DEC PREPARES TO KICK OFF UNOFFICIAL START OF SPRING WITH TROUT FISHING OPPORTUNITIES

 

With Year-Round Trout Seasons, April 1 Marks End of Catch-and-Release-Only and Start of Harvest Season

More Than 1.8 Million Trout Being Stocked Statewide

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the upcoming start of the spring trout fishing season, which provides excellent angling opportunities statewide thanks to the State’s extensive stocking program and considerable number of wild trout fisheries. DEC’s spring trout stocking begins in March and runs through early June, and includes more than 1.8 million trout stocked in waters statewide. 

"Fishing in New York State is a highly anticipated, world-class experience that brings seasoned and amateur anglers to our waters in every corner of the State every spring," Commissioner Seggos said. “DEC’s extensive fish stocking efforts throughout the State is certain to complement our existing healthy fisheries and make the upcoming harvest season a success.”

Trout Fishing 

For decades, April 1 was the traditional “opening day” of trout fishing season. This year, the date marks the opening of the harvest season for trout because year-round fishing was made available on most streams with the implementation of an Oct. 16 – March 31 artificial lures-only catch-and-release season.  

Trout Stocking 

DEC stocking trucks have already begun hitting the roadways and trout stocking is in full swing with 1,872,105 catchable brown, rainbow, and brook trout stocked in ponds and streams across the State this spring. Stocked-Extended streams (listed in the Trout Streams section of the regulations guide) will receive fish every other week for two months to enhance season-long opportunities for angler success. Most streams will also receive a seeding of larger stocked trout. Spring trout stocking lists, including the week of stocking for trout streams, can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30465.html. Additionally, DEC recognizes some fisheries rely on stocked fish to reach a certain size before they can be harvested. Visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30467.html to find locations where these put-grow-and-take stockings of brook trout, lake trout and Atlantic salmon take place. 

New Fishing Regulations

DEC recently announced the adoption of new freshwater fishing regulations that will take effect on April 1. Following a public comment period on draft proposals earlier this year, the new regulations reflect the input and support of the angling community in DEC’s efforts to make fishing New York’s waters less complicated. Of particular interest to trout anglers is a new statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake. The regulation creates consistency with inland trout regulations and expands opportunities for year-round fishing. A complete compilation of changes and an assessment of public comment associated with the rulemaking can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/124258.html. 

New Trout Stream Signage

As part of DEC’s efforts to make fishing more enjoyable, DEC has posted “Management Category” signs on most of the State’s 1,500 miles of public fishing rights. Management categories make a sharp distinction between wild trout management (wild, wild quality, wild premier) and stocked trout management (stocked, stocked extended) and more details can be found here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/tsmpreachcat.pdf  These signs convey not only the management category for a particular stream reach, but also the regulations associated with the reach. Anglers are advised to look for the white and green signs with a trout when fishing trout streams with public fishing rights.  

Trout Stream Fishing Opportunities 

Last year DEC launched an interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map to provide anglers with one-stop-shopping for information about stocking, fishing access, season dates, and regulations on DECinfo Locator. Anglers will be able to view trout stream reaches color-coded by management category and fishing access associated with those reaches. These layers will allow trout stream anglers to plan their trips and find their preferred trout stream fishing experiences. Links to the Trout Stream Fishing Map and a User Guide are available here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/122444.html. Anglers are encouraged to check out this valuable resource when planning their next fishing trip.

2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide

The new guide with recently adopted regulations changes is posted on the DEC website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html. Hard copies of the guide are currently being produced and guides are anticipated to be available at License Issuing Agents by the second week of April. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing FWFish@dec.ny.gov. In 2021, DEC removed advertisements and articles from the annual fishing regulations guide to make it easier to use. This approach and larger print size continues this year, along with more improvements to facilitate finding regulations. Measuring 5 ½ x 8 ½ inches, the new guide allows anglers to keep a copy in their glovebox or tacklebox.

