New York City Council’s 2021 Charter meeting, the Council will vote on the appointment of several new committee chairs.

 

The Council will vote to appoint Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson to serve as chair of the Committee on Oversight and Investigations. She is replacing former Council Member Ritchie Torres, now a representative for the 15th Congressional District. Council Member Gibson is currently chair of the Subcommittee on Capital Budget and Finance, a role she will be transitioning out of, and co-chair of the Women’s Caucus. The Committee on Oversight and Investigations has jurisdiction over investigating matters within the Council’s jurisdiction concerning property, affairs, or government of New York City, as well as the Department of Investigation.

The Council will also vote to appoint Council Member Helen Rosenthal to serve as chair of the Subcommittee on Capital Budget and Finance. Council Member Rosenthal will replace Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson as chair. Council Member Rosenthal is currently chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity, a role she will be transitioning out of. The Subcommittee on Capital Budget and Finance plays a critical role in the planning of the city’s budget and fiscal policy decisions. 

The Council will also vote to appoint Council Member Darma V. Diaz to serve as chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity. Council Member Diaz will replace Council Member Helen Rosenthal as chair. The Committee on Women and Gender Equity has jurisdiction over issues relating to advancing the economic mobility, social inclusion, leadership and civic participation of women and girls, domestic violence, Office to End Gender-Based Violence and the Commission on Gender Equity. 

The Council will also vote to appoint Council Member Diana Ayala to serve as chair of the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing. Council Member Ayala is currently chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, a role she will be transitioning out of, and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. The Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing has jurisdiction over New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs and Office of Nightlife, including practices and policies relating to New Yorkers’ consumer rights. 

The Council will also vote to appoint Council Member Farah N. Louis to serve as chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addictions. Council Member Louis will replace current Council Member Diana Ayala as chair. Council Member Louis is currently vice co-chair for the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC) and co-chair for the Women’s Caucus. The Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addictions has jurisdiction over the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. 

The Council will also vote to appoint Council Member Kevin C. Riley to serve as chair of the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, and Dispositions. The Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, and Dispositions reviews and makes recommendations on New York City’s designations of property as landmarks or historic districts, as well as decisions to site public facilities and decisions regarding the use of maritime facilities such as piers. 

Attorney General James Announces Arrests in Nearly Decade-Long Ponzi Scheme that Defrauded Investors Across New York and Nation of More Than $1 Million

 

Purported Managers of Headhunting Firms Charged with Money Laundering, Grand Larceny, Securities Fraud, and Scheme to Defraud

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrests of two defendants charged with operating a nearly decade-long Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors from throughout New York and the rest of the nation of more than $1 million. Attorney General James today filed a 42-count felony complaint charging Carl R. Carro (59, of Walton in Delaware County) and James W. Doyle (72, of White Plains in Westchester County) — the purported managing directors of headhunting companies Endeavor Management Solutions, LLC and Endeavor Consultancy, LLC — of multiple counts of Money Laundering, Grand Larceny, Securities Fraud, and Scheme to Defraud.

“When New Yorkers put their hard-earned savings into an investment, they expect their money to work for them, but the greed of the operators of these corporations never gave victims a chance to make a profit,” said Attorney General James. “After nearly a decade, the Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Carl Carro and James Doyle fell like a house of cards, robbing most victims of thousands of dollars. Today, we’re holding these two men accountable for cheating investors and using investment funds to enrich and dig themselves out of a hole. My office will continue to use every resource at its disposal to hold accountable anyone who tries to cheat innocent New Yorkers out of their hard-earned savings.”

According to the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) felony complaint, between at least January 2012 and December 2020, Carro and Doyle solicited investments in their companies, Endeavor Management Solutions and Endeavor Consultancy, from over 50 victims from New York and from other states around the country. Carro and Doyle allegedly misrepresented to investors that Endeavor was a headhunting firm hired by prestigious clients to find candidates for openings on their boards of directors. Carro and Doyle are charged with luring investors with false promises of interviews for board positions, then offering purported no-risk investment opportunities in their firm. The two defendants allegedly promised their victims that investments would be held in an untouched cash reserve fund that purportedly held over $1 million and guaranteed a 10 to 20 percent return on investment after 30 days.

