Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Back to School

BP DIAZ & CM COHEN PARTNER ON SETON PARK RENOVATIONS

Elected leaders will provide over $1.2 million to fund new skate park and fitness equipment

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Council member Andrew Cohen announced today that they have allocated a combined $1,249,000 in capital funding for renovations in Riverdale’s Seton Park.

The funding will be used by the City’s Department of Parks & Recreation to fund the construction of a new skate park as well as to provide new fitness equipment throughout the park.

“Seton Park is one of the great gems of the Riverdale community, and I am proud to have partnered with Council Member Cohen to help bring a skate park and upgraded fitness equipment to this park,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who provided $830,000 for the renovations from his FY2019 capital budget. “These renovations will make this park more accessible to users of all ages, provide Bronx residents with greater recreation options and create a new space for our skateboarders to shred!”

"With its tennis courts, baseball fields, sitting areas and playground Seton Park is the heart of South Riverdale," said Council Member Andrew Cohen, who allocated $410,000 towards the installation of the new skate park and fitness equipment. "I am thrilled to have partnered with Bronx Borough President Diaz and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to repurpose an area of this beautiful park that was previously under-utilized to create more recreational spaces for everyone in the community to enjoy."

Borough President Diaz has funded a total of $55,014,000 across 73 park projects through his capital budget since taking office in 2009.

This year, Borough President Diaz’s office has provided $23,250,000 in total capital dollars across 81 projects. Since coming to office in 2009, Borough President Diaz has provided $271,896,000 in total capital funding to 806 projects.

New York City Council Member Brad Lander Endorses Cynthia Nixon for Governor

   Council Member Brad Lander today endorsed Cynthia Nixon in her bid for governor. Lander, a founding co-chair of the Council’s Progressive Caucus, represents the 39th district encompassing portions of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington.

“This is a moment when bolder leadership is smarter leadership,” said Council Member Lander. “We desperately need a leader who will meet this moment with action and courage-- by implementing Andy Byford’s ‘Fast Forward’ plan, calling the State Senate back to Albany to vote to save our kids from traffic crashes, and pioneering bold, progressive legislation like single-payer, universal health care for every New Yorker. I’m proud to endorse progressive champion Cynthia Nixon for Governor of New York State. She will provide the bolder, smarter leadership that this moment demands.”

Lander is the Council’s Deputy Leader for Policy, and sits on the Committees on Civil Rights, Consumer Affairs, Economic Development, Education, General Welfare, and Women’s Issues. While in office, he has fought successfully to reform discriminatory practices in the NYPD, win living wage jobs and paid sick days for low-wage employees, protect workers in the “gig economy” and bring climate-change responsive policies to NYC.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of Council Member Brad Lander, a leader for progressive values and a true fighter for working New Yorkers,” said Cynthia Nixon. “Brad understands the necessity of empowering communities and making government work for the many, not the few. I look forward to working together to fight for bold policy like single payer health care and finally making our state as progressive as its people."

This endorsement adds to a growing group of elected officials backing Cynthia. Cynthia has been endorsed by former Speaker of the City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito, current Council Members Menchaca, Van Bramer and Reynoso, Assembly member Andrew Hevesi and she has also cross endorsed with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Jessica Ramos, New York State Senate candidate in the 13th district; Julia Salazar, New York State Senate candidate in the 18th district; and Robert Jackson, New York State Senate candidate in the 31st district. She has received the endorsement from a slate of elected officials in the Capital District and Hudson Valley.

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us at a Commercial Waste Zones: Business Roundtable & Breakfast

Join Us for a Free Networking Breakfast and Roundtable Discussion

NYC COOLING CENTERS OPEN THROUGH TUESDAY TO HELP NEW YORKERS BEAT THE HEAT

Heat Advisory extended through Tuesday, August 7

Cooling centers will be open across the city through Tuesday. To find the nearest location call 311 or visitwww.nyc.gov/beattheheat 

Parks department has extended daily NYC pool hours to 8 p.m. on Monday, August 6 and Tuesday, August 7

  As the heat wave continues to affect New York City, the New York City Emergency Management Department today announced that cooling centers will remain open through Tuesday, August 7.Cooling centers are air-conditioned facilities such as libraries, community centers, senior centers, and NYCHA facilities that are open to the public during heat emergencies. To find a cooling center, including accessible facilities closest to you, call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or visit the NYC Cooling Center Finder at www.nyc.gov/beattheheat.

