

 

“Just as evenings grow more brisk, we are happy to provide restaurants with the proper guidance on outdoor heating to keep their customers warm,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We thank our colleagues at FDNY and the Buildings Department, who are assuring that above all, Open Restaurants continue to operate safely during the colder months.  We ask that the thousands of participating restaurants carefully comply with the new rules.”

 

The pandemic has reinforced the direct connection between public health, our economy, and social justice. As we look towards the future, a healthy recovery must include reimagining how the City uses its open spaces. In the 19th century, following the outbreak of Cholera, the City began a period of open space creation that brought us Central Park and other beloved open spaces. COVID-19 has again caused us to prioritize open space in order to promote New Yorkers’ health and economic wellbeing.

Governor Cuomo Appoints Commission to Oversee Creation of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Statue

 

Commission Includes Diverse Array of Late Justice Ginsburg's Family, Friends, Esteemed Colleagues, And Other Leaders 

Statue to Memorialize Renowned Jurist in Her Birthplace of Brooklyn  

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today appointed 23 members to a new commission that will oversee the creation of a statue honoring the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The commission includes members of Justice Ginsburg's family, close friends, esteemed colleagues, and other leaders. The commission will provide recommendations to the Governor regarding the artist, design, location and installation of the memorial statue.  

"Last month I announced New York State will honor the life and legacy of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a statue in her native Brooklyn. Now I'm releasing a list of the 19 members that we have appointed to the commission who will oversee the creation of the statue. Justice Ginsburg will forever stand as a singular figure in history, unmatched in her pursuit of justice and equality under the law for all Americans. Only the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg was a tireless champion for women's rights and throughout her lifetime brilliantly navigated a complex landscape of gender-based discrimination to ultimately ascend to the highest court in the land. She leveraged that position to fiercely advocate for equal rights and ensure those who followed in her footsteps would face fewer obstacles along the way," Governor Cuomo said. "Ruth Bader Ginsburg embodied a set of ideals often missing in today's civic dialogue - she showed us reason, empathy and hope. Her legacy as a jurist, professor, lawyer and scholar will endure for generations and we are honored to erect a permanent statue in memory of Justice Ginsburg. Lord knows she deserves it."

The commission comprised of 18 members and 5 honorary members appointed by the Governor includes: 

• Jane Ginsburg, Daughter to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Clara Spera, Granddaughter to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Mimi Ginsburg, Granddaughter to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Constance Beaty, Artist and Portraitist for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg  
• Irin Carmon, Senior Correspondent at New York Magazine and Co-Author of "Notorious RGB: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg."
• Jodie Cohen, Principal of James Madison High School
• Alphonso David, President of the Human Rights Campaign
• Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO, National Women's Law Center
• Subash Iyer, Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk and Compliance at MTA and Former Clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Judge Robert A. Katzmann, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• Shana Knizhnik, Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society and Co-Author of "Notorious RGB: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg."
• Susana Torruella Leval, Director Emerita of El Museo del Barrio
• Gillian Metzger, Harlan Fiske Stone Professor of Constitutional Law at Columbia University and Former Clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Trevor Morrison, Dean of NYU School of Law and Former Clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Sonia Ossorio, President of NOW New York
• Anne Pasternak, Director of the Brooklyn Museum
• William Savitt, Partner, Litigation Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Former Clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Nina Totenberg, Legal Affairs Correspondent at NPR

Honorary Members

• Honorable Hillary Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State
• Janet DiFiore, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York
• Letitia James, Attorney General of New York State
• Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Gloria Steinem, Feminist Activist and Co-Founder of Ms. Magazine

Governor Cuomo Announces State Will Withhold Funds for Localities and Schools in COVID-19 Cluster Zones That Fail to Enforce Public Health Law

 

Sends Letter Warning Local Governments in Cluster Zones That They Will Lose State Funding If They Fail to Enforce Gathering Limit and School Closure Rules

Sends Separate Letter Warning Public and Private Schools in Cluster Zones That They Will Lose State Funding If They Do Not Comply with Closure and Testing Rules

Positive Testing Rate in Hot Spot Areas is 6.29 Percent; New York State Positivity Without Red Zone Focus Areas Included is 0.95 Percent

7 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

SLA and State Police Task Force Visits 634 Establishments; Observes 2 Establishments Not in Compliance

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State will withhold funds for localities and schools in COVID-19 cluster zones that fail to enforce public health laws. The New York State Department of Health will send a letter warning local governments in cluster zones that they will lose state funding if they fail to enforce state limits on gatherings and the closure of schools. The letter will be sent to New York City, Orange County, Rockland County, the Town of Ramapo and the Village of Spring Valley.