The complaint lays out that instead of holding the investments in a cash reserve fund, Carro and Doyle deposited investor monies into various accounts, none of which ever had a balance of more than $200,000. An OAG audit revealed that investor funds were used for personal expenses and to pay back previously defrauded investors. According to the audit, Carro and Doyle spent nearly $500,000 on cash withdrawals, more than $200,000 to pay credit card bills, squandered more than $57,000 on pet expenses, and exhausted more than $350,000 to pay previously defrauded investors, including over $170,000 in restitution to victims in Carro’s prior criminal cases. Carro and Doyle are charged with stealing between $15,000 and $30,000 from each of the more than 50 victims from 2012 to the present, with total losses to all victim-investors exceeding $1 million. 

To further their nearly decade-long scheme, Carro and Doyle allegedly engaged in a pattern of excuses and delay tactics regarding their inability to repay investors. These delay tactics included telling investors that the bank would not release their funds, when in fact the funds were already depleted; alleging that repayment checks were in the mail, only for investors to receive empty envelopes; and creating a fictitious attorney to act as in-house-counsel for Endeavor during disputes with investors’ over the return of their investments.

The felony complaint also lays out how the two defendants engaged in a complex money-laundering scheme to conceal and promote their ongoing crimes. Carro and Doyle allegedly used bank accounts at multiple financial institutions in an effort to disguise and conceal the true source and ownership of the money. The complaint further charges that the proceeds were laundered in a Ponzi-like manner to make repayments to previously defrauded investors, without revealing that the actual source of the repayments was funds from newly defrauded investors. While the defendants repaid some investors a very small percentage of their investment, most investors received no repayment at all. 

The OAG’s 42-count felony complaint — filed in Walton Town Court in Delaware County — charges Carro and Doyle, acting in concert, with two counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree (a class “­­­C” felony), 19 counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a class “D” felony), 20 counts of Securities Fraud under the Martin Act (a class “E” felony), and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (a class “E” felony).  

Carro and Doyle were arraigned today before the Honorable Jacqueline Lamport. Carro was remanded and Doyle was released on his own recognizance. 

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - JANUARY 7, 2021

 

8,548 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide

1,424 Patients in the ICU; 859 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 7.39%

197 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"The holiday COVID hangover is here which is problematic enough, but with the introduction of the U.K. strain and the federal government's refusal to help contain it with common-sense testing requirements for international travelers, our work has become that much more complicated," Governor Cuomo said. "Despite this new challenge, New York is staying tough, and working with the health care community to ensure hospitals do not become overwhelmed. With those efforts ongoing, it's as important as ever that we collectively stay smart and commit ourselves to taking the steps necessary for stopping the spread."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 238,550
• Total Positive - 17,636
• Percent Positive - 7.39%
• Patient Hospitalization -  8,548 (-117)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 1,050
• Hospital Counties - 56
• Number ICU - 1,424 (+16)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 859 (-18)
• Total Discharges - 107,243 (+924)
• Deaths - 197
• Total Deaths - 31,164

Former NYPD Sergeant Charged With 9/11 Benefits Fraud

 

 Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), and Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office (“DOJ-OIG”), announced today that SALLY SPINOSA was charged in Manhattan federal court with two counts of making false claims for monetary awards and medical benefits by falsely and materially overstating the amount of time she spent on recovery efforts after the September 11, 2001, attack on New York, as well as one count of aggravated identity theft for submitting a fraudulent affidavit in connection with her benefits application.  SPINOSA surrendered this morning and will be presented before Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox in Manhattan this afternoon.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “After the September 11 attacks on New York City, the brave men and women of the NYPD risked their lives and safety to rebuild the City.  As alleged, former NYPD sergeant Sally Spinosa exploited her position by brazenly – and falsely – claiming to have worked hundreds of hours in the recovery effort.  When law enforcement officers break the laws they are sworn to uphold, they do a disservice to their fellow officers, to the departments that employ them, and to the public they serve.  My Office will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute such conduct.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “There is no place in the NYPD for criminal behavior.  I commend Deputy Commissioner Joseph Reznick and Internal Affairs officers for their thorough investigation, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.”

