STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER YDANIS RODRIGUEZ ON BILLS 1075-A, 1076-A, AND 139-C BEFORE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

  I am Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez and lead sponsor of bills 1075-A and 1076-A, two actions to protect our youth from becoming susceptible to smoking and its accompanying health risks.

"New York, at the city and state levels, has been successful in curbing cigarette use and its health impacts. Now we're faced with similar challenges where the use of hookah is becoming prevalent, advertising makes it appealing to youth, and the public knows little about the consequences of use. We must address the issue of non-tobacco shisha use in our city and we must do it now. We must get ahead of this issue before it gets out of our hands.

"Forty minutes of smoking hookah is equal to 120 cigarettes. As with cigarettes, our communities of color are most negatively affected. In the last decade, hookah smoking has more than doubled among Hispanic youth and more than tripled among black youth. According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New Yorkers between 18 and 20 are three times more likely to smoke hookah than people 21 and older. Bills 1075-A and 1076-A will require signage warning of the health risks associated with smoking shisha at non-tobacco smoking establishments and raise the age for hookah use form 18 to 21 year of age, respectively.

 

"We must also be mindful of the secondhand hookah smoke health impacts on workers of hookah establishments. They're exposed to harmful particulate matter and toxicants that may cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, and decreased lung function. I want to commend my colleague Council Member Gentile for addressing these dangers by introducing bill 139-C which would include non-tobacco shisha in the Smoke Free Air Act and regulate its use in bars, restaurants, and other places.

 

"This package of bills, 139-C, 1075-A and 1076-A, puts the health and well-being of New Yorkers first. I want to thank Council Health Committee Chair Johnson, Council Member Gentile, the members of the Committee on Health, Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett, and her team at DOHMH."

Engel Signs Discharge Petition to Force Vote on Dream Act

  Congressman Eliot Engel, a top member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined over 100 of his House colleagues on Monday in signing a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 3440, the Dream Act, a bipartisan bill which would  grant lawful permanent resident status to undocumented immigrants who came to this country as children. The legislation would fill the void left by the cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an Obama era initiative that granted legal status to the more than 800,000 young individuals, commonly referred to as DREAMers, who attended school, joined the workforce, and have contributed to American society in spite of never having legal status here. President Trump announced he would end the DACA program in March of 2018.

Engel, a cosponsor of the Dream Act, believes Congress cannot wait to act on this crucial issue.

“The President’s short-sighted decision to end DACA in 6 months means that for the 800,000 DREAMers who call America home, time is of the essence,” Engel said. “These young men and women, who were brought to this country as children, should not be punished for their parents attempts to give them a better life. Congress needs to stand with our DREAMers in this critical moment, which means we must take up the Dream Act as soon as possible. I signed this discharge petition because we cannot wait till the 11^th hour to act. Letting 800,000 people who are facing deportation twist in the wind is cruel and can only serve to hurt us economically. It’s imperative that we take up and pass the Dream Act immediately.”

Anthony Weiner Sentenced To 21 Months In Prison For Transferring Obscene Material To A Minor

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY WEINER was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 21 months in prison for transferring obscene material to a minor.  WEINER pled guilty on May 19, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska.  Today’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Anthony Weiner, a former Congressman and candidate for Mayor, asked a girl who he knew to be 15 years old to display her naked body and engage in sexually explicit behavior for him online.  Justice demands that this type of conduct be prosecuted and punished with time in prison.  Today, Anthony Weiner received a just sentence that was appropriate for his crime.”

In sentencing ANTHONY WEINER, Judge Cote said:  “This is a serious crime that deserves serious punishment.”

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

Between January and March 2016, WEINER used online messaging and video chat applications to communicate with a minor girl he knew to be 15 years old (the “Minor Victim”) and to transfer obscene material to her.  Those communications began the evening of January 23, 2016, when the Minor Victim initiated contact with WEINER by sending him a direct message on Twitter.  That night, the Minor Victim and WEINER exchanged a series of messages.  Early in the exchange, the Minor Victim revealed to WEINER that she was in high school.  As their communications progressed, the Minor Victim made plain that she was a minor.  Despite that knowledge, WEINER participated in increasingly suggestive exchanges.  The exchanges occurred over Facebook messenger, Skype, Kik, Confide, and Snapchat, the latter three of which are messaging and photo-sharing applications that delete messages and images once viewed.    

