Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 1 Million New Yorkers Fully Vaccinated With Second Dose

 

As of 11 AM today, New York's Health Care Distribution Sites Have Administered 91% of the Total First Doses Received from Federal Government       

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker; Dashboard Now Includes Demographic Data

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 1 million New Yorkers have been fully vaccinated after receiving a first and second dose. The total week 9 federal vaccine allocation has been delivered to providers for administration. As of 11AM today, New York's health care distribution sites have received 2,192,675 first doses and already administered 91 percent or 1,992,575 first dose vaccinations and 85 percent of first and second doses. The week 10 allocation from the federal government begins mid-week.  

"More than a million New Yorkers are now fully vaccinated, and this crucial milestone should give us confidence that we are on the right track towards ultimately beating back the virus and winning this war," Governor Cuomo said. "As I've said in the past, defeating COVID once and for all not only requires the quick and fair distribution of the vaccine, but we also must continue our efforts to reduce our hospitalization and infection rates. All the data shows that we are headed in the right direction and we must keep this progress moving. While New Yorkers continue to act responsibility to reduce infections, we will continue to fight for more vaccine supply and better distribution coordination from the federal government so we can ramp up our efforts even further."

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. Starting next week, local health departments will also receive vaccine allocations for these individuals. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:  

• Doctor's letter, or
• Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification  

Approximately 10 million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. The federal government has increased the weekly supply by more than 20 percent over the next three weeks, but New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.  

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11AM today is as follows. The allocation totals below include 100 percent of the week 9 allocation. The total week 9 allocation is also inclusive of some excess vaccine doses that have been reallocated from the federal Long Term Care Facility program.      

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN   

   First Doses Received - 2,192,675 

   First Doses Administered - 1,992,575; 91% 

   Second Doses Received - 1,178,350 

   Second Doses Administered - 871,109 

BRAC OPEN CALL to Curate 2021-2022 Exhibitions Last Week to Apply

 

Last Week to Apply for BRAC Open Call for Independent Curators Deadline February 22, 2021 The Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is currently seeking applications from Independent Curators for its FY2022 Exhibitions Calendar (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022). The selected curators will be responsible for contacting and sourcing all materials from artists, writing exhibition texts, and facilitating a public program. We encourage curatorial proposals by emerging and independent curators who are attuned to stretching boundaries and familiar with artists from The Bronx. This call for proposals aligns with our mission of supporting emerging artists from underrepresented groups, such as women and artists of color and addressing relevant social and environmental issues. Further, we continue our commitment to present exhibitions in various media, including interdisciplinary practices that connect artists in The Bronx and beyond. Please visit our website to view current and past exhibitions at: https://www.bronxriverart.org/gallery.cfm

BRAC Exhibitions Program has become known for both its deft curatorial vision and its ability to produce ambitious, energetic exhibitions with ingenuity and immediacy. In recent years, we have exposed various paradigms of contemporary art to the litmus test of our local Bronx community and the cultural, economic, and social landscape that defines it.

BRAC Mission Statement: Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is a culturally diverse, multi-arts, non-profit organization that provides a forum for community, artists, and youth to transform creativity into vision. Our Education, Exhibitions, Artist Studios, and Presenting Programs cultivate leadership in an urban environment and stewardship of our natural resource — the Bronx River.

Our Exhibitions Program also provides a resource for artists and guest curators, by giving them a platform inside a reality that has not been fully acknowledged by traditional arts institutions.

