 |
|
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Legionnaires' Town Hall in Morris Park Thursday 8 PM
|
|
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
3 More Cases of Legionnaires' Disease in Morris Park Total Now Up to 10 Reported Cases
There have been 3 more cases of Legionnaires Disease reported in the Morris Park 'Cluster Area' bringing the total of cases reported to 10. One person was released from the hospital today with 9 people remaining hospitalized. As usual The New York City Department of Health and Mayor Bill de Blasio have not said where this outbreak was found, or just how widespread it may be.
Let's hope we don't have to wait a month for details from the city, and also hope that the number of people affected does not rise. Below are some tips from State Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj on what to do if you suspect that you may have contracted Legionnaires Disease, and what the symptoms are.
Legionnaires' Disease Found In Morris Park
|
|
Reports from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have confirmed the findings of Legionnaires' disease in the Morris Park section of the Bronx.
Please do not disregard any physical ailment. Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease typically occur within 2-14 days after exposure to Legionella bacteria. Please take all necessary precautions and seek immediate medical attention if you or someone you know exhibits any of the following symptoms:
Other symptoms may include:
Please call a physician immediately if you are feeling ill. Legionnaires' disease is treatable with antibiotics if detected. Legionnaires' disease cannot be spread from person to person.
Please be aware that this outbreak does not affect the water supply in our homes. We will continue to notify as updates become available. A town hall meeting will be announced.
In Good Health,
Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and Senator Jeff Klein
|
DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION TO HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY ADDING RESOURCES TO KEEP NEW YORKERS IN THEIR HOMES
NYC tenant protection programs will serve over 113,000 individuals a year when fully implemented
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $12.3 million on homelessness prevention services to expand free legal representation in Housing Court and help thousands of New Yorkers facing eviction or harassment stay in their homes.
“The economic recovery that so many New Yorkers are enjoying now hasn't reached everyone. Too many families are becoming homeless for purely economic reasons – their wages are flat while their rent is steep,” said Mayor de Blasio. “With these programs, we are intervening early to keep families in their homes before shelter becomes their only option.”
The two City-funded legal service programs total to $46.3 million in Fiscal Year 2016, growing to $61.8 million in Fiscal Year 2017 – ten times the $6 million that was spent on anti-eviction programs in Fiscal Year 2013. The two programs will serve 32,700 households a year – over 113,000 individuals – when fully implemented.
In Fiscal Year 15, over 62,000 individuals were enrolled in HomeBase, a proven homelessness prevention program that connects families and individuals on the brink of homelessness to resources to help keep them in their homes. Over 35,000 individuals were supported through the City’s anti-eviction legal services and tenant protection program.
“Too often, low-income tenants in Housing Court without a lawyer face a landlord with a lawyer and that, rather than the facts or the law, determines the outcome. Our expanded program will protect more families and individuals and prevent additional New Yorkers from becoming homeless by keeping them in their homes and preserving affordable housing. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” said Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks.
“Prevention is one of our core strategies to stop homelessness before it begins,” said Homeless Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor. “Expanding programs like these are crucial to ensuring that families remain in their homes and communities.”
Families with children comprise the largest proportion of the City’s shelter census, accounting for over 40,000 individuals – including over 23,000 children – of the approximately 57,000 total individuals shelter. Eviction is one of the leading causes of homelessness for families with children. 30 percent of the heads of households for families with children in shelter are actively employed, and 46 percent of the heads of households for families with children in shelter (including those actively employed) had been employed within the past year. Women lead 91 percent of the families with children in shelter.
The City’s civil legal services programs have been consolidated at HRA. New York City has two anti-eviction and tenant protection legal services programs, both housed at HRA:
· Anti-Eviction Legal Services: $25.8 million (including the new $12.3 million) in FY16. Fully implemented, this program will serve 19,000 households each year. This program is aimed at communities in which the highest numbers of children and adults are losing their homes and entering shelter.
· Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection Program: $20.5 million in FY16, increasing to $36 million in FY17 and serving more than 13,700 households each year when fully implemented. This program is aimed at preventing tenant harassment in communities that will be designated for rezoning and was announced by the Mayor in the State of the City.
The additional $12.3 million will allow the Anti-Eviction Legal Services program to expand in the following areas:
- Brooklyn: Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Crown Heights
- Manhattan: Central and West Harlem
- Queens: Jamaica and South Jamaica
- Bronx: Tremont and Williamsbridge
- Staten Island: Port Richmond and Mariner’s Harbor
The City is re-launching a homeless prevention public awareness campaign, “Imagine” – targeting 15 communities with residents most likely to enter homeless shelters and encouraging those at risk to access HomeBase services. The ads depict families with children in housing crises, asking parents to “Imagine being forced out of your home. Now imagine seeing your kids go through it.” This outreach is intended to encourage families with children and individuals to access prevention services early on, averting the need for shelter. Beginning in January of this year and running through April of this year, the campaign appeared on television and in print and was featured on subways, buses, and check-cashing facilities.
“Ending homelessness in New York City won’t be easy, but to start we must significantly increase efforts to ensure that people don’t lose their homes to begin with. As Chair of the Council’s Housing and Buildings Committee, my goal has been to address our City’s housing crisis, so I commend Mayor de Blasio for drastically expanding legal services so that tenants facing eviction or harassment receive the help they need before it’s too late,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings.