The National Weather Service has extended the heat advisory for New York City through 8 p.m. Tuesday. High heat and humidity are in the forecast, with high temperatures in the low-to-mid 90s and heat index values ranging from 95 - 100 degrees.

“It’s important that New Yorkers take the dangers presented by extreme heat seriously,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Esposito. “Drink plenty of water and stay cool either at your air-conditioned home or one of our hundreds of cooling centers.”

An Air Quality Health Advisory is also in effect from 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. Monday. An Air Quality Health Advisory issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation means that individuals should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants, and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease are at an increased risk, and should consider consulting their personal physician if they experience heat-related symptoms.

The New York City Emergency Management Department urges New Yorkers to take steps to protect themselves and help others who may be at increased risk from the heat. Those at increased risk are people who do not have or use air conditioning AND:

·         Are 65 years or older;

·  Have chronic medical, mental health, or cognitive/developmental conditions;

· Take certain medications, which can disrupt the regulation of body temperature;

·   Are confined to their beds, have limited mobility, or are unable to leave their homes;

·    Are obese; or

·     Misuse alcohol or drugs.

HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE HEAT:

·   Stay out of the sun and avoid extreme temperature changes.

·   Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.

·  Drink fluids, particularly water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Those on fluid-restricted diets or taking diuretics should first consult their physician.

·  Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid beverages containing alcohol and/or caffeine.

·  Eat small, frequent meals.

· Avoid strenuous activity, especially during the sun’s peak hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.

·  If possible, go to an air-conditioned location for several hours during the hottest parts of the day.

·   Cool down with a cool bath or shower.

·   Participate in activities that will keep you cool, such as going to the movies, shopping at a mall, or swimming at a pool or beach.

·   Cover all exposed skin with an SPF sunscreen (15 or above) and wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face and head.

· Never leave your children or pets in the car.

For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/health.

FACTS ABOUT HEAT ILLNESS:

Heat illness is serious. Prolonged exposure to the heat can be harmful and potentially fatal. The added stress caused by heat can also aggravate heart or lung disease even without symptoms of heat illness.

Know the warning signs of heat stress. If you or someone you know feels weak or faint, go to a cool place and drink water. If there is no improvement, call a doctor or 911.

Call 911 immediately if you have, or someone you know has:

·   Hot dry skin.

·   Trouble breathing.

·   Rapid heartbeat.

·   Confusion, disorientation, or dizziness.

·   Nausea and vomiting.

KEEPING YOUR PETS SAFE

· Avoid dehydration: Pets can dehydrate quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water.

· Exercise early and late: When the temperature is very high, do not let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Your pet’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.

· Know when your pet is in danger: Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor, or even collapse. Animals with flat faces like pugs and Persian cats are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. They should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

· Keep cats safe by installing screens in your windows: Unscreened windows pose a real danger to cats, as they can fall out of them often during summer months.

IMPROPER FIRE HYDRANT USE:

The improper opening of fire hydrants wastes 1,000 gallons of water per minute, causes flooding on city streets, and can lower water pressure to dangerous levels and hamper the ability of FDNY to fight fire safely and quickly.

Properly used “spray caps” reduce hydrant output to a safe 25 gallons per minute while still providing relief from the heat. To obtain a spray cap, an adult 18 years or older with proper identification can go to his or her local firehouse and request one.

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND NYC & COMPANY WELCOME CLIMATE WEEK TO NEW YORK CITY FOR 10TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

  Mayor de Blasio and NYC & Company—New York City’s official destination marketing organization—announced today that they will welcome Climate Week to New York City from September 24-30, 2018. Organized by The Climate Group, an international non-profit organization, Climate Week NYC will gather international leaders from across the public, private and government sectors to showcase and discuss global climate action in New York City, with support from NYC & Company.

