Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - NOVEMBER 2, 2022

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

26 Statewide Deaths Reported on November 1

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19 and plan to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections that become more common in the fall and winter seasons.  

"As the weather gets colder, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant and to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."  

Governor Hochul also reminds New Yorkers that children ages 5 and older may now receive the bivalent booster shots that are recommended to increase protection against COVID-19. 

The Governor continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.  

In addition, Governor Hochul is encouraging New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season is widespread across New York State. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.     

The State Department of Health is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. Advertisements in both English and Spanish language began running last month.   

For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:    

• Cases Per 100k - 21.13
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 19.88
• Test Results Reported - 74,545
• Total Positive - 4,130
• Percent Positive - 4.87%**     
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.92%**      
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,846 (+51)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 499
• Patients in ICU - 307 (+25)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 114 (+6)
• Total Discharges - 357,440 (+392)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 26
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 58,853 

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

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

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

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 75,079

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.  

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:   

Borough	Sunday,   October   30, 2022	Monday,   October   31, 2022	Tuesday,   November   1, 2022
Bronx	5.94%	6.01%	6.28%
Kings	4.07%	4.12%	3.83%
New York	5.94%	5.86%	5.84%
Queens	6.38%	6.47%	6.57%
Richmond	5.41%	5.33%	5.53%

 

Comptroller Unveils First Public Report Detailing Share of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses in NYC’s Asset Management and Public...

 

First-time Report Released During Annual Diverse and Emerging Manager Asset Managers Investment Conference

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released a report detailing the Comptroller’s Office’s work with minority- and women-owned investment firms and emerging managers and with MWBE professionals in municipal finance.

The report details allocations to MWBE asset management firms managing assets for the New York City Retirement Systems, the participation of asset management firms within the Systems’ Emerging Managers Program and MWBE Brokerage Program, and the efforts of the Bureau of Public Finance to expand their work with diverse firms.

 This marks the first time a report provides this level of granular detail on the Office of the New York City Comptroller’s work with MWBE firms in asset management and public finance.
 
“This report provides the first public accounting of our allocations to MWBE and emerging investment firms and our work with diverse firms on the financing of our capital program. While there are many things to be proud of in this report, it is clear that we still have a long way to go. People of color – especially Blacks and Latinos – and women remain deeply underrepresented among our asset managers, even as we know that diversity drives strong returns. We cannot manage what we do not measure, it is our hope that this transparency and our work together helps move the needle forward on creating the opportunities that MWBE managers and firms need and deserve,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
 
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are an important component of our fiduciary duty to generate sustainable and superior returns to benefit the nearly 800,000 City employees, retirees and their families who participate in the City’s pension funds. I look forward to working closely with our Trustees and investment and industry partners to achieve our goals of creating more diversity, equity and inclusiveness in our investments and the asset management industry in the interest of our beneficiaries,” said Steven Meier, Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Comptroller for Asset Management.
 
This report comes as the Comptroller’s Office’s Bureau of Asset Management’s hosts the 2022 Annual Diverse and Emerging Managers Conference. For more on the conference, please visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bamconference.
 
The New York City Retirement Systems, comprised of the City’s five public pension funds (the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System, Police Pension Fund, Fire Pension Fund and Board of Education Retirement System), have approximately $240 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2022.
 
The five Systems have a total of $16.82 billion in investments with or committed to MWBE managers as of June 30, 2022. Those investments amount to 11.65% of U.S.-based actively managed assets, or approximately 7% of the total assets under management. The Systems have a total of $8.59 billion in investments with or committed to Emerging Manager firms as of June 30, 2022. The report details investments across each of the pension funds’ asset classes.
 
The report also highlights the work that the Comptroller’s Bureau of Public Finance, which manages all aspects of City capital borrowing for the Comptroller in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, is doing to expand the business the City is doing with MWBE vendors on municipal finance matters including bond underwriting and sales. In Fiscal Year 2022, the City of New York contracted with MWBE firms for 30.4% of bond underwriting, 41.5% of financial and swap advising, and 22.3% of bond counsel.
 
To read the full report, visit here.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON THE DELAYED PENN STATION REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

 

"The announced delays to Vornado’s Penn Station redevelopment are welcome news on a project that, as designed, has always been wrong for the neighborhood and wrong for the needs of our city, which must accept responsible development to succeed in growth.

"The transit infrastructure at Penn Station is in dire need of an upgrade, and the city is in dire need of income-targeted, deeply affordable housing. The current plan, however, centers neither – instead focusing on luxury office development in a time when we face an affordable housing crisis that should shape our priorities more than underused office space.

"I hope that this delay allows the state time to reassess this plan and demand revisions. New Yorkers need projects that meet the actual needs of our city and community, not the profit targets of giant corporations."

Instagram Personality Known as “Jay Mazini” Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money Laundering

 

Defendant Admits Perpetrating Fraudulent Schemes, Including Investment Scheme that Bilked Muslim-American Community Out of Over $8 Million

 Jebara Igbara, also known as “Jay Mazini,” pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to a three count information charging him with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering.  As set forth in the information, up until March 2021, Igbara maintained a popular Instagram account under the name “Jay Mazini,” where he would post videos depicting, among other things, occasions during which he would hand out large amounts of cash to various individuals as gifts.  In reality, Igbara was perpetrating overlapping fraud schemes, scamming investors out of at least $8 million. 

