Thursday, February 11, 2021
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Black Leadership Action Coalition Releases BLAC Manifesto Guide to Political Offices and Issues
Manifesto calls for reimagining several offices to give them real power
The Black Leadership Action Coalition (BLAC), together with its sister organization The Black Institute (TBI), announced the release of a political manifesto encompassing an educational and political vision of New York. Entitled The BLAC Manifesto, it outlines a bold new political agenda and reimagining of the political structure of New York and New York City. While it is not the Black Agenda, an all-encompassing look at the multitude of issues that confront these communities, it is a Black Agenda; a view of policy and politics from a Black perspective.
“We have hundreds of people running for office in New York City this year, and some of them don’t even know the responsibilities of the job they’re trying to be elected to. This Manifesto is a way to educate people not just on the issues that matter to black and brown New Yorkers, but a guide on what level of government can get it done. For those offices that hold no power to accomplish these goals, it is a call to reimagine those offices and give them real power to get things done,” said Bertha Lewis, Founder and President, Black Leadership Action Coalition.
Following an extended analysis of every elected office representing New York City, from District Leader to President, the Manifesto includes high priority issues and how they can be tackled at each level. Each issue area includes background and analysis, policy making goals, and legislation that accomplishes those goals.
Issues at the state level include:
- COVID-19 Relief for Minority-Owned Small Businesses
- Equitable and Transparent Banking Relationships
- M.A.R.C.H. Raids on Minority Businesses
- Legalization of Marijuana
- Education – Unequal Access to The Internet
- Housing Reform
Issues at the city level include:
- Environmental Racism in The Form of Pesticide Distribution
- Housing Reform
- Property Taxes
- Immigrant Voting
- Police Reform
- MWBE’s Share and Role in The Economy Of New York
- Pay Equity
Issues at the federal level include:
- Legalization of Marijuana
- Reparations
- H1B Visas
- DACA
- Voting Rights
- Police Reform
As a conclusion to the Manifesto, BLAC calls for a reimagining of the offices of Public Advocate and Borough President, which currently hold little power. Under the proposal, the Public Advocate would have the power to introduce legislation to the City Council for serious consideration and be responsible for operation and oversight of the 311 system. New powers for Borough Presidents include a restoration of old powers from the initial city charter that grants greater power over land use decisions. The Manifesto also calls for the elimination of Mayoral control of the city’s school system and the reinstatement of school boards.
Through The BLAC Manifesto, BLAC and TBI aim to educate elected officials, candidates in the upcoming 2021 municipal elections, and regular citizens about the power of elected office and the issues that they must be held to. As an action tank, a think tank that takes action, TBI has been at the forefront of constructing and criticizing policy from a racial angle to ensure that some of the city and states’ most vulnerable populations have a voice in the legislative process. BLAC champions the policies and legislation that TBI and others have put out that help to ensure that these populations are not forgotten or ignored by those whom they elected. The BLAC Manifesto represents a crystallization of these shared objectives.
The full BLAC manifesto can be found here www.
NEW YORK CITY PASSES 200 MILLION MEALS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH GETFOODNYC EMERGENCY PROGRAMS
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Kate MacKenzie announced today that GetFoodNYC, the City’s emergency food program established to combat hunger related to the COVID-19 pandemic, has now distributed over 200 million free meals to New Yorkers in need. This massive number comes as economic fallout from the pandemic continues to heighten the existing need for food support across the city. Any New Yorker in need of food can visit nyc.gov/getfood or call 311 to find a program that works for them.
“Last March, we were facing unprecedented levels of food insecurity in the five boroughs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We acted quickly to stand up an enormous interagency effort to get food to the people who need it. This milestone is proof of our efforts to ensure no New Yorker goes hungry.”
As part of Mayor de Blasio’s FeedingNYC pandemic response plan, the City created a number of programs, most visibly free Grab & Go meals at hundreds of Department of Education sites across the city, provided without the need for sign-up or identification, and Emergency Home Food Delivery for people who, due to a combination of health and economic factors, cannot go out, have no one to go out for them, and cannot afford private delivery options. These programs, which continue operating today, distributed the bulk of the 200 million meals.
The plan also funded creation of a massive Pandemic Food Reserve Emergency Distribution, which is well on its way to providing pantries and community-based organizations with approximately 18 million pounds of produce and shelf-stable goods.
“Food insecurity was, is, and remains one of the great challenges of our time, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the level of need in every neighborhood of the city,” said Kate MacKenzie, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, which oversees the day-to-day operation of the GetFoodNYC programs. “These programs have kept our neighbors from going hungry. As we move closer to the release of the City’s first-ever ‘Ten Year Food Plan,’ I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for his continued commitment to feeding those in need.”
