Friday, September 23, 2016
**Taste of Morris Park Food Festival TOMORROW!**
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$20 MILLION IN PRIVATE DONATIONS RAISED FOR MAYOR DE BLASIO’S COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL INITIATIVE
Program has already reached 246 schools and trained more than 450 teachers
Goal of universal access to computer science education for 1.1 million students ahead of progress
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships, announced today that Mayor de Blasio’s Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative has raised $20 million in private funding. The fundraising campaign is half-way toward meeting a $40 million goal that will ultimately be matched in public funding for one of the cornerstones of the Mayor’s Equity and Excellence education reforms.
Today, 246 elementary, middle and high schools across the city are participating in CS4All. More than 450 teachers are receiving rigorous training to bring computer science instruction to their schools. CS4All gives students the computational thinking, problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary for college and professional success. Last September, the Mayor announced that the City would be bringing the program to every elementary, middle, and high school by 2025.
“Last year we announced an ambitious plan to bring computer science education to every public school student by 2025 – making New York City the largest school district in the country to do so. Today, we are announcing real strides in completing our goal,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The city’s tech industry is growing, yet before Computer Science for All, fewer than five percent of our public school students had even the most basic skills necessary to apply for these jobs. Through this program, we’re laying the groundwork today so that our kids can apply for these jobs tomorrow.”
The initiative is a model for effective public-private partnerships, with the City of New York and the private sector bearing programmatic costs equally. Today the Mayor announced new commitments from: Math for America (MƒA); Robin Hood Education and Technology Fund, co-chaired by David Siegel and John Overdeck; Paulson Family Foundation; Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.; the Hutchins Family Foundation; Association for a Better New York and the Rudin Family Foundation; Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Ron Conway, Founder, SV Angel; and Nancy and Alan Schwartz. Founding partners Fred Wilson and CSNYC, Robin Hood and the AOL Charitable Foundation, as well as early investment from AT&T that helped make the initiative possible. Public dollars support the infrastructure and human capital needed to pull off what is the largest effort of its kind. Private dollars support the training of nearly 5,000 teachers over the next ten years. These funds are overseen and administered by the New York City Fund for Public Schools.
“Computer Science for All is a cornerstone of equity and excellence in our public schools – these are the skills our students need to be successful in high school, college, and careers in the 21st century,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “This isn’t just for particular students from particular backgrounds; learning how to think critically and computationally, and how to create with technology, must be for all students. I thank our private partners for recognizing the importance of this initiative and for their investment.”
"The Mayor’s vision for New York City schools will put a new generation on the path toward success,” said Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships. “Through this landmark public-private partnership, we will level the playing field for every student in every borough. Computer Science for All is an investment in creating opportunities for all of our young people, particularly in a global economy where technology is integral to every industry.”
Through the implementation of this ten-year initiative, New York City will be the largest school district in the country to provide computer science education to all students, particularly populations underrepresented in tech including girls, African-American and Latino students and students from low-income families. Most students in public schools traditionally either lack access to computer science or gain these skills too late. Early and widespread exposure to computer science is key to breaking down gender and racial barriers, leading to greater diversity and equality in the tech sector and relevant industries. The initiative promotes critical skills like thinking creatively, working as a team, and interacting with technology, as well as technical skills that will power the 21st century economy.
Computer science education at the scale of New York City’s public school system, encompassing 1.1 million students, will allow a new generation to be active creators of technology. By expanding access to computer science throughout NYC public schools, CS4All will also promote the cultivation of local and diverse talent for the City’s own workforce, including technology, and have a ripple effect across the country, where only a quarter of professional computing jobs are held by women and less than ten percent are held by African-Americans and Latinos.
Of the 246 schools participating in Computer Science for All programs, 98 are offering full-year courses or multi-year sequences including AP Computer Science Principles, the Software Engineering Program (SEP) and the SEP Jr. program for elementary schools. Teachers from the remaining schools have participated in the “CS Track” of the Department of Education’s STEM Institute and received intensive training to implement rigorous, hands-on CS lessons and units in their schools. Through teachers’ participation in these programs, students in elementary, middle and high school will learn the fundamentals of computer science, such as coding, robotics and web design.
By 2025, all New York City public school students will receive at least one meaningful, high-quality computer science unit or course at each school level: elementary, middle, and high school. The centerpiece of the initiative is the training of nearly 5,000 teachers who will, by year ten, bring computer science to more than 245,000 students each year.