Governor Cuomo also announced that DOH will send an additional letter warning public and private schools in cluster zones that they will lose state funding if they do not comply with state requirements on closure and testing.

"We know that public and private schools in the red zones are supposed to be closed. We know that there were violations where yeshivas were operating. We know there were violations where religious gatherings were happening that exceeded the guidelines. This is especially a problem in Brooklyn and Orange and Rockland Counties," Governor Cuomo said. "Number one, we are sending a notification to local governments saying they must enforce public health law under Section 16. If the local government does not effectively enforce the law, we will withhold funds. We're also sending a letter to all schools in the red zones saying to them that they must be closed. If they violate the Section 16 order, we will withhold funding from the schools. This is a last and final warning."

In "Red Zone" focus areas included as part of the Governor's Cluster Action Initiative, the positivity rate for test results reported yesterday is 6.29 percent - up from the 4.13 percent the day before. The "Red Zone" focus areas are home to 2.8 percent of state's population, yet had 15.6 percent of all positive cases reported yesterday to New York State. 

Within the "Red Zone" focus areas, 3,053 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 192 positives or a 6.29 percent positivity rate. In the remainder of the state, not counting these "Red Zone" focus areas, 108,691 test results were reported, yielding 1,040 positives or a 0.95 percent positivity rate. The state's overall positivity rate is 1.10 percent with focus areas included. The "Red Zone" focus areas are home to 2.8 percent of the state population yet had 15.6 percent of all positive test results reported to the state yesterday, and 12.2 percent of all positive case results reported to the state this current week.

Yesterday, the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force visited 634 establishments in New York City and Long Island and observed 2 establishments that were not in compliance with state requirements. A county breakdown of yesterday's observed violations is below:

• Nassau - 2

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization - 938 (+15)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 146
• Hospital Counties - 39
• Number ICU - 201 (+20)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 100 (+10)
• Total Discharges - 77,870 (+115)
• Deaths - 7
• Total Deaths - 25,605

An Update from State Comptroller DiNapoli: NY's Economy & Finances in the COVID-19 Era

New York State Ranks Second Nationally in Jobs Lost

While all states have lost employment since the COVID-19 pandemic struck earlier this year, New York surpasses almost every other in both number and percentage of job losses. From February through August 2020, the Empire State ranks second to Hawaii in percentage of employment decline and second only to California in the total number (see map below). During that same period, unemployment in the State rose from 3.7 percent to 12.5 percent, based on preliminary estimates. 

Employment in New York increased from May through August. However, those gains, over 686,000 jobs, represented only 35 percent of the record-breaking loss of 1.9 million in March and April. As the Office of the State Comptroller has reported previously, New York’s job losses are concentrated in lower-paid sectors of the economy.

The employment impact on New York and other indicators, including figures on overall economic activity, continue to support the case for significant additional federal aid in response to the pandemic and the associated recession.

For more current highlights on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the State’s finances and economy, visit our web page. Additional topics this week include:

• New York State's GDP Declined by 36 Percent in the 2nd Quarter of 2020
• Small Businesses Continue to Experience Economic Hardships
• New York State's Budget

The State Comptroller's office is committed to keeping New Yorkers regularly updated on the State's economy and finances.