Brooklyn Company Admits Price Gouging KN95 Masks During COVID-19 Pandemic

 

 A New York company admitted its role in price gouging a chain of New Jersey grocery stores in connection with the sale of KN95 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Milk & Honey Ventures LLC (MHV), a company based in Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen on March 28, 2022, to an information charging it with price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In March 2020, MHV and two partners purchased 250,000 KN95 filtering facepiece respirators from a foreign manufacturer. MHV and one of those partners then sold 100,000 of those masks to a chain of New Jersey grocery stores at prices in excess of prevailing market prices. MHV sold the masks at a price of $5.25 per mask, which amounted to a markup of more than 400 percent from its acquisition cost. Prior to the spread of COVID-19, MHV had no history of selling personal protective equipment.

A violation of the Defense Production Act carries a maximum fine of $200,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for MHV is scheduled for Aug. 9, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Peter Fitzhugh in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Governor Hochul Announces $21 Million in Funding for Nation’s First Assertive Community Treatment Teams Dedicated to Children and Their Families

 

New York is First State in Nation to use Innovative Program to Assist At-Risk Youth Who Have Not Responded Well to Traditional Treatment 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $21 million in funding awards for 15 Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams. New York is the first state in the nation to enact Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams, which serve children ages 10 to 21 and their families, providing services and support in the home and community settings. The teams allow young people who are at risk of entering residential or inpatient psychiatric treatment to receive services while remaining with their families and in their communities. 

"When at-risk young people are suffering from hardships, it is imperative that families stay together," Governor Hochul said. "In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York is leading the way in developing new and innovative ways to provide behavioral healthcare to vulnerable individuals. With the help of this new program, children across the state will have the opportunity to remain with their families and receive the services they need."

OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "We are very proud at OMH to be the first state mental health agency in the nation to modify the successful adult ACT team model and use it to serve young people and their families. The pioneering teams we are funding and developing will provide services to at-risk young people when and where they need it most, and help them stay in school and develop the skills they can use to lead successful and independent lives." 

Representative Yvette Clarke said, "When our young people are suffering with mental health issues and facing additional barriers that prevent them from getting the support and treatment they need, the onus is on us, their elected officials, to ensure they find the right solutions to help them overcome these difficulties. Similar to my work as a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee when I helped introduce The Latonya Reeves Freedom Act, a crucial piece of legislation to prohibit discriminatory practices against individuals with disabilities who need Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS), so too must we join hands to codify existing laws and strengthen the rights of young New Yorkers with disabilities, including mental health disorders, in a setting that supports the delivery of adequate treatment services and promotes healing. Thanks to the NYS Office of Mental Health and Governor Hochul's commitment to help our young people and their families overcome the difficulties accessing the right mental health treatment, that obligation is being fulfilled. Today's funding announcement, which I wholeheartedly support, will provide our state's revolutionary Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams with the resources they need to keep our kids healthy in their own homes, and in their community."

Representative Adriano Espaillat said, "I commend Governor Hochul on today's announcement to allocation $21 million for community treatment teams to further our efforts to address the mental health of children and their families. Community treatment teams are a vital component of our efforts to expanded access and services to mental health resources, and the development of these Youth Assertive Community Treatment providers will help increase the overall access to intensive and individualized services to provide critical support to children and their families daily as needed."

By using a team approach, Youth ACT teams can deliver intensive, highly coordinated, individualized services and skilled therapeutic interventions to ensure the child and their family have the level of treatment and services to support their recovery. They are highly responsive and flexible to meet the individualized, changing needs of the child and family, and they offer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The development of Youth ACT represents a commitment by the NYS Office of Mental Health to increase access to services in the home and community for children and youth with mental health issues and their families. As the teams begin to treat clients, OMH will evaluate their effectiveness, and has formed a steering committee of researchers, clinicians, and family and youth partners to guide the evaluation and refine the model. 

Youth ACT teams by region include: 

Capital Region: 

Parson's Child and Family Centers, serving Albany & Schenectady Counties, 36 slot team 

Central New York: 

Onondaga Case Management, serving Onondaga County, 48 slot team 

Hillside, serving Chenango and Cortland counties, 36 slot team

Finger Lakes: 

Hillside, serving Monroe County, 48 slot team 

Long Island: 

Central Nassau, serving Nassau County, 48 slot team 

Hope for Youth, serving Suffolk County, 36 slot team 

Mid-Hudson: 

MHA Westchester, serving Westchester County, 48 slot team 

New York City: 

Child Center of NY, serving Manhattan, 48 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Staten Island, 36 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Queens, 36 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Bronx, 36 slot team 

JCCA, serving Brooklyn, 48 slot team 

Southern Tier: 