“The Department of Sanitation doesn’t just pick up trash – we move mountains to keep New Yorkers safe, any way we can, whenever we are called upon. We did it after 9/11, we did it after Hurricane Sandy, and a year ago, we embarked on a new task to get food to people in need during the greatest crisis our city has faced in a generation,” said Edward Grayson, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation. “I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for his commitment to feeding New Yorkers, and give my deepest gratitude to every one of the hundreds of DSNY employees who helped that commitment become reality.”
“Each meal served represents a young person or member of our community who did not have to go hungry during this crisis,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “This could not have been accomplished without the heroic work of our food service employees who opened meal hubs on day one, expanded service to all New Yorkers, and reported to work every day to fight hunger in our communities.”
"Providing food for New Yorkers who need it has been a top priority for the City Council since the early days of the pandemic. We are proud to have fought for the funding that has enabled the city to deliver so many meals to so many of our most vulnerable neighbors. We will continue fighting against food insecurity throughout the pandemic and into our city's recovery, " said Speaker Corey Johnson.
California Attorney Arrested For Multimillion-Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of DEREK JONES on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As alleged in an Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, JONES, while licensed as an attorney in California, defrauded investors in businesses JONES controlled out of at least approximately $4.5 million. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska. JONES, who was arrested this morning in California, will be presented later today before a magistrate judge in the Central District of California. Arraignment will be tomorrow before Judge Preska by teleconference.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Derek Jones not only failed to live up to the canons of the legal profession, he affirmatively lied to investors and defrauded them out of millions of dollars. As alleged, Jones lied about a real estate development opportunity on land he neither owned nor was developing, and he lied to investors to create the false impression that he had real businesses with real employees. Jones allegedly spent investors’ money on himself and his family, and to pay some investors in Ponzi-like fashion. Now, thanks to the FBI, Jones is in custody and facing federal charges.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, Jones solicited investments from various clients based on false representations of BlueRidge’s and Realize’s assets. In reality, while at least one of the companies held an account balance in the negative, Jones allegedly was using money received from the fraud to fund personal expenses to include private school tuition for at least one of his children. Investment fraud schemes are unfortunately all too common. Our efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice are as well.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From at least 2012 through at least 2019, JONES solicited and obtained investments for various companies and investment funds he controlled, including the purported real estate development and investment firm BlueRidge Realty (“BlueRidge”) and the purported venture capital firm Realize Holdings (“Realize”).
JONES routinely made materially false oral and written statements to induce victims to invest, including statements that lied about BlueRidge’s and Realize’s assets. For example, JONES falsely claimed that BlueRidge was developing a “resort village” on land it controlled in Washington State, when in fact neither BlueRidge nor JONES owned or controlled the property, let alone had begun developing a resort there. Additionally, JONES sent a potential Realize investor an altered bank statement showing a balance in a Realize bank account of more than $7 million – at a time when that bank account actually had a negative balance of approximately $268.71.
JONES defrauded investors out of at least approximately $4.5 million. He misappropriated investments and used the funds to, among other things, transfer money to himself or relatives, pay tuition for a private school attended by one or more of his children, and make Ponzi-like payments to other investors. To prolong and conceal the fraud scheme, JONES regularly told lies designed to avoid meetings with or inquiries from victims. For example, in explaining his failure to respond promptly to questions or his reason for postponing an upcoming meeting, JONES falsely told different investors, on different occasions, that one of his relatives was in poor health. JONES also used the names of other individuals – without those individuals’ authorization or knowledge – to communicate via email with investors and thus foster the illusion that JONES’s businesses were viable operations with real employees.
JONES, 46, of San Marino, California, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential prison sentence of 20 years, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory consecutive prison sentence of two years. The maximum potential 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.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the FBI.
The allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - FEBRUARY 10, 2021
7,593 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
1,423 Patients in the ICU; 955 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 4.02%
136 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"From hospitalizations to the infection rate, our COVID numbers continue to decline which isn't only great news, but a testament to the hard work of New Yorkers to overcome the post-holiday surge," Governor Cuomo said. "Moving forward, we must do everything we can to keep moving in the right direction until we ultimately win this war once and for all. While all of us continue to practice the safe behaviors we know work on the individual level, the state will continue its mission to fairly and equitably get as many shots in arms as possible. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's up to us to determine how long it takes to get there. If we stay united and stay on track, we will get there together."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 176,750
- Total Positive - 7,101
- Percent Positive - 4.02%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.31%
- Patient Hospitalization - 7,593 (-282)
- Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -489
- Patients Newly Admitted - 821
- Hospital Counties - 57
- Number ICU - 1,423 (+11)
- Number ICU with Intubation - 955 (-16)
- Total Discharges - 134,742 (+873)
- Deaths - 136
- Total Deaths - 36,619
VACCINE FOR ALL: CITI FIELD SITE OPENS TODAY
The Citi Field vaccination site is officially up and running, Mayor de Blasio announced today. Operated by the NYC Test & Trace Corps, the site will serve eligible Queens residents, along with priority appointments for TLC and food service workers from across the five boroughs.