Importantly, many of these students will be prepared to fill the 200,000 additional technology jobs that New York City’s employers will create over the next decade while all graduates will be equipped with soft skills needed to successfully navigate the 21st century economy. Together, the Equity and Excellence initiatives will support progress across all schools so that, by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time, two-thirds of graduates are college ready and all students are reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade. More information on Equity and Excellence is available online.
Mayor de Blasio Visits MS 223, the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology
In an effort to bolster computer skills of all students in NYC public schools the Mayor visited MS 223 in the South Bronx to show off a school with a new computer technology room. The mayor said that only 246 public schools only have the technology that MS 233 has, and when I asked him to give me a breakdown by borough of schools, the answer which I received was 'We will have to get back to you on that'. I already knew that the borough with the most technology in its public schools in the borough of Manhattan, and wanted to hear that from the mayor, but apparently he just played dumb. The photos below should tell more of the story.
Above - The sign on the door to this computer room says We do not play games - We make them'.
Below - 30 of the latest computers with large screens are in place for students in the school to use. There are also two Smart \boards in the room at either end.
Above - The mayor and Chancellor Farina enter the computer room. The mayor heads to one student, and the chancellor to another.
Below - Mayor de Blasio sits with Amaih to see what she is working on.
Above and Below - The Mayor, Chancellor, and other partners in the Computer Science for All program then went to the library to give a description of the new initiative, and then took questions from the media.
Here is part of that press conference to introduce the Computer Science for All Program.
MS 223, the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology, truly offers us a window into the future when computer science education is available to all of our students. It is said that genius can be found in every zip code, but not necessarily opportunity, and that is really at the heart of why we are here today. Computer Science for All is the largest public-private partnership of the de Blasio administration – an $81 million-dollar initiative to bring computer science education to every one of our 1.1 million students.
I am so pleased to be joined by all of our partners in this effort today. We have experts that are equipping our teachers with the knowledge they need to make this vision a reality. And our funding partners who are bringing us the resources to roll this out to every neighborhood in our city.
In today’s world, our students need to be as fluent in reading and writing computer code as they are in reading and writing the alphabet. The tech sector grew 57 percent between 2007 and 2014 in our city, nearly six times the overall city-wide employment average. And before we launched this initiative, we know that too few of our students were receiving computer science education. And yet, in spite of this phenomenal growth, our employers are starved for talent, and we all know that talent is one thing we have plenty of in this city. But talent alone with not secure these future good jobs. Our students need opportunity. Opportunity paired with skills-based learning and the support of all of the stakeholders in this room will help us guarantee New York City a 21st Century workforce.
Computer Science for All is yet another example of Mayor de Blasio’s commitment to public-private partnerships. Wedding the scale of government with the entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector helps to create opportunities for all New Yorkers. I like to call this initiative a win-win-win – a win for our students who receive new skills and learning, who have access now often to computers in their classroom; a win for our industries all throughout the city who gain a local and diverse workforce; and a win for our city as our economy soars with this new generation of leaders.
I’m so proud to be here today and to introduce our Mayor, whose vision for education in New York City looks to truly equip every student with the resources they need to be successful. Gabrielle Fialkoff, Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships.
Mayor de Blasio then went on to say what he had done with Amaih, and that over the next ten years he expected that all NYC public schools would be a part of this program expanding it from the current 246 schools.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Ahmad Khan Rahami Charged In Manhattan And New Jersey Federal Courts With Executing Bombings In New York City And New Jersey
Attorney General of the United States Loretta E. Lynch, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman for the District of New Jersey, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Director James B. Comey, Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney of the FBI New York Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher of the FBI Newark Field Office and Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”) James O’Neill announced that Ahmad Khan Rahami, a/k/a “Ahmad Rahimi,” has been charged in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, for conducting and attempting to conduct bombings in New York City and various locations in New Jersey on September 17, 2016, and September 18, 2016.
Rahami will first be transported by the United States Marshals Service, pursuant to a writ of habeas corpus ad prosequendum, to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to face the charges filed in the Southern District of New York. More than 30 people were injured as a result of the detonation of a bomb in the Chelsea area of New York City.
Rahami, 28, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is charged in a Complaint filed in the Southern District of New York with one count of using and attempting to use weapons of mass destruction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332a, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; one count of bombing and attempting to bomb a place of public use, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332f, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; one count of destroying and attempting to destroy property by means of fire or explosive, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(d), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, namely, the use and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 30 years in prison, all in connection with Rahami’s alleged detonation of an explosive device and efforts to detonate explosives in New York City.