Children's Home of Wyoming, serving Broome County, 48 slot team 

Western New York: 

Child and Family Services, serving Erie & Niagara Counties, 48 slot team 

Mohawk Valley:

Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN), serving Oneida County, 48 slot team

OMH will soon be issuing a Request for Proposal to develop another five teams that will serve children and families in the following counties: 

Capital Region: 

One team serving Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties 

Mid-Hudson:  

One team serving Orange County 

Mohawk Valley:

One team serving Fulton and Montgomery Counties

Finger Lakes: 

One team Serving Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Yates Counties 

Southern Tier:

One team Serving Steuben and Chemung Counties  

EDITOR'S NOTE:

What Happened to the 875 Million Dollars for Thrive NYC for this?

Thessalonica Court Achieves Sustainability Milestone At 350 Saint Anns Avenue In Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Thessalonica Court in Mott Haven, The Bronx has become the nation’s first affordable housing property to achieve both Enterprise Green Communities and the WELL Building Standard certifications. Working in collaboration, Enterprise and The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) debuted the joint certification program for affordable buildings in 2019 to encourage developers to build healthier buildings for the country’s most vulnerable populations.

Located at 350 Saint Anns Avenue, Thessalonica Court is a Project Based Section 8 building with 191 units of affordable housing. Jonathan Rose Companies acquired the property from Omni New York in 2020 for approximately $64 million. Since then, the owner-developer committed to an extensive rehabilitation project to improve resident quality of life, bolster energy performance, and infrastructure upgrades to mitigate the impact of severe rainfall.

“By prioritizing resident well-being and building a collective commitment to environmental sustainability, Enterprise Green Communities fundamentally changed how developers create affordable homes,” said Rose Companies president Jonathan F.P. Rose.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES NEW CAREER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE

 

 

V-CRED Will Serve 90 Youth in Foster Care, Providing Professional Certifications, Paid Internships and Apprenticeships, and Trauma-Informed Wrap-Around Support Services

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a new vocational training and apprenticeship program that will provide professional opportunities to youth, ages 16 to 24, in foster care. The New York City Administration for Children’s Services’ (ACS) new V-CRED program will support youth in their education, career, and personal development, and is being created in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The City University of New York (CUNY), and private sector employers. As part of the program, youth will participate in training for professional certification through courses offered by Kingsborough Community College, participate in paid internships/apprenticeships, and have opportunities for employment with the employer hosting the internship. V-CRED will focus on five career pathways: 1) Information Technology, 2) Electrician’s Helper, 3) Allied Health (e.g. Certified Nursing Assistants, EKG Technician), 4) Pharmacy Technicians, and 5) Building Trades.

 

“If we don’t educate, we incarcerate, which is why one of my most important jobs is advocating for our youth who have been in foster care or had contact with the juvenile justice system,” said Mayor Adams. “This new V-CRED vocational training and apprenticeship program is going to help our young people prepare for good jobs and a bright future. But it’s about more than learning. It’s about guidance and mentorship because when it comes to helping young people plan their future: We are not going to just let them wing it, we are going to take them under our wing.”

“When young people are given the tools and support they need to succeed, they succeed,” said Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “V-CRED is the perfect example of a collaborative effort that does just this, by providing youth with vocational training, certifications, internships, and apprenticeships that will prepare them for successful careers.”

“ACS is committed to providing young people with the education and career opportunities they deserve, and this new V-CRED vocational training program is one important way we’re working to do that,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “We know that when we invest in opportunities for our young people, they work hard and seize them. By providing youth in foster care with access to professional certifications, paid internships, and employment opportunities — and keeping these opportunities in place beyond foster care into young adulthood — we are working to ensure they have the right support to pursue their dreams and be successful adults. ACS thanks the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, CUNY and the private sector employers who are involved in this program for their partnership and commitment to helping youth in foster care succeed.”

 

“VCRED offers all the components that youth need: Paid work experience, postsecondary access, and wraparound supports,” said David Fischer, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Youth Employment. “We are very pleased to support ACS on this highly promising program, and grateful for the generosity of the Kellogg Foundation in making it a reality.”