DOJ-OIG Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham said:  “The victim compensation funds are meant to provide some relief for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  Spinosa allegedly tried to defraud the government and take benefits from the fund that she did not deserve.  The charges brought today show that the DOJ OIG will thoroughly investigate allegations of fraud of these funds.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Following the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, Congress created certain programs to provide monetary compensation and medical treatment for victims of the attacks.  Specifically, Congress created the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (the “VCF”) to provide compensation for any individual who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of either the September 11th attacks or the debris removal and recovery efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.  Congress also created the World Trade Center Health Program (“WTCHP”) to provide, among other things, monitoring and medical treatment benefits for individuals who have or may develop health conditions due to exposure at disaster or recovery sites tied to the September 11th attacks.  Both the VCF and the WTCHP are funded by Congress.  An individual can be deemed eligible for a VCF award either by submitting medical documents and proof-of-presence documents directly to the VCF, or by going through the WTCHP’s process for having a medical condition certified.

SALLY SPINOSA served as an NYPD officer from in or about July 1986 until July 2019, and was a sergeant in the investigations unit of the NYPD’s Patrol Services Bureau of Staten Island (the “Staten Island Investigations Unit”) on September 11, 2001.  In 2010, SPINOSA participated in a screening interview with the WTCHP in which she falsely stated that she worked for hundreds of hours at the Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island, New York (the “Landfill”), from September 2001 to June 2002.  Similarly, in 2014, SPINOSA applied for a monetary award from the VCF, falsely claiming that she was at the Landfill for two hours each day for 62 straight days from September 20, 2001, to November 20, 2001.  In support of her application, SPINOSA submitted proof-of-presence documents, including an affidavit purportedly signed by one of her supervisors at the Staten Island Investigations Unit (“Officer-1”) stating that Officer-1 frequently visited the Landfill with SPINOSA to supervise subordinates (the “Officer-1 Affidavit”).

However, contrary to SPINOSA’s representations to the WTCHP and the VCF, in fact SPINOSA spent little to no time at the Landfill.  Indeed, during much of the time SPINOSA claimed to be working at the Landfill, SPINOSA was pregnant and doing limited work outside the Staten Island Investigations Unit’s offices, or was out of the office entirely on parental leave. Moreover, the Officer-1 Affidavit that SPINOSA submitted in support of her VCF application was fraudulent and was never signed by Officer-1.  

Nevertheless, and based on her false and fraudulent misrepresentations, in or around 2017 the WTCHP granted her benefits.  The WTCHP has since paid for certain medical visits and prescription drugs for SPINOSA.  While SPINOSA’s original fraudulent application to the VCF was denied in 2014, she reapplied in 2017 and 2018 relying on the same false and fraudulent information.  SPINOSA’s VCF claim remains pending.

SPINOSA, 55, of Freehold, New Jersey, has been charged with one count of submitting false claims, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau and DOJ-OIG.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Catherine E. Ghosh are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Attorney General James Provides Guidance to Law Enforcement Group on Evictions During COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Law Enforcement Handling of Eviction Warrants Established by

Emergency Evictions and Foreclosure Prevention Act

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued guidance to the New York State Sheriffs’ Association that provides key reminders regarding law enforcement's role in the eviction process during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health crisis.

On December 28, 2020, the COVID-19 Emergency Evictions and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 was signed into law, providing protections for tenants at risk of eviction, including clarification for law enforcement officials carrying out evictions. The law allows tenants to get an automatic stay of eviction in all cases through May 1, 2021 by completing and sending a hardship declaration to their landlord, the court, a sheriff, marshal, or city constable. The law also makes all eviction warrants — those currently issued and those that will be issued — defective unless they contain specific language referencing the hardship declaration.

“As the financial instability spurred by the coronavirus continues, it is imperative for the state to enforce laws that protect New Yorkers from unlawfully losing their homes,” said Attorney General James. “My office remains willing and able to assist local sheriffs and law enforcement departments as they familiarize themselves with the new law, which they are charged with enforcing.”

