MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS RAQUEL BATISTA AS COMMISSIONER OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today appointed Raquel Batista as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA). Batista, who is succeeding Bitta Mostofi as Commissioner, is an attorney with over two decades of experience advocating on behalf of immigrant New Yorkers. As Commissioner, she will continue to center immigrants in New York City’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“New York is, and will always be, a city of immigrants,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Raquel has the lived experience and passion necessary to make this city a fairer and more equitable place for immigrant New Yorkers to call home. Our recovery depends on it.”

 

“I am humbled and honored to have been named the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.  My grandmother and parents came to New York City in the 1960’s from the Dominican Republic seeking a better life for their family. My appointment is a testament to them and all immigrant communities that their hard-work, their struggle pays off.  MOIA is an innovative and cutting-edge government institution that provides a blueprint for the rest of the country on how to assure that immigrants have access to government services, are provided resources and support and signals that they are welcome. I am excited to work with the Mayor, MOIA’s dynamic team and immigrant community leaders in New York City’s recovery,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Raquel Batista.

 

About Raquel Batista

 

Raquel Batista is second generation Afro-Dominicana, Latina, lifelong New Yorker and attorney with over two decades of experience advocating for the rights of immigrant New Yorkers. Most recently, she served as the Community Legal Fellow at CUNY Law School - CLRN. Batista previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Manhattan College teaching Immigration Law, Policy and Politics and at the Latin American and Puerto Rican Studies Department at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  In the early 2000’s, Batista served as the Executive Director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights and as a board member of the New York Immigration Coalition, North Star Community Funding Board and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Alumni Board. Before and during law school, Batista worked in various roles at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now LatinoJustice/PRLDEF) on issues from the Census to Redistricting. In 2014, she served in the Mayor’s Office of Appointments, helping to identify diverse candidates for City positions. 

 

Batista earned her Juris Doctorate from the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, cum laude, from Manhattan College. 

PUBLIC ADVOCATE RESPONDS TO CUOMO LIFTING RESTRICTIONS AT 70% VACCINATION THRESHOLD

 

 Public Advocate Jumaane Williams issued the following statement after Governor Cuomo announced the lifting of most COVID-19 precautions today, as New York reached a threshold of 70% of adults receiving at least one vaccination dose.

"As we see another major lifting of COVID-19 restrictions today, I want to express my gratitude to New Yorkers for their efforts to keep themselves and each other safe. 

"At the same time, our excitement at what's been achieved, and eagerness to fully reopen, shouldn't mean relaxing our standards for what constitutes safety from the virus, or ignoring the truth that in many of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic, we remain far from that standard. 70% of adults in New York may have received at least one shot, but only about 60% of adults are fully vaccinated, and in places like Canarsie, that number is 37%."

"If the Governor is going to celebrate tonight, then he must follow the fireworks with a plan to protect the communities that have seen the worst of this pandemic. We need to reach more people with vaccines and ensure that New Yorkers get a second dose rather than let the Governor's shifting standards of safety threaten their own.

"I know that the people of our city will continue to do their part to keep one another safe as we work toward recovery, and I'm happy to celebrate that spirit."

CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General James Warns Consumers to Remain Vigilant Against Rise in Telephone Scams

 

Fraudsters Contact Utilities Customers and Urge Payment of ‘Delinquent’ Bills on Gift Cards 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued an alert to New Yorkers across the state to remain vigilant against a surge in telephone scams seeking to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. A rise in reported complaints have shown that fraudsters are again utilizing a telephone scam in which scammers impersonate a utilities customer service representative and urge customers to buy gift cards and call back with the serial numbers to pay what they claim is a delinquent bill. Scammers convince customers to pay the bill by threating to cut off service and suggesting near-by stores that sell gift cards to immediately pay the bill in question. Consumers who are contacted do not necessarily have delinquent or outstanding bills. According to police in the Hudson Valley, customers of Orange and Rockland Utilities have seen an exponential rise in this type of fraudulent activity in recent months.

“As New Yorkers continue to suffer the economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis, scammers have seen this as an opportunity to take advantage of the economic anxiety that many New Yorkers feel and the additional time some have needed to pay their bills,” said Attorney General James. “Utilities are essential services that are needed for households to survive. Falsely threatening to shut off these vital lifelines is not only heartless, but unlawful, which is why this type of illegal activity will not be tolerated for a moment. I strongly urge any New Yorker that has been targeted by this type of fraud to report these calls to my office immediately. We will do everything in our power to protect consumers from bad actors who use economic instability as leverage to line their pockets.”