“Homelessness is the unspoken effect of tenant harassment and unfair evictions. When we turn a blind eye to the behaviors of unscrupulous landlords we are in effect ignoring one of the root causes of the growing homelessness crisis in our City. I commend Mayor de Blasio for his determination to stop this crisis where it starts. The $12.3 million his administration is dedicating to anti eviction legal services will go a long way to curb homelessness in New York and improve the inequities in rights among renters in our City,” said Council Member Vanessa Gibson.
"With additional money for legal services, we will be able to keep more needy New Yorkers in their homes helping to stem the tide of homelessness. The Mayor has shown incredible leadership ensuring that more New Yorkers in need will have these important services," said Seymour James, Attorney-in-Chief at the Legal Aid Society.
“Tenant protections are critical to stabilizing families, maintaining vibrant communities and preserving affordable housing,” said Joanne M. Oplustil, President & CEO of CAMBA/ CAMBA Housing Ventures. “We are grateful and enthusiastic that Mayor de Blasio is making such a strong commitment to renters throughout New York City.”
21st Annual Tour de Bronx Registration is now Open!
The largest free cycling event in New York State to
take place on Sunday, October 25th.
Registration for the 21st Annual Tour de Bronx, the largest free cycling event in New York State, is now open. The event was established in 1994 by the office of the Bronx Borough President and The Bronx Tourism Council as a means to promote a healthier lifestyle, an alternate mode of transportation and a way to tour the burgeoning neighborhoods, scenic waterfronts and greenways of the borough.
Participants come from all over the country to ride one of two possible routes: The 25-mile ride takes riders through the south, east and mid portion of the borough including the Mott Haven district, Clason Point along the East River, and Pelham Bay Park, the largest park in New York boasting nearly 3,000 acres of natural forest; The 40-mile route includes a visit to the historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula, the nautical community of City Island and the northwest communities such as Woodlawn and Riverdale. Both rides conclude at the iconic New York Botanical Garden where riders receive a complimentary souvenir T-shirt and enjoy a live musical performance as they relax from the day’s festivities.
The New York City Department of Transportation will fit and distribute free bicycle helmets from 8am to noon (while supplies last) and Metro North Railroad will waive their bicycle permit requirements and quantity limits for the day.
“Tour de Bronx is a great event for people of all ages, especially for visitors to our vibrant borough. It gives everyone an opportunity to explore historical sites, see beautiful waterfronts, and ride through our amazing local neighborhoods,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Once again, we are welcoming riders from across the region and around the globe to see The Bronx as they had never seen it before.”
Throughout the years, the event has grown exponentially. In 2014 the Tour de Bronx saw a record-breaking 7,000+ participants from all over the country as well as a few who come from abroad.
“It’s exciting to watch this event continue to evolve as we see more and more tourists joining New Yorkers to experience The Bronx in a unique way.” Says Olga Luz Tirado, executive director of The Bronx Tourism Council.
The Tour de Bronx is made possible by Montefiore Medical Center; Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center and St. Barnabas Health System. Additional support is provided by Transportation Alternatives, The Coca Cola Company, Domino’s Pizza and Clif Bar.
For more information and to register for the 21st Annual Tour de Bronx, visit www.ilovethebronx.com.
BingoFest on October 2! at Bronx House
|
Monday, September 28, 2015
Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak in Morris Park
Here we go again folks!
The New York City Department of Health has confirmed that there have been 7 new cases of Legionnaires' disease found in the Morris Park area, and is investigating.
The Health Department is currently investigating a cluster of seven Legionnaires' disease cases in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. This cluster is unrelated to the outbreak in the South Bronx this summer that was attributed to Legionella found in the cooling tower of the OPERA HOUSE HOTEL. Patients in the current cluster live or work in Morris Park, range in age from 45 to 75 and are all currently hospitalized. There have been no deaths. New Yorkers with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough, chills and difficulty breathing, are advised to promptly seek medical attention.
“We are investigating a cluster of seven cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Morris Park. I urge all New Yorkers to seek care immediately if they have flu -like symptoms, including fever, cough, headache, or difficulty breathing. The Department is taking immediate steps to determine the source and protect the people who live and work in Morris Park,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett.
As soon as the possibility of a cluster was identified, DOHMH began an aggressive response:
- The Health Department was notified of these seven cases between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27
- On Sept. 21, when the first case was reported, the Health Department’s disease detectives began investigating immediately. This work initially involves interviewing patients and reviewing medical records.
- Since Saturday, environmental scientists visited all cooling towers and took samples.
- Issued a Health Alert to providers advising them to look for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, conduct appropriate tests on patients, and provide proper samples to the Department for lab testing
- Conducting tests at our Public Health Lab and the New York State Wadsworth Center
- Monitoring Emergency Department visits for pneumonia among residents of Morris Park, which have remained at normal levels
- Identifying facilities such as nursing homes and senior centers where vulnerable populations live in and near Morris Park. Starting today, the Department will work with other City agencies to send staff to these locations, distributing Frequently Asked Questions about Legionnaires’ disease, answering questions and reminding people to seek care immediately if they have symptoms such as fever, chills and muscle ache.
 STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ
RE: Legionnaire’s Disease Cluster in Morris Park
“My office has been informed by the City’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene of cluster of Legionnaire’s Disease in Morris Park. We are in contact with city, state and federal officials about this latest outbreak, and we will continue to stay on top of these developments and take the necessary measures as we gather more information.
“My office will share information with the public through my website and through social media channels on thiscluster as it becomes available. As we monitor this situation, we urge anyone who feels sick to visit their doctor or a hospital to get checked. It is too important to wait,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Flyers in English, Spanish, French and Chinese answering frequently asked questions on Legionnaire’s Disease can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/1FDHjtT.
| | |