Leader Of “Mike’s Candyshop” Drug Delivery Service Pleads Guilty To Narcotics Distribution That Resulted In The 2018 Death Of Colin Kroll

 

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ARIEL TAVAREZ, a/k/a “A,” a/k/a “Mike,” pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and a fentanyl analogue, and to distributing narcotics that caused the 2018 death of Colin Kroll, the co-founder of the video hosting service Vine and the trivia game application HQ Trivia.  TAVAREZ pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. 

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “For years, Ariel Tavarez operated a covert on-demand delivery service for the distribution of highly addictive and dangerous drugs.  Tavarez and his underlings peddled their poison, which Tavarez sometimes secretly laced with deadly synthetic opioids, throughout New York City.  Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, Mike’s Candyshop is permanently closed.”           

According to the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in Court:

TAVAREZ was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) that engaged in a drug delivery service, which identified itself as “Mike’s Candyshop.”  The DTO delivered heroin and cocaine (sometimes laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue) on demand to customers in New York City, and distributed numerous kilograms of heroin and cocaine throughout the course of the conspiracy.  Mike’s Candyshop generally operated seven days per week, from approximately 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., with the exception of major holidays such as Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, and Labor Day. 

Customers of the DTO placed delivery orders via text message to a centralized phone number (the “Candyshop Number”).  The operator of the Candyshop Number was usually TAVAREZ.  Using the Candyshop Number, TAVAREZ accepted customer orders and subsequently arranged for a courier working for the DTO to deliver the narcotics to the customer, usually within hours of the customer texting his or her order to the Candyshop Number.  Certain of the DTO members, including Christian Baez, Luis Meson, a/k/a “Sito,” Gregoris Martinez, a/k/a “Greg,” Kevin Grullon, a/k/a “Kev,” a/k/a “JB,” and Jeffrey Urena, a/k/a “Jeff,” a/k/a “Jay,” served as couriers for the DTO, and regularly delivered and sold narcotics to the DTO’s customers in hand-to-hand drug transactions coordinated through the Candyshop Number. 

The DTO stored heroin, cocaine, a fentanyl analogue, and cash from drug sales in various stash locations maintained by the DTO, including in Brooklyn, New York.  In an effort to avoid law enforcement detection, the DTO sold only to customers who had been referred by existing customers, periodically changed the Candyshop Number, used coded language to discuss narcotics, and delivered narcotics directly to customers at locations specified by the customer.  As a means of marketing its cocaine, and to ensure that the DTO’s customers knew the cocaine provided by the couriers belonged to the DTO, the DTO sold its cocaine in vials sealed with different colored tops. 

On or about December 16, 2018, Colin Kroll, a customer of the DTO, died of a drug overdose in New York, New York.  The narcotics that caused Kroll’s death – cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and a fentanyl analogue – were purchased from Mike’s Candyshop on the evening of December 14, 2018. 

TAVAREZ pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and a fentanyl analogue, the use of which resulted in the death of Colin Kroll on or about December 16, 2018.  This count carries a statutory mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison.  The maximum and mandatory minimum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

TAVAREZ is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Failla on November 23, 2021.           

Baez, Meson, Martinez, Grullon, and Urena each previously entered a plea of guilty to participating in the Mike’s Candyshop narcotics trafficking conspiracy.  Martinez was sentenced on June 29, 2021, to 72 months in prison by Judge Failla.  Baez, Meson, Grullon, and Urena will be sentenced later this year by Judge Failla.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York City Police Department, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.  This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM RETURNS WITH PAID JOBS AND PROJECT-BASED EXPERIENCES FOR UP TO 75,000 YOUNG PEOPLE

 

Nation’s largest youth employment program kicks off today at more than 12,000 worksites across New York City

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Bill Chong today announced the return of the six-week Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). SYEP will play a pivotal role in the City’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing paid experiences for up to 75,000 teens and young adults this summer.

 

“When I say recovery for all of us, I mean all of us, especially young New Yorkers,” said Mayor de Blasio. “The Summer Youth Employment Program is back and providing teens and young adults with a paycheck and the skills they need to build a stronger future for themselves and our City.” 