Attorney General James highlights the following reminders regarding hardship declarations:

• A tenant is allowed to provide a declaration to their landlord in English (or their primary language) at any point of the eviction process.
• The tenant may also provide the declaration to the court and/or the person that is evicting them (i.e. sheriff, marshal, city constable).
• Upon receipt of a declaration, landlords are prohibited from starting a new eviction case or continuing with an existing eviction case until at least May 1, 2021.
• The declaration should state that the tenant has either had an income loss; increased living costs related to essential work or health impacts (including from being unable to secure moving expenses); the inability to obtain employment or earn income due to responsibilities to care for children or elderly, disabled, or sick family members; or financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Additionally, hardship may include that the tenant, or someone in their household, will suffer a significant health risk of becoming ill from COVID-19 due to an underlying medical condition, if forced to move from their home.
  • A “significant health risk” related to contracting COVID-19 for a tenant or occupant is defined under the law as being over the age of 65, having a disability, or having an underlying medical condition, which may include, but is not limited to, being immunocompromised.

Upon receipt of a declaration, law enforcement officials are prohibited from evicting the tenant and occupants, and instead, must notify the court that a declaration has been received. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) encourages sheriffs and other law enforcement officers who execute eviction warrants to provide declarations to all occupants when engaged in an eviction. The OAG continues to actively monitor housing practices throughout the state to ensure that unlawful evictions do not occur. The OAG has already sent cease and desist letters to landlords throughout the state who have unlawfully threatened tenants with eviction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Attorney General James issued unlawful eviction guidance to law enforcement departments, and to New Yorkers highlighting how to navigate tenant issues related to COVID-19. Threats of eviction are not only illegal, but also damaging to the well-being of New Yorkers. 

All COVID-19 guidance on tenant protections, among other important updates for the public and businesses, can be found on the OAG website. 

NEW YORK CITY LAUNCHES THREE NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ADVANCE BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP

 

Programs to Serve 1,500 Businesses in 2021

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Jonnel Doris today announced three new mentorship programs, ‘Small Business Mentors NYC,’ ‘BE NYC Mentors,’ and ‘M/WBE Mentors,’ which will provide industry experts as guides for current and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to start and grow a business in a post-COVID era. These programs are expected to serve 1,500 businesses in 2021. SBS’ first mentorship program, WE Connect Mentors, has engaged women mentors to work with over 1,700 women entrepreneurs since 2019.

 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every small business in our city – but our Black entrepreneurs and Minority and Women-Owned Businesses have been hit especially hard,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These businesses will be the beating heart of our economic recovery, and New York City is committed to giving them the guidance and advice they need to succeed in this pandemic and beyond.”

 

"Small businesses are vital to the fabric of New York City and serve as the cornerstones of our communities," said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and Co-Chair of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce. “Our economic recovery depends on the ability of small business owners to succeed, and the City is helping to ensure we recover with equity by providing critically important mentorship programs to those in underrepresented and hardest-hit communities who need them most.”

 

“Mentorship, especially from business owners who have faced similar challenges, is a key component of business success,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “Our growing list of mentors come from a range of industries including food, professional services, and financial services, and are ready to guide minority and women owned businesses, entrepreneurs recovering from COVID-19, and emerging entrepreneurs launching the businesses of tomorrow.”

 

“Networks are a crucial ingredient of small business success, and all too often, entrepreneurs of color lack access to the insider advice they need to get ahead,” said Sideya Sherman, Executive Director of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity and EVP, Community Engagement & Partnerships, NYCHA. “Through these new mentorship programs, entrepreneurs of color and those in the communities hardest-hit by COVID-19 will have access to industry experts who can offer technical assistance, practical advice, and encouragement as they work to adapt and grow their businesses in the wake of the pandemic.”

 

“Our landmark survey of over 1,500 Black entrepreneurs showed that less than 40% of respondents had sufficient access to mentors and supporters to help launch and scale a business,” said Ken Ebie, Executive Director of Black Entrepreneurs NYC (BE NYC). “BE NYC Mentors seeks to solve this problem by connecting talented entrepreneurs with experienced mentors in various industries, positioning them for long-term success.”