RECOVERY AGENDA: DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION CUTS RIBBON ON MAJOR PROTECTED BIKE LANES ALONG SIXTH AVENUE & CENTRAL PARK WEST

 

As cycling expands, New York City hosts “Bike-tober” events for new and experienced riders

As cycling continues to expand in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced more than three miles of protected bike lanes (PBLs) have been completed in Midtown Manhattan and on the Upper West Side, including uptown protected lanes on both Sixth Avenue and Central Park West. Under the Green Wave plan announced in 2019, New York City committed to dramatically expanding access to protected bike lanes, which have consistently proven to make streets safer for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

 

To support both new and experienced cyclists, New York City DOT also announced a range of activities continuing during the month of October. A full “Bike-tober” schedule is available at www.nyc.gov/biketober.

 

“More New Yorkers than ever are choosing cycling to move around our city, and I’m proud to expand their options and offer more ways to keep them safe,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Protected bike lanes help provide a safe and green transportation alternative, meeting the goals of our Recovery Agenda, Vision Zero, the Green Wave and OneNYC. We look forward to cutting the ribbon on more lanes and supporting every New Yorker who chooses healthy, car-free transit options.”

 

“With cycling up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the dedicated DOT team has been hard at work adding protected bike lanes through some of our City’s most congested neighborhoods,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We thank the Mayor for his leadership that has helped safer cycling return to Sixth Avenue – four decades after its first protected lane. We also credit Manhattan’s local elected officials and community boards for their fierce and unwavering support of these projects. As we support cyclists with so many Bike-tober events, let’s get riding uptown!”

 

NYC DOT has completed 10 PBL miles so far in 2020, with another 15 miles scheduled to be completed this year. The de Blasio administration has created more than 140 miles of on-street protected lanes; its recent pace represents about one of every five protected lane miles nationwide.

 

The Sixth Avenue PBL was requested by Manhattan’s Community Board 5 and multiple elected officials. Sixth Avenue is a Vision Zero Priority Corridor that provides a direct link between Greenwich Village and Central Park.

 

Demand for the new lane is high: from 2008-2019, Sixth Avenue saw a 161% increase in cycling, and 10 Citi Bike stations are located within 400’ of this project. The new protected lane removed a traffic lane from this wide corridor and added painted pedestrian islands at intersections. The project also added pedestrian head-starts at 13 intersections, offset crossings and left-turn lanes with split-signal phases added to nine intersections between 41^st Street and Central Park South with a high rate of crashes.

 

The Central Park West PBL, a 2.5-mile stretch along the length of Central Park, makes the street safer for pedestrians, whose crossing distances are 20% shorter. The project also added a left-turn restriction at 96^th Street, a location with a high rate of severe crashes.

 

In partnership with Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op, NYC DOT also announced that it is offering free bike tune-ups to get cyclists ready and their bikes road-worthy.

 

Types of repair offered include: replacing flat tubes and used-up brake pads, adjusting brakes, improving shifting, adjusting saddles (seats), handlebars, and brake levers, replacing snapped cables and decomposed housing, making critical headset adjustments, truing critically wobbly wheels, and lubricating chains, gears, pivot points, and springs. Both adult and children’s bikes are eligible. Walk-up service only on a first-come, first-served basis. Please remember to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing. More info and event schedule available at www.nyc.gov/biketober.

 

"I'm thrilled that more and more New Yorkers are biking around the city but we need to give them the space they need to ride safely,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “We need an interconnected network of protected bike lanes citywide, and the additions of these two critical pieces of bike infrastructure are great steps forward towards that goal. The Council will continue fighting to make our streets safe for cyclists as we work to promote sustainable methods of transportation in our city." 

Build The Block Meeting - 49Pct - Neighborhood Coordination Officers 49th Precinct Sector A

 

NCO A – 49Pct – Build The Block Meeting

Wednesday, October 21st 2020.

Meeting starts at 6:30 P.M. Doors open at 6:00 P.M for light refreshments.

F & J The Pine, 1913 Bronxdale Ave, Bronx NY 10462

The Meeting will be set up with social distancing in mind, also face masks must be worn during the duration of the meeting, if needed they will also be provided.

P.O. Stephen Brancatelli - Neighborhood Coordination Officer

New York City Police Department

49th Precinct

2121 Eastchester Road Bronx, New York  10461

(917) 826-9562

Stephen.Brancatelli@NYPD.org