Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

 

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

23 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

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

"As the weather gets colder and brings us back indoors, I urge New Yorkers to use the tools that are available to keep themselves, their loved ones, and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Take advantage of the vaccine by staying up to date on doses. Test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for anyone age 12 or older and from Moderna for those 18 or older. 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 approaches. The flu vaccine is recommended for almost everyone 6 months and older. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 may simultaneously spread this fall and winter, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.  

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

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Cases Per 100k - 26.51
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 22.23
• Test Results Reported - 68,310 
• Total Positive - 5,181 
• Percent Positive - 7.47%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.79%**   
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,266 (-10)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 418
• Patients in ICU - 225 (+7)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 88 (+1)
• Total Discharges - 345,612 (+393)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 23
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 58,104

** 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 - 74,242

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	Monday,   September   26, 2022	Tuesday,   September   27, 2022	Wednesday,   September   28, 2022
Bronx	5.84%	5.68%	5.51%
Kings	3.49%	3.74%	3.93%
New York	5.42%	5.33%	5.37%
Queens	6.12%	6.14%	6.13%
Richmond	5.92%	6.22%	6.64%

Georgia Men Charged With Trafficking Dozens of Handguns Into New York

Defendants Purchased and Illegally Transported Approximately 27 Handguns from Georgia to Long Island and Surrounding Areas 

 Patrick Polidore was arraigned by United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke on charges that he and co-defendant Dennis Wolfolk conspired to purchase and illegally transport into New York more than two dozen handguns.  Wolfolk is in federal custody at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility located in Lovejoy, Georgia, and will be removed to the Eastern District of New York for arraignment on the charges at a later date.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. Devito, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau District Attorney announced the charges.

“As alleged, these defendants illegally trafficked over two dozen guns across state lines, distributing them to street-level buyers in New York where at least 11 were then used in numerous violent crimes, including multiple shootings across Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who exploit state and federal gun laws directly leading to deadly gun violence in our communities.”

Mr. Peace thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the ATF’s Atlanta Field Division, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Nassau County Police Department, and the Hempstead Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

“Straw purchasers undermine federal laws and enable violent criminals to obtain firearms that destroy lives and devastate communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge DeVito. “This investigation was initiated by the ATF Long Island Firearms Task Force after a 2020 murder in Hempstead, NY. Evidence recovered by ATF led to Polidore. As alleged, further investigation revealed he conspired to illegally traffic approximately 27 firearms from Georgia to Long Island. ATF is on the frontline in the fight against firearms trafficking alongside our partners. We will use every resource to save lives and stop the flow of illegal guns into our communities. Thank you to our law enforcement partners, including: Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigation Squad, Nassau County District Attorney and Hempstead Police Department for all their work and effort.”

“The arraignment of defendant Patrick Polidore and continued investigation into defendant Dennis Wolfolk is a clear example how law enforcement working together continues to arrest and prosecute these criminals to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods.  The defendants illegally transported dozens of handguns to Long Island and surrounding areas.  Some of these weapons were used in the commission of multiple shootings and other violent crimes.  We will continue to investigate all who break the law in order to reduce gun violence in all communities.  Lastly, I would like to thank all of the investigators who assisted with this investigation for their commitment and dedication to suppressing crime,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.

Nassau District Attorney Donnelly said: “Illegal firearms are flooding into Long Island every day and causing untold destruction. To date, our county law enforcement partners have seized 272 weapons in 2022. As of this date last year, that number was 193. Patrick Polidore and Dennis Wolfolk are part of that problem. These defendants allegedly conspired to purchase firearms in Georgia and trafficked those weapons to Long Island, where at least 11 of them have already been recovered at crime scenes. Stemming the flow of illegal weapons into Long Island requires great partners and I thank U.S. Attorney Breon Peace; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Nassau County Police Department for their work in bringing these alleged gun runners to justice.”

As alleged in an 11-count Indictment and detailed at Polidore’s arraignment, between October 2020 and January 2021, Polidore visited numerous federally licensed retailers and acted as the straw purchaser for approximately 27 handguns, many of which were purchased in rapid succession on the same date.  For example, as alleged, on November 4, 2020, Polidore purchased six handguns at multiple locations in Georgia; on November 18, 2020, and November 23, 2020, he purchased a total of ten handguns.  On federal records that document firearms transactions, Polidore falsely affirmed that he was the actual purchaser of the weapons when, in actuality, he had conspired with Wolfolk, who, as a convicted felon, was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, to traffic the handguns to New York, where they were distributed to street-level buyers. 

At least 11 of the handguns Wolfolk transported to New York have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes in and around Long Island.  For example, shortly after Polidore’s November 4, 2020 purchase of six handguns from different retailers in Georgia, Wolfolk traveled to Long Island with the weapons. Within months, three of the firearms purchased by Polidore were recovered by police on Long Island:

• On January 13, 2021, during a traffic stop in Hempstead, New York—where Wolfolk had previously resided—three individuals, including a juvenile, were found in possession of a 9mm Ruger handgun purchased by Polidore. This gun was linked to an earlier shooting in Uniondale on November 25, 2020, in which unknown individuals fired shots at a vehicle.  The shell casings from that shooting incident matched the firearm purchased by Polidore just two days earlier.
• On May 28, 2021, during a traffic stop in Patchogue, New York, police arrested an individual in possession of a .22-caliber Walther handgun purchased by Polidore. 
• On October 3, 2021, police arrested an individual fleeing the scene of an armed robbery in Bethpage, New York, who was in possession of a .40-caliber Smith & Wessen handgun purchased by Polidore. This same firearm was subsequently linked to a shooting incident in Hempstead on December 16, 2020

Additionally, on December 22, 2020, police investigating the scene of a homicide in Hempstead, New York, located a gun box that had been purchased along with a .40-caliber Glock handgun by Polidore.

To date, the whereabouts of at least 16 firearms purchased by Polidore are still unknown.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) will host an Open House & Registration Day on Saturday, October 1st, from 11:30am to 4:00pm. The event is an open invitation to the community to join the program and creatively celebrate our local talent. The Open House consists of FREE Art Workshops, music and gallery visit to initiate BRAC’s Fall 2022 Education Program.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is celebrating its 35th anniversary with the opening of the exhibition CONVERGENCE: Artists & Community now on view through October 22nd. This Saturday, October 1st, BRAC will host an Open House & Registration Day from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. The event is an open invitation to the community of West Farms and beyond to visit our facilities. Parents, children, youth, and adults are welcome to participate in the art making workshops led by local artist / muralist Tony Cruz aka RAM 2 and Brooklyn based artist / painter Mathamatics Patterson. Selection of urban and latin beats by Bronx native DJ Joker will animate the event.  BRAC’s Fall 2022 classes begin on Monday, October 3rd and run until December 17th. In addition to the regular classes in Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, Printmaking, Ceramics, and Digital Media courses in Animation, Photography and Illustration, this semester BRAC is offering the Afro-Brazilian dance Capoeira and Introduction to Web Design. In addition, interested participants can apply for admissions to the FREE program, Teen Project Studio, TPS (ages 15 to 23), to work on a Art & Nature Design Project.  Details of days, times, and description of the classes available in BRAC’s Education Web Page: www.bronxriverart.org/educacion. For more information call (718) 589-5819 XT17.