GUIDELINES: Proposals must be conceptually rigorous and focus on artists and themes in a way that is innovative, timely, challenging, and engaging. We are looking for proposals that clearly demonstrate a unique and creative approach to curatorial research methods and innovative exhibition plans, as well as an awareness of various art media within a historical context. Bronx River Art Center strongly encourages applications that expand our mission and contribute to our ongoing commitment to emerging artists, social and environmental justice, and advocacy for artists. Guest Curators should not include their own work in the exhibition they are proposing. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Please attach the following Information as a Word or PDF document and send by email to: opencall@bronxriverart.org with subject heading Curator Open Call by February 22, 2021. A detailed exhibition proposal (concept paper) with your name, address, phone number and email address, of up to 500 words that includes a curatorial statement, exhibition goals and objectives, any technical requirements, and a preliminary list of artists with a checklist of images, and indicate whether these artists have been confirmed. We additionally encourage the proposal of a public program and/or community workshops (date and time to be determined if your proposal is selected)  5 - 10 image samples. This does not have to be a final image check-list, just a grouping of artworks that illustrate your exhibition idea. A Curator’s CV. Three professional references (names and contact info) describing previous curatorial work/projects and/or research experience. FEE: Selected curators will be awarded a $500 - $600 honorarium depending on the show’s complexity. Exhibiting artists will also receive stipends based on the number of artists in the show. SELECTION PROCESS: Submissions deadline is Monday February 22, 2021. Finalists will be contacted for a virtual or safe in-person interview before selections are announced. Please do not submit original materials. All applications will be kept on our files for future reference. *No phone calls inquiring about the status of submission, please.

Email questions and application materials  to: opencall@bronxriverart.org

320 Days and Counting

 

I'm still here for another 320 days.

Assemblywoman Fernandez Hosts Small Business Valentine Pop Up

 

Saturday February 13th the day before Valentine's Day Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez hosted a Small Business Saturday Pop Up event at 'The Sanz Banquet Hall' located on Allerton Avenue. The event ran from 12 PM to 5 PM, with 17 vendors selling various Valentine Day related merchandise. 

The vendors at the event were hard hit by the pandemic, because events like this were cancelled for most of last year with this event being the first or second of 2021 for most of the vendors. Items on sale ranged from various cosmetics including, beautiful handmade scented candles, items for the bath and body, decorated face masks, T-shirts, Valentine Day items, and some different food vendors.  

Assemblywoman Fernandez was pleased with the quality of the merchandise being offered that she stopped at several tables to purchase various different items. We both wound up at the Top-Notch Catering tables where we each bought a very tasty lunch. The event was put together by MAS Marketing of the Bronx for Assemblywoman Fernandez.

Above - The Mary Kay Cosmetics table with Jacqueline Acevedo-Villanueva owner of MAS Marketing on the right.

Below - Assemblywoman Fernandez stops at one of the cosmetic tables to buy some of the products.

Above - Assemblywoman Fernandez stopped by the scented candle table to purchase some candles.

Below - Rebecca Huertas of Rebecca's Sweets and Spices who is trying to get her products into more stores. 

Above - Yolanda Berry of Kamari Bath & Body.

Below - Another table of scented bath products.

Michael Beltzer - My Story

 

The story of how I came to make the Southeast Bronx my home for the past 13 years is one of love. I began as a New York love story: my mother was a houseless Dominican immigrant and my father came into a Manhattan soup kitchen every Saturday. She would come on the line and sing to him. 

That lead to me being born in Southeast Queens. Unfortunately, my mother never got the mental health services she needed ( i remember the bruises from the police) and my father has spent the rest of his life fighting addiction. So I was raised in a loving household in a well resourced Long Island town by my aunt and uncle. Their love and care saved my life.

Fast forward to a night out at Webster Hall and i end up in love and living on Noble Ave! It was there I began to feel a new type of love: community love. That is the reason I've raised my family here. My neighbors look out for each other, are generous, and care deeply about their family and friends. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Extending Party Registration Enrollment Period

Party Registration Enrollment Period Extended from February 14 until Tuesday, February 16 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that he has signed Executive Order 202.94 extending the enrollment period for voters to make changes to their party enrollment until Tuesday, February 16, setting forth a uniform statewide policy that ensures voters can take advantage of this option regardless that the deadline this year falls on a Sunday. This change is necessary to ensure that Boards of Election have adequate time to process these voter-requested changes considering many Boards are short-staffed and operating with reduced density due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The change will go into effect immediately.

"The right to vote is one of the sacred pillars of our democracy, and as we continue to fight the war on COVID, we can't put democracy on hold," Governor Cuomo said. "Today we are extending the period for voters to change their party enrollment until Tuesday, February 16 to help break down more barriers to the ballot box and help ensure everyone has a chance to exercise this fundamental right."