“SYEP reflects much of what is best about New York City. This year’s program incorporates and reinforces the priorities of our Recovery for All, including focused support for NYC’s rebound from COVID through the City Cleanup Corps and the newly launched CUNY Recovery Corps, as well as deep connections to our Minority and Women-Owned Businesses and other small businesses and community organizations across the five boroughs. At the same time, SYEP participants will gain knowledge and experience that can help put them on a long-term path toward career success,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson.

 

“Never in its 58-year history has the Summer Youth Employment Program taken on a more critical role than now. As the City climbs back from the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst economic downturn in nearly a half-century, providing paid experiences to tens of thousands of SYEP participants in all five boroughs will not only help young people and their families get back on their feet, but lift up all of New York City along with them. I thank the Mayor, the City Council and Speaker Johnson, Youth Services Chair Debi Rose and Finance Chair Daniel Dromm for their tireless support of SYEP,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong.

 

“SYEP is both a beloved NYC summer institution and a powerful intervention to help put young New Yorkers on a path to career success,” said David Fischer, Executive Director of the NYC Center for Youth Employment. “Over the past eight years, the program has doubled in size, built stronger connections to year-round learning and high-growth economic sectors, and targeting services toward those youth who will benefit most from a quality summer work experience. This year promises to be the biggest and best in SYEP’s long history.”

 

“The impact the Summer Youth Employment Program will have on the next generation of young New Yorkers is immeasurable,” said Daniele Baierlein and Jorge Luis Paniagua Valle, Co-Executive Directors of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “Not only by expanding this paid internship opportunity for teens and young adults who are eager to learn and contribute their talents to society will broaden their horizons, but it will also serve as an important step towards New York City’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. We could not be more grateful to the employers who have partnered with us to make this happen.”

 

The Administration has more than doubled the size of the program from 2013, when SYEP served 35,997 participants in the last year of the Bloomberg administration, to 2019, when 74,453 youth participated. Over the same period, the City’s direct investment in the program increased from around $21 million to $134 million. The increase covered the expansion of the program, an increase in the New York State minimum wage to $15 per hour, and the development of new program options within SYEP.

 

At the height of the pandemic last summer, more than 35,000 young people participated through the virtual SYEP Summer Bridge initiative in order to keep participants and providers safe. The return of SYEP this summer means jobs and programming may be held in-person, remote or a hybrid combination of both.

 

Teens aged 14 and 15 will learn about career opportunities and make a difference in their communities while receiving a stipend for project-based activities, and young people aged 16–21 have the chance to improve their work readiness skills and explore career pathways through summer jobs paid at the prevailing minimum wage. Young adults aged 22-24 who face employment barriers or reside in NYCHA developments may be eligible for special programming.

 

Participants who are part of SYEP’s CUNY Recovery Corps will work on projects supporting the City’s communities as they continue to get back on their feet following the pandemic.

 

“CUNY students are making history by reviving, renewing and rebuilding NYC this summer. CUNY Recovery Corps is a special Summer Youth Employment Program for CUNY undergraduate students. Through a collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, the City Council, the Department of Youth and Community Development and hundreds of employer-partners throughout the City, CUNY Recovery Corps students are working on projects to support small businesses, public health organizations, community-based nonprofits, government agencies and schools. Students will learn and serve while gaining paid professional training across the City,” said City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.

 

As a result of a national effort to encourage young people to save and make healthy financial choices, the number of “banked” SYEP participants has increased 500 percent since the start of the initiative in 2014. Last summer, at the height of the pandemic, over 59 percent of young people signed up for direct deposit. The multi-year initiative is funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund and the Citi Foundation.

 

“A summer job is an invaluable experience for young people, and often the first opportunity they have to develop professional skills, understand how to manage their first paychecks, and lay the foundation for a strong financial future,” said Brandee McHale, Head of Citi Community Investing and Development and President of the Citi Foundation. “These opportunities are especially critical this summer as New York City continues its COVID-19 economic recovery efforts, and the Citi Foundation is proud to play a role in helping to connect and empower young people through our continued collaboration with the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund.”

 

Additionally, New York-based Skillshare, with support from DYCD and the Center for Youth Employment, is continuing its support for SYEP with a donation of $6.8 million in scholarships to their online curriculum in the form of free, three-month Skillshare Premium Memberships for more than 100,000 youth. The membership will give NYC young people thousands of virtual classes in creativity, career building, tech, marketing, entrepreneurship, professional development, and more.

