Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MAY 11, 2022

 

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

New York Remains #1 Among Large States in Fully Vaccinated Total Population

21 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"Getting fully vaccinated and staying up to date on booster doses is a key way to prevent serious illness and hospitalization from COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "I want to thank the more than 75 percent of New Yorkers who have gotten fully vaccinated and are keeping their communities safe and healthy. Let's continue to move forward safely through this pandemic: Make sure you are fully vaccinated and up to date on your booster doses."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k - 51.62
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 48.66
• Test Results Reported - 109,960
• Total Positive - 10,087
• Percent Positive - 9.02%**  
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 7.18%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,358 (-11)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 445
• Patients in ICU - 222 (+5)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 94 (+3)
• Total Discharges - 299,944 (415)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 21
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 55,672

** 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 - 71,068

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.      

• Total vaccine doses administered - 38,563,494
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 25,747
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 148,730
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.5%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 83.8%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.1%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 83.2%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.2%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.0%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.2%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.3%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.1%  

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, May 8, 2022	Monday, May 9, 2022	Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Bronx	3.58%	3.62%	3.75%
Kings	4.12%	3.66%	3.86%
New York	6.73%	6.62%	6.56%
Queens	5.11%	5.08%	5.16%
Richmond	5.19%	5.28%	5.35%

Recording Artist Gang Leader Pleads Guilty To Racketeering And Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracies

 

Caswell Senior, a/k/a “Casanova,” Admits to a Shooting and a Robbery, and Having a Gang Leadership Role, and is Thirteenth Defendant to Plead Guilty

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that recording artist CASWELL SENIOR, a/k/a “Casanova,” pled guilty today to racketeering and narcotics offenses arising out of his leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang (“Gorilla Stone”) in Westchester County, New York City, and Florida.  As part of the racketeering conspiracy offense, SENIOR admitted to participating in a shooting in Florida on July 5, 2020, a robbery in New York City on August 5, 2018, and conspiring to traffic over 100 kilograms of marijuana.  SENIOR pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Like twelve of his co-defendants, Caswell Senior, an accomplished recording artist and performer, now stands convicted of playing a leadership role in Gorilla Stone, a particularly violent Bloods gang that operates throughout New York and across the country.  In addition to his supervisory role, Senior was an active, hands-on participant in the gang’s senseless violence, including a shooting in Miami and contributing to a robbery at a Manhattan diner.  Dismantling violent gangs and stopping gun violence continues to be one of my highest priorities.  Thanks to the dedication of our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Senior now awaits sentencing for his dangerous conduct.”      

According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:

Beginning in at least 2004 and lasting until December 2020, SENIOR participated in and was associated with the Gorilla Stone racketeering conspiracy.  Senior admitted that as part of the racketeering activity, on or about July 5, 2020, while at a party in Florida that included gang members, he discharged a firearm at an individual with whom he was having a gambling dispute.  A victim suffered serious bodily injury because of the shooting.  Thereafter, other party attendees discharged multiple firearms.  Additionally, SENIOR stipulated that as part of a separate August 5, 2018 robbery in Manhattan, a victim was restrained and suffered serious bodily injury.  In connection with his guilty plea, SENIOR further stipulated that he was an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants and he agreed to traffic at least 100 kilograms of marijuana.

SENIOR, 35, of Montville, New Jersey, is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Philip M. Halpern on December 6, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.  SENIOR pled guilty to one count of conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of a criminal enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and one count of conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana.  The total maximum term of prison on these two counts is 60 years, with a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison. 

The maximum and mandatory minimum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

SENIOR is the thirteenth defendant in the Gorilla Stone case to plead guilty.  The twelve other defendants who previously pled guilty are: DESHAWN THOMAS, a/k/a “Don,” NAYA AUSTIN, a/k/a “Baby,” BRANDON NIEVES, a/k/a “Untouchable Dot,” DONAVAN GILLARD, a/k/a “Donnie Love,” JARRETT CRISLER, Jr., a/k/a “Jayecee,” DEZON WASHINGTON, a/k/a “Blakk,” STEPHEN HUGH, a/k/a “Chino,” JORDAN INGRAM, a/k/a “Flow,” SHANAY OUTLAW, a/k/a “Easy,” ROBERTA SLIGH, a/k/a “Trouble,” BRINAE THORNTON, a/k/a “Luxury,” and JAMAL TRENT, a/ka/ “Trap Smoke.” 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, US Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, NYPD, Westchester County PD, Westchester County DAs Office, Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Rockland DAs Office and the Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo and Clarkstown Police Departments.

Bronx Community Board 9 - SENIOR CONNECTED IS BACK! 5.20.2022

 

Resources for people with Disabilities

COVID-19 Testing Sites

COVID-19 and Human Rights

Covid-19 Rent Relief Program Visit our website Bronx Community Board 9 -  1967 Turnbull Ave , Bronx , NY 10472

NYPD Announces New Head of Special Victims Division

Human-Trafficking Investigations Move to Survivor-Centric Unit

Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell today announced the appointment of Inspector Carlos Ortiz, a 25-year veteran of the New York City Police Department, to lead the NYPD's newly restructured Special Victims Division.