 

“The pandemic has wreaked havoc for many children and families, but especially for young people in the foster care system,” said Nara Topp, program officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “We’re pleased to support ACS’s response to this crisis by collaborating with businesses, government, and higher education to provide vocational training and supportive wraparound services to young people in and aging out of foster care as a career pathway towards a more equitable future.”

 

“This great new partnership combines CUNY’s emphasis on health and medical technology with career pathways, and upskilling New Yorkers, all of which have taken on new importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Our students from V-CRED will parlay the skills and training they obtain at Kingsborough Community College into careers that contribute to the revitalization and rebuilding of their communities, providing further affirmation that the road to New York City’s recovery goes through The City University of New York. We thank Mayor Adams, Commissioner Dannhauser, and the Kellogg Foundation for partnering with the university to create this remarkable initiative.”

 

“Increasing the accessibility of these training programs is pivotal in this time where there is a growing demand for talent. It is important for us to work towards closing the opportunity gap in New York City, which we know requires us to truly prepare students for careers that can help them to become more self-sufficient,” said Dr. Simone Rodriguez, vice president of workforce development and continuing education and strategic partnerships, Kingsborough Community College, CUNY. “We are delighted to partner with ACS to deliver specialized training to meet that demand.” 

 

“We are excited to partner with ACS in providing a career path for men and women with great attitudes, and reliable and adaptable traits in a time where the construction industry is in need of craft professionals,” said Kelly DiLello, training director, USIS Training Academy, Inc.

 

V-CRED is one of multiple strategies that ACS is currently implementing to improve educational and employment outcomes for youth in foster care. Research has shown that the most effective programs for older youth in foster care are comprehensive services models that include education, employment, housing, and supportive services. Youth in V-CRED will also benefit from services through the Fair Futures initiative, which provides dedicated coaches, tutors, and education, employment, and housing specialists for youth, ages 11 to 21, in foster care. Youth will also be able to enroll in a career readiness training through Hats and Ladders, an occupation education program designed to motivate and prepare young people for jobs.

 

V-CRED will begin as a two-year pilot program, serving 90 young people in foster care, 45 youth per year. The program has three core components, which include training for professional certification, paid internships, and job placement. The program is aligned with a career pathways model and provides developmentally appropriate career readiness planning designed to provide each person with a career and education plan, a resume, cover letter, and a professional network that they work to develop.

 

Paid internships are being provided by private sector employers and community-based agencies that will also offer tangible job opportunities at worksites where youth gain work experience and on-the-job training. The program also includes wrap-around services and participation in the Young Adult Work Opportunities for Rewarding Careers (YA WORC) program — a program offered in collaboration with Columbia University that includes a facilitated support group where youth can share their experiences during training with other youth, ask career questions, and get feedback from training professionals.

 

Partnerships for training in the industry-focused areas have been developed with Common Point Queens (Pre-HSE/HSE classes) and Kingsborough Community College (Pharmacy Tech and EMT classes) and Metro Placements to ensure youth have access to the specific industry training they desire.

 

The private sector employers (USIS, Health Max, Walgreens, CVS, etc.) will offer paid internships and apprenticeships to youth that can potentially lead to immediate employment.

 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - MARCH 28, 2022

 

Lowest Number of Hospitalizations Since August 1st

8 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

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

"The best way to protect ourselves and others from this virus is by using the tools we know work," Governor Hochul said. "If you feel sick, get tested and limit your exposure to others. If you test positive, talk to a doctor right away about treatments. The booster dose improves your protection against severe illness and hospitalization, so don't delay in getting one once you are eligible. Let's continue to safely move forward through this pandemic."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Test Results Reported - 70,156
• Total Positive - 2,010
• Percent Positive - 2.87%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.36%
• Patient Hospitalization - 821 (-2)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 103
• Patients in ICU - 127 (-8)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 56 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 290,377 (+95)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 8
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 55,104   

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. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 70,159

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 - 37,409,995

Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 8,246

Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 87,959

• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 83.4%
• 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) - 86.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 82.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 72.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 81.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 73.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 89.5% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 76.1%

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

BOROUGH	Friday, March 25, 2022	Saturday, March 26, 2022	Sunday, March 27, 2022
Bronx	0.79%	0.88%	0.91%
Brooklyn	1.54%	1.66%	1.70%
Manhattan	2.34%	2.42%	2.46%
Queens	1.36%	1.43%	1.48%
Staten Island	1.56%	1.66%	1.71%