CITY OF NEW YORK AND NY STATE OF HEALTH ENCOURAGE NEW YORKERS TO ENROLL IN QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE

 

The NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), in collaboration with NY State of Health, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and community-based partners, will be hosting a #GetCovered Day of Action on Wednesday, April 6 to raise awareness about the importance of enrolling in health insurance.

The #GetCovered Day of Action on April 6 will feature direct proactive outreach in communities, organized by PEU and DOHMH staff. Outreach will include a peer-to-peer text message campaign, a paid and organic social media campaign, and a Virtual #GetCovered Town Hall event. This campaign will encourage New Yorkers to connect with a GetCoveredNYC Specialist within PEU, who will help uninsured New Yorkers connect directly with an enrollment counselor at no cost.

The SBS mobile unit will be on site to deliver direct services to the public through GetCoveredNYC and SBS, benefits enrollment, job search and training support, tenant protection services, and other critical resources in neighborhoods across the city. The mobile unit will be parked at the DOHMH Jamaica Health Center Annex at 90-27 Parsons Blvd. in Jamaica, Queens, and will include PEU’s GetCoveredNYC Specialists who can help New Yorkers navigate their health insurance options.

WHAT: The #GetCovered Day of Action will encourage New York City’s uninsured residents to enroll in health insurance. This event will feature a virtual #GetCovered Town Hall event, social media push, text banking, and in-person events.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 6, 2022:

11:30am the SBS mobile van will be open to press

6pm the Town Hall will be available via Facebook

WHERE: The mobile unit in Queens will be parked at the DOHMH Jamaica Health Center Annex at 90-27 Parsons Blvd. in Jamaica. The Town Hall event will be live streamed via Facebook at 6pm at facebook.com/mayorspeu.

WHO: Town Hall panelists include:

NYSOH speakers Marci Goldstein & Stana Nakhle

DOHMH speakers Lisa Helburn & Suzanne Lewis

PEU speakers Gloria Yun, Orville Berry,and Alexa Liguori

NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, recently announced that the 2022 Open Enrollment Period for Qualified Health Plans (QHP’s) will remain open for the duration of the federal Public Health Emergency.  In addition, enrollment in the Essential Plan, Medicaid and Child Health Plus is open all year. This means more time for New Yorkers to get the insurance they need. To access health insurance starting May 1st, New Yorkers should enroll by April 15.

The American Rescue Plan has also made it possible for more New Yorkers, including higher income individuals and families, to access federal tax credits that lower the cost of their monthly health insurance premiums. More people than ever qualify for financial assistance to lower the cost of health insurance options.

New Yorkers can get free one-on-one enrollment assistance from GetCoveredNYC by calling 311, texting CoveredNYC (SeguroNYC en Español) to 877877, or visiting nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC.

Contact GetCoveredNYC now for free one-on-one enrollment assistance in more than 23 languages over the phone and online.

Attorney General James and DOI Commissioner Strauber Deliver $900,000 to 200 NYCHA Construction Workers Denied Fair Pay

 

Lintech Electric Failed to Pay Employees the Prevailing Wage Rate on NYCHA Projects

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber today announced their joint efforts to combat wage theft by securing nearly $900,000 for more than 200 workers who were underpaid by Lintech Electric (Lintech). An investigation found that over the course of three years, Lintech disregarded the prevailing wage rate and underpaid its employees by almost $900,000 on multiple New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) projects in all five boroughs. As a part of the agreement, Lintech will repay the impacted workers the money they were cheated plus interest and will be banned from public works projects in New York for five years. 

“Every worker deserves fair pay for their hard work,” said Attorney General James. “The prevailing wage was established for a reason — to protect the hardworking New Yorkers who built our city and keep it functioning. No employee should fear that they will be cheated at the hands of greedy employers, especially at the expense of the public good. I am proud to finally return the money owed to these dedicated workers and I will do everything in my power to ensure that Lintech does not deceive or exploit any more workers.”

“Lintech, a subcontractor for general contractors hired by NYCHA through its guarantors, agreed to pay almost $900,000 to workers that it underpaid for over three years, in violation of New York’s Prevailing Wage Law,” said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber. “I applaud the workers who alerted DOI of this underpayment, prompting an audit that exposed this wrongful conduct. As a result of this joint investigation by DOI and Attorney General James’ office, Lintech will also be banned from New York public works projects for five years. DOI and its law enforcement partners will pursue and hold accountable employers that seek to cheat workers of their rightful wages, and we will ensure that those victims are made whole. I thank the state attorney general and NYCHA for their partnership on this important investigation.”