Between February 17 and 23, 2016, WEINER and the Minor Victim participated in three video chat sessions on Skype.  The Minor Victim made clear during those chat sessions that she was not just a minor; she was, in fact, only 15 years old.    Nevertheless, during the latter two Skype sessions, on February 18 and 23, 2016, and in a Snapchat communication on March 9, 2016, the defendant used graphic and obscene language to ask the Minor Victim to display her naked body and touch herself, which she did.  He also sent an obscene message to the Minor Victim on Confide, describing what he would do to her if she were 18.  As part of these criminal exchanges, the defendant also sent the Minor Victim adult pornography, or a link thereto.  In approximately March 2016, after several months of intermittent exchanges, communications between the defendant and the Minor Victim largely stopped. 

In addition to the prison term, WEINER, 53, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Mr. Kim praised and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Victims Division of the New York City Police Department for their outstanding work.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES 11 SITES ADDED TO COMMUNITY PARKS INITIATIVE

NYC Parks�� Community Parks Initiative will now fully reconstruct 67 total sites �C reaching 500K New Yorkers who live within a short walk of one of these parks

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, announced the next  set of parks added to the Community Parks Initiative portfolio �C the City��s first major parks equity initiative investing $318 million to revitalize everyday community parks that have received less than $250,000 over the past 20 years. With 67 park sites to receive full reconstruction with the additional 11, CPI is one of the largest data-driven park equity programs in the nation, with 500,000 New Yorkers within a short walk of one of the parks.

��When we talk about improving parks in New York City, we��re really talking about improving the lives of New Yorkers,�� said Mayor Bill de Blasio. ��The Community Parks Initiative focuses on parks and neighborhoods that have faced the most historic disinvestment and serve dense, growing populations �C so every New Yorker can be proud of their neighborhood park.��

"Since 2014, the Community Parks Initiative has brought New Yorkers together to improve their parks and playgrounds - and in doing so, to strengthen their communities.  With the addition of eleven more parks to the program, thousands more will now have the opportunity to reimagine and rebuild their most precious resource: their shared public space," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP.

Launched by Mayor de Blasio in October 2014, CPI is a multi-faceted investment in the neighborhood/local parks that are located in New York City��s densely populated and growing neighborhoods where there are higher-than-average concentrations of poverty. CPI is NYC Parks' first major equity initiative and part of the Mayor��s OneNYC: The Plan for a Strong and Just City.

Entering the design process this fall, the 11 parks bringing the CPI portfolio total to 67 are:

Bronx

��         Prospect Playground

��         Mapes Ballfield

Brooklyn

��         Bartlett Playground

��         Lewis Playground

��         Penn Triangle

Manhattan

��         Bill Bojangles Playground

��         Harlem Lane Playground

��         Joseph C. Sauer Park

��         Playground One

Queens

��         Chappetto Square

Staten Island

��         Mariners Harbor Playground

Newly reconstructed CPI parks began opening ahead of schedule this summer �C five across Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, from the initial 35 announced in 2014: twelve sites will be open by the end of 2017 and the balance in 2018. The 12 parks announced in 2015 are in procurement, and are expected to enter construction in 2018; and the nine announced in 2016 will enter procurement next year. The final 11 parks, entering design next month, are expected to be completed in winter 2020/21.

Additionally, CPI receives capital program support for many of these sites from DEP, which has committed $50 million in funding for the construction of green infrastructure installations. The green infrastructure will manage the precipitation that falls on the parks, and some of the surrounding streets, keeping it out of the combined sewer system and helping to reduce combined sewer overflows that sometimes occur during heavy rainfall. New York City has the most ambitious and aggressive green infrastructure program in the nation, with thousands of installations currently under construction across the city. In addition to managing stormwater, green infrastructure helps to improve air quality while also providing shade and lowering summertime temperatures. In addition, CPI parks has also received support from city and state elected officials, sister agencies including HPD, as well as Parks-related conservancies and private developers.  

In addition to CPI��s capital investment in neighborhood parks, the initiative has an impact on these neighborhoods through community partnership building, park programming, enhanced sustainability, and operating support. Through funding from the City Council, in-kind donations from park conservancies; and community engagement �� through partners including City Parks Foundation, New York Road Runners,  the Uni Project and El Museo del Barrio �� resources are allocated across critical categories including community outreach, recreational programming, green infrastructure, and park maintenance.

For additional information on the Community Parks Initiative, please visit nyc.gov/parks .