 

“New York City is home to so many aspiring entrepreneurs and creators who will no doubt make their mark on their world,” said Skillshare CEO Matt Cooper. “We are honored to invest in their dreams by donating these scholarships and excited for them to join the Skillshare community.”  

 

This summer, the NYPD is expanding its partnership with SYEP to better meet the needs and interests of young people and serve the largest number of participants to date. Youth will be placed at over 150 precincts and NYPD worksites in a variety of jobs that will show the breadth of career opportunities within the Department, including Office Assistant, Architectural Engineer, Community Associate, Mail Clerk, Property Clerk, and Camp Assistant. The NYPD will also support 200 younger youth with project-based learning opportunities through the NYPD “Options” curriculum, which will include workshops in Financial Management, Community Building, Web Design, Podcast Production, and more.

 

“As police, we often encounter young people who have had limited options. Part of our calling is to help kids make better choices, expand opportunities, and help them reach their fullest potential,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “New York City kids are the future, and this program brings young people to every precinct, PSA, transit district and specialty unit where they will help improve our City.”

 

SYEP is the nation’s largest summer youth employment initiative, and since 1963 has provided New York City young people between the ages of 14 and 24 with up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in all five boroughs. With the support of the Center for Youth Employment, the City has expanded the Ladders for Leaders professional internship program and opportunities for young people who are homeless, court-involved or in foster care.

 

Participants are compensated for their work at diverse worksites that include government agencies, hospitals, summer camps, nonprofits, small businesses, law firms, museums, sports enterprises and retail. Specialized programming for disabled, foster care, runaway/homeless and court-involved young people are also available. SYEP offers workshops on job readiness, career exploration and financial literacy, and opportunities to continue education and social growth.

Studies show that SYEP improves school attendance, offers new skills, reduces incarceration rates and keeps teens and young adults safe—including youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access to paying jobs. Participants have the opportunity to explore their interests and career pathways, develop workplace skills and engage in learning experiences that help in developing their social, civic and leadership skills. By participating in structured project and work-based opportunities, NYC youth are better prepared for careers of the future.

 

“Youth employment programs are immeasurably valuable because they not only support working families, but they allow our future leaders to get their feet in the door in professional settings they wouldn’t otherwise have available to them,” said Danielle Ellman, CEO of Commonpoint Queens. “I started my professional journey as a 14-year-old summer camp counselor thanks to the Summer Youth Employment Program. I can’t imagine where I would be today without the opportunities that followed thanks to this significant program.”

 

“Last year was very challenging for us as a community-based organization and a provider of youth services. We are thrilled to be back, to offer in-person services and life-changing opportunities for our youth. We are overwhelmed by the amount of talent our youth bring and are excited to see them get back to work. SYEP provides an unforgettable opportunity for youth to engage with each other, learn about the richness of available career options, and the chance to learn new skills and valuable life lessons,” said Julissa Figueroa Peña, Youth Workforce Program Director, Children’s Arts & Science Workshops, Inc.

 

“The Summer Youth Employment Program has always been a priority for this Council, and I am thrilled that it is back and bigger than ever. These jobs are a lifeline for many participants and provide crucial work and leadership skills that last well into adulthood. We know the pandemic was particularly hard on our young people, and we also know that programs like SYEP help them recover. This is an amazing achievement to celebrate. I thank all of my Council colleagues for fighting for this amazing program,” said Speaker Corey Johnson.

 

PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR CUOMO DECLARING A GUN VIOLENCE EMERGENCY

 

 "I am glad to see the Governor begin to treat gun violence as the emergency that it has long been, and today's announcements are as welcome as they are overdue. People doing the work of violence prevention on the ground, within communities, have long asked for the kind of funding, resources, and attention they may now receive.

"Both the proposed Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Council on Gun Violence Reduction have the potential to be critical in coordinating strategies that address both the supply and demand sides of this crisis. They will only be truly effective, though, if they are an integral part of public safety conversations and solutions, rather than an afterthought.  I would also like to thank the Governor for signing anti-gun violence measures into law this afternoon, in particular a bill by Senator Zellnor Myrie which aims to prevent the gun industry's immunity from civil lawsuits stemming from the dangers posed by its products.