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the guilty plea. 

“With today’s plea, the defendant has admitted to leveraging his Instagram popularity to prey upon innocent investors and steal at least $8 million of their hard-earned money,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “Together with our agency partners, this Office is committed to bringing scammers to justice.”

“As he admitted today, Igbara deliberately operated multiple scams to cheat a multitude of investors out of their money.  The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to stopping fraudsters of all types and holding them accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.  

“All the victims in this case were promised something that was too good to be true.  Those in the Ponzi scheme were all assured a high rate of return in a short amount of time, while the victims of the Bitcoin advance fee scheme were guaranteed above current market value for their Bitcoin.  This multi-million dollar case is a reminder for anyone thinking of investing: Be skeptical of any investments with larger than life promises, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.

As detailed in the information, Igbara is charged with perpetrating a scheme to defraud members of the Muslim-American community in New York by soliciting their money for purported investments in stock, electronics resale, and purchases of COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE).  In reality, Igbara was operating a Ponzi scheme, and misappropriated nearly all of the money for his personal expenses and gambling. 

To raise money in order to pay his investors “returns,” and keep them on the hook, Igbara also perpetrated a second fraudulent scheme, wherein he posted on his Instagram and other social media accounts that he was willing to pay above-market prices for various cryptocurrencies.  He would then send his victims doctored images of wire transfer confirmations that purported to show he had sent money for the cryptocurrency as promised, when in reality, the payment was never sent, and Igbara was merely stealing the cryptocurrency sent by his victim.                       

When sentenced, Igbara faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

The NYPD Announces it will Join Ring Neighbors

 

Neighbors App Allows the Department to View, Post, and Respond to Crime and Safety Posts

The NYPD today has announced its participation in Neighbors, a free app developed as a part of the Ring system that facilitates interaction between law enforcement and the public.

The collaboration between Ring and the NYPD will commence citywide in the coming week.

While the NYPD will not monitor the app around the clock, it will have the capacity to view, post and respond to crime- and safety-related information posted publicly by the users of the app. Those posts will appear on a map and a timeline, with or without accompanying photos or video. The NYPD will also be able to proactively post notifications to the public, and to seek the public’s help with active police matters, through the app’s “Request for Assistance” feature.

"The ability to interact online with New Yorkers – often in real time – adds to the comprehensive crime-fighting strategies already employed by the NYPD in its relentless efforts to keep our city and everyone in it safe," said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. "True public safety is a shared responsibility, and this tool stands to further advance the collective work of our police and all the people we serve toward reaching that worthy ideal."

Statement from Speaker Adrienne Adams on 18th Death in City Jails and Latest Violence on Rikers Island

 

“The continued deaths and violence on Rikers Island make clear that it remains unsafe for everyone there, and the relentless harm inflicted on detainees and staff alike underscores the seriousness of this crisis.

“I was deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the death of Gilberto Garcia while in custody on Rikers Island, and offer my condolences to his family, friends and community. Just like the 17 other detainees who lost their lives in our city’s jails this year, he should still be alive. Yet, another family is now forced to grieve the loss of their loved one.

“On the same day as Gilberto’s death, a Department of Correction officer was attacked and seriously injured by a detainee at the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island in an act of unacceptable violence. I send my prayers for the officer’s speedy recovery and to his family. As the daughter of a former correction officer who worked on Rikers, I know the challenges faced and sacrifices made by these dedicated public servants and their families – they also deserve to be safe.

“Our city’s jail system needs drastic reform, and there has unquestionably and understandably been a loss of confidence by the public and this Council that the current situation will improve without it. The Council is closely reviewing the federal monitor’s new report, submitted to federal court on Friday, and is exploring next steps to help address the crisis on Rikers as the court’s status conference approaches in the next two weeks.”

Attorney General James Protects New Yorkers’ Right to Vote

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after the Appellate Division, Third Department rejected challenges to New York’s laws expanding access to absentee ballots and streamlining the counting process for returned absentee ballots, and affirmed a decision by state Supreme Court Judge Martin Affredou and overturned in part a decision by state Supreme Court Judge Dianne Freestone:

“We should be taking every step possible to empower voters and ease New Yorkers’ access to the polls. I was proud to defend New York’s absentee ballot reforms, and am happy with the decision to keep these commonsense election integrity initiatives in place. As Attorney General, I will always fight against efforts to infringe on the right to vote and make it harder for New Yorkers to make their voices heard.”

In 2021 and 2022, New York state implemented voting reforms which sought to expand access to absentee ballots, ensure minor technical mistakes on ballots wouldn’t invalidate votes, and update the ballot counting process and timeline. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) defended the laws against suits challenging their constitutionality. The decision by the Appellate Division, Third Department rejected those challenges.

Attorney General James has taken significant action to protect voters’ rights and access to the polls. The OAG has an Election Protection Hotline and works to inform voters to ensure they are able to report issues or if they experience problems. In May 2021, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against the Rensselaer County Board of Elections (BOE) for failing to provide county voters with adequate and equitable access to early voting poll sites, which in August 2021, affirmed and ordered BOE to select new early voting poll sites. Leading up to the 2020 primary elections, Attorney General James called for automatic absentee voting due to the pandemic and need to protect voters, and following the November election, Attorney General James issued an alert to ensure absentee voters were aware of their rights in case there was an issue with their ballots.