Governor Cuomo Announces New Yorkers 50 Years of Age and Older Will Be Eligible to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

 

New Yorkers 50 Years of Age and Older Can Make Appointments Tomorrow at 8 a.m. 

More Than 1.65 Million Doses Administered Through New York Mass Vaccination Sites and FEMA Sites to Date 

103,425 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 announced that starting tomorrow at 8 a.m., New Yorkers 50 years of age and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine. 103,425 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. More than 1.65 million doses have been administered through New York mass vaccination sites and FEMA sites to date. Delivery of the week 15 allocation begins mid-week.  

"We continue to kick vaccinations into overdrive throughout the state by expanding eligibility, establishing new vaccination sites and allowing providers to reach new populations. More New Yorkers are getting vaccinated every single day, but we still have a long way to go before defeating the COVID beast and reaching safety," Governor Cuomo said. "New York's distribution network is at the ready to handle an expected increase in supply, and we're excited to expand eligibility even further to New Yorkers over the age of 50 as we move to get through the COVID-19 pandemic." 

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:

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

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 11 AM today is as follows.   

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 7,737,230

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 103,425

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,037,382

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 26.1%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 13.4%

Honduran National Convicted On Drug Trafficking And Weapons Charges

 

Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez Conspired with High-Ranking Honduran Politicians and Members of the Honduran Military and National Police to Operate a Cocaine Lab in Honduras and Distribute Cocaine Using Air and Maritime Routes

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against GEOVANNY FUENTES RAMIREZ (“FUENTES RAMIREZ”) on all three counts in the Indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons charges.  FUENTES RAMIREZ is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable P. Kevin Castel on June 22, 2021.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez was, up until his arrest by the DEA just over a year ago, a ruthless, powerful, and murderous cocaine trafficker in Honduras.  He facilitated the shipment of large loads of cocaine by bribing Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado, then president of the Honduran National Congress and now the Honduran president.  Hernández Alvarado instructed Fuentes Ramirez to report directly to convicted co-conspirator and former Honduran congressman Tony Hernandez, the president’s brother.  Now Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, one of the criminal conduits between Honduran officials and drug traffickers, faces a possible life behind bars.”

As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:

Beginning in or about 2009, FUENTES RAMIREZ and others established and operated a cocaine laboratory in the Cortés Department of Honduras, where they produced hundreds of kilograms of cocaine each month.  FUENTES RAMIREZ worked with others to receive cocaine shipments sent to Honduras over air and maritime routes, and to transport cocaine that he produced at the laboratory.  FUENTES RAMIREZ provided security for the facility, and for the transportation of cocaine, using heavily armed workers and Honduran police and military personnel.

On several occasions between approximately 2010 and 2013, FUENTES RAMIREZ helped arrange or directly participated in drug-related violence.  In or about 2012, for example, after FUENTES RAMIREZ’s cocaine laboratory was raided by law enforcement, FUENTES RAMIREZ beat and tortured a law enforcement official who FUENTES RAMIREZ believed to have been involved in the investigation of the laboratory.  FUENTES RAMIREZ murdered the officer by shooting him in the head with what FUENTES RAMIREZ described as “mercy shots.”

In or about 2013, FUENTES RAMIREZ paid a bribe of at least approximately $25,000 to Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado (“JOH”), who was at the time the president of the Honduran National Congress, and allowed JOH to access millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine from FUENTES RAMIREZ’s laboratory.  In connection with negotiations relating to the laboratory, JOH told FUENTES RAMIREZ that he was interested in access to the laboratory because of its proximity to Puerto Cortés, a key shipping port on the northern coast of Honduras.  JOH also told FUENTES RAMIREZ that the Honduran armed forces would provide security, and that Óscar Fernando Chinchilla Banegas, the Attorney General of Honduras, would help protect FUENTES RAMIREZ’s drug trafficking activities.  JOH instructed FUENTES RAMIREZ to report directly to JOH’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado (“Tony Hernández”), for purposes of their drug trafficking partnership.  Finally, JOH told FUENTES RAMIREZ that he wanted to make the DEA think that Honduras was fighting drug trafficking, but that instead he was going to eliminate extradition and “stuff drugs up the gringos’ noses,” referring to flooding the United States with cocaine. 

In October 2019, Tony Hernández was convicted of the same offenses as FUENTES RAMIREZ, as well as an additional count of making false statements to the DEA.  FUENTES RAMIREZ met with JOH following two key filings in the prosecution of Tony Hernández, as demonstrated by, among other things, data from FUENTES RAMIREZ’s phone reflecting that he twice searched for directions to JOH’s Casa Presidencial in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, after the filings.  Tony Hernández is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on March 30, 2021.  