Senator Klein Hosts Seventh Annual First Responder Appreciation Barbeque

First responders from across The Bronx and Southern Westchester were honored for their service

Senator Jeff Klein along with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj hosted the seventh annual First Responders Appreciation Barbeque on Saturday at Orchard Beach.

“This annual event is a special day where we give back to the first responders who selflessly serve us everyday. These brave men and women go above and beyond to protect us, and I’m proud to be able to give them the recognition they deserve,” said Senator Jeff Klein.

“I am proud to have joined Senator Klein to celebrate the bravery and hard work of our first responders. These honorees safeguard and serve our community and deserve this special recognition,” said Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

Saturday’s event included a barbeque lunch, live music by FDR Drive, children’s games, popcorn, cotton candy and much more. Retired New Yorks Knicks player John Wallace made a special appearance.

Senator Klein honored local heroes who demonstrate exemplary courage and bravery protecting the people of New York. Also recognized were three New York City first responders who died in the line of duty this year. The following men and women were recognized during the ceremony:

• Officer Stephanie Batista-Fernandez, PSA 8
• Officer Joselyn Paulino, PSA 8
• Lieutenant Reymond Meyer, 41st Precinct
• Lieutenant Neftali Betance, 41st Precinct
• Inspector Fausto B. Pichardo, 43rd Precinct
• Officer Michael Lagani, 45th Precinct
• Officer John Souhrada, 45th Precinct
• Officer Carlos Perez, 45th Precinct
• Officer Patrick McGovern, 49th Precinct
• Detective Kenyatta Rouse, ESU #4
• Detective Robert Goldstein, ESU #4
• Sergeant Kevin O’Doherty, ESU #4
• Dr. Michael Murray, 50th Precinct Medical Division
• Lieutenant Thomas Hilliard, 50th Precinct Medical Division
• Officer Jerry Gonzalez, 50th Precinct
• FDNY Engine 88/Ladder 38
• Firefighter James P. Lee, Jr., FDNY Rescue Company 1
• Lieutenant Phil DeSimone, Pelham Fire Department
• Firefighter Frank Bellantoni, Pelham Fire Department
• Firefighter Artie Viggiano, Pelham Fire Department

In memoriam:

• Officer Miosotis Familia, 46th Precinct
• Battalion Chief Michael Fahy, FDNY Battalion 19
• EMT Yadira Arroyo, FDNY Station 26

MAYOR DE BLASIO NOMINATES DR. MITCHELL KATZ FOR PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that Dr. Mitchell Katz will be nominated to the NYC Health + Hospitals Board of Directors for appointment as President and CEO of the public healthcare system. As a highly experienced public health executive and practicing physician, Dr. Katz is well poised to further the City’s plan to stabilize hospital finances and expand access to high-quality, community-based healthcare. Health + Hospitals has long functioned as a safety net for the most vulnerable New Yorkers, specifically the uninsured and Medicaid patients, who collectively represent 70 percent of patients served.

“With renewed attacks on our healthcare by Republicans in Washington, it is now more important than ever to put stable leadership in place as we make progress on our plan to expand access to quality, community-based care throughout the city. I thank Stanley Brezenoff not only for his decades of service to the City, but also for preserving Health + Hospitals' as our safety net,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Dr. Mitchell Katz’s vast experience as physician and public health executive will be an invaluable asset as we work to modernize and save our treasured public hospital system.”

“Under Mayor de Blasio's leadership, NYC Health + Hospitals has made progress in expanding primary care and addressing immediate fiscal challenges,” said Dr. Mitchell Katz. “I'm committed to continuing these critical efforts to help preserve Health + Hospitals’ essential safety net mission and improve access to healthcare services for all New Yorkers." 

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public healthcare system in the nation, with a $7.2 billion budget and serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. Since Mayor de Blasio launched One New York Health + Hospital’s Transformation Plan in April 2016, the public health system exceeded its FY17 $770 million gap-closing plan by $120 million in revenues and savings.

About Mitchell Katz

Dr. Katz is a highly experienced public healthcare executive and physician with a track record of achieving measurable results throughout his career.