Rahami is also charged in a Complaint filed in the District of New Jersey with two counts of using and attempting to use weapons of mass destruction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332a, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on each count; one count of bombing and attempting to bomb a place of public use and public transportation system, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332f, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; one count of attempting to destroy property by means of fire or explosive, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of using a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, namely, the use and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), each count of which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 30 years in prison and, if convicted of both counts, a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, all in connection with Rahami’s alleged efforts to detonate explosives in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Mr. Bharara and Mr. Fishman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD, and the FBI’s New Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Force. Mr. Bharara and Mr. Fishman also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for its assistance.
The prosecution in the Southern District of New York is being handled by that Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Lewin, Emil J. Bove III, Andrew J. DeFilippis, and Shawn G. Crowley are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The prosecution in the District of New Jersey is being handled by that Office’s National Security Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis C. Carletta, Francisco J. Navarro, Margaret Ann Mahoney, and James M. Donnelly are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the Complaints are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A.G. Schneiderman Announces Sentencing Of Pharmacist In Connection With $150 Million Medicaid Fraud Scam
Long Island Pharmacist Sentenced To 2-6 Years In Prison
Schneiderman: Today’s Sentencing Shows That If You Put The Well-Being Of New Yorkers At Risk, You Will Be Prosecuted To The Full Extent Of The Law
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the sentencing of licensed pharmacist Glenn Schabel, 55, of Melville, and his company, Glenn Schabel, Inc. in connection with a nation-wide scheme to sell diverted HIV medication to unsuspecting New Yorkers. Schabel was sentenced to 2-6 years in prison, and forfeited $5,456,267 to the New York State Medicaid Program. This sentencing is part of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s (“MFCU”) “Operation Black-Market Meds” investigation.
“This scheme not only defrauded Medicaid, but created a serious public health threat to many New Yorkers. We won’t allow vulnerable individuals to be taken advantage of by criminals looking to make a quick buck,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Today’s sentencing shows that if you put the well-being of New Yorkers at risk, you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
In April 2012, MFCU investigators arrested Schabel and three other individuals and charged ten companies, for using a network of bogus prescription medication wholesalers in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and California to launder money and to sell over $274 million in diverted prescription medications. It was charged that the medications were obtained from illegal or unknown sources, to Allion Healthcare, Inc., the parent company of MOMS Pharmacy, a corporate pharmacy formerly headquartered in Melville, New York. The diverted prescription medications were obtained by Schabel’s co-defendants using various illegal means and included pills that had been previously dispensed to other individuals and that were then re-sold into the black market. Under Schabel’s supervision, those diverted medications were purchased by MOMS Pharmacy and dispensed to its patients, many of whom were Medicaid recipients. The New York State Medicaid program ultimately reimbursed MOMS Pharmacy in excess of $150,000,000 for the diverted medications dispensed to those MOMS Pharmacy patients that were covered by Medicaid. Diverted medication poses a serious health risk to the public due to its unknown origin and quality. In some cases, diverted prescription medication is counterfeit, expired, not properly stored, or is mislabeled.
Ira Gross, the ringleader of the scheme, was previously convicted by a jury trial on August 9th. He is still awaiting sentencing. Two other defendants have also previously pleaded guilty.
The Attorney General thanks the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (“OMIG”), the Alabama Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS OIG”), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the United States Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations (“FDA-OCI”), the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. All provided valuable information and assistance during the investigation.
Assemblyman Dinowitz Announces Additional October Free Flu Shot Dates
Assemblyman Dinowitz is pleased to announce that he will be sponsoring two additional dates for flu shots for members of the community in the 81st Assembly District. Flu shots will be administered on October 6th at Vladeck Hall at 74 Van Cortlandt Park South, and on October 27th at the Riverdale YM-YWHA at 5625 Arlington Avenue, both events will be between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This service is also sponsored by Montefiore Health System, Walgreens Pharmacy, Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Jeff Klein, and Council Member Andrew Cohen.
Flu shots will be administered at no cost to the constituent, though participants are asked to bring their insurance card.
“I am pleased to partner with Montefiore Health System and Walgreens to offer this important service to the community,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “The flu is a serious health matter, and getting a flu shot protects not just yourself but also your friends, family, and neighbors. I strongly encourage everyone to contact my office about getting a flu shot.”