Attorney General James and the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) began a joint investigation into Lintech in September of 2019 after a DOI investigation and audit revealed that Lintech underpaid its employees. Between 2015 to 2018, Lintech failed to pay workers the prevailing wage rate and supplemental benefit rate on multiple NYCHA Housing Complex public work projects. The workers were hired to install and maintain lighting and electrical outlets on scaffolding surrounding multiple NYCHA apartment buildings throughout the city but were not adequately compensated.

Lintech’s actions violate the Prevailing Wage Law, which requires contractors and subcontractors to pay the prevailing rate of wage and benefits to all employees under a public work contract. Lintech’s financial guarantors, Neelam Construction Corporation, Pro-Metal Construction, and Zoria Housing, will also be held financially accountable for underpaying workers as guarantors of Lintech’s underpayments. The companies will repay close to $900,000 in wages, supplemental benefits, interest, and penalties to be distributed to 200 impacted employees. Today’s agreement also bars Lintech from performing, contracting, or subcontracting public work in New York state for five years, including a $30,000 penalty to cover the cost of the investigation.

The Office of the Attorney General thanks NYCHA for its partnership in this matter.

“We are pleased to work with the attorney general and the New York City Department of Investigation to root out malfeasance at NYCHA and to ensure that workers are justly compensated for their services,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “Wage theft and service crimes impact our operations, workforce, and residents, and will not be tolerated.”

Governor Hochul Receives Second COVID Vaccine Booster

 

Earlier this afternoon, Governor Kathy Hochul received her second booster shot, the Pfizer COVID-19 booster. Governor Hochul received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March 2021 and received her first booster dose, of the Moderna COVID-19 booster, in October 2021.

Governor Hochul Announces "Cannabis Conversations," New York's First Public Education Campaign on Cannabis

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We have to believe that New York State is against cigarette smoking, but is pushing Marijuana smoking for tax revenue. Marijuana is also now being called Cannabis to make it's smoking sound better. 

What is going on here, are all our state legislators already stoned on Marijuana/Cannabis?

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"Cannabis Conversations" Public Education Campaign Includes Public Service Advertisements on Television, Radio, Transit, Billboards, and Social Media with Two More Phases to Follow This Spring    

Campaign Builds on the Office of Cannabis Management's First Public Outreach Effort Conducted Earlier This Year through Virtual 'Cannabis Conversations' 

"Cannabis Conversations" Public Health Campaign Informs New Yorkers About the State's New Cannabis Law 

Public Education Campaign Reflects a New Approach to Educating the Public on the Facts Around New York's Cannabis Law, Including Information to Help Protect Youth and Keep Roads Safe  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced "Cannabis Conversations," New York State's first public health education campaign on cannabis to inform the public on the state's Cannabis Law, including who can consume, where to consume, and how to consume safely. This wide-reaching campaign will provide parents and caregivers with tools to protect youth, remind New Yorkers of the risks of driving while impaired by cannabis, and other messages to help keep New Yorkers safe and healthy as the new industry develops. These messages will be distributed in English and Spanish through public service advertisements on television, radio, transit, billboards, and social media.

"With the 'Cannabis Conversations' campaign, we're following through on our commitment to provide New Yorkers with the information they need to safely navigate the new Cannabis Law," Governor Hochul said. "Education is the best tool to keep New Yorkers healthy as we continue to ramp up this safe, inclusive, and equitable industry."

Public service advertisements for the "Cannabis Conversations" campaign will start today and run for approximately three months. Today's launch is centered on a 30-second, overarching message that highlights: New York State legalizing cannabis, but only for adults 21 years old and over; not driving under the influence; keeping second-hand cannabis smoke away from other people; locking up cannabis and storing it out of reach of children and pets. As part of the campaign, additional messages will be introduced in the future to reinforce and expand on these concepts. Pictures of advertisements here and videos of the advertisements in English and Spanish are available here.

The campaign builds on the Office of Cannabis Management's first public-outreach effort also called "Cannabis Conversations," where the OCM held virtual outreach sessions in 10 regions across New York and an 11th session in Spanish.