 

Small Business Mentors NYC is a mentorship program for existing storefront business owners in underrepresented communities seeking to grow their businesses. The program, introduced by the Mayor’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, will provide these businesses with specialized guidance and professional networks. The City has worked with 14 entrepreneurs who have successfully pivoted their businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, and who will mentor storefront business owners in New York City. These mentors will include:

 

• Aysha Saeed, CEO, Creative Director, Aysha New York
• Yoon Joo Lee, CEO, Janchi Myeonga
• Echo Wu, Executive, Shaxian Snacks
• Karen Mitchell, CEO, True Indian Hair
• Dorian Mercir, Founder & CEO, Dorian’s Seafood Market
• Yolanda Felder, Life Coach and TV Host, The Yolanda Felder Show
• Carmen Ferreyra, CEO, Porteñas
• Emelyn Stuart, Owner, Stuart Cinema & Café
• Kalima De Suze, Owner, Cafe con Libros
• Zhenya Globazh, Co-founder, Shiba500
• Janna Meyrowitz Turner, President, Style House
• Maria Iglesias and Cynthia Shephard, Mother/Daughter Owners, Corazon de Mexico Restaurant & Bar
• Mary Nittolo, Founder & Creative Director, The Studio
• Zachary Sharaga, Owner, Dear Mama Coffee
• Mark Connell, Owner, Botanica Bar
• Ayala Donchin, Founder & Executive Chef, Evelyn’s Kitchen
• Dawn Kelly, CEO, The Nourish Spot

 

BE NYC Mentors is New York City's inaugural business mentorship program for Black entrepreneurs in the pre-startup and early stages of operating their business. The program aims to increase the number of new Black-owned businesses in high-growth industries, with a programmatic focus on pre-startup and newly formed businesses. The growing list of Black entrepreneurs and industry leaders that will mentor emerging Black entrepreneurs in New York City includes:

 

• Ayme Sinclair, CEO & Founder, Sinclair Social
• Precious Williams, CEO, Perfect Pitches by Precious
• Tiffany Joy Murchinson, CEO, TJM & Company
• Yannize Joshua, Co-owner & Managing Partner, The Teknique Group
• Gayle Jennings-O’Byrne, CEO, WOCstar Fund
• Nekpen Osuan, Principle, WomenWerk
• Ariane Hunter, Founder, Project She Went for Her Dreams
• Mark Hayles, Founder & CEO, Better Local Business Agency LLC
• Malla Haridat, Owner, New Designs for Life Training Company
• Khalilah Webster, Co-founder & COO, Vanguarde Consulting Group and Managing Partner at Minority Venture Partners
• Celeste Morris, President, MorrisAllsop Public Affairs
• Kim Fontaine, Esq, Owner, Perry Blair Consulting
• Alain Leroy, Chief Operating and Innovation Officer, The Gentlemen's Factory
• Kofi Kankam, Founder, Admit.me
• Ron J. Williams, Head of Strategy, Citi Ventures D10X

 

M/WBE Mentors is the first peer mentorship program for NYC’s certified Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs). The program will help M/WBEs to further build their professional networks and expand their access to resources and contracting opportunities. The following entrepreneurs have successfully led their businesses through the pandemic, and will mentor certified M/WBEs to introduce them to government contracting and expand their businesses:

 

• Penda Aiken, President and CEO, Penda Aiken, Inc
• Hugo E. Almeida, CEO, Abitronix, LLC
• Denise Arboleda, Vice-President of Sales, Compulink Technologies, Inc.
• KY Chow, President, GM Printing\
• Micoy Hamilton, CEO, Nifty Concept, Inc.
• Barbara Armand Kushner, President, Armand Corporation
• Colleen Molter, President, QED National
• Nayan Parikh, Founder & President, Ashnu International, Inc.
• Rafael Perez, Jr., President, GCCOM Construction Company, Inc.
• James Peterson, CEO/ Executive Chef, E.A.T. w/ Culinary Arts Professionals
• Francilia Wilkins Rahim, CEO, R.F. Wilkins Consultants
• Elizabeth Velez, President, Velez Organization

 

You can now sign-up for ‘BE NYC Mentors’ and ‘Small Business Mentors NYC’ upcoming sessions. M/WBE Mentors will host their first kickoff event in January. For more information on each mentorship program visit nyc.gov/businessmentors.