“We are honored to again welcome The Climate Group and Climate Week NYC for the 10th year,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Here in New York, we’re taking bold action on climate. Through our ground breaking OneNYC strategy and our ambitious 1.5˚C Plan, we’ve committed our city to hit the highest goals of the Paris climate agreement. We’re divesting from fossil fuels, mandating that our largest buildings cut their emissions, and investing in electric vehicles. Through investments in resiliency and sustainability, we are building a fairer city for all.”

“Climate Week NYC is the largest climate week in the world and as one of the key summits in the international calendar—which runs alongside the United Nations General Assembly—has been driving climate action forward since its launch in 2009,” said Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group. “We are thrilled to be hosting our 10^th Climate Week NYC and to appear on the world’s stage, to continue to advance climate action to the top of the global agenda.”

“Our goal is to leverage the City’s significant and growing sustainability efforts to position the destination as ‘the capital city of a responsible world,” said Fred Dixon, President & CEO of NYC & Company. “From our most iconic parks becoming permanently car-free, plans for Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to house one of the City’s largest rooftop farms, and many of our leading hotels embracing the City’s Carbon Challenge, events such as Climate Week NYC are the perfect platform to engage our City and the world to demonstrate their pledge to better protect the planet.”

Approximately 10,000 people from over 40 countries are expected to attend 150 events—including panel discussions, concerts, exhibitions and seminars. An opening ceremony on September 24—featuring key speakers and dignitaries including Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Edmund G Brown, Governor of California, and President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti—is planned for The Times Center in Manhattan.

Along with Climate Week NYC, New York City has recently attracted high-profile, large-scale events including WorldPride in 2019. These monumental events will help fuel record breaking visitation numbers. In 2017, there were a 62.8 million visitors.

"New York City is thrilled to host the 10th annual Climate Week to showcase the climate leadership happening all across the five boroughs," said Daniel Zarrilli, NYC's Senior Director of Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer. "In the absence of federal leadership in Washington, cities all across the country are stepping up their ambition to achieve the Paris Agreement. Here in NYC, we are accelerating our GHG reductions, adapting our city, and divesting from fossil fuels as part of our comprehensive OneNYC strategy.  Congratulations to the Climate Group for building an effective and successful platform for climate action over the last decade and we look forward to the next 10 years of partnership."

“From protecting our coastlines, buildings, and infrastructure to making our neighborhoods safer and more vibrant, New York City is dedicated to confronting climate change head-on and protecting our city and its citizens from the associated threats,” said Jainey Bavishi, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency. “Climate Week NYC brings together some of the most brilliant innovators around the world to do just that.”

“Climate change is here and this moment requires decisive, ambitious, and collaborative action,” saidMark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Climate Week NYC is an opportunity to inspire and embolden us all to deliver necessary solutions.”

"As the Ranking Democratic Member on the State Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, I am excited to celebrate Climate Week NYC. This is a great initiative and effective way to engage all stakeholders as we work to protect the environment,” said Senator Kevin Parker.

A New Generation of Sustainable Hotels

New York City’s evolving hotel scene is embracing eco-conscious design and practices. Overall, 19 properties are currently committed to the NYC Carbon Challenge. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge opened in 2017 as part of the eco-friendly 1 Hotels brand. The Grand Hyatt New York and The Peninsula New York have vowed to shrink their carbon footprints through upgrades like high-efficiency boilers and LED lighting. The Pierre participates in EarthCheck, a program which measures the property’s impact on the environment, and boutique Crosby Street Hotel was awarded the City’s first LEED Gold Certified building.

Park Preservation and Honoring Horticulture

As of June 2018, Central Park—the world’s most iconic greenspace, which welcomes more than 42 million visitors yearly—joined Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in becoming entirely car-free. Suspended above the City streets, The High Line—an abandoned elevated rail line transformed into a horticultural oasis—opened its first section in 2009 as a habitat for birds, insects and humans seeking respite. At Battery Park City, horticulturists manage the neighborhood’s park without pesticides and engage in large-scale composting.

This summer, New York City welcomed new green spaces at Hunter’s Point South in Long Island City, Domino Park in Williamsburg, and Pier 3 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Green Roofs and Urban Farms

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is currently home to a 6.75-acre green roof, completed in 2014, which attracts wildlife, provides insulation that cuts the building’s energy use by 26 percent, and absorbs storm water. The Javits Center’s latest initiative is to cultivate a nearly 1 acre rooftop farm on the roof of the expansion, with the intention to grow produce to serve delegates.