FUENTES RAMIREZ, 51, was convicted on three counts:  (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life; (2) using and carrying machine guns during, and possessing machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (3) conspiring to use and carry machine guns during, and to possess machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum prison term of life.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO AND SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR MEISHA PORTER ANNOUNCE $130 MILLION RESTORATION TO SCHOOL BUDGETS

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter today announced a full hold harmless of school budgets that were impacted by this year’s mid-year adjustment in light of federal stimulus education dollars funding for education. Every year, the mid-year adjustment process equitably redistributes funds from schools that had less student need than projected at the beginning of the school year to schools that experienced greater need. 

 

This year, schools will receive funding for any money they previously owed, including money they have already paid back, resulting in a restoration of over $130 million to almost 880 school budgets to help support them during these challenging times. Schools that received additional funding through the mid-year adjustment will still keep the full amount that was committed to them, which totals approximately $110 million for over 640 schools. 

 

"With stimulus funding we can officially return money to schools that would be lost to the registration process. This means more money for teachers and tutoring as we reopen school buildings," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Thank you to Speaker Johnson and the City Council for helping us get this done."

 

“As a former principal, I know that holding schools harmless will be a huge relief for our school leaders and I’m thrilled we can do this after such a challenging time,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “This would not have been possible without support from our partners in the federal government and I’m so grateful for their shared commitment to our students, staff and school communities.”

 

"Our principals, teachers and all school staff have worked tirelessly during this unprecedented time to make sure our students are educated despite the challenges COVID-19 have brought to our city. They should not be punished for enrollment shifts they had no control over. I'm glad the City is forgiving debt from schools that lost enrollment, allowing them to maintain the support our students so desperately need. These educators need our support and gratitude now more than ever," said Speaker Corey Johnson.

 

Every year, school budgets are adjusted to ​account for enrollment and need changes -- this process ensures that funding follows the students and that we have equity across schools. School year 2020-21 enrollment projections were developed prior to the pandemic and did not account for COVID-driven enrollment fluctuations. Therefore, funding equivalent to 100% of each schools' enrollment loss against their projections will be restored. Earlier this month, we announced a 25% restoration of school budgets impacted by the mid-year adjustment which totaled approximately $44 million.

 

The City has made record investments directly in schools to help keep communities safe, and this new restoration to school budgets that experienced pandemic-driven enrollment fluctuations will provide much needed relief. The funding can be used to address staffing needs, provide services for students such as after school tutoring and other direct academic services, and purchase supplies and materials. 

 

As always, at any time during the school year, the DOE will work with schools that request additional funding and in recognition of additional staffing needs associated with COVID-19, we're making regular adjustments to funding allocations to ensure schools have the necessary staffing support. This year, we also provided additional financial support to schools with demonstrated in-person staffing needs. This funding includes:

 

• $80 million to fund staffing needs
• $50 million in cleaning supplies and PPE
• $22 million for ventilation repairs, air purifiers, and partitions
• $10 million for the Situation Room
• $10 million for a planning grant to help prepare for the new school year
• $5.7 million for an increased contract nursing rate

Governor Cuomo Announces "Roll Up Your Sleeve" Campaign

 

Governor Calls on Medical Providers to Volunteer to Partner with Houses of Worship to Conduct Vaccination Clinics, Bolstering State's Commitment to Ensuring Fairness and Equity in Vaccine Distribution Process

Governor Reiterates Call on Religious Leaders of All Faiths to Partner with State and Establish Additional Vaccination Sites; Since March 8, Webform Has Already Identified Over 200 New Houses of Worship Willing to Serve Their Communities 

Interested Medical Providers and Houses of Worship Can Sign Up Here  

Builds on State's Efforts to Bring Vaccine to Underserved Communities and Combat Vaccine Hesitancy Through Houses of Worship

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of the "Roll Up Your Sleeve" Campaign to promote houses of worship of all faiths across the state to sign up as vaccination sites for their communities. All houses of worship can begin to serve as points of distribution for the COVID vaccine starting in April, significantly increasing the number of doses they can administer. As part of this new campaign, medical providers are being asked to volunteer to partner with houses of worship to conduct vaccination clinics, furthering the state's commitment to ensure fairness and equity in the vaccine distribution process.  

This campaign builds on the state's efforts to bring the vaccine to underserved communities and combat vaccine hesitancy through houses of worship. The Governor previously encouraged religious leaders of all faiths to partner with the state to establish pop-up vaccination sites at their facilities, and since March 8, over 200 new houses of worship have signed up to serve their communities. Houses of worship of all faiths are eligible to serve as points of distribution for the COVID vaccine. Interested medical providers and houses of worship can sign up here.