 

"Investing, shopping and mentoring other black businesses is imperative for the economic health of all New Yorkers," said Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne, BE NYC Cabinet Member, BE NYC Mentor, and Co-Founder of the WOCstar Fund. "I am honored to do my part as a mentor for the BE NYC program to advance black entrepreneurship in New York City."

 

“Business mentorship is crucial because in times of uncertainty, knowledge is power. Mentors can help you avoid making mistakes that could cause serious consequences for your business” said Maria Iglesias, owner of Corazon de Mexico Restaurant & Bar.

 

“Mentorship is important because it’s paying it forward,” said Barbara Armand Kushner, M/WBE Mentor and President of Armand Corporation. “If a Minority Owned Business or Woman Owned Business comes to me with a business challenge and I can share some knowledge because I’ve had that problem in the past, I pay it forward by mentoring that business about how to plow through that challenge.  When I do that, then I’ve done my job as a Mentor.”

 

“I’m excited to see the BE NYC Mentors program paving the way towards a better future for Black businesses in New York City,” said Sekou Kaalund, Head of the Northeast Division for Chase Consumer Bank and BE NYC Cabinet Member. “Sharing tools, resources and advice with Black entrepreneurs will help ensure that they are positioning their businesses for success and creating legacies of wealth for future generations.”

 

“As an entrepreneur, mentorship has played a pivotal role in the success of my business,” said Jeff Lindor, BE NYC Cabinet Member and Founder of The Gentlemen's Factory Inc. “The launch of BE NYC Mentors is a great addition to the black business ecosystem in the City of New York. It will help strengthen the current entrepreneur community and help usher in the next generation of innovators.”

 

Statement from Governor Cuomo's Communications Director Peter Ajemian Regarding Ongoing Vaccination Efforts

 

"The State Department of Health has been having conversations with local governments today to discuss the ongoing COVID vaccination efforts. To summarize several points from these discussions and respond to some comments please be advised as follows:

"The rules of the COVID vaccine distribution have been clear for many weeks and agreed to by virtually all credible federal and state leaders. The first priority is "1A," healthcare workers who are on the front lines. With the increasing hospitalization rates, the new UK strain spread and hospital staff shortages, keeping hospitals functioning is essential to avoid another shutdown.

"Once those healthcare workers who want to accept a vaccine are afforded the opportunity, vaccinations go to the "1B" category which includes essential workers including police, firefighters and 75+ year old New Yorkers (who have the highest death rate from COVID).  Police are not "healthcare workers" for 1A purposes except those who are EMS or EMT.  As everyone knows, virtually every police officer is trained in CPR, but that does not make them a 'healthcare worker' for the purpose of vaccine distribution.

"Also the state plan will not allow 1B to commence only with police; it also includes teachers, firefighters and other essential workers as well as 75+ year old New Yorkers - all eligible at the same time.  We do not, and will not allow, prioritization of one group over any other in 1B.

"The City of New York has 917,000 eligible healthcare workers in 1A and has only administered 144,000 vaccines. Many more healthcare workers are anxiously awaiting the vaccine. New York City has received 304,000 dosages beginning in December through last week and administered less than 50 percent.  We urge New York City and other local governments to get needles in the arms of the healthcare workers to avoid our frontline heroes from getting sick and our hospitals from collapsing due to increasing staff shortages.

"Any government or hospital that has offered their healthcare workers vaccines and are at their "refusal rate" (workers have been offered the vaccine but refused it) should inform DOH and we will reallocate their doses. We have many healthcare workers demanding the vaccine. There are over 1 million healthcare workers who have not yet been offered the vaccine. Also, as a reminder, herd immunity requires 70-90% vaccination and we hope healthcare workers exceed the minimum acceptance rate.