Atop Brooklyn’s Barclays Center—famed for its sporting events and concerts—is a 3-acre green roof with another sloping over its subway entrance. Brooklyn Grange keeps bees in over 30 naturally-managed, rooftop hives citywide and operates the world’s two largest rooftop soil farms in Long Island City, Queens and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

New to the Bronx, The New York Botanical Garden introduced Edible Academy this spring. The three-acre campus features a green roof, demonstration kitchen, technology lab, teaching greenhouse, solar pavilion, vegetable gardens, teaching and performance spaces and more.

Established in 2012 to help feed, inspire, and educate the local community, Snug Harbor’s 2.5-acre Heritage Farm on Staten Island produces fresh fruits and vegetables in an environmentally sustainable manner. In 2017 Heritage Farm staff worked with over 100 volunteers and educated over 2,280 children on sustainable farming, food sources, and plant biology.

Roosevelt and Governor’s Island

Roosevelt Island is home to Cornell Tech’s in-progress campus, featuring cutting-edge green buildings the “net-zero” Bloomberg Center and “The House”, the world’s largest LEED-Platinum passive house structure. On Governors Island, eco highlights include an urban farm with resident goats, a composting center and the Billion Oyster Project, an ecosystem restoration and education initiative which has already planted 25 million oysters of a 2035 goal of one billion oysters, to create waterway filtration in New York Harbor.

City’s Top Attractions LEED The Way

The City’s LEED buildings are models of sustainable urban architecture. In 2009, the Empire State Building underwent a green-focused retrofit of the iconic 1931 skyscraper while One World Trade Center was constructed as one of the world’s tallest LEED-certified buildings. At Hudson Yards—the largest private real estate development in the history of the US—14 acres of gardens and public spaces, rainwater-collection infrastructure to reuse 10 million gallons per year and an on-site hyper-efficient power plant are leading green features. Of note, the first completed building in the emerging neighborhood, 10 Hudson Yards, is LEED Platinum certified.

Brooklyn’s Children’s Museum earned a Silver LEED certification after it was built in 2008 for solar-generated electric power, recycled rubber flooring and geothermal heating and cooling, while the venue also teaches children about ecology through hands-on exhibits. The Whitney Museum of American Art is also LEED Gold certified for its energy-saving measures, recycled materials used in construction, and green roof which is home to two beehives.

Shining examples of the NYC theater industry’s commitment to sustainability include the creation of The Broadway Green Alliance.

Primary Update Saturday August 4th

  Since cameras were not allowed in the courtroom I must repeat the photo of election lawyer Stanley Schlein talking to another election lawyer about billing the client by the hour. 

 So what happened on Friday?

 There was a question of current 84th A.D. District Leader withdrawing from the Assembly race for the 84th A.D. Mr. Israel Martinez claimed that the letter of withdrawal was a fraud, and that he had not withdrawn as a candidate for the 84th assembly. That matter was moved to Monday. 

 In the case of the challenge to the petition of Amanda Septimo, the challenge was withdrawn. That leaves candidate Amanda Septimo on the ballot for the September 13th primary in the 84th A.D.

 Counselor Anthony Grimaldi who was absent from court on Thursday arrived Friday morning to represent his clients Elliot Quinones and Pamela Stewart-Martinez. Mr Quinones is challenging incumbent Assemblyman Marcos Creespo, and Ms. Stewart-Martinez is challenging incumbent State Senator Luis Sepulveda. Word is that both matters will be closed out on Monday.

 As for the court challenge to the petition of Karines Reyes in the 87th Assembly District, there was an agreement after evidence of fraud on the Karines Reyes petition was admitted into the record by the court appointed referee. Sergeant John Perez (running for the vacant 87th Assembly seat) withdrew his challenge after the acceptance of evidence of fraud on the Karines Reyes petition. Candidate Sergeant John Perez said he wants to bring the community together after the triple homicide in Castle Hill, and the loss of a very dear friend who he grew up with Ms. Geraldine Lamb.   