"Faith leaders are the most trusted voices in their respective communities, and with their help, we will be able to reach those New Yorkers who have suffered the most from this pandemic and bring the vaccine to the communities that got hit the hardest by COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "Through this collaborative initiative, we will make sure that no neighborhood gets left behind in the vaccination phase of this ongoing fight. We have a duty to make sure the vaccine distribution is fair and equitable so that our communities that suffered the most in the peak of the pandemic do not get hit with yet another injustice."

New York State has continued to increase the number of pop-up sites deployed throughout the state. Since January 15, more than 160 community-based pop-up sites administered more than 62,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The establishment of many of these vaccination sites was made possible through partnerships with multiple public and private health care providers. Host sites and partner providers conduct outreach within their communities and work with community leaders and organizations to identify eligible New Yorkers and schedule vaccination appointments.  

This continued development of community-based 'pop up' vaccination sites furthers Governor Cuomo's mandate of ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. In late 2020, the Governor announced the launch of New York's Vaccine Equity Task Force chaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and Healthfirst President & CEO Pat Wang. Since its establishment, the Task Force has continued work to ensure vulnerable and underserved communities are not left behind by breaking down the barriers to vaccination and ensuring there is equitable distribution of the vaccine across the state. 

285 Days and Counting

 

Roll up Your Sleeve Campaign. Just give New York City the vaccine without your games.

What is going on at the Board of Elections? Bronx Special Elections 2021.Part 3 Bronx Science High School Poll Site

 

Friday March 19th the door to the Bronx Science poll site was open.

In the early voting for the 11th and the 15th City Council districts it was clear that after the first few days many more votes were being cast in the 11th council district over the 15th council district. The ratio was about three to one, with almost one third of the total votes being cast at the In Tech school in Council District 11. Since the early voting polling sites were far apart, hours limited and not the same every day, only a few of the early voting sites could be visited each day.  

Each of the eight early voting poll sites were given two ballot scanning machines with the Bronx Science in District 11, and MS 45 in District 15 having three ballot scanners. MS 45 proved to be the largest vote getting poll site in the 15th district, but the Bronx Science poll site wound up with the lowest vote count of the four poll sites in District 11. The Bronx Science poll site was the only one of all the poll sites I visited where I had a problem with the poll technician or coordinators each time I visited that poll site.

On the first visit (Part One) the poll Technician claimed my Board of Elections media credentials were fake, and I should call the Bronx Board of Elections and talk to the Deputy Director.  Since the authorization came from the NYC office I called the number on the paper, and was told the communications director would call me back. When she called back she said I was not on her list, nor did I have the proper NYPD press credentials. I informed her that we have been doing this for years, I was one of the few reporters who was able to renew their NYPD press credentials in mid February, and I received my letter from the Executive Director' secretary the day before because I could not get it all week long from her office. She said she would check on it, and a few minutes later said that my letter from the BOE was valid. In speaking to the Deputy Director of the Bronx BOE she apologized to me for the problem. 

On my second visit (Part Two) the door to the poll site was locked even though the poll site was supposed to be open. I had to knock, bang, and even use my foot on the door before someone came to open it. When I went to sign in I had an argument why I was kicking the door, and the Republican poll coordinator came over wanting to take a photo of my letter. I said no and was told that I had to leave. As I was calling and speaking to the person on the Executive Director's office of the NYCBOE two police officers asked me to go out from the poll site, and hang up on the person I was talking to, telling her the police had arrived. The matter was cleared up when the officers read my letter from the BOE, went inside to tell the poll coordinators I could get the voter count from the ballot scanners. When I got to my car I called the Deputy Director of the Bronx Board of Elections to tell her what transpired. She apologized again, and said that she told the poll coordinators I had BOE authorization, and that I didn't need to show the letter again. I also resumed my call to the NYCBOE. 

Part Three - As I approached the open door a poll worker showed me there was a bell under the handicap symbol for people in wheelchairs to ring. As I signed in I was asked for my authorization letter again. I said I was told by the Deputy Director of the Bronx Board of Elections that you know I have the authorization letter which she told you, and that I would not have to display it again. I was not allowed to get the vote totals off the ballot scanners, and had to call the Deputy Director of the Bronx Board of Elections to clear this up for the third time. She was in a meeting, and a short time later she called to say that she had taken care of the problem and I could get the vite totals from the ballot scanners. I asked why of all the Early voting sites I visited that I was being harassed by the poll coordinators here? For the third time she apologized, and I said that I am going to file a formal complaint with the NYCBOE to find out why this happened on the three times I visited this poll site after you had straightened it out two times before.

Part Four to come Monday with my prediction who will win in both districts, and why.

Mayoral Candidate Ray McGuire Makes Bronx Wide Tour

 

 On Saturday Mayoral candidate Ray McGuire made three stops in the Bronx. In the morning Ray visited Throggs Neck where he was joined by District Leader John  Doyle. They went around the Throggs Neck Business district to talk to merchants and people along the way.