"Addressing the root causes of violence requires a holistic reimagining of public safety, with input from a number of areas of government - sharing data across agencies and across localities will be key. As we have seen, as I hear in the conversations I'm having today, the gun violence epidemic is plaguing not only New York City, but Syracuse, Buffalo, and places across our state and nation. This has been a public health crisis that predated and was exacerbated by the pandemic - those of us who have been in the streets know that the state of emergency is not new even if this declaration is.

"Whether these new initiatives are successful will ultimately depend on whether today's announcements are about a headline, or whether they signal the kind of structural changes and leadership support that New York needs toward reimagining public safety. I look forward to seeing these initiatives implemented, and being a part of the ongoing work to save lives."

Governor Cuomo Declares First-In-The-Nation Gun Violence Disaster Emergency as Part of Comprehensive Strategy to Build a Safer New York

 

Issues Executive Order Declaring Gun Violence a Disaster Emergency, Requiring DCJS to Gather and to Share Incident-Level Data from Local Police Departments on Gun Violence

Creates Office of Gun Violence Prevention to Coordinate Efforts and Direct Resources to Emerging Gun Violence Hot Spots

Invests $138.7 Million in Intervention, Prevention and Jobs Programs to Engage At-Risk Youth and Get Young People Off the Streets

Creates New State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit to Stop the Flow of Illegal Guns into the State

Partners with John Jay College of Criminal Justice to Strengthen Police-Community Relations

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today declared the first-in-the-nation gun violence disaster emergency as part of a new, comprehensive strategy to build a safer New York. This new strategy treats gun violence as a public health crisis, using short-term solutions to manage the immediate gun violence crisis and reduce the shooting rate, as well as long-term solutions that focus on community-based intervention and prevention strategies to break the cycle of violence. The disaster emergency allows the State to expedite money and resources to communities so they can begin targeting gun violence immediately.

To coordinate this nation-leading gun violence prevention effort, the Governor announced the creation of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The Governor also required by Executive Order major police departments to share incident-level data on gun violence with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to compile this data weekly. This data will be used by the new Office of Gun Violence Prevention to track emerging gun violence hotspots and deploy resources to those areas that need it most.

This comprehensive strategy also includes a $138.7 million investment in intervention and prevention programs, including programs that engage at-risk youth in summer job opportunities and community activity programs to get young people off the streets, and supports ongoing gun violence prevention programs. The Governor also announced the creation of a new State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit to stop the flood of illegal guns that come into New York from states with weak gun safety laws. Additionally, the State will continue to strengthen police-community relations through a partnership with John Jay College of Criminal Justice to help localities implement and assess the reform plans they developed through the landmark New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. 

     

"We're building New York back better than ever before, but part of rebuilding is addressing the systemic injustices that were exposed by COVID. If you look at the recent numbers, more people are now dying from gun violence and crime than COVID - this is a national problem but someone has to step up and address this problem because our future depends on it," Governor Cuomo said. "Just like we did with COVID, New York is going to lead the nation once again with a comprehensive approach to combating and preventing gun violence, and our first step is acknowledging the problem with a first-in-the-nation disaster emergency on gun violence. When we see an injustice we don't look the other way, we stand up and fight it because that's the New York way."

Deploying a Public-Health Approach to Gun Violence
The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will be overseen by the New York State Department of Health and led by a Governor-appointed Gun Violence Prevention Coordinator who will coordinate an all-of-government approach to ensure that state and local programs are advancing unified gun violence prevention strategies. The office will include a task force of representatives from State agencies including the Offices of Mental Health, Children and Family Services, Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Victim Services, the Departments of Labor, Housing, Health, Corrections and Community Supervision, as well as the Division of Criminal Justice Servics, Empire State Development, the State Police, Division of Budget, and others.

The Governor will also invite stakeholders to participate in a new Governor's Council on Gun Violence Reduction to ensure coordination between the State, localities and community groups to address local needs. The Council will review current laws and local proposals for reform and will make recommendations for changes based on science and data.

Targeting "Hot Spots" Using Science and Data
As outlined in the Governor's Executive Order, police departments from across the state will be polled weekly by Division of Criminal Justice Services for incident-level data on shootings so the new Office of Gun Violence Prevention can identify and track emerging hotspots and direct resources where needed.