New York's Cannabis Law focuses on public health and is grounded in the principles of public safety, social justice, and equitable economic development designed to help undo the harm caused by cannabis prohibition.As part of this public policy shift, the law requires public health education campaigns that inform New Yorkers of the new law and the impact of cannabis use on public health and safety.

Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright said, "'Cannabis Conversations' is our first public health campaign as we make sure New Yorkers have the initial information they need to stay safe and healthy. We have learned from other states and are excited to amplify these important messages across the State. Meanwhile, we're hard at work building this new industry, and as it continues to evolve, so, too, will our public education efforts with future campaigns tackling a growing range of health and safety messaging."

Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management Chris Alexander said,"Our first public health education campaign, 'Cannabis Conversations,' will give New Yorkers the information they need to start talking about our state's Cannabis Law and the health and safety implications for consuming cannabis. This fact-based campaign reflects the change in how we're approaching cannabis as we focus on evidence-based education over prosecution."

The "Cannabis Conversations" campaign was developed by the Office of Cannabis Management following a review of education campaigns operated by other states legalized adult-use cannabis before New York state and in partnership with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Department of Health, and the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.

New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, "The new 'Cannabis Conversations' campaign provides people with the facts and educates them about the new law. As cannabis becomes more widely available as a legal recreational product, its safe use is an important message."

Commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, "It's important that New Yorkers have the key information provided by 'Cannabis Conversations' and is part of the necessary shift as we move from criminalization to a place of being able to educate the public. I encourage New Yorkers to take the next step and follow the campaign back to cannabis.ny.gov where they have access to more information and resources to help keep themselves healthy."

Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, "Keeping our roads safe is our top-priority and we're proud to partner with the Office of Cannabis Management to make sure New Yorkers know that if they drive high, they're putting lives at risk and could get arrested for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. We look forward to continuing to build on today'slaunch of 'Cannabis Conversations' and help protect the safety of our roads."

Executive Director of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) Gillian Schauer PhD, said, "Educating the public about new cannabis laws is important as there can be misperceptions about what's legal. New York's 'Cannabis Conversations' campaign is a creative approach to help New Yorkers learn more about the state's new law legalizing cannabis for adults, and the campaign can spark valuable conversations about how to stay safe and healthy. In addition to hearing from New Yorkers directly, the Office of Cannabis Management worked with CANNRA and other states to fully understand lessons learned from prior cannabis-focused campaigns, which makes this an even stronger campaign.

CHES Executive Director of the New York State Association of County Health Officials Sarah Ravenhall MHA said, "It's encouraging to see that Governor Hochul and the Office of Cannabis Management are taking public health and health equity very seriously as the adult use cannabis program is readied for full implementation. There are health risks associated with cannabis use that require sound policy to mitigate, and the governor's 'Cannabis Conversations' Campaign is a clear indication that this administration supports a thoughtful and careful approach to cannabis policy. We look forward to working with the state to monitor the program's public health impact and to continue to find new ways to ensure New York has the safest program possible."

Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance Kassandra Frederique said, "It is essential for New York's Cannabis Conversation campaign to establish statewide literacy of our new cannabis policy. New Yorkers have experienced decades of prohibition, disparate enforcement, and with increasing intensity misinformation. The Office of Cannabis Management was created to serve as a central hub for cannabis policy and information. It is our hope that this is only the beginning of the state's robust public education that not only teaches people what the law is, but includes considerations around consumption, how to become an entrepreneur, and where to get help if you need it."

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting Tuesday April 12th 7 PM

 

The White Plains Road Homeless Shelter has been stopped. Please join us as the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association has their monthly community  meeting  on Tuesday  April 12th, 2022 at 7pm  at our new location 2134 Barnes Avenue on the corner of Barnes and Lydig Avenue.   

We will welcome a special guest from The FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit for a very informative session that could save a life. This is your opportunity to bring your community issues, questions, concerns and problems to this meeting. Involvement from the community  is essential  to having a safe, clean, and graffiti  free neighborhood. Now is the time to get  involved in your community, speak up, and stay involved. 