As the division's commanding officer, Inspector Ortiz will oversee a survivor-centric, evidence-driven investigative body that will now also have full responsibility for investigating human-trafficking cases previously handled by the NYPD’s Vice Unit. Placing these investigations under SVD’s purview will streamline cases and allow detectives to more effectively and efficiently serve survivors of all sexual offenses, while simultaneously building the strongest possible cases on their behalf.

Inspector Ortiz was chosen from among several other highly qualified executive finalists. Each of the candidates was interviewed and vetted by a group of NYPD leaders and survivors’ advocates.

"As our NYPD team comes into sharper focus, it is clear that Inspector Ortiz is the best-suited professional to take the helm of our Special Victims Division and to lead all of the dedicated individuals committed to this important and challenging work,” Commissioner Sewell said. "He has extensive investigative experience, and I am confident in his proven abilities to enhance our public safety mission and further strengthen our close working relationships with advocacy groups – whose own members were consulted in the selection process for this critical role."

A New York City native, Inspector Ortiz joined the NYPD in April 1997, and began his career on patrol at the 44th Precinct in the Bronx. He also served at Police Service Area 8 in the Bronx, Detective Borough Manhattan South, the 45th Precinct in the Bronx, Detective Borough Bronx, and Patrol Borough Manhattan North. He was promoted to sergeant in December 2002, lieutenant in October 2007, captain in April 2011, deputy inspector in June 2015, and inspector in November 2018.

He served as commanding officer of Detective Borough Bronx, Zones 7 and 20; Detective Borough Manhattan South Operations; and the 115th Precinct in Queens. He was also executive officer of the 24th and 32nd Precincts in Manhattan. Most recently, Inspector Ortiz was Special Projects Coordinator for the Patrol Services Bureau.

Inspector Ortiz earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from DePauw University in Indiana in 1992.

The NYPD is relentlessly focused on delivering justice to brave survivors of sexual assault and other offenses, beginning at the very first interaction and throughout the entire investigative process. Well-trained SVD investigators are deeply committed to doing everything necessary to ensure that survivors of all crimes feel the safety and support needed to come forward, to courageously share their experiences, and to help their police department deliver them justice.

Today’s announcement further fortifies SVD, adding to previous improvements such as: the assignment of additional investigators, implementation of enhanced training that amplifies the NYPD’s ability to respond to survivors, and improved collaboration with survivors' advocates to offer necessary support and services while conducting full and thorough investigations.

Additionally, Commissioner Sewell announced today the search for a subject-matter expert who will fill a new civilian director's position within SVD, further supporting the goals of the division and the police department as a whole.

State Senator Gustavo Rivera - Dakota’s Law Passes the Legislature

 

Dakota’s Law (S5024B Rivera /A7325 Peoples-Stokes), a bill to prevent and address instances of elevated blood lead levels in children, passed the Assembly. This bill is now on its way to Governor Hochul’s desk for her signature after passing the Senate last March. 

This bill requires lead screenings at every routine primary health care visit or annually for children until the age of six years old. Health care practitioners will also provide parents and guardians with guidance on lead poisoning prevention, including information on their right to an inspection if the child lives in an area of high risk. The bill will also require pre-kindergarten and kindergarten institutions to check if their enrolling students have been screened for lead exposure and provide them with educational materials on lead poisoning. This is the first bill of Dakota’s Law, a multi-bill effort to enhance New York’s childhood lead poisoning prevention measures. 

“Dakota’s Law is the result of my constituent Tiesha Jones’ work to not only help her daughter Dakota but to prevent other children from suffering her daughter’s fate,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “This bill will make a real difference in the lives of millions of children and parents in New York. We must do everything in our power to end lead poisoning in New York State and ensure our children are living in safe and healthy environments. I urge Governor Hochul to sign this important legislation into law."

“Lead contamination has plagued so many of our communities for decades to the detriment of our most vulnerable people,” said Assembly Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes. “This legislation is an important measure to address lead poisoning in our children and provides real solutions for communities and families to combat the negative effects of lead exposure. I look forward to this bill being signed into law.”

Dakota’s Law was written with Ms. Tiesha Jones, Senator Rivera’s constituent, based on her and her child’s experience with elevated blood lead levels. Ms. Jones was living in a public housing apartment in the Bronx with her family and took her daughter Dakota to the doctor for appropriate testing at the required ages, of 12- and 24-months-old. Upon changing doctors at age 4, she was offered a lead screening and within this time frame, Dakota’s blood lead levels increased from 5 micrograms to 45. This left Dakota with permanent developmental challenges that affect her education.  

“I am so excited that Dakota’s Law passed both houses. When we drafted this legislation, I wanted to make sure other mothers and families did not have to go through what Dakota and I had to,” said Tiesha Jones. “I hope the Governor recognizes how important this bill is for the health and success of New York’s children and signs this bill into law.”

The passage of this bill builds on the successful effort by Senator Rivera to lower New York’s State’s action level from 10 micrograms to 5, in accordance with recommendations from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children under six years old whose blood lead levels reach 10 micrograms face developmental toxicity, or permanent damage, due to lead exposure. By taking action when a child has a blood lead level of 5 micrograms, we prevent permanent damage by addressing the source of lead exposure and preventing the lasting damage of lead poisoning.