On Tuesday, March 16th our office will be holding a Food Giveaway in partnership with New York Common Pantry, Bell Organization, and Senator Jamaal T. Bailey.
The giveaway will be held at Allerton Coops, 2700 Bronx Park East, between 3:00pm - 5:00pm
*While Supplies Last*
We encourage all to attend and to let your families, neighbors, and friends know as well.
4,517 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
923 Patients in the ICU; 614 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 4.57%
58 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.
It is important to note that data, including test results and hospital rates, reported early in the week are often not completely reflective of the current situation due to lower discharges and testing volume over the weekend. Data trends over a period of time, such as using 7-day averages, are a preferred metric.
"We know that the vaccine is the weapon that will win this war, but we also know that one of the most critical actions to stopping the spread of COVID is washing your hands, wearing a mask and practicing social distancing," Governor Cuomo said. "As more vaccine supply comes to New York and more needles get into arms, we are that much closer to reaching our goals, but we need to remain vigilant. New Yorkers have made incredible progress that we can all be proud of but we are still in the footrace. Until the day we reach the light at the end of the tunnel, we must all remain New York Tough."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
“As the pandemic passes the one-year mark, it’s time for us to reflect on all that’s occurred in the last 12 months – the loved ones we’ve lost, the damage done to the economy and how our communities have been damaged and forever changed. In response, my Assembly colleagues and I have been hard at work crafting the 2021-22 Assembly budget proposal, recognizing that now, more than ever, we need a budget that works for the people. That’s why I am fighting for a budget that includes funding increases, rejects cuts and protects those hit hardest by the pandemic while also investing in our future.
Mentorship program connects violence interrupters with at-risk New Yorkers to prevent gun violence
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today announced that New York City will pilot the Advance Peace Model, a new gun violence prevention program that pairs youth who are at-risk for gun violence with individual mentors.
"The most effective solutions come from the grassroots and create change beyond the power of government," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "The Crisis Management System has empowered leaders from across our city to take control of their neighborhoods and rethink what it means to keep each other safe. This Advance Peace Model will guarantee a safer and fairer New York for generations to come.”
“We all have a part to play in co-producing public safety, and healing old wounds and building new partnerships will require bold actions. It is not enough to react to violence, we need to advance peace,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This pilot program is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of not only this program, but these principles of public safety. I thank the Mayor for funding the Advance Peace pilot program in New York City. After seeing such success with the Crisis Management System, we must continue to innovate in our work to reimagine public safety, and I’m eager to put this model into action and save lives.”
Under the pilot, the City will conduct outreach in areas with high levels of gun violence to identify youth who are at-risk for gun violence. Select individuals are then invited to join the Peacemaker fellowship, which pairs mentees with individual Neighborhood Change Agents who mentor them and set tangible goals like a drivers’ license or a GED. When participants achieve their goals, they receive a monetary stipend.
The Advance Peace model has proved successful in other parts of the country. A peer-reviewed study of the pilot in Sacramento, California showed a 27% reduction in gun violence in the program’s catchment area over two years. The study further demonstrates the efficacy of the program by documenting high levels of service referrals, conflict mediations, and gun violence interruptions.
The pilot will launch in July of 2021 in five precincts citywide: the 46th Precinct in the Bronx, the 114th Precinct in Queens, the 26th Precinct in Manhattan, the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn, and the 120th Precinct in Staten Island.
122,778 Doses Administered Across New York State in the Last 24 Hours
More than 1 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days
Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's vaccination program. 122,778 doses have been administered across New York's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.
"New York's weekly vaccine allocation has been increasing over time, and we're getting shots into arms as quickly as possible using our vast distribution network," Governor Cuomo said. "It's critical that we continue to expand that network as eligibility expands and supply increases, and the state is doubling down on its commitment to equity and fairness in the distribution process, including reaching underserved communities. New Yorkers have gone through hell to reach this point, and now that the vaccine is here, we need to continue practicing safe behaviors until more residents and their families take the vaccine."
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.
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. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:
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.
STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN
Total doses administered - 6,699,848
Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 122,778
Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,059,142
Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 22.5%
Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 11.6%
For someone in the media to go into a poll site the standard NYPD issued Press Card is not good enough. A reporter must also have a letter from the Commissioners of Elections in the City of New York authorizing the reporter to undertake the listed activities printed on the letter within a polling site. A second letter going into details of said activities is also sent to the reporter with the dates on both pages for the election to be used. Both letters are signed by Michael J. Ryan the executive Director of the Board of Elections New York City. These two letters must be presented to the two poll coordinators upon entering a poll site, and the reporter (and all other allowed visitors) must sign each coordinator's log book.
Going into the Bronx Science poll site in the 11th council district on Saturday March 13, 2021 the first day of early voting for the special election, I went to the poll coordinators table with my two BOE authorizing media letters. I showed them to one of the coordinators who pulled out his cell phone and wanted to photograph the papers. I said no because in all the years I have been doing this there is no requirement that the letters be photographed by any coordinator. A person who identified himself as Harold Payne, a BOE worker, said the letters I had were not real. He said I would have to call Brendaliz (meaning Brendaliz Candelaria) the Democratic head of the Bronx Board of Elections. I replied that she does not issue the letters which come from the NYCBOE not the borough office.
The letters have a phone number to report any problems, and I called the number to report this problem. I was told Ms. Valerie Vazquez-Diaz the Communications Director for the BOE would call me back in a few minutes. When Ms. Vazquez-Diaz called me back she said she had no record of my request for BOE Press Credentials, and even added that when she checked with the police department they had no record of my Press card. I said to Ms. Vazquez-Diaz "We have been doing this for years now, and that I was one of the very few people in the media who renewed their Press Cards in February. I received a call back a few minutes later. She must have checked her email where she saw the letters that were sent to me the day before where her name was in the CC area, and she said there is no problem anymore. I visited other poll sites without any problems.
This story will be continued, and with my predictions who will win the two Bronx special elections and why.
Change is needed now in Albany, the governor is in crisis mode, and where is the investigation of vaccine supply to political support. He better not try that on me.