In 2019, the Governor signed legislation (S.6532A/A.8228B) expediting party enrollment changes to make it easier for voters to participate in primary elections. Previously, changes to party enrollment did not take effect until after the November general election, requiring voters to wait as long as a year for changes to take effect. The new law removed the October 11 deadline and gave voters until February 14 to make changes to party enrollment. Due to the public health emergency and the fact that this February 14 is a Sunday followed by a holiday, this common-sense measure ensures the spirit of the law is complied with uniformly statewide.

E X E C U T I V E  O R D E R              No. 202.94

Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency

 WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; and

WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to continue;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANDREW M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, do hereby continue the suspensions and modifications of law and any directives, unless superseded, modified or otherwise expired, made by Executive Order 202 and each successor Executive Order to 202, for thirty days until March 16, 2021, and do hereby temporarily suspend or modify the following from the date of this Executive Order through March 16, 2021:

• Sections 201, 202, and 203 of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law, to the extent necessary to permit the MTA or subsidiary entities to hold public hearings remotely and through use of telephone conference, video conference, and/or other means of transmission, provided that public comments must be permitted electronically or by mail, and to permit all required documentation and records to be available electronically upon request; and
• Subdivision 3 of section 5-304 of the Election Law, only to the extent necessary to provide that for the calendar year 2021, the deadline for a change of enrollment, or a new enrollment, of a registered voter shall be accepted by the Board of Elections through the next business day following February 14th, and any such change of enrollment received by the Board of Elections shall be processed until February 16, 2021, whether or not transmitted prior to February 14th.

IN ADDITION, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby issue the following directives for the period from the date of this Executive Order through March 16, 2021:

• The directive contained in Executive Order 202.74 that required all businesses that are licensed by the State Liquor Authority under sections 63 and 79 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law (“liquor stores” and “wine stores”) to cease all off premises sales and close at or before 10:00PM, is modified only to the extent that all such businesses shall cease off premises sales and close at or before at 11:00PM;

• The directive contained in Executive Order 202.74 that required all restaurants, irrespective of whether such restaurant is licensed by the State Liquor Authority, to cease in-person dining at 10:00PM, is hereby modified only to the extent that all such restaurants shall cease in-person dining at or before 11:00PM;

• The directive contained in Executive Order 202.74 that required all businesses that are licensed by the State Liquor Authority for on premises service of alcoholic beverages, to cease all on premises service and consumption of food and beverages (including alcoholic beverages), inside or outside, at or before 10:00PM is hereby modified only to the extent that all such businesses shall cease all on premises service and consumption of food and beverages (including alcoholic beverages), inside or outside, at or before 11:00PM; and provided further licensees operating bowling alleys or casinos shall cease all operations at or before 11:00PM.

• The directive contained in Executive Order 202.74 that required any gym or fitness center to cease operation and close to the public at 10:00PM is hereby modified only to the extent that any such business shall cease operation and close to the public at 11:00PM.

G I V E N   under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this fourteenth day of February the year two thousand twenty-one.

BY THE GOVERNOR         

Secretary to the Governor

Bronx Progressives February Annual Virtual Meeting

Join Fellow Progressives for our February Annual Virtual Meeting! Topic: Bronx Progressives February Annual Virtual Meeting  Time: Feb 24, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89063327145 Meeting ID: 890 6332 7145 Greetings Bronx Progressives Members!   We're now in February! Hope this email finds you well and that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. And hope we're still breathing sighs of relief now that you know who is out of the White House.     Yet, we're still reliving the pain and harrowing images of what happened on January 6 on the news and in the current impeachment trial.   As we mentioned at our January meeting, the Working Group to Reactivate Bronx Progressives agreed to push our January Annual meeting (as inscribed in our bylaws that should happen in January) to February. We made this decision because we needed more time to thoughtfully plan out the Annual meeting, as we focus on revising the bylaws, and discussing ideas on issues and movements we should be involved with as a group; and once we reached consensus, we would then present them to you--our members, to collectively discuss and vote on the issues we should get involved with.   The Working Group is recommending that we focus on two or three issues for 2021. One of the idea is to join the Campaign for New York Health, and support that movement. Another idea is to join the Tax the Rich Campaign. And lastly, supporting the Homes Guarantee Movement. But we also want to hear from you, and get feedback on what other issues you think we should get involved with.    We will also be joined by Omar Suarez, Director of Partnerships and Outreach at NYC Votes, who will give us a presentation on Ranked Choice Voting. RCV is  a newly implemented electoral system that will only apply for local city elections.  Join us Wednesday, February 24 at 7pm, for our Annual Virtual General Meeting. Link below: Agenda: Greetings and Welcomes (2 Mins.) Quick review of the agenda (3 Mins.) House Rules (3 Mins.) Introducing Omar Suarez (3 Mins)  Omar Suarez gives presentation (20 Mins.) Q&A (10 Mins.) EC Roles/Priority in forming an EC (15 Mins) Working Group Proposes Issues we should focus on (20 Mins) NY Health Act Movement Tax the Rich Campaign Housing Justice for All Campaign What else? New Business/Announcements (20 Mins.) Meeting with Bronx Indivisible and Concerned Citizens Groups and Orgs that reached out to us Meeting with Our Bronx Revolution  Other? BylawsReminder https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dupzQcNBbEhBbSAZBe5GF24vAIeMMBEdYHLcTwvE_gA/edit?usp=sharing    Adjourn