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS MAKES A STATEMENT WITH THE LEWIN FAMILY

 

Mayor Eric Adams: Just think about this for a moment. And what the family said while we spoke just really resonated with me. Young Kade. Whose child is next? Whose child is next? These could have been Jordan sneakers, my son. Whose child is next? This story just strikes at the heart of the trauma in our city and in our country. This amazing young girl was just taking care of her young family members, treating them to food, just having them out enjoying the day, the night, pulled over just to watch a movie and to eat the food. In that instant, lost them, lost Kade. Whose child is next? And when you understand the realness of this, you understand the urgency. And so when I move with the urgency and people are telling me to slow down, what the hell is wrong with you? Whose child is next? And the overwhelming number of the victims are black and brown.

 

Overwhelming. We can replace the name of Kade with so many other names. Promising young people snatched away from us, snatched away from us. Promising young people snatched away from us for no other reason, too many guns on our streets, too many people who are willing to use those guns to harm innocent people. So all the talk about those who are shooting, what about the innocent people? What about them? Do they matter? Do they matter? I say they matter.

 

And it's time for us to move with a level of urgency to deal with this violence that we are witnessing in our city. It's a painful moment. Jenna's mom laid out this young girl's promising life. Graduating, going to college, two jobs. She stated that I want to show her the love and bought her a car so that she can enjoy her family members together. All she thought about were the children. That's all she thought about. Now she sits in the hospital blaming herself because of the violence of someone. The entire country should listen to the narrative of this family. Immigrants coming here to this country, looking for a better way of life, not for someone to take their life.

 

You'll never get over this moment. This is their neighborhood. This is their community. Right down the block from where the shooting took place is where the mom was there doing hair. Watching that baby in the car. We're so sorry. Words cannot take away what you are going through. But you're representative of the best that this city and country has to offer and your children represented that. And those who took their lives will be found. The police commissioner and I, we are committing to finding them. But it's time this entire city stand with families like these because there's only one question we have to answer if we don't get this right. Whose child is next?

 

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Police Department: Good morning. The pall of violence across this city must be lifted. Your NYPD is doing everything it can and knows how to do well to deter and prevent and apprehend those responsible but we need your help. Kade's mother needs your help. Jenna's mother needs your help. Murders, shootings, robberies, assaults, go against everything we should believe ourselves to be. If you have any information that can help us apprehend those responsible for the killing of a 12 year old and the seriously injuring of a 19 year old sitting in a car eating, I ask you to please call (800) 577-TIPS.

 

Para español, llame (800) 57-PISTA

These families need your help. Please call. Thank you.

 

Mayor Adams: And we need also, we're putting out a call to help this family during this time with the mounting cost of burying Kade, the medical costs of young Jenna that's still in the hospital with six bullets. Six bullets in that baby girl. Six bullets in that baby girl. This baby girl here, this baby girl. So we're asking people to help us during this difficult time. I would personally contribute, but we want contributions to go to the lisadozierfuneralservice.com, lisadozierfuneralservice.com to raise the money that's needed, this family being hit with this real crisis.

 

I want to thank AT Mitchell. For his crisis management team, Man Up, for the work they're doing to deal with this real issue that we are facing of trying to get these guns off our street. Brother, I appreciate you for being here and the other crisis management teams that are here as well. But we are asking people to help this family during this difficult time. We want to have the mother come forward and the aunt. We're really asking you to bear with them. This tragedy is so fresh.

 

But they do want to speak to the city and it's a very difficult thing to do so bear with them. We're asking you after they speak to give them a sense of privacy so they can grieve. This is so hard to lose a child. Mothers should not be burying their children. And so they wanted to come out and just share with the city their feelings and we're just asking after to give them the privacy that they need.

Bronx Fashion Week - SATURDAY MAY 7, 2022 - WE'RE BACK.

 

Bronx Fashion Week Returns to the Mall at Bay Plaza

Bronx Fashion Week is already shaping up to be one of the most amazing fashion experiences at The New Mall at Bay Plaza surrounded by over 100 retailers from The Bronx. The mall has over 25 million visitors per year and is considered the most Spectacular Fashion Destination.

Designers include: Callejas Atelier, Yo Soy Mia, Mia Roman, Boulevard Menswear, Daysi Collection, Macy's, Forever 21, Ashley Stewart.