As with COVID, the State will use a cluster-based strategy to contain and combat the epidemic and identify gun violence hot spots where clusters of shootings are driven by small numbers of people. Initial hot spots identified in New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Long Island include just 4,090 young men aged 18-24 but account for 48.5 percent of recent gun violence in those communities. View maps here.

Investing Over $76 Million to Create Job Opportunities and Community Activities for Youth
The spike in gun violence began as COVID kept many young people out of school and work, and disruptions to social supports and services left at-risk youth without safe, productive places to go during the day. These disruptions have had a destabilizing impact, particularly on young people, leading to a rise in gun violence. Research has shown that summer job programs decrease the likelihood of involvement in violence by 45 percent.
 
To help get young people off the streets, the State will invest an unprecedented $76 million to create jobs and community activities for at-risk youth.
 
New York will fund over 21,000 jobs for youth this summer, with initial commitments to create jobs by UFT, 32BJ, the MTA, the Partnership for NYC, tech:NYC, the NYC Hospitality Alliance, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Queens Chamber of Commerce and Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the New York State Parks. Businesses are encouraged to make jobs available on the State's website. Salaries for these job opportunities will be paid for by the State.
 
The State will also partner with the Consortium for Worker Education, the workforce development arm of the NYC Central Labor Council to provide new job training, training stipends, credentialing and placement in good-paying, long-term jobs for 2,400 young people who are out of school and live in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.
 
In addition, the State will increase the funding available for sports, arts and recreational facilities for this summer. Prioritization for the additional funding will be given to programs within identified hot spot communities.    
 
More Than Doubling State Investments in Violence Intervention Programs
Violence intervention programs, which work with impacted communities to break the cycle of gun violence and retaliations, have been shown to reduce violence by as much as 60 percent. The Gifford's Law Center has pointed to New York State's program at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx as a best-in-class model. 
 
The State will create a new hospital-based violence intervention program in hotspot communities, expanding the state's Jacobi model where it is most needed. Hospital-based violence intervention programs have proven to be a successful model by enabling street outreach workers to respond to shooting victims directly, connect victims and their families to wrap-around support services, and deescalate conflicts and retaliation.
 
The State will also expand the successful SNUG Street Outreach Programs by almost 50 percent. The SNUG Street Outreach program is administered by the Division of Criminal Justice Services and utilizes credible messengers in the community to engage and mentor at-risk youth, host community events, work to steer young people away from gun violence, and respond to shootings to prevent retaliatory violence. Through the almost doubling of this program, the State is taking aggressive action to curb gun violence in the hardest hit communities.

Getting Illegal Guns off the Streets

While New York State has the strongest gun safety laws in the country, 74% of crime guns used in criminal activity across the state were purchased out of state. To combat the flow of illegal guns onto New York streets, the State will create a new Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit within the New York State Police. New York State will also work with other states in the region to share gun tracing data that can stop inter-state gun traffickers and straw purchasers from introducing illegal guns into New York communities.

Strengthening the Police-Community Relationship

Data shows that when community trust for the police is low, 911 calls and regular patrols decrease while gun violence and crimes rates increase. To build on the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative that was established in June 2020 and requires police departments to create plans for reform at the local level, the State is announcing a new partnership with John Jay College of Criminal Justice to help select police departments that have implementation strategies for their plans and to develop standards for measuring progress. 

The State is also launching a new portal of statewide police reform plans to encourage jurisdictions to learn from each other. 

 

The Governor is also directing the Division of Criminal Justice Services to issue new regulations implementing a law signed by the Governor this year that strengthens hiring and background investigations standards for police officers and closes the police officer misconduct loophole by preventing officers who commit serious or criminal misconduct from serving as officers in another police department. 