Mitch is currently the Director of the Los Angeles County Health Agency, a newly created agency that combines the Departments of Health Services, Public Health, and Mental Health into a single entity so as to provide more integrated care and programming within Los Angeles. The Agency has a budget of 7 billion dollars, 28,000 employees, and a large number of community partners. For the past five years Dr. Katz served as the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS), the second largest public safety net system in the United States. During this time, he created the ambulatory care network and empaneled over 350,000 patients to a primary care home. He eliminated the deficit of DHS through increased revenues and decreased administrative expenses, and used the new ACA funding to pay for a modern electronic health system, Orchid, which has now been implemented in 90% of DHS clinical sites. He has moved over 1000 medically complex patients from hospitals and emergency departments into independent housing, thereby eliminating unnecessary expensive hospital care and giving the patients the dignity of their own home. Dr. Katz continues to see patients every week as an outpatient physician at Edward R. Royal Comprehensive Health Center and sees patients on the inpatient medicine service at LAC+USC, Harbor-UCLA, and Olive View-UCLA Medical Centers.

Before he came to Los Angeles Dr. Katz was the Director and Health Officer of the San Francisco Department of Health for 13 years. He is well known for funding needle exchange, creating Healthy San Francisco, outlawing the sale of tobacco at pharmacies, and winning ballot measures for rebuilding Laguna Honda Hospital and San Francisco General Hospital. He is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Medical School. He completed an internal medicine residency at UCSF Medical School and was an RWJ Clinical Scholar.

He is the Deputy Editor of JAMA Internal Medicine, an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (previously the Institute of Medicine) and the recipient of the Los Angeles County Medical Association 2015 Healthcare Champion of the year.

A.G. Schneiderman Reminds New Yorkers Of Charitable Giving Tips In Response To Hurricane Maria And Other Recent Natural Disasters

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued an alert reminding New Yorkers to consider consulting the office’s charitable giving tips before making a donation to support organizations assisting the victims of Hurricane Maria and other recent natural disasters.

Following Hurricanes Harvey, reports indicated that some scammers were using links to purported charitable organizations as a phishing attempt to steal personal information from those seeking to make a donation. In the lead up to Hurricane Irma, there were attempts to set up fake GoFundMe campaigns soliciting donations.

“Over the last several weeks, we’ve seen natural disasters devastate Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and communities across the United States and the Caribbean. As New Yorkers, many of us have family and friends in these places. We can all do our part by giving to charities that are helping people recover and rebuild. Unfortunately, natural disasters can also bring out the most shameless scammers, looking to take advantage of our generosity during a crisis, and I encourage everyone to take precautions before making a donation,” said Attorney General Schneiderman.

The Attorney General offers the following tips for those contributing to the relief effort:

Take Time To Research The Organization. Make sure you are familiar with the organization, its mission, and its effectiveness before giving. Always ask for information in writing – be wary if an organization will not provide information about charitable programs and finances upon request. Any legitimate organization will be happy to send you information. Check the Attorney General’s website – www.charitiesnys.com – to ensure that it is registered, and to learn more about its mission and finances.

Know Where Your Money Will Go. Find out from the charity what it will do with your money. Review the charity’s financial reports for information about how it spends donations. If you have been contacted by a telemarketer, review Pennies for Charity, the New York Attorney General’s annual report of fundraising campaigns in New York, to see how much is spent on fundraising costs and how much has been kept by the charity. Ask specifically how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and organizations your donation will support. Ask if the charity already has worked in the local area or has relationships with any local relief organizations. Also, ask what the charity plans to do with any excess donations. Avoid charities that make emotional appeals but are vague in answering your questions. Be wary if an organization will not provide written information about charitable programs and finances upon request. Any legitimate organization will be glad to send you this information.

Give to Established Charities. Donate to organizations you are familiar with, or have an experience assisting in disaster relief. Get information about charities that pop up solely in response to the hurricane or those with unfamiliar names.

Be Cautious With Telephone Solicitations. Telephone calls asking for donations to charity are often made by a professional fundraiser who is required to register with the Charities Bureau. Remember – you can always hang up. If you choose not to end the call, ask whether the telemarketer is registered and how much of your donation will go to charity and how much the telemarketer is being paid. Many telemarketers receive most of the money they raise. Giving directly to a charity avoids those costs.

Check Before You Text A Contribution. Check the charity’s website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message. One thing to keep in mind is that donations via text messaging may not reach the charity until after your phone bill is paid. It may be faster to contribute directly to the charity.

Check Before Donating to an Online Giving Site. Make sure your contribution to campaigns set up by individuals on sites such as GoFundMe or CrowdRise will go to charity and not to the person raising the funds. Don’t contribute unless you know that person. 