"It's amazin': the Mets are hitting it out of the park today," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "They are stepping up to the plate in a big way by making Citi Field a vaccination site for Queens residents and the essential heroes who keep our city running."
"We are proud to play an important role in our city's recovery and encourage as many as possible to sign up to get the vaccine at Citi Field," said Mets Owner and CEO Steve Cohen. "This is the best path for us to return to some form of normalcy so Let's Get Vaccinated and Let's Go Mets."
For its first week in operation, 200 appointments will be available each day, Monday through Saturday, with 100 of those prioritized for TLC and food service workers. Additional days and appointments will come online with increased supply, with 24 hour service beginning next Wednesday. The site will scale up to administer approximately 4,000 doses next week, and at full capacity, will be able to administer 5,000 each day. Eligible New Yorkers can make an appointment at nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC.
“With the opening of Yankee Stadium last week and Citi Field this week, we’re continuing to expand our City’s large-scale vaccination capacity, including to communities hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “This site will make it easier for Queens residents and essential workers, like TLC drivers and restaurant workers, to get the vaccine. And by increasing vaccine access through our five-borough network of vaccine sites while building trust through continued engagement across the five boroughs, we’re ensuring as many New Yorkers as possible can get vaccinated quickly as possible.”
“The race against COVID-19 urgently demands that we bring the COVID-19 vaccine to all New Yorkers, and the opening of this massive new site at Citi Field will unlock more access to the vaccine for both the residents of Queens and for our frontline essential workers who have kept our city going throughout the pandemic,” said NYC Test & Trace Corps Executive Director Dr. Ted Long. “As the supply of vaccine increases, this new site will bolster our ability to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as quickly as possible.”
Partnerships for Parks - Free Webinar and 25th Anniversary Exhibition Opening
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Governor Cuomo Announces Sports and Entertainment Events in Major Stadiums and Arenas Can Reopen with Limited Spectators Beginning February 23
Events Permitted to Re-Open in Arenas and Stadiums with a Capacity of 10,000 People or More
Using the Buffalo Bills Pilot Program as a Model, Facilities Will Be Required to Follow Similar Operational Guidelines in Order to Re-Open
Barclays Center Already Approved to Re-Open on February 23 for Brooklyn Nets Home Game Against the Sacramento Kings
Success of this Initiative to Help Inform the Future Re-Opening of Smaller Venues
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that, building off of the successful Buffalo Bills pilot program, sports and entertainment events in major stadiums and arenas with a capacity of 10,000 or more people can re-open with limited spectators beginning February 23. Following the model established as part of the successful Buffalo Bills pilot program, venues and events must follow similar guidelines, including Department of Health approval for venues and events, capacity limitations, testing requirements, mandatory face coverings, temperature checks, and assigned, socially distanced seating.
The Department of Health's work to inspect eligible venues statewide is already underway, and thanks to that work, the Barclays Center has been approved to re-open on February 23 for the Brooklyn Nets home game against the Sacramento Kings. The success of this, and similar events in approved venues over the coming weeks will help inform the re-opening process for smaller venues in the future.
"While we continue to fight COVID on multiple fronts, we must also get this economy re-opened intelligently and in a balanced way," Governor Cuomo said. "Live sports and entertainment have long been engrained in the fabric of New York and the inability to hold events has only added to the isolation we have all felt at the hands of this virus. Thankfully, our pilot program to reopen Buffalo Bills games to fans was an unparalleled success and now we are taking that model and expanding it to other large venues across the state to not only reinvigorate local economies, but also help bring some fun and joy back into people's lives as safely as possible."
Specifically, in order to re-open venues to professional sports, sites must:
- Obtain DOH approval for both venues and events
- Institute a 10 percent capacity limit in arenas and stadiums
- Ensure all staff and spectators receive a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event
- Mandate face coverings, social distancing and temperature checks for all those in attendance
- Mandate assigned, socially distanced seating
- Collect contact information from all those in attendance to help inform contact tracing efforts
- Meet enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards
- Ensure retail, food services and athletic activities abide by all state-issued guidance