Saturday, May 7, 2022 -- Show Time: 3:00pm

$90 Million Yacht of Sanctioned Russian Oligarch Viktor Vekselberg Seized by Spain at Request of United States

 

Action Took Place Today in Palma de Mallorca

 Spanish law enforcement today executed a Spanish court order freezing the Motor Yacht (M/Y) Tango (the Tango), a 255-foot luxury yacht owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Spanish authorities acted pursuant to a request from the U.S. Department of Justice for assistance following the issuance of a seizure warrant, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which alleged that the Tango was subject to forfeiture based on violation of U.S. bank fraud, money laundering, and sanction statutes.

According to documents filed in this case, the U.S. investigation alleges that Vekselberg bought the Tango in 2011 and has owned it continuously since that time. It further alleges that Vekselberg used shell companies to obfuscate his interest in the Tango to avoid bank oversight into U.S. dollar transactions related thereto. Additionally, after Vekselberg was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on April 6, 2018, the warrant alleges that Vekselberg and those working on his behalf continued to make U.S. dollar payments through U.S. banks for the support and maintenance of the Tango and its owners, including a payment for a December 2020 stay at a luxury water villa resort in the Maldives and mooring fees for the yacht. Vekselberg had an interest in these payments and therefore a license was required from the Treasury Department, which was not obtained.

“Today marks our taskforce’s first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last.” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war.”

“Today’s action makes clear that corrupt Russian oligarchs cannot evade sanctions to live a life of luxury as innocent Ukrainians are suffering,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today the Department of Justice delivers on our commitment to hold accountable those whose criminal activity strengthens the Russian government as it continues to wage its unjust war in Ukraine. That commitment is one we are not finished honoring.”

“Today we announce another example of the FBI using our worldwide presence and partnerships, as well as our expertise and experience to track and seize illicit money and assets, to counter threats to our safety and national security,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to use every lawful tool to go after designated Russian oligarchs' assets – however and wherever they hide them.”

The seizure was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

"The seizure of this luxury yacht demonstrates our determination to hold accountable those who support Vladimir Putin’s unwarranted invasion of another sovereign nation,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia.  “We will continue to use every tool to enforce the sanctions aimed at Putin’s regime and the oligarchs who support it.  Working with our federal and international partners, we will be unflagging in our efforts to bring to justice those who violate these sanctions, and to seize assets where appropriate and lawful.”

“Today’s seizure of Viktor Vekselberg’s yacht, the Tango, in Spain is the result of an unprecedented multinational effort to enforce U.S. sanctions targeting those elites who have enabled Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine,” said Director Andrew Adams of Task Force KleptoCapture. “For those who have tied their fortunes to a brutal and lawless regime, today’s action is a message that those nations dedicated to the rule of law are equally dedicated to separating the oligarchs from their tainted luxuries. This seizure is only the beginning of the Task Force’s work in this global effort to punish those who have and continue to support tyranny for financial gain.”

“The FBI will continue to work with its partners to protect the integrity of the banking system and support the enforcement of sanctions programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael F. Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. “FBI agents and analysts, regardless of where they are assigned around the world, will work tirelessly to ensure those who attempt to evade sanctions are held accountable.”

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine was an unprovoked act of aggression that has targeted the lives and well-being of millions of people and threatened international security,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York.  “For decades, the Putin regime has been supported by a group of Russian oligarchs that abused their power for private gain to amass untold riches. As DHS’s investigative arm, HSI stands at the forefront of combatting global networks that seek to violate U.S. law and exploit our nation’s financial systems.  Working with our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, we will hold Putin’s oligarchs accountable and deny them the lavish lifestyles they cherish.”

Upon receipt of a request from the United States pursuant to a bi-lateral treaty for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the Spanish central authority for mutual legal assistance forwarded the request to a Spanish prosecutor, who obtained a freezing order from a Spanish court. The order was executed by Spain’s Guardia Civil, Spanish National Police, today, April 4.

The Tango, International Maritime Organization number 1010703, is believed to be worth approximately $90 million or more. The yacht is now in Palma de Mallorca.

The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

Separately, seizure warrants obtained in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia target approximately $625,000 associated with sanctioned parties held at nine U.S. financial institutions. Those seizures are based on sanctions violations by several Russian specially designated nationals.

The matter of the Tango is being investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office with assistance from the HSI New York Field Office. In announcing that forfeiture action, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Paul, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Patel commended the work of those who investigated the case from FBI and HSI.