Comptroller Stringer Files Suit Against Mayor de Blasio to Restore Full Charter-Mandated Oversight of Contracts and Procurement

 

Following repeated unanswered requests to revoke emergency procurement powers over a year after going into effect, Comptroller Stringer files suit against the City to fully restore all procurement laws and regulations

While other emergency orders have been revoked as the City reopens, Mayor de Blasio has issued more than one hundred emergency executive orders to extend the procurement suspensions in EEO 101 – including as recently as last week – and the City has registered more than $6.9 billion in COVID-19-related contracts and contract actions to procure goods, services and construction – all without Comptroller oversight

EEO 101’s prolonged suspension of the Comptroller’s contract registration powers blocks the Charter-mandated responsibility to provide checks and balances against misuse, mismanagement, waste and fraud

Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer filed a lawsuit against the City of New York and Mayor Bill de Blasio in the Supreme Court of the State of New York to fully rescind Emergency Executive Order (EEO) 101, Section 2, which suspended laws and regulations related to procurement since March 17, 2020, and to restore all Charter-mandated procurement laws and regulations. The Mayor has issued more than one hundred emergency executive orders that extended the suspensions in EEO 101 allowing the City to self-register more than $6.9 billion in COVID-19-related contracts and contract actions to procure goods, services and construction, all without charter-mandated oversight by the Office of the Comptroller. This exposed the City to widespread procurement failures, including overpayment and over-purchasing in this category of purported “emergency” contracting amounting to millions in wasted taxpayer dollars. In addition, certain contracts simply did not merit COVID-19 emergency approval. The suit cites examples of these procurement irregularities, including contracts with PC Richards & Sons, Jamaica Hardware, Global Medical Supply Group, Digital Gadgets, Cariati Developers, and Genuine Parts Company.

The Comptroller has made repeated unheeded attempts to restore normal procurement practices, including four letters sent to the Administration in August 2020, October 2020, March 2021, and June 2021. On June 25, 2021, Governor Cuomo ended the New York State disaster emergency and that week the Mayor himself revoked a number of executive orders related to the pandemic, including Section 1 of EEO 101 but continues to extend the procurement suspensions in Section 2. With no end in sight, Comptroller Stringer had no recourse but to file the suit to restore checks and balances on City contracting to protect taxpayers against misuse, mismanagement, waste and fraud.

In the petition to the Court, Comptroller Stringer emphasized that the Legislature intended that emergency orders be limited and temporary in nature and, as such, any suspension of local laws and rules can only last five days, subject to review and renewal. Despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and economic shutdown of the city’s economy, at this time any continuing justification for suspending the Charter and the New York City Procurement Policy Board (PPB) Rules no longer exists as the supply chain issues that affected the country are largely resolved and the overcrowding of City hospitals is no longer a threat to public safety. The suit argued that the Mayor’s continued failure to reconsider these facts and changing circumstances is arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and in violation of lawful procedure – placing the financial wellbeing of the City at risk and undermining public trust in the procurement process.

“Mayor de Blasio’s ongoing suspension of procurement rules continues to expose the City to waste and fraud. Over 15 months after this order was first issued, there is no excuse for this flagrant violation of the Charter and affront to the basics of good government. Enough is enough — my office is faced with no other option than to take legal action to re-establish the checks and balances that exist to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Comptroller Stringer. “As we work toward a strong post-pandemic recovery, the Mayor cannot continue to enable unscrupulous spending, unvetted vendors, and misuse of taxpayer dollars. New Yorkers deserve real accountability — I urge the Mayor to finally make this right.”

The Petition also demands that the City provide the Comptroller’s Office with complete contract packages in order for the Office to fulfill its responsibility to maintain, file, and certify all such documents. To date, the City has failed to provide the Comptroller’s Office with documents and information in a format sufficient to enable the Office to confirm that the Contract Packages are complete or to transfer them to the Comptroller Office’s existing repository.

To read the petition filed by the Comptroller’s Office in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, click here

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO HOMETOWN HEROES PARADE AMID LOCAL HEAT ADVISORY

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced modifications to tomorrow’s Hometown Heroes parade amid high temperatures and heat indices expected throughout the day. The parade to honor essential workers and celebrate the Summer of NYC will continue as scheduled. However, the ceremony at City Hall Plaza will be cancelled to keep New Yorkers safe from the heat. At the conclusion of the parade, the Mayor and First Lady will cheer marchers to applaud New York City’s hometown heroes.

 

Water will be added throughout the parade route. Cooling stations for participants are available at the beginning and end of the route.

 

Ticker Tape Parade Information

 

The Ticker Tape Parade will kick off on Wednesday, July 7^th at 11:00 AM from Battery Park and travel north along Broadway to City Hall.