As part of the fraud, scammers put pressure on customers to pay immediately or else have their services cut off instantly. Utility providers — including Orange and Rockland Utilities — do not call and threaten to shut off service if an immediate payment is not made. Utility providers also do not accept gift cards as a form of payment.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) advises consumers to never disclose their banking information or other personal identifiable information over the phone, even if their caller ID displays a number belonging to a certain utility provider, as many scammers are now duplicating or “spoofing” utility phone numbers to appear more legitimate.

When reporting scams to the OAG, consumers should report the specific charges, the dates and times of the phone calls that were placed, and any threatening language that was used in an effort to pressure them to go out and purchase gift cards. 

Unfortunately, utility bill scams have increased in the past year as many Americans struggle to keep up with household bills due to the global pandemic. The OAG has taken action and issued various consumer alerts connected to telephone scams. Last September, the OAG partnered with the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to launch Operation Corrupt Collector, a national initiative to target scammers who use scare tactics to collect on debts that they did not have the right to collect and/or that a consumer did not legally owe. In many of these cases, collectors used the same caller ID “spoofing” technique that scammers are currently using in the Orange and Rockland Utilities’ collection scam.

New Yorkers who have been targeted by this or any other scam are urged to file a complaint by completing and submitting a Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau online complaint form or by calling (800) 771-7755.

Governor Cuomo Announces State Landmarks to Be Lit Blue and Gold and Firework Displays Across the State in Recognition of Reaching 70% of Single Dose Vaccinations

 

13 State Landmarks to be Lit Blue and Gold

Firework Displays to begin at 9:15PM Across the State in Celebration of Reaching COVID-19 Milestone

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that landmarks across the state will be lit blue and gold on June 15 in celebration of reaching 70 percent of New York adults receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to these lightings, firework displays will be held at ten sites across the state beginning at 9:15pm

"472 days ago, it was impossible to fathom that 70 percent of New York's adults would have received their first COVID vaccination by this point. What felt years away has been accomplished in less than one," Governor Cuomo said. "As we celebrate lifting restrictions and resuming our reimagined normal, we also reflect on the hard work of New York State's essential workers and we remember those we lost. New Yorkers have always been tough, but this last year has proven just how tough they are. Congratulations, New Yorkers, on all that your hard work has accomplished."

The following landmarks will be lit in blue and gold tonight, June 15, in honor of reaching this COVID milestone:

• Empire State Building
• One World Trade Center
• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• State Fairgrounds - Main Gate and Expo Center
• Niagara Falls
• The "Franklin D. Roosevelt" Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Grand Central Terminal - Pershing Square Viaduct
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR - East End Gateway at Penn Station

Fireworks will be held at the following sites across the state, beginning at 9:15pm tonight, June 15:

Albany
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12228

Binghamton
Binghamton University M Lot
4400 Vestal Parkway E
Vestal, NY 13850

Jones Beach
Jones Beach State Park
1 Ocean Parkway
Wantagh, NY 11793

Lake Placid
Lake Placid Club
Lake Placid, NY 12946

New York City
New York Harbor

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls State Park
Goat Island Road
Niagara Falls, NY  14303

Nyack
Memorial Park
4 Depew Ave.
Nyack, NY 10960

Rochester
Rochester Dome Arena
2695 E. Henrietta Rd
Henrietta, NY 14467

Syracuse 
NYS Fairgrounds
581 State Fair Blvd 
Syracuse NY 13209

Utica 
Downtown Utica
100 Whitesboro Street 
Utica, NY 13502

Recovery for All: NYC’s “POPS” to Reopen within the City by July 1, 2021

 

As New York City continues its recovery from the pandemic, these privately owned public spaces will once again be available

 Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Marisa Lago today announced that all of New York City’s Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) must reopen to the public as of July 1. To stop the spread of COVID-19, and by Executive Order, owners of indoor POPS, such as atriums and covered pedestrian spaces, were permitted to temporarily close their spaces last spring. With vaccines readily available to the public for free and the city’s positive COVID rate reaching record lows, these spaces will once again be required to be open.

 

“Remember POPS? As we recover from the pandemic and start to see New York City’s famed street life return, POPS are again offering spaces for the public to relax. We hope that all New Yorkers will take advantage of these gracious open spaces – and find a renewed joy in our city’s reopening,” said DCP Director Marisa Lago.