Prime Healthcare Services and its CEO Agree to Pay $65 Million to Settle Medicare Overbilling Allegations at 14 California Hospitals

  LOS ANGELES – Prime Healthcare Services, Inc.; Prime Healthcare Foundation, Inc.; Prime Healthcare Management, Inc.; and Prime’s Founder and chief executive officer, Dr. Prem Reddy, have agreed to pay the United States $65 million to settle allegations that 14 Prime hospitals in California knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare by admitting patients who required only less costly, outpatient care and by billing for more expensive patient diagnoses than the patients had (a practice known as “up-coding”).

   Under the settlement agreement, Reddy will pay $3.25 million and Prime will pay $61.75 million.

  Headquartered in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare Services and the not-for-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation constitute one of the largest hospital systems in the nation, with 45 acute-care hospitals located in 14 states.

 The following 10 hospital defendants owned by Prime Healthcare Services are parties to the settlement agreement: Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Medical Center, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Desert Valley Hospital, Chino Valley Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, West Anaheim Medical Center and Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Four other hospital defendants owned by Prime Healthcare Foundation are also parties to the settlement agreement: Sherman Oaks Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital and Encino Hospital Medical Center. Prime Healthcare Management, a subsidiary of Prime Healthcare Services, provides management, consulting and support services to hospitals owned and operated by Prime.

 The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2006 through 2013, Prime engaged in a deliberate, corporate-driven scheme to increase inpatient admissions of Medicare beneficiaries who originally presented to the Emergency Departments at the 14 Prime hospitals in California. The government claimed that the inpatient admission of these beneficiaries was not medically necessary because their symptoms and treatment needs should have been managed in a less-costly outpatient or observation setting. Hospitals generally receive significantly higher payments from Medicare for inpatient admissions as opposed to outpatient treatment; therefore, the admission of beneficiaries who do not need inpatient care, as alleged here, can result in substantial financial harm to the Medicare program.

  The settlement also resolves allegations that, from 2006 through 2014, Prime engaged in up-coding by falsifying information concerning patient diagnoses, including complications and comorbidities, in order to increase Medicare reimbursement.

 “Patients and taxpayers who finance health care programs such as Medicare deserve to know that doctors are making decisions solely based on medical need – and not based on a corporate desire to increase billings,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Wilkison. “The Justice Department is committed to preserving the integrity of public health programs and preventing improper billing practices.”

 “This settlement reflects our ongoing commitment to ensure that health care providers appropriately bill Medicare,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Charging the government for higher cost inpatient services that patients do not need, and for higher-paying diagnoses than the patients have, wastes the country’s valuable health care resources.”

 Prime also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) requiring the company to engage in significant compliance efforts over the next five years. Under the agreement, Prime is required to retain an independent review organization to review the accuracy of the company’s claims for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries

 “When health care companies try to boost their profits by billing federal health care programs for more expensive services than they needed to provide, the Office of Inspector General will ensure they are held accountable for their deceptive schemes,” said Christian J. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge for the HHS-OIG’s, Los Angeles Regional Office.

 “Those who engage in health care fraud, including corrupt doctors and medical professionals driven by greed, exploit helpless or unwitting patients in violation of the oath they took to protect us – and often American taxpayers are the victims,” said Paul D. Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “By reaching this settlement, the FBI and our partners are holding Prime Healthcare accountable for exaggerating patients’ needs and inflating the severity of their symptoms while handsomely lining their pockets. This case should send a clear message to others who intend to engage in similar schemes that rout the American healthcare system.”

This settlement resolves a False Claims Act (FCA) lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles by Karin Berntsen, the former director of performance improvement at Alvarado Hospital Medical Center in San Diego. Under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA, private citizens are permitted to bring lawsuits on behalf of the United States and obtain a portion of the government’s recovery. The FCA also permits the government to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case as to some of Ms. Berntsen’s allegations. Ms. Berntsen will receive $17,225,000 as her portion of the settlement amount.

 Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

  The settlement was a result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office, FBIHQs Major Provider Response Team, and HHS-OIG.

   The case is United States ex rel. Karin Berntsen v. Prime Healthcare Services, Inc., et al., CV11-08214-PJW (C.D. Cal.). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.