 

Sandra Lindsay, the Queens nurse who became the first person in the United States to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, will lead the parade and serve as Grand Marshal. Mayor de Blasio will march alongside hospital workers.

 

The parade will feature 10 bands and 14 specialty vehicles. Live acts performing during the parade will include The World’s Best 80’s Band, Jessie’s Girl.

 

Floats will depart in the following order, beginning with the first departure at 11:00 AM:

 

1. Hospital Workers
2. Healthcare Workers
3. Education & Childcare
4. First Responders
5. Community Care
6. City Workers
7. Advocacy Organizations
8. Transportation
9. Hospitality & Building Care
10. Emergency Food
11. Communication & Delivery
12. Small Businesses & Bodega
13. Utilities
14. Reinforcements

 

Members of the media with valid NYPD credentials will be given access to the parade route and are reminded to wear their credentials at or near police lines. No special parade credentials are required.

 

TV camera operators will have access to press trucks that will drive the route. Press truck credentials are limited to one per outlet. Media assigned to press truck risers must stay on the vehicle until the end of route.

 

Select members of the pool will be given a spot on risers built outside 250 Broadway. You must be a part of the pool in order to gain access to the risers. For more information regarding the pool broadcast, please contact Annette Jolles at Bard Entertainment at 917-743-1182.

 

NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADVISE NEW YORKERS TO BEAT THE HEAT

 

A heat advisory is in effect for New York City from 11 a.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 7

 

Cooling centers are open across the city beginning Tuesday. To find the nearest location, including hours of operation, call 311 or visit the City’s Cooling Center Finder

(Cooling Center Finder will be activated at 9 p.m. Monday)

  The New York City Emergency Management Department and the Health Department today advised New Yorkers to take precautions to beat the heat. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory in effect for New York City from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7. High heat and humidity are in the forecast for Tuesday, with heat index values ranging from 95 to 102 across the city. Heat indices in the middle to upper 90s are also anticipated on Wednesday. To help New Yorkers beat the heat, New York City will open cooling centers throughout the five boroughs beginning Tuesday. Cooling center locations may have changed from last year. To find a cooling center, including accessible facilities closest to you, call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or visit the City’s Cooling Center Finder. The finder will be activated at 9 p.m. this evening. New York City opens cooling centers when the heat index is forecast to be 95 degrees or above for two or more consecutive days, or if the heat index is forecast to be 100 degrees or above for any amount of time.

 

“New York City is expecting dangerous heat and high humidity to return this week, and we encourage New Yorkers to take every necessary precaution to stay cool,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner John Scrivani. “Use air-conditioning or go to one of the City’s cooling centers to beat the heat, and stay out of the sun as much as possible. With the help of our agency partners, elected officials and community organizations, the City has opened cooling centers if you don’t have an air conditioner at home. We encourage all New Yorkers to call 311 to find the cooling center nearest to them.”

 

In New York City, most heat-related deaths occur after exposure to heat in homes without air conditioners. Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, but some people at risk of heat illness do not have or do not turn on an air conditioner. The New York City Emergency Management Department and the Health Department urge New Yorkers to take steps to protect themselves and help others who may be at increased risk from the heat. For more information, including heat-related health tips and warning signs of heat illness, visit NYC.gov/health or NYC.gov/beattheheat.

 

“Heat can be dangerous, especially for New Yorkers with certain health conditions,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “I urge all New Yorkers to stay inside air conditioned spaces as much as possible. If you don’t have air conditioning, seek relief at a City cooling center.” 

 

New York City's outdoor pools re-opened for the summer on Saturday, June 26, 2021. Pool goers are reminded that face coverings are now required to enter the facility, and standard pool protocols apply—bring a bathing suit, towel, and lock to secure belongings. Pool hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. More information can be found at nyc.gov/parks/pools.

 

A citywide map of outdoor cooling options (including spray showers, drinking fountains, and more) can be found online at Cool It! NYC.

 

During extreme heat, the Department of Social Services (DSS) issues a Code Red Alert. During Code Reds, shelter is available to anyone experiencing homelessness, where those experiencing heat-related discomfort are also able to access a designated cooling area. Transportation to cooling centers is available via DSS outreach teams who engage with potentially homeless individuals every day of the year and intensify engagement during extreme heat.