In the afternoon Ray was in Wakefield (where we caught up with him) to meet Councilman Kevin Riley, and the Executive Director of the local Business Improvement District. 

Ray wound up later by Yankee Stadium to be with Councilwoman Vanesa Gibson. Here are a few photos of the Wakefield visit on White Plains Road.

Mayoral candidate Ray McGuire walked White Plains Road with Councilman Kevin Riley and others.

Ray and Kevin stop to chat with a woman going shopping on White Plains Road.

Ray and Kevin went into a few stores to find out what the merchants were thinking.

Is Councilman Riley pointing to his choice to be the next Mayor of New York City?

Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Murder Conspiracy on Long Island

 

Jonathan Mayzick Conspired to Kill Rivals During Violent Gang War

 Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Jonathan Mayzick, also known as “J-Reck,” a leader of the Nine Trey Gangster set of the Bloods street gang based in Hempstead, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein to 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to murder rival gang members.  The charge arose out of the defendant’s participation in a year-long war with the rival Outlaws street gang in the “Heights” neighborhood of Hempstead.  Judge Feuerstein ordered the sentence imposed today to run consecutively to a 13 ½-year federal prison term that was imposed in 2018 after Mayzick pled guilty to distributing narcotics.  As a result, Mayzick will serve a total of 23 ½ years in prison. 

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentence.

“Mayzick was a leader of a murderous street gang that, in its thirst for revenge, engaged in a shooting rampage that terrorized the community and put the public at risk for over a year,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme.  “Today’s lengthy sentence reflects the tireless efforts of this Office and its law enforcement partners to bring an end to senseless violence and loss of life and eradicate gangs like the Bloods.”  

Mr. DuCharme expressed his grateful appreciation to the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, the NCPD’s Gang Investigations Squad and the Firearms Section of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory for their outstanding investigative work on the case.

“Violent criminals engage in turf battles without any thought about the communities they endanger. Think again.  The agencies which compose the FBI Long Island Gang Task Force put our communities first, and we will work round-the-clock to remove and hold violent offenders accountable. Today’s sentence is the community’s message back that violent behavior comes with consequences, and offenders who break federal law should be prepared for a lengthy stay in federal prison,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

“Today’s announcement of another gang member going to jail is a clear reminder that these types of illegal activity will never be tolerated in Nassau County, stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.  “The arrest and sentencing comes after a lengthy and extensive investigation and I would like to thank the dedicated members of law enforcement for a job well done. We continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to keep our neighborhoods, communities and residents safe.”

Mr. DuCharme expressed his grateful appreciation to the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, the NCPD’s Gang Investigations Squad and the Firearms Section of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory for their outstanding investigative work on the case.

Between September 2013 and November 2014, Mayzick, along with members of the Nine Trey, engaged in multiple shootings in retaliation for the September 2013 murder of Dante Quinones, a Bloods associate, by Outlaws member Pedro Merchant.  Four individuals were shot by the Bloods: one was shot in the arm, another was shot in the chest and an associate of the Outlaws was shot in the testicles.  When gang members attempted to kill the leader of the Outlaws on the front porch of his home, a teenage girl was shot in the face.  In addition, the homes of several Outlaws members were sprayed with bullets. 

While the gang war was ongoing, Mayzick and his fellow Nine Trey members operated a crack cocaine trafficking business in the Hempstead area.  In January 2018, following his plea of guilty, Mayzick was sentenced by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley to 162 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine. 

The government’s investigation into the Bloods and Outlaws gang war has led to the arrest and conviction of nine members and associates of the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods and six members and associates of the Outlaws.  Mayzick is the final defendant to be sentenced.  The defendants previously sentenced include:

• Bloods member Billy McLen, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence;
• Bloods members Khalil Brown and Naree Barnes, who were each sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment following their guilty pleas to discharging firearms during a crime of violence for shooting at a rival gang member on October 21, 2014. 
• Bloods member Jovan Ramirez, who was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base;
• Bloods member Philip Saunders, who was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence for his role in a May 9, 2014 assault of a rival gang member;
• Bloods associate Johnathan Winslow, who was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base;
• Bloods associate Rashon Campbell, who was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base;
• Outlaws member Alton Gore, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to assault in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence;
• Outlaws member Pedro Merchant, who was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for the September 11, 2013 firearm-related murder of Dante Quinones; and
• Outlaws associate Everett Brown, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence for his role in one of three shootings of rivals’ homes committed by the gang on August 19, 2014. 

The Defendant:

JONATHAN MAYZICK (also known as “J-Reck”)
Age:  32
Hempstead, New York