"We're all anxious to get the vaccination to 1B, 75 year old New Yorkers, and essential workers.  However, we must establish competent administration because if a government fails to administer 1A vaccines, what makes anyone think they can competently administer 1B?

"The state has previously announced plans for 1B vaccines. The 1B category includes approximately 3 million people statewide and the state will utilize a variety of non-governmental agencies to administer those vaccines including pharmacies, private doctor networks, and community groups serving underserved communities, as the state announced last week.  There will be literally thousands of distribution points statewide.

We are asking large union forces such as police, firefighters and teachers to organize their own vaccination programs, where possible, to remove volume from private providers and health departments.

"We have asked local governments to coordinate with these groups to determine if they can "self-administer" or use their own providers or will utilize the private provider network.  Again the main issue will be supply.  For example, the 1B category is over 3 million people and the state still only receives 300,000 doses per week.  There are also 1 million 1A healthcare workers still awaiting vaccines. Hopefully, we expect an increase in federal supply shortly."

These are the categories of 1A:

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2021/01/guidance_facilitiesreceivingcovid19vaccineweeks1-5.pdf

Eligible New Yorkers in Phase 1A are:

• High-risk hospital workers (emergency room workers, ICU staff and Pulmonary Department staff)
• Residents and staff at nursing homes and other congregate care facilities
• Federally Qualified Health Center employees
• EMS workers
• Coroners, medical examiners and certain funeral workers
• Staff and residents at OPWDD, OMH and OASAS facilities
• Urgent Care providers
• Individuals administering COVID-19 vaccines, including local health department staff

Beginning January 4, 2021:

• All Outpatient/Ambulatory front-line, high-risk health care workers of any age who provide direct in-person patient care
• All staff who are in direct contact with patients (i.e., intake staff)
• All front-line, high-risk public health workers who have direct contact with patients, including those conducting COVID-19 tests, handling COVID-19 specimens and COVID-19 vaccinations

This includes, but is not limited to,

• Doctors who work in private medical practices and their staff
• Doctors who work in hospital-affiliated medical practices and their staff
• Doctors who work in public health clinics and their staff
• Registered Nurses
• Specialty medical practices of all types
• Dentists and Orthodontists and their staff
• Psychiatrists and Psychologists and their staff
• Physical Therapists and their staff
• Optometrists and their staff
• Pharmacists and Pharmacy Aides
• Home care workers
• Hospice workers

• Staff of nursing homes/skilled nursing facilities who did not receive COVID vaccination through the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program

DEC LAUNCHES ICE FISHING CREEL SURVEY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN

 

Surveys Conducted through March 2021

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the launch of an ice fishing creel survey that will be conducted on the New York waters of Lake Champlain starting this week through March.

 

“Lake Champlain is one of New York’s top fishing destinations and ice fishing is a very popular component of the State’s overall fishery,” said Commissioner Seggos. “As such, there is a need to periodically monitor what anglers are targeting and catching so we can evaluate and adjust our management practices as needed.”

 

This ice fishing survey is part of a larger, two-year effort to survey both ice and open water anglers. Data gathered during these surveys will serve as a baseline to help DEC Fisheries biologists better understand angler use and expectations, while also informing management actions on Lake Champlain.

 

The 2021 ice fishing survey will take place at four access points: Plattsburgh Boat Launch on Cumberland Bay; Willsboro Bay Boat Launch; Bulwagga Bay Campground; and South Bay Boat Launch. Anglers coming off the ice will be asked to participate by providing information about their day of fishing and allowing DEC creel agents the opportunity to collect biological data on their catch. Collected data will include target species, number caught, and size. Voluntary participation in the survey gives anglers the opportunity to contribute to future Lake Champlain management decisions.

 

A copy of the Lake Champlain Ice Fishing Creel Survey plan can be found on DEC’s website. A report summary of the survey results will be made available later in 2021.

 

Anglers are reminded to always follow best practices for ice safety.

 

While enjoying outdoor spaces, please continue to PLAY SMART * PLAY SAFE * PLAY LOCAL and follow the Centers for Disease Control / Department of Health guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19.