 

To prepare for future hot weather, eligible New Yorkers can also obtain free air conditioners, including installation, through the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). More information on eligibility and how to apply can be found here or by calling 311 and asking about the cooling assistance benefit.

 

ADDITIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE HEAT

 

• Go to an air-conditioned location, even if for a few hours.
• Stay out of the sun and avoid extreme temperature changes.
• Avoid strenuous activity, especially during the sun’s peak hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.
• Remember: drink water, rest, and locate shade if you are working outdoors or if your work is strenuous. Drink water every 15 minutes even if you are not thirsty, rest in the shade, and watch out for others on your team. Your employer is required to provide water, rest, and shade when work is being done during extreme heat.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing when inside without air conditioning or outside.
• Drink fluids, particularly water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Those on fluid-restricted diets or taking diuretics should first speak with their doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Avoid beverages containing alcohol or caffeine.
• Eat small, frequent meals.
• Cool down with a cool bath or shower.
• Participate in activities that will keep you cool, such as going to the movies, walking in an air-conditioned mall, or swimming at a pool or beach.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and, in apartments where children live, and window guards. Air conditioners in buildings more than six stories must be installed with brackets so they are secured and do not fall on someone below. Window guards can prevent children from falling out of a window and suffering serious injuries or even death. Screens keep mosquitoes that can spread West Nile Virus out of your home and keep cats from falling out of windows.

• Never leave your children or pets in the vehicle, even for a few minutes.

 

KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS

 

Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know has:

 

• Hot dry skin.
• Trouble breathing.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• Confusion, disorientation, or dizziness.
• Nausea and vomiting.

 

If you or someone you know feels weak or faint, go to a cool place and drink water. If there is no improvement, call a doctor or 911.

 

KEEPING YOUR PETS SAFE

 

• Avoid dehydration: Pets can dehydrate quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water.
• Walk your dog in the morning and evening: When the temperature is very high, do not let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Your pet’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.
• Know when your pet is in danger: Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, unresponsiveness, or even collapse.

 

IMPROPER FIRE HYDRANT USE

 

The improper opening of fire hydrants wastes 1,000 gallons of water per minute, causes flooding on city streets, and lowers water pressure to dangerous levels, which hamper the ability of the Fire Department to fight fire safely and quickly.

 

Use “spray caps” to reduce hydrant output to a safe 25 gallons per minute while still providing relief from the heat. To obtain a spray cap, an adult 18 years or older with proper identification can go to his or her local firehouse and request one.

 

ENERGY-SAVING TIPS

 

During periods of intense electrical usage, such as on hot, humid days, it is important to conserve energy as much as possible to avoid brownouts and other electrical disruptions. While diminishing your power usage may seem inconvenient, your cooperation will help to ensure that utility providers are able to provide uninterrupted electrical service to you and your neighbors, particularly those who use electric powered medical equipment or are at risk of heat-related illness and death:

 

• Set your air conditioner to 78°F or “low.”
• Run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it is cooler outside to reduce heat and moisture in your home.
• Close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out when the air conditioner is running.
• Keep shades, blinds, and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows.
• Turn off air conditioners, lights, and other appliances when not at home, and use a timer or smart technology to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home. Keep air conditioner filters clean.
• If you run a business, keep your door closed while the air conditioner is running.
• Tell your utility provider if you or someone you know depend on medical equipment that requires electricity.

 

For more information, visit NYC.gov/beattheheat. New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency communications program. To sign up for Notify NYC, download the free mobile application, visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, call 311, or follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.

180 Days and Counting

 

This is a photo from when the city used the Kingsbridge Armory as a food depot. I put Kathryn Garcia in charge of our food relief program and she did an excellent job, just like she did at NYCHA, and the Department of Sanitation. She will make a great mayor taking over after me. The Board of Elections may still take some time to declare you the winner, but you are a winner in the hearts of city residents. Mayor Garcia is at the right of the photo. 

I William de Blasio, will be seeking to go where no one has gone before, out there aboard the Starship Enterprise as its commanding officer. I will change my name again, but only my last name from de Blasio to Shatner so I will become William Shatner the commander of the USS Enterprise. Lastly, New Yorkers be careful of the heat it will be over 90 degrees. Medic, Medic I need a Medic the heat is getting to me.