“It’s important that people get vaccinated to protect themselves and importantly, their loved ones, particularly those who are young, elderly or suffer from chronic diseases.” said Amanda Parsons, M.D., M.B.A., vice president of Community & Population Health, Montefiore Health System. “Vaccination is safe, effective, and the best way to prevent getting the flu -- yet only half of New Yorkers report getting a flu shot. Montefiore is excited to partner with Assemblyman Dinowitz and Walgreens to ensure that Riverdale residents have access to flu vaccines at no cost to them.”
“The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every adult get a flu shot, and annual flu shots from Walgreens are a quick and effective way to protect you and your family from the most common influenza viruses each year,” said Walgreens District Manager Jerry Couch.
Please note that members of the community must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and cannot be allergic to eggs. Residents MUST contact Assemblyman Dinowitz’s office at (718) 796-5345 to guarantee a flu shot.
Senator Klein, Assemblyman Gjonaj, and Bronx DA Clark Hosts Heroin Town Hall
Above - Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Sarah Church, Ph.D. (Montefiore Medical Center), Senator Jeff Klein, OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, and Luke Nasta (Camelot of Staten Island, Inc.) address the audience at the heroin town hall.
In response to recent heroin-related deaths in the community, Senator Jeff Klein along with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Bronx Community Board #11, and The Morris Park Community Association hosted a town hall on heroin addiction on Monday at Maestro’s Caterers.
Community members learned about treatment and prevention, heard about the recently enacted legislative measures addressing this epidemic, and received Naloxone training All participants received a Naloxone kit.
“It is devastating that lives were taken from us because of heroin addiction, and tonight’s town hall will help to ensure our community receives the tools and resources they need to help end this epidemic. I am deeply committed to working to combat this scourge. I am proud to say that this year, we created a life-saving package of legislation to get people the help that they need through prevention strategies, better treatment services and overdose reversal medication access,” said Senator Jeff Klein.
“It is so important to continue to stay informed on the dangers of drugs and prescription drugs. The battle with addiction is growing and evolving every day. I am thankful for the professionals who joined us tonight to share insight on the epidemic and how to fight it, but as residents to the neighborhood we need to bring this awareness home to our families. We need to educate our young ones to avoid triggers and temptations to avoid getting to the level of despair we are in now,” said Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.
This year the Legislature passed sweeping laws to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic. The life-saving legislative package emphasizes increasing access to treatment, breaking down barriers put up by insurance companies, reducing the number of days initial opioid prescriptions can be written and permitting doctors to administer Naloxone.
Naloxone is a prescription opioid antagonist used in emergency situations to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system. Once administered, an overdose victim can breathe normally.
“It’s good that the community is engaged. Often people don’t want to admit that there is drug abuse going on in their families or their neighborhoods. I implore people to come forward with any information about heroin dealing. My office is strict on the dealer but we have compassion for the addict,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.
“I want to thank Senator Klein for hosting a Naloxone training and discussion on heroin and prescription opioid addiction in The Bronx. With the Governor and Legislature’s commitment to offer this potentially life-saving training in more areas of the state, we have trained 140,000 New Yorkers resulting in nearly 5,000 administrations. Every Naloxone reversal is an opportunity for an individual to connect with addiction treatment and begin a journey toward recovery. I encourage all New Yorkers to take this training,” said NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez.
“I applaud Senator Klein for exemplifying great leadership along with co-sponsors Assemblyman Gjonaj and Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez by calling a Town Hall Heroin Epidemic Information and Naloxone Training for his district. All prior methods operating independently have proven ineffective. Law enforcement, medicine, intensive counseling, school and community-based prevention need to collaborate to bring treatment and prevention services to home communities. If we can break through territorial walls and operate for the single purposed goal of epidemic control I believe we can defeat the menace that threatens to decay our lives from the inside. Government must make a full resources commitment if we are to overcome the No. 1 Health Crisis 20 years in the making,” said Luke Nasta, M.P.A., CASAC, Executive Director of Camelot of Staten Island, Inc.
“At the Montefiore Medical Center’s Division of Substance Abuse, we strongly advocate for the broad distribution of opioid overdose prevention kits to arm community residents with tools to prevent fatal overdoses. We also urge people to refer their friends and family members who have overdosed for treatment to assist them in entering into recovery,” said Sarah Church, Ph.D., Executive Director at the Division of Substance Abuse at Montefiore Medical Center.