 

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 100,000 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours and Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic FEBRUARY 14, 2021

 

102,907 First and Second Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours

Individuals with Comorbidities and Underlying Conditions Can Begin to Schedule Appointments at State Mass Vaccination Sites  

As of 11 AM today, New York's Health Care Distribution Sites Have Administered 89% of the Total First Doses Received from Federal Government    

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker; Dashboard Now Includes Demographic Data

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 102,907 first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the last 24 hours. The total week 9 federal allocation of vaccine delivery to providers will be complete today. As of 11AM today, New York's health care distribution sites have received 2,192,675 first doses and already administered 89 percent or 1,957,681 first dose vaccinations and 83 percent of first and second doses. The week 10 allocation from the federal government allocation from the federal government begins mid-week.

"We remain locked in a footrace between the infection rate and the vaccination rate, and while we are making significant progress on both fronts thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers, but can't become complacent - now is not the time to get cocky with COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "With more than 10 million New Yorkers now eligible for the vaccine, we have the infrastructure in place to get it administered quickly and fairly but continue to only be held back by the supply. Thankfully, with real leadership now in Washington, we've begun to see that supply increase and expect that trend to continue until New York is COVID-free."

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. Starting next week, local health departments will also receive vaccine allocations for these individuals. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

• Doctor's letter, or
• Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification 

Approximately 10 million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. The federal government has increased the weekly supply by more than 20 percent over the next three weeks, but New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11AM today is as follows. The allocation totals below include 100 percent of the week 9 allocation which will finish being distributed to New York provider sites today. The total week 9 allocation is also inclusive of some excess vaccine doses that have been reallocated from the federal Long Term Care Facility program.    

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

     First Doses Received - 2,192,675

     First Doses Administered - 1,957,681; 89%

     Second Doses Received - 1,178,350

     Second Doses Administered - 842,195

6,593 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide - Down 29% From Post-Holiday Peak

1,285 Patients in the ICU; 881 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 3.54%

Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity Rate 3.83% - Lowest Since November 29

37 Consecutive Days of Decline - Down 52% from Post-Holiday Peak

107 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.

"Thanks to New Yorkers' actions — like wearing masks, maintaining distance, and making smart decisions — hospitalizations and the positivity rate continue to head down, and the holiday surge is in our rear-view mirror. This progress is a testament to New Yorkers' personal choices, and I thank the family of New York for once again putting public health first," Governor Cuomo said. "The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war against COVID, and we have the infrastructure in place to administer hundreds of thousands of more shots as soon as supply is available. Today's news shows that as long as New Yorkers remain Tough, Smart, United, Disciplined, and Loving, we can and will beat back COVID."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 234,708
• Total Positive - 8,316
• Percent Positive - 3.54%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive -
• Patient Hospitalization - 6,593 (-295)
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -1056
• Patients Newly Admitted - 652
• Hospital Counties - 55
• Number ICU - 1,285 (-43)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 881 (-27)
• Total Discharges - 138,050 (+744)
• Deaths - 107
• Total Deaths - 37,118