Don’t Respond to Unsolicited Spam Emails. These formats are usually not associated with legitimate charities. Check the Department of Homeland Security’s tips, such as Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks that are posted at http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-014.

Never Give Cash. Give your contribution by credit card or a check made payable to the charity.

Be Careful About Personal Information. Avoid giving credit card or personal information over the phone or by text message. In all cases, make sure you are familiar with the organization and check to see that the fundraising campaign is legitimate before donating.

Report Suspicious Organizations. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work, or that a scam is taking place, please contact the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau at charities.complaints@ag.ny.gov or 212-416-8401. The following additional websites contain helpful information to evaluate charities:

• CharityWatch – charitywatch.org
• Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance – bbb.org
• GuideStar – guidestar.org
• Charity Navigator – charitynavigator.org

Click Here For Video Of A.G. Schneiderman Discussing These Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC3x0k0Xd0M&feature=youtu.be

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Guilty Pleas And Convictions Of Two Specialty Food Markets For Failing To Pay Workers Nearly $450,000 In Wages

S&L Vegetables, Corp. And J&B Vegetables, Inc. – Operating As Apna Bazar – Failed To Pay Minimum Wage And Overtime To Over 150 Employees

Grocer Paid Nearly $450,000 In Restitution To Workers For Unpaid Wages And Over $160,000 In Unpaid Unemployment Contributions

To Date, A.G. Schneiderman Has Won Back Nearly $30 Million In Stolen Wages For Over 21,000 Workers Across New York

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the guilty pleas and convictions of S&L Vegetables, Corp. and J&B Vegetables, Inc., two grocers that did business as Apna Bazar Cash & Carry (“Apna Bazar”) and operated two food markets in Floral Park and Hicksville, NY. Each Apna Bazar market pled guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, one count of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, one count of Failure to Pay Wages, and one count of Willful Failure to Pay Contributions. The plea agreement mandates that Apna Bazar pay a total of $447,832.11 for unpaid wages and $162,445.47 in unpaid unemployment contributions to the New York State Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”)–bringing the total wages recovered by Attorney General Schneiderman since taking office to nearly $30 million for more than 21,000 workers. Today, the Queens County Supreme Court sentenced each Apna Bazar market to a three-year conditional discharge with a condition that the stores undergo monitoring for one year. The Court also ordered the defendants to pay restitution for the back wages and unemployment insurance contributions, which the Attorney General’s Office confirmed has been paid in full by the defendants.

"The defendants in this case acted out of greed, cheating over 150 hardworking employees out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages they earned," said Attorney General Schneiderman. "My office will continue to enforce wage and labor laws to make sure that New Yorkers get the pay they rightfully earn and ensure companies are meeting their obligations to the unemployment insurance safety net."  

"Under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, the Department of Labor will continue to vigorously pursue any employer who willingly cheats workers out of what they’re rightfully owed,” said State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “What’s more, in this case, the employer chose to attempt to skirt their Unemployment Insurance obligations. The Department of Labor takes the responsibility of investigating these crimes very seriously and will continue to refer these cases to law enforcement offices around the state."

An investigation conducted by the New York State Department of Labor and referred to the Attorney General’s Office revealed that between 2012 and 2015, Apna Bazar repeatedly failed to pay proper minimum wage and overtime to more than 150 employees working at both of these markets. Many of these employees worked over 60 hours per week but were paid a fixed daily amount, which often resulted in paychecks that were well below the state minimum wage for even a typical 40 hour workweek. In addition, the employees did not receive proper overtime compensation of time-and-one half for working over 40 hours in a week. Both Apna Bazar entities also failed to accurately report to the NYSDOL the number of employees working at both locations during this period, falsifying their New York State Quarterly Combined Withholding, Wage Reporting, and Unemployment Insurance Return forms—resulting in significant underpayment of unemployment contributions to the NYSDOL.

Apna Bazar’s Long Island market is located at 217 Bethpage Rd. in Hicksville, NY and its Queens location is located at 260-04 Hillside Ave. in Floral Park, NY. As part of the plea agreements, Apna Bazar agreed to place both locations under supervision by an independent monitor for one year. The monitor will ensure that employees are paid properly, that there is accurate reporting of employees and that all documentation is properly submitted to the NYSDOL, as well as require two bi-annual reports detailing defendants’ compliance with the applicable labor and penal laws.