 

“Privately owned public spaces have long provided a respite for workers and visitors alike in some of the densest areas of New York; now, as we work to reopen the city, they are essential to the recovery and revitalization of these same neighborhoods. We applaud this decision, which returns to public use some of the most valuable pockets of open space in the city,” Elizabeth Goldstein, President, The Municipal Art Society of New York.

 

“It’s fantastic to have all 600 or so POPS returned to full operation for public use. Indoor privately owned public spaces in particular provide a welcome respite from summer heat. It’s yet another sign that New York City is back,” said Jerold Kayden, the Frank Backus Williams Professor of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University and President of Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space.

 

To continue to support social distancing practices, owners or managers of indoor POPS may reconfigure or modify certain required amenities, in compliance with DCP’s protocols for POPS, to ensure safe distance is provided between users or groups. For more information, please visit DCP’s Compliance Protocols website.

 

POPS are public spaces that are owned and maintained by private property owners pursuant to various zoning regulations at no cost to the City. First introduced in the 1960s, the nearly 600 POPS that exist today provide opportunities to partake in and enjoy urban life. Coming in all shapes and sizes, these spaces are aimed at ensuring that the busiest areas of New York City offer indoor and outdoor atriums, plazas and walkways to the public. The POPS program has produced nearly 3.8 million square feet of additional public space in the City – equivalent to roughly 66 football fields or 13 Union Squares.

 

Towards the end of 2019, the City Council approved new zoning rules allowing moveable seating and tables in many of New York City’s older POPS, where they were previously not permitted, making these spaces even more inviting to the public.

 

More information on POPS, as well as the history of the program and links to locate POPS in New York City, can be found on DCP’s website.

 

201 Days and Counting

 

Now see here, stop asking me who my vote for mayor is going to be. I am going to write in my real name, Big Bird.

Write me in for mayor so I can get around that term limit law.

Roberto Clemente Park to Reopen Tomorrow

 

Opening of Roberto Clemente Playground Tomorrow

A fully renovated $1.35 million playground at southern end of Roberto Clemente State Park will reopen tomorrow at 12 PM. 

On hand will be  New York State Parks Executive Deputy Commissioner Tom Alworth

Bronx Borough President Rueben Diaz, Jr.

NYC Council Member Vanessa Gibson

Park stakeholders and partners

 Roberto Clemente State Park
301 West Tremont Avenue

12:00 P. M. 

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES ‘HOMETOWN HEROES’ TICKER TAPE PARADE TO THANK ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND CELEBRATE NEW YORK CITY’S RETURN

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced ‘Hometown Heroes,’ a ticker tape parade celebrating the Summer of New York City and thanking the essential workers who uplifted New Yorkers through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade, which will take place at 11:00 A.M. on July 7, 2021, will begin by Manhattan’s Battery Park, travel along the Canyon of Heroes, and end with a ceremony in City Hall Park. 

“We can never thank our essential workers enough for all they’ve done for this city. But we can celebrate their heroism in our streets – and put on a safe, dynamic, unforgettable parade to show our appreciation,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Thanks to these essential workers, we’ve fought back COVID-19 and we’re on our way to building a recovery for all of us. I can’t wait to march alongside them.”

 

“Over the course of 125 years, New Yorkers of all stripes have honored our hometown sports teams, world leaders, military veterans and astronauts, and to celebrate achievements in athletics, exploration, aviation and science. On behalf of all City agencies, it is our distinct honor to celebrate those New Yorkers who guided us through the darkest days of the pandemic,” said Dan Gross, Executive Director of Citywide Events.

 

“These individuals held our city together during one of its darkest hours and worked tirelessly to help New Yorkers through the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot thank them enough for their sacrifice, but that's not going to stop us from trying,” said Melissa A. Browne, Executive Director of The Mayor’s Office of Special Projects and Community Events. “The ceremony will honor and celebrate the sacrifice and resilience of our frontline heroes.”

 

 The parade will feature a variety of different floats, each of which representing a group of essential workers who served this city heroically throughout the pandemic. Represented groups will include:

• Advocacy organizations
• City workers
• Educators
• Emergency food providers
• Faith leaders
• First responders
• Healthcare workers
• Hospitality and buildings workers
• Retail and bodega workers
• Social service and settlement house workers
• Transportation